Derek dropped yet another awe-stricken glance at Emma as he drove toward the party venue, utterly negligent of the amused look on his cousin’s face and the skeptical one resting on his gamma’s.

  “Derek, honey… drive,” Emma said softly, batting her eyelashes at her drooling boyfriend, whom she thought looked devastatingly handsome in his three-piece suit.

  She liked his glances far more than she cared to admit—but she also wanted to arrive at the party in one piece.

  She smiled coyly as she watched him gulp, momentarily swallowed by nothingness, before finally returning his gaze to the road ahead.

  Sneaking a look into the rearview mirror, she caught Maya giving her a playful thumbs-up. Emma blushed instantly. She could feel their closeness deepening already—and they had only met two days ago.

  That was the same with June though.

  The thought slid in uninvited, casting a worried shadow across her features. She couldn’t help wondering if Maya would someday betray her the way June had.

  She hoped not. Truly, she did.

  “You okay?” she heard Maya whisper close to her ear.

  Emma shuddered; she hadn’t even seen the latter coming.

  “Yeah, I’m good,” she replied after a quick nod, noticing that Derek was staring at her with open concern.

  And Shane…

  The dude was staring at Maya’s ass.

  “Shane!!” Emma shrieked, pushing Maya back slightly so the blonde tumbled into her seat. Maya had bent forward while checking on her, causing her ass to stick out—just a little—into Shane’s direct line of sight.

  “What!” Shane exclaimed, genuinely confused as he stared at the fiery beauty calling his name with such force. His gaze locked onto Emma’s blazing green eyes, which he suddenly found fascinating.

  In that moment, he understood exactly why his two friends were fighting over her—even though she was human. The redhead was breathtaking.

  Earlier that night, when he’d first seen her, he’d been dumbstruck—completely stupefied, a state he rarely ever found himself in. He hadn’t even realized when the words bless me slipped from his mouth.

  He’d expected a knock from her possessive boyfriend but when he finally recovered enough to check Derek, he could swear the man had been drooling. Literally.

  Of course, he’d held his tongue.

  Her presence had been elegant. With her full mass of red hair cascading freely down to her waist, she’d looked like a Queen who knew exactly who she was—one who bowed to no one. Red hot.

  The black gown complemented her figure perfectly, gathering her assets in all the right places. And in that moment, he’d known—if given the opportunity to have her—he wouldn’t say no.

  “Why were you staring at Maya’s ass?”

  Her voice sliced through his thoughts, snapping him sharply back to the present.

  “What?” he asked, heat flooding his face as embarrassment took hold.

  “You heard me the first time,” Emma said, twisting fully in the front seat.

  “Well…” Shane stuttered, suddenly jittery beneath the heated gazes of all three of them—especially as Derek swerved the car and pulled to the side of the road.

  Damn it. He should have controlled his line of vision. Now they’d think he was a pervert, when he was anything but. It had been a mistake. Just a stupid one.

  “Shane…” Derek called, his tone measured.

  Shane sighed. He was definitely in for it.

  “The fact that I allowed you to be my cousin’s date for the night doesn’t mean you should abuse some privileges,” Derek continued, clearly displeased.

  He was actually taken aback. Shane was a clown, not a pervert. Still, the issue had to be addressed—for his mate’s sake.

  “I know. I’m sorry,” Shane muttered, his shoulders drooping.

  “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. Apologize to Maya,” Derek said as he restarted the car.

  “Maya, I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional,” Shane added quietly, taking her hand in the process.

  Emma watched them and thought they looked… cute together.

  The idea struck her suddenly—pairing them up. It seemed so good that she didn’t even realize when a smile bloomed across her lips.

  “Why are you smiling?” Derek asked, amusement dancing in his eyes as he glanced at his mate smiling blissfully at the scene.

  What is that cute brain of hers cooking now? he wondered, already suspecting where her thoughts were headed.

  He’d have to shut it down sooner or later. His gamma couldn’t be with his cousin. They weren’t mates. Leo was Maya’s mate.

  Well, she doesn’t know that, he heard Maru say, and he sighed inwardly.

  “What now?”

  “When will you tell her about us?”

  “It’s too early for that.”

  “Too early? It’s almost a week since you guys met!” Maru whined.

  “Exactly. Too early,” Derek stated firmly through the mind link.

  “I think you should tell her now. I don’t want to say I told you so later.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “You won’t get to.”

  “Derek!!”

  Derek snapped out of the link at the sound of Emma’s voice.

  Blinking, he refocused on her and sighed. She must have thought he’d spaced out on her. He noticed the shared shrugs Maya and Shane exchanged.

  “What are you thinking about? I’ve been calling you for ages!” Emma said with a pout.

  He had to bite back a smile, especially when he caught Shane rolling his eyes at her dramatic use of ages.

  “I’m sorry…”

  “But…” Emma started, still curious.

  “I was thinking of you,” he said, cutting her off.

  —

  A blush still coated Emma's cheeks as she stepped into the party venue, her arm entangled with Derek's, her fingers curled lightly around his sleeve.

  His last statement before they had reached the venue was still replaying in her mind on a relentless loop, and the possessive look that had darkened his face as he walked with he did her insides an unexpected amount of good.

  "Derek!!"

  A shrill voice called suddenly, the sound slicing through the music and startled chatter like a whistle.

  Emma raised her eyebrows slightly at the new face who sauntered towards them with a bright, wide smile and an overly dolled-up face that looked almost theatrical beneath the venue lights.

  She could already tell that the lady approaching them was the celebrant. She could also see that the stares they had been receiving since they stepped into the party had increased, multiplying like ripples spreading across still water.

  She didn't know yet whether it was a good development or a bad one.

  "Derek, do you know the celebrant?" She heard Maya ask quietly, curiosity threading through her voice, and Emma turned her face toward Derek in anticipation of what he might say, her eyes flicking between him and the approaching woman.

  "Not really. She is just a co-worker," he replied casually, his tone deliberately indifferent, causing Emma to wonder if it was the same co-worker that he had spoken to over the phone some days ago…

  "Yes, that one," Derek replied to her unspoken thought, gazing steadily at her with knowing eyes.

  He had perceived that his little witch must have been thinking of that call he had with Cassey some days back, judging by the way her face had scrunched up in thought, her brows knitting together in that adorably suspicious way he had already grown fond of.

  "You know her too?" Maya whispered to Emma conspiratorially, leaning closer as the brunette was already very close to them.

  "No, I really don't," Emma answered with a small shrug, though her eyes remained watchful.

  "Here she comes…" Shane stated under his breath, expecting a comedy drama to happen soonest. Cassey could be so silly when she wanted attention.

  "Hey Derek. You finally made it," Cassey finally said, throwing her arms around Derek’s neck suddenly without warning and batting her eyelashes at him in a dramatic flutter.

  Maya and Emma’s mouths slightly parted in stunned disbelief.

  Didn’t the girl see that the man she was hugging had his arm around another lady?

  Irritation bubbled up beneath Emma’s skin as she glared at Derek, awaiting his reaction, her lips pressing into a thin line.

  "Cassey, get your hands off me," Derek stated through gritted teeth, every word clipped and strained as he held himself back from flinging the human's hands off his shoulders himself. People were watching.

  "Oh, Derek… How can you say that? Don't you miss me and our—"

  Cassey was saying, her voice dripping with false intimacy, when Emma cut her off sharply.

  "Hey, didn't you hear him? Get your scrawny hands off my man!"

  "Who are you? I haven't seen you before.” Anger clothed Cassey’s facial features like a storm gathering behind her painted smile as she dropped her hands from Derek's shoulders reluctantly.

  She had thought her Derek was single. Now who was this?

  Her eyes narrowed as determination hardened inside her chest. She was not about to let another girl have the too-handsome male specimen standing in front of her!

  Ever since she had set her eyes on him some weeks back, when her father had introduced him to her and the other co-workers, she had been swallowed up in thoughts about him.

  She even touched herself whenever she fantasized too vividly about him. And she had already told her friends about him, letting them believe that he was her date for her birthday.

  But he had come with another girl. She thought, gnashing her teeth in silent fury.

  "She is Emma, my girlfriend," Derek stated firmly, earning a sharp glare from Cassey.

  "You didn't tell me you had one when you were—"

  She was saying, now trying to fake tears in a pathetic attempt to attract people's pity for her and scorn for Emma, when Shane cut her off smoothly.

  "When he did what?" he asked, an amused look spreading across his face. "As far as I know and can tell, you were the one running after him like a puppy. He never touched you. Or did he?"

  Smirk still playing lazily on his lips, he dared her to lie in front of them.

  He wouldn't mind exposing her escapades to defend his Alpha in front of the people who had come closer, clearly eager to hear the gist of the matter. He could already tell that they were not the only wolves present in the gathering.

  "You… you…" Cassey stammered helplessly, trying desperately not to cry.

  This was the worst day of her life.

  It was supposed to be the best! She screamed in her mind, humiliation burning through her chest like fire.

  But it had been ruined because of the redhead.

  She silently promised herself that she would utilize her resources well—even if it meant using her father's position—to get the redhead out of her Derek's life.

  "I would deal with you all," she threatened bitterly before walking off, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

  No one messes with her and goes scot-free.

  "Who the hell is that?" Maya asked the moment Cassey was out of earshot, laughing hysterically as she finally let the laughter she had been holding in burst free. The brunette was totally ridiculous.

  "No one. Don't tell Mum about this," Derek implored quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. This was embarrassing.

  "I won't," Maya stated, making a dramatic sign of sealing her lips like a zip.

  "But who exactly is she? She lives in much affluence for someone that works in a cleaning company," she added thoughtfully, having observed the entirety and arrangement of the mansion around them.

  "Yeah, right. I noticed that," Emma concurred, agreeing completely with her friend. "Who exactly is she?" she queried, registering the formal dressing of people around them, many of whom looked as though they were attending a grand ball.

  "She's the Mayor's daughter, and today is her birthday party," Derek answered.

  "Mayor? Like he's in control of the activities in the county?" Emma asked, her eyes widening slightly at the information she was getting.

  "Yeah," Derek replied simply, not finding it necessary to point out that his father possessed far more functional power and wealth than the mayor.

  "So… that means Melvina is her mom?! Oh God!" Emma whined dramatically, running her fingers through her hair in mild distress.

  "What?!"

  "What?!"

  Maya and Shane screamed together in unison, trying to hold in their laughter but failing miserably.

  "Why are you guys laughing? Derek told me that Melvina was the governess of the county, literally the same as the mayor's wife. Or are they different?" she asked, her brows knitting together as she hoped desperately that the latter was true.

  "Well…" Shane said slowly, scratching the back of his neck as he tried to come up with what to say. He could already see that his Alpha was completely speechless.

  "You guys are here already."

  A voice suddenly said behind them, breaking the haze and saving Derek from a very awkward moment of confusion.