Chapter 4

|| ELINDA'S POV || 

The whiskey felt bitter in my throat. Nausea threatened to come out of my mouth. The party became non-existent to me. All I could see was the pair of blue eyes that haunted me in my dreams.

Was I dreaming?

Alberto's voice cleared the least amount of uncertainty that I was holding on to,

" Aah! Alexis. Sorry, you know that I forget everyone when I am with my sister."

Alexis's eyes weren't leaving mine. He stood there numbly, his eyes darkening as if I was the worst thing that could happen in his life. My heart was pounding hard against my chest. Alberto pulled him up to me, his hand hanging around Alexis's neck,

" Elinda! Meet my favorite buddy, Alexis Kozlov, the Do...Aah...He is my best friend and the head of Dark Crescent Mauranders. We went to the same university."

Fuckfuckfuck!

Why did I have the worst luck?

Alexis Kozlov? Why did I feel like I had never heard this surname of him before?

I bit my lips together, unable to keep the rage and pain within me. Alberto cleared his throat before asking awkwardly,

" You...you don't know about Dark Crescent Mauranders, do you?"

Fuck! I didn't even want to know!

I replied with a forced smile,

" No. I don't remember the information of unimportant people."

Alberto shot me a narrowed look. He probably hated me for insulting his best friend. But trust me, my hatred was stronger than his friendship. Leonid spoke with a chuckle, his eyes going down to my body,

" It seems like your sister doesn't like Mauranders much."

The name gave a thrill, a dark and dangerous vibe which left me with questions. Even the innocent-looking boy was gone from Alexis's face. Instead, I saw a man with darkness. His icy blue eyes danced with mischievousness, his presence carrying the weight of the whole earth. His plain skin was gone. Instead, It was imprinted with several tattoos, light stable highlighting his features. He was a man of darkness now but was handsome in a sinful way.

Why was I even fucking attracted to my rejected mate?

My stomach churned into a tight knot when his eyes shifted from my pale face to the dress that I was wearing. It was a little revealing and I knew that it shocked him since I never wore something like this dress in Costa Rica.

Alberto rolled his eyes dramatically, hanging a hand around my neck,

" Oh come on, buddy. My sister is just too innocent. You will know eventually."

The hell he will!

A smirk tugged on Alexis's lips. He replied, tugging on his bottom lip,

" I am sure, I will."

Yes! He knew it well and he used my innocence as well!

I forced myself to not think about him, grabbed onto Alberto's hands, and dragged him along,

" Enough of your friend, Alberto. Let's cut the cake first. The guests are waiting."

I cut the cake, wearing the fake smile that I had been practicing for years. The little happiness that I felt with the arrival of my brother was gone. Alexis's presence haunted me and I couldn't help but feel chill whenever he was around. I also noticed that people kept a significant distance from Alexis. But they didn't stop shooting the admirable look his way.

The formal part of this party was finally done. As the future king, Alberto did his part and greeted the guests for coming here today. I excused myself from there to catch some fresh air. As I came to the corridor, attached to the hallway, Betty, my second cousin joined me. She was two years younger than me but she was fun to hang out with.

Betty grumbled, sipping her wine gracefully,

" Lord! I don't know how Brother Albert hangs out with this man. He is the scariest man in the whole city."

I stiffened at the thought of Alexis being scary. Trying to sound nonchalant, I responded calmly, curious to know about the man who was once my sweet mate,

" Umm..scary? Why is he into some.. detective jobs or.. cops?"

Betty burst into laughter as if I just had cracked a lame joke. I blinked my eyes at her naively, her reply took all the air from my lungs,

" Dari! You sure are still too pure. He is in the Mafia, the youngest head of the Bravta Lycans. Alberto should have warned you."

My eyes turned heavy as if the world was spinning. I expected something worse but this was the worst thing that I could expect in my fucking life. How could... that sweet boy Alexis become the head of the Mafia?

I was gasping for breath when a voice pulled our attraction on our back,

" Wow! I never thought that I was the hot topic of the town."

Betty gasped in shock, muttering a curse in Russian before excusing herself from the corridor. Alexis stood with his hands shoved in his pockets. I was still high in shock and his presence only pushed it further. He took a step forward and I felt myself curling back already.

His eyes narrowed but he didn't stop, took some lazy steps to stand in front of me. A smile played on his lips as he spoke to me for the first time in years,

" Long time, huh? You have changed a lot, Princess."

I hold the railing to stabilize my running heart. My instinct told me that I shouldn't recognize this man. He ruined me once and he would ruin me again. Once, I was an average girl but now I was the princess of the Vasiliev Dynasty. Swallowing hard, I mumbled my reply, keeping my eyes off his handsome face,

" Sorry...I..I don't know..you...You are just my brother's best.. friend.."

Something dark lurked in his eyes before his jaw hardened. I couldn't understand the reason behind his anger. It was him who rejected me and after everything, I didn't think that I had any reason to get familiar with him.

A sinful smirk played on his lips as he rasped in a husky voice,

" Oh right..But this brother's best friend knows how you moan when I eat your pussy, how you taste between your le.."

I cut him off with a scowl, blush creeping on my neck to remember the past,

" STOPP!! STOPP!! Why, Alexis? We have chosen our ways already. There is nothing to reminisce about."

I took a deep breath and pressed myself closer to him, his jaw ticking like a bomb,

" Remember! I am no longer the average girl who will take every shit of yours. I am the princess of the Vasiliev Dynasty. Even the breath that you are taking, belongs to my family. I am not going to take any shit of yours."

His gaze only hardened further but I was done with his dirty words. Stepping away, I made my way to Aunty Augusta who was chatting with some lady. She smiled big up at me as soon as I was close,

" Hello, love. What's up with you?"

I said through my gritted teeth, forcing myself not to think about the cold pair of eyes that were glaring at my back,

" Aunty Augusta, weren't you talking about your nephew? I..I am ready to go on a blind date with him."

My wolf inside me let out a growl of annoyance but I pushed it back in my mind. In no way, I would let Alexis Kozlov break my heart again.