Chapter 7: The Party (2)

We had just got in and I had taken a seat, preparing to watch others dance, while having a safe discussion with Alpha Andrew when a few minutes into our discussion, as I was waving and smiling my greetings to those who who were passing by my seat, in acknowledgment of their greetings and presence when a tall gentleman walked pass my view.

I do not know what led me to looking after him but my eyes trailed him to his seat and I was wondering if I had met him before. He sat down and looked up straight into my eyes. Our eyes met and I felt light headed. It was like I was drowning. I had sense of Deja Vu. I quickly looked away. This could not be happening. Not again! I thought in dismay.

'Iris, what's the problem?' Andrew asked. 'You look like you have seen a ghost'.

'Oh, it's nothing', I said, trying to collect my thoughts. I imagined his face because I was not going to look his way again, I vowed to myself.

'Coward!' my wolf screamed at me.

'I don't mind being a coward in this case!' I replied her in my head.

'You were saying?' I asked Andrew with a smile, trying to forget how I had felt when my eyes met with that of the tall man. As Andrew continued what he was saying, I visualized the face I had seen which had had such an impact on me and I could not recall having seen it anywhere. He must be new here, I thought to myself, such a striking face.

Without warning, my eyes inadvertently looked his way again and as soon as our eyes met again, he looked away and spoke to the woman beside him who laughed heartily.

'He has a companion whose company he is enjoying', I murmured.

'What did you say?' Andrew asked, looking puzzled.

'Oh, nothing!' I answered, flashing him a smile. It also puzzled me that I was bothered how the woman with him was laughing and hitting him playfully.

'I don't know this man from anywhere. So, why should his presence and or his relationship with his companion disturb me this much?' I thought in bemusement. I am never looking his way again, I vowed. If he could be playful with his female companion, so could I. I couldn't understand what had taken me over and neither did I want to investigate it too closely. It was better if I remained ignorant of it, I decided. With a determined effort, I looked at Andrew and put my own heart in chatting with him and laughing merrily. I was going to enjoy myself tonight, nothing and no one was going to make me do otherwise!

Andrew must have been pleasantly surprised as I continued to chat with him. He laughed and I noticed that he stayed glued to my side.

I suddenly sensed that I was being watched and I looked up to find Prince Lyndon Woods staring at me intently and I looked away, suddenly not sure I wanted anything, no matter how playful, to do with him. His intense gaze did not make me feel flattered. I rather felt threatened and when I looked at him again, he had looked away. But I'll still felt a sense of unease.

'Don't be ridiculous!' I cautioned myself. 'He is just a harmless wolf who is interested in you'. I shoved the thought of Prince Lyndon out of my mind and concentrated once more on Alpha Andrew.

'Princess Iris', a familiar voice said and I looked up into the smiling face of Prince Lyndon. 'I wonder if I can bother you to walk with me in the garden?'

He was addressing me but looked only briefly at me. The person he was really staring at was Andrew and the look in his eyes confused me. Was his gaze a threat to Andrew to stay away from me? But who gave him the right to feel that I belong nged with him because I consented to a couple of dance with him?

I looked at Andrew who had stopped what he had been about to say to me and looked up into Lyndon's eyes. He shook his head.

'Can you not see that she already has a companion and we are in the middle of a discussion?' he asked looking daggers at Lyndon.

'Oh, I'm sorry Alpha Andrew but I hope you are not planning on monopolizing the Princess for the whole of the evening', he said, smiling charmingly at him. 'There are some of us who still want to have either a dance or a word with her, you know?'

'Of course, anyone who wants to dance or speak to her is free to do so', Andrew said feigning nonchalance. 'But the decision of who to dance or speak with is hers to make!'

I smiled my thanks to Alpha Andrew. I wanted to refuse to join him in the garden. I felt that I already knew what he was going to speak to me about and I just wanted to get it over with and tell him I was not interested.

I touched Andrew gently on the shoulder and looked at Lyndon. I saw the way his eyes followed the action of my hand on Andrew's shoulders, saw the way he looked again at Andrew and then at me. What is going on in this man's mind? I thought in bemusement.

'Excuse me, Andrew', I said, smiling at Alpha Andrew. 'Let me have a few words with him in the garden. I should be back in the next ten minutes'.

Andrew nodded but I could see he was not too happy about it. He must be angry that I was going to be alone with Lyndon in the garden and was visualizing all that could happen between him and me. He needn't worry because I don't have any such feelings towards Lyndon.

Lyndon smiled once more at Andrew, giving him a curt nod and then at me, offering his arm. I slid mine into his and we walked out of the reception hall, into the cool breeze outside and then in the direction of the garden.