42. Arrested

I have been on cloud nine since the charity event. I couldn’t help replaying the kiss over and over in my head.

The gala was on Saturday and on Monday, Claire and I had to go for a business trip to Japan but that didn’t stop me from thinking about Sebastian.

I wanted to share it with Claire. Tell her how amazing it was. Damn it, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

I honestly can’t believe he kissed me. Yes it was because of the paparazzi but that didn’t matter.

There had been a certain unquenchable hunger in his kiss and I wanted more of that. More of his lips on mine.

I have never been kissed like that. Never with such hunger and fire. I know it’s wrong to compare Sebastian and Darren but I can’t help it.

I thought Darren’s kisses were the best in the world but I had been wrong. Now that I have been kissed by Sebastian, I know Darren’s were stale. They lacked passion. They lacked fire.

“What do you think?” Claire asks me.

“Huh?”

Today was Thursday and we were on our way back home. I was excited to see Sebastian and the kids.

“I asked if we can get lunch once we land. I missed breakfast” she repeats.

“Yeah sure. I wouldn’t mind eating before going home” I answer her.

We settle back into silence. We were only an hour away and with each second my excitement grew.

I’ve spoken to Jax and Krystal every night. Sebastian not so much.

I know he is busy. Especially with the recent death, but I couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing in my gut. Maybe once the case was solved we would have time to bond more.

“You’ve fallen hard” Blue says in a chuckle.

“Shut up. I’ve not fallen for him. It’s just sexual attraction” I snarl.

As if I would ever fall in love again. Darren made sure that my heart would forever be too broken to ever love again. What I felt for Sebastian was pure lust.

“Continue lying to yourself. You’re falling for him and you’re falling fast”

I reply in irritation. “It’s not possible to fall in love with someone over the span of a few months”

I have been with Sebastian for less than five months. That’s just not enough time to learn about him and fall in love.

“When have I ever been wrong?” she asks me.

I think back and unfortunately she is never wrong. “You’re wrong this time. I can assure you that”

“Is that why you almost melted into a puddle when he kissed us?” she asks sarcastically.

I sigh in frustration. “I just told you that it was lust. Why won’t you just let the freaking issue go? It is pure undiluted lust period.”

“Fine but I can’t wait to tell you ‘I told you so” she says before shutting herself off.

Must she always have the last say? It is always so freaking annoying when she does that.

I turn to Claire only to find her with her eyes closed. I swear Claire could sleep anywhere, something that I usually find hard to do.

I go through my emails. Answering those that I wasn’t able to. I also email Sheryl and ask her to send me my schedule for next week. I like being a step ahead.

Since tomorrow was Friday and we had just come from this trip. Claire and I decided that none of us would go to work. Just because we traveled business class, doesn’t mean we don’t get jetlag.

By the time I was done answering my emails we had landed. We get out and hail a cab. We packed light, so we didn’t have a lot to carry.

We stop by our favorite restaurant. Thankfully it wasn’t crowded and we were immediately seated. We order and wait for it to be prepared.

“So have you tried the vibrator yet?” Claire asks out of the blue.

“You ask the weirdest questions at the weirdest time” I say in reply.

I couldn’t understand why she was asking about vibrators when we should be focusing on food. But then again that’s just Claire for you.

None of our business partners would ever guess that she was weird as hell. I liked her that way though.

Normal is so overrated.

“That’s not an answer.” She points out.

“Just once, on the day we bought them. With everything that happened later on, I haven’t gotten the time to use it”

She nods. “That’s understandable. I tried it and it was the shit. So glad I bought it”

I laugh at that. Remembering how she was first against the whole idea when I dragged them into the store.

“So any news on the killings?” she asks, leaning into the table and changing the subject.

I shake my head. “I haven’t heard anything from Sebastian. The killer is still at large and they can’t seem to find any clue or lead”

“I heard that the are pretty gruesome”

“Yeah. I saw some pictures of the victims and it was horrible” I cringe remembering the mangled bodies.

From there our conversation is more casual. Our food arrives and we dig in. By the time we were done, I was so full that I doubted that I could even walk.

“I need to use the washroom. You coming?” I ask her after a while. I really needed to pee.

She shakes her head and I stand up and head to the washroom. I get there and enter one of the stalls that was empty.

I was in the middle of doing my business when the door to the washroom opens.

I groan when I smell Miranda’s scent. She was with another woman. Her scent was sort of familiar but I couldn’t place it.

I finish my business and get out. I find them waiting for me. Their arms folded across their chest.

Michelle, the bitch that had run her mouth after my mating ceremony was the other woman.

No wonder her scent was familiar. It looked like they were now besties or something.

“Look at what the cat dragged in?” Miranda begins to taunt me.

I turn and begin washing my hand. “Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?” I asks calmly.

“You think you’re something now that you have Sebastian don’t you?” she continues.

I turn to face them, leaning on the counter.

“And you’re nothing now that you don’t have him” I retort. “Is there something meaningful you wanted to say or are you just going to waste my time?”

They both look at me in surprise but don’t say anything. I sigh and start to leave. I was going past them when Miranda grabs my hair and yanks it.

“We are going to teach you a lesson on taking what’s not yours” Michelle says menacingly right before she slaps me. Hard.

Immediately my vision turns red. Looks like the bitch forgot what I am capable of.

I draw my hand back and punch her, making her fall. Once that is done, I twist my body, the pain in my scalp not even registering.

I swipe my hand, feeling my claws tearing flesh. Miranda shrieks but it doesn’t even register in my mind.

She lets me go and stumbles, falling against the wall. Holding her face.

Michelle who I guess had recovered grabs my shoulder in a painful grip. I grab her hand, twist it and then break it. She falls again, clutching at her broken arm. Whimpering.

I turn to Miranda and see the look of pure horror and fear in her eyes. Before she can do anything I grab her by the throat and lift her off the floor, without breaking a sweat.

She struggles to breathe. She was starting to turn purple but I didn’t care. I wanted her gone. She was a threat.

I hear the door open but it’s too far away.

“Please help. She’s going to kill her” I hear someone say in panic.

I register someone standing next to me. “Let her go Ren” she says calmly.

I don’t listen though. I needed to get rid of the threat.

“Think about the baby she’s carrying, Renny. Miranda is a bitch but the baby in her womb is innocent.

Think of Krystal, Jax and Mason. Would you want anyone hurting them?”

She places her hand on mine.

Thinking about the children pushes the darkness away. She was right. The child growing inside Miranda didn’t deserve being killed.

I take a deep breath and then I release her. She falls to the ground in a heap. I shake my head to clear the remaining darkness. Claire was standing next to me.

“Let’s get you home” she says and turns around.

I look at Miranda in disgust. “If you ever try the shit you tried today or the one at the gala I will forget you’re pregnant and I’ll rip you to pieces. Let today be a warning”

I smile in satisfaction when I see her cower into herself. Three slashes running across her face.

I turn to Michelle who has tears running down her face.

“As for you, I warned you, you didn’t listen. Sebastian is my fucking mate let that sink in. You come after me again and I’ll banish you from the pack” I snarl. “Am I fucking understood?”

She looks at me in horror when I mention banishment. That is the worst punishment a werewolf can be given.

“Yes” she mumbles in fear.

“Yes what?” I growl.

“Yes luna” she whimpered.

I give her one final glare before leaving. I find Claire at our table with our bags.

The restaurant was a werewolf exclusive. That’s why the staff don’t seem bothered. They are used to the brawls.

We get outside and order our cabs. We don’t talk. I had no way of explaining how I had lost control in there. I also couldn’t tell her about the possibility of going feral.

Our cabs get there simultaneously. I give Claire a quick hug before I jump inside, unable to meet her eyes.

I give the driver my address and he starts driving. I get so lost in thought that I don’t even realize I am home.

“We’re here” he says, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Thank you”

I pay him then take my bag and get out. I enter the house to find Jax and Krystal playing in the living room.

Seeing then brings me peace.

They notice me and Jax runs to me, giving me a hug.

“You’re finally back. I have missed you so much” he mumbles against my stomach. I hug him back.

I notice Krystal standing aside. Looking anywhere but at me. That was strange.

Jax let’s go of me, and I turn in Krystal’s direction.

“Krystal?” I call her as a way of greeting.

She replies softly, still avoiding my eyes. “Hi mommy”

She still doesn’t make a move to come near me. I decide to give her time. Maybe she was angry at me for something.

She sounded fine on the phone though. So what could have changed between yesterday and now?

“Let me go get changed, then you can tell me what’s the matter” I tell her before leaving.

I get to the bedroom and change into more comfortable clothes. I sort my clothes and dump the ones I travelled with into the dirty hamper.

“I’m getting tired of telling you to get Sebastian to mark you. We lost control again and almost hurt an innocent child” Blue pops up, sighing in frustration.

“I know. I promise I will speak with him today”

I go downstairs. I could hear Jax rummaging around in the kitchen but Krystal was seated on the couch staring at nothing.

I go seat next to her. “Would you mind telling me what’s wrong?” I begin.

She turns to look at me. Her beautiful eyes were filled with shadows.

She is about to say something when the door opens, banging against the wall.

Sebastian walks in and I start to smile but it’s frozen on my face when I see the look on his face.

Pure undiluted disgust was directed at me.

Did something happen while I was away? First Krystal and now Sebastian.

“What’s wrong…” I start but I am interrupted by the men that start pouring into the house.

I knew who they were. Their badges identified them as the werewolf council’s enforcers.

They come and stand in front of me. Each of them looking at me with the same look that was plastered on Sebastian’s face.

“Lauren Smith?” they ask noting that they don’t use Ashford.

I answer in confusion. “Yes?”

“Under the orders of the werewolf council. We hereby place you under arrest.”

I gasp in surprise, What the hell was going on? And why the hell was I being arrested?