5. Jealousy at its peak!

SUSANNA……

"Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad." I wished them cheerfully with my full-blown smile while entering their room. Leonardo was behind me. He also tagged along to celebrate Dad and Mom's birthday. Because they were his parents too. Foster parents. 

Their faces lit up with amusement when they spotted us at the door with a cake and candles on it. I moved forward and placed the cake on the table and hugged Dad first. 

"Happy Anniversary Dad. Wish you happiness." Dad reciprocated the hug and patted my head.

"Thanks, pumpkin." My heart puffed up with happiness when he called me by my nickname. It has been only two days since he didn't talk to me after that marking scandal. But it seemed ages to me. I felt my eyes burning as tears began to well up in my eyes. 

I pulled away and stared at him with my tear-filled eyes. My heart was clenching with agony. 

"I'm sorry Dad." My voice was thick because of the sob I was holding back in my throat. 

His eyes softened and his lips made a thin line with a smile. He stretched out his hand to touch my face. "I'm happy that you realize your mistake, my love. But always remember your Dad is always with you." saying that he patted my head lightly. 

"I hope you will not do anything that will bring destruction to your pack. I have high hopes for you that you will put your pack as your first priority and will give your best to protect the pack and pack members. You will be a good and ideal Alpha and will rule the pack greatly after me." I looked down as the memory of my past flashed in my mind how my people had to lose their life because of my stupidity. I went to work giving my responsibility to Charles but he failed to protect the pack. But not this time. I will not repeat the same mistake of trusting the wrong person. 

Tears rolled down from my eyes as I squeezed my eyes tightly. Dad pulled me into a fatherly hug and stroked my head to soothe me. 

"Candles are melting." I heard Leonardo's voice and pulled away. 

"Oh, I almost forgot about the cake." I chuckled a little awkwardly and went to hug Mom. 

"Happy Anniversary Mom." 

"Thank you, love." She placed a kiss on my forehead. I feel over the moon by reliving the time. I missed them a lot. 

"Now come and cut the cake." I dragged them with me. Leonardo wished them and passed them gifts. After the cake-cutting, we came out of their room. 

"Umm, Good night, Leo." I wished him but he just walked away with a stony face leaving me dumbfounded. Because he was behaving differently right after I told him Charles marked me. 

FLASHBACK…….

"Who marked you?" My heart rumbled at his murderous voice. His eyes were dark and dangerous, blazing with fire, and the way he was staring at me was like he was going to devour me alive. 

I swallowed the big lump in my throat and blinked my eyes fearfully. "Ummmm….." I found myself lacking words. I could not come up with the proper words to give him the answer to his question. I don't know what is happening to me. Why am I feeling uncomfortable around him? This has never happened before.

"I'm asking something, Dammit." I jumped out of fear when he hit the steering wheel in rage. Fear chilled my heart and I squeezed my eyes tightly in fear. 

"What happened, cat got your tongue?" His overbearing voice sends a chill running through my body. And my breath caught in my throat. So I stared at him with my fearful eyes. I didn't know what had gotten into him but at that moment he was scaring me to the death. 

"It's Charles," I said with no voice while looking down. 

"Damn it!" 

 I jumped out of fear when he hit the steering in outrage. I looked at him with wide eyes. My heart was beating wildly. 

I was so terrified by his action that my body went cold. I felt my heart hammering inside my chest. I swallowed hard, staring at him. 

"So Charles is your mate?" His voice was low but deep and dangerous which shook me to the core. My chest tightened upon hearing his words. Because Charles wasn't my real mate but a chosen one.

He was looking ahead but his face was right with anger. My gaze fell on his knuckles which turned white because of the way he was holding the steering.

I could feel my body turning cold with nervousness. I was fidgeting with my finger while looking down. 

"No." 

He let out a frustrated groan which made me look at him and when I did I found him staring back at me. And I saw a glint of disappointment in his eyes. Guilt filled my heart and I looked away. 

"Why did you choose him over your fated mate?" He asked me while gritting his teeth. 

I blinked and gulped the big lump in my throat. "Because I love him," I said looking out of the window. And I heard him chuckle. 

"Oh, Yes! I almost forgot that he's your puppy love." Sarcasm was dripping with his words. I squeezed my eyes tightly as I felt my heart aching with agony. It feels so painful that it seems like it would kill me. I gulped hard. 

"We are getting late," I said with so much difficulty. 

He didn't say anything but I could feel his heated gaze on me which was boring a hole into my body.

"Please." I was feeling so sick that it was suffocating me. I was thankful to him that he restarted the engine and drove off.

 I was so confused and scared at the same time seeing his behavior. I didn't understand why he was behaving so strangely after hearing that Charles marked me. I wanted to ask him but couldn't ask him seeing his rage. 

FlashBack End……

"You want to ignore me, Mr. Iceberg? Then go ahead. I'm not dying to talk to you either. Do whatever you want to. I don't care. I hate you." I said, staring at his door which was two rooms after mine.

'Are you sure you hate him, Su? Isn't childhood crush?'  My wolf Renessa exclaimed with sarcasm. 

"So what? It was in my childhood.  I don't feel anything for him now." I defended myself but she chuckled in return. 

'Is that so? Then why does your heart race whenever he's around you?' My mind went blank and I could not find any words to defend myself. 

"Shut up. Don't forget that we got a second life to correct our mistakes. We will take revenge and reject that asshole. Only then we could finally find our mate. If our luck is on our side then we could find our fated mate only if he doesn't choose one for himself." I could feel her pain in my heart. 

'I hope our mate waits for us.' I smiled sadly at her words. 

"Only if we are lucky."

.

.

.

"Jenny, I want you to make me the most beautiful girl in this party. So I'm leaving it to you. Don't disappoint me. I want Charles' eyes only on me at the party." I was observing her face keenly but secretly. I didn't want to let her get suspicious of me. 

For a moment I noticed how her face tightened with anger. Jealousy was imprinted on her face but she cleverly changed it into a fake smile. 

"Of course, my love. I'll make you the most beautiful girl today. You're already so beautiful and with my excellent skill I'll turn you into the most beautiful girl in this universe." Holding my shoulder from behind Jenny said with her most beautiful fake smile. 

"I trust you." I flashed my sweet smile at her and she began with her work. 

"My dear Bestie, just wait and watch. I'll make your life hell. You will regret why you were born." I thought in my mind while Jenny was doing my makeup.

"Done." She announces with an optimistic tone. 

It had taken nearly an hour for her to finish this. I took a deep breath before opening my eyes. The moment my eyes met the mirror I immediately froze.

The face looking back at me was flawless and so beautiful. It seems I have fallen in love with myself. There was no way that the reflection in the mirror was my own. It left me speechless. Jenny, Serah, and Melanie were smiling at me.

My skin looked like porcelain but had this beautiful glow to it. And my cheekbones have a touch of a light rosy tint blush swept across them. A glittery golden eyeshadow was swept across my eyelids accompanied by a black shade to give me smokey eyes.

My lashes were thick and dark and my eyeliner was very thick. The final touch was the blood-red lipstick on my lips.

"You are smiling all the way to your eyes," Melanie said, holding a mischievous smile on her face.

"Is it really me?" Pointing my finger at the mirror I asked Melanie to confirm that I wasn't hallucinating.

"Yes. It's really you." Betina gave me the response while grinning ear to ear.

 "Now tell me how it is?" Jenny asked me, pushing Melanie aside.

"It's beautiful," I told her from my heart. I didn't expect that from her.

"Now it's time to get dressed now." Saying that Jenny pushed me to my dressing room. I put on my red gown which was off-shoulder with a long slit from the front. My long slim white leg will be exposed when I walk. I came out from my dressing room and Melanie helped me to wear my golden color sky-high heels with straps.

"Now you are all ready." Melanie cheerfully announces clapping her hands.

"Mark my words, every eye will be on you at the party. You are so beautiful that no one can resist your beauty, ummm….wait, except one person. Your brother." She made faces while saying that and I laughed at her. 

"What if he failed today? Look how gorgeous and elegant I'm looking today. I bet he would not be able to take his eyes off me today." I said confidently looking in the mirror. My eyes darted to Jenny who was smiling at my reflection. Anyone can get fooled by her easily because of her innocent face. 

"By the way, I don't care if he looked at me or not, I just want Charles's attention on me. That's it. I don't care about others. Today I especially dolled up for my Charles. Because….." I paused and looked down, blushing hard. 

"I want to make this night memorable for us." I flashed a shy smile to burn Jenny out of jealousy. Because I have noticed her expression in the mirror. She was gritting her teeth. 

"Let's go. I don't want to be late to my parents' party. It's their big day." I smiled and they nodded while trailing behind me. 

"Su, you go, I'll join you soon." I nodded at Jenny. I knew where she was going. Charles was in her room waiting for her. And she was going to meet him to execute their plan. But alas, today my plan is going to overtake your plan. And it will be fun.

When I was declining the stairs I felt every eye on me. My eyes were looking for someone but the person wasn't there at the moment. Out of the blue Charles came in front of me when I was on the last step of the stairs. He stretched out his hand for me to hold. 

"May I have the honor to escort you?" He flashed his charming smile I used to melt on. 

"Sure." I placed my hand on his with my best fake smile. But before I could get down the stairs something caught my attention. I felt like I had been struck by lightning inside my chest. My heart stopped beating and I couldn't breathe at the sight.

Leo was walking through the entrance with a tall and beautiful brunette girl. Who looked like an angel falling from the sky. Rage went through me like wildfire. The beautiful girl was clinging to him while his hand was resting on her slender waist. I don't know why but I don't feel good seeing them together. I felt like killing the girl. Suddenly his eyes met mine and our gaze locked. There was something in his eyes I could not read. But it was something intense that made me feel hot.