CHAPTER SEVEN: A TRIP TO HELL

XANDER’S POV

How does one feel when the one mate you have awaited for years treats you like a fool? She tricks you into hating every core of yourself, then shows up without a feeling of remorse.

I grunted as I squeezed hard the wine glass I held. This was the seventh glass I was taking, and every single time, her face came back clearly in my mind. Her two-timing yet pretty face. A face that I was going to make shed tears. I lowered my head to see my blood drop on the tiles. The broken glass had penetrated my palm, yet I felt no pain. I had been through worse. Pulling out my phone, I dialed my Beta, and his voice came through in a second.

“Get me all the information on her,” I ordered and hung up before he could respond. Wrapping my palm, I headed out of the hotel, straight to one of the bars I had found in town. The whole place was rowdy, with the smell of alcohol and sweat consuming the air. The loud music blared from the speakers, and I settled in the corner of the VIP room, overlooking everything. 

“Your order, sir?”

“Give the strongest you have,” I informed, and he nodded before walking away. 

I watched as the stripers did their thing; everything slightly irritated me. I caught sight of the black man who wouldn’t stop looking my way and smiling. The bartender returned with a bottle of Tequila, and I downed some until a slim arm wrapped around my neck. The smell of smoke hitting my nose.

“Hi, handsome. You look stressed. Let me heal you.” Her fingers trailed over my collar while she bit on her lip. I was in no mood for sex right now. All I wanted was to make Beatrice pay.

“Lea…” My words trailed off the second my heart started to thump so hard. My breathing became unstable, and I felt something vibrate through me. Amidst them all, she stood, beaming from ear to ear as she walked in with her new catch. The male she left me for. I felt my blood rage. I wanted so badly to run towards him and break every bone of his. If she hated me like she claimed, why was he a blond, too? Our eyes met, and she looked away as fast as lightning moved, as though the sight of me irritated her.

“Pretend to be my girlfriend for an hour for two thousand dollars.”

“But…”

“Get out if you can’t.” I interrupted and watched her falling expression brighten up.

“I would do it for free if you need me to. One night with someone as sexy as you is enough to..” Her hand moved away from my chest, and I caught it just before she could get to my trousers.

“Don’t even think about it. You only do what I ask you to.” I warned and watched her sigh.

“Fine, playing hard to get.” She shrugged and then stepped in front of me. “What do you need me to do? Oh, her.” She added with a chuckle, and I realized she had caught me staring.

“It’s none of your business. Leave.”

“Calm down, big guy. Let me help you.” She leaned in as she spoke, and I stared at her in confusion. “You need to make her jealous. Let's go say hi.”

I was going to push her off, but then she was right. As we approached them, I didn’t quite get what he was saying, but the sight of her laughing so hard at his jokes made my blood rage. 

“We meet again,” I announced and watched her eyes drift towards me, yet they showed no guilt or jealousy even though the dark-haired female held onto my arm. Now I realized I never asked her name.

“Mark, meet Mr Evans, the company we are trying to partner with.” She informed, smiling at him, and I clenched my teeth hard. That was all I was to her? Just someone her company made her meet. Maybe I had expected more. Something like her mate, the only male she was allowed to be with. Mark stretched forth a handshake, which I ignored.

“You are the Evans.” My pretend girlfriend whispered, trembling slightly, and I sent her a hard stare, not to blow things off.

“Won’t you invite us to sit with you?” I let out, struggling to hide the urge to kill him already.

“It’s our date. I believe there are other places you could sit, Mr. Evans.”

I heard my wolf grunt. The thought that we meant nothing to her.

“I don’t mind..”

“No, Mark, you don’t have to. Mr. Evans here is a busy man and…”

“I insist, pumpkin.” He said, then proceeded to squeeze her palm, and she fucking smiled like she couldn’t wait to have him all to herself.

“How long have you both been dating?” I threw at them and watched her panic. She had no escape route now but to admit that she betrayed me.

“It’s our first date. Her k….” He was saying before she coughed and squeezed his hand. 

“I don’t think he needs to know that much.” She was hiding something I could tell, and I was more than willing to find out.

Was she cheating on the man she left me for? Or did he leave her, too, for being so heartless? 

“I think I need to leave now. I need to get back home.” She informed, her gaze avoiding mine. I could hear her heart blood pumping faster.

“I will take you home.” He lets out before I can, and I bite my lower lip as I await her refusal, but it never comes.

“Bye, Mr. Evans.” Was all she said before walking out of the room with him, and all I could do was stare. 

“Ouch, you are hurting me.” 

I realized I had gripped her fingers tightly. Pulling my check out of my pocket and scribbling some words on it, I stretched it to her.

“Five million…” She said in disbelief. 

“No one is to ever hear of this. We never met.” I warned, and she nodded.

Beatrice was nowhere in sight by the time I got out, and I stepped into the car feeling as shitty as before until I drove past him—my brief excitement. I slowed down the car to meet up with him.

“Let me give you a lift, Mark. Beatrice?” 

“She took the cab. I have something to pick up at the front.” 

I nodded as he spoke and pulled the door open. “Get in. See it as my last favor.”

He laughed briefly before stepping into the car, and I felt a thrill flow.

 “Did I ever tell you no one touches what is mine, Mark?” I informed and watched his smile whither like a piece of a dying tree.