Whose Baby?

C H A P T E R - F I V E

CARLA

The anniversary party was in full swing after sun set.

The pack house kitchen where I was stationed was cramped with so many people, making the whole place stuffy and claustrophobic. Dishes piled up like rocks on Mount Everest before me, but I had gotten so good at it that I was washing like a breathing dish-washer. You know the feeling of doing a particular thing so much you do it like a zombie?

The more I washed, the more dirty dishes flew in.

I checked the time, it was past seven. I really wanted to at least have a peek at what was going on outside, unfortunately, I wouldn’t be leaving this spot till the party was over. My back ached and my palms hurt like someone was prickling sharp needles into them.

“Faster, faster, every one! We have more guests rolling in. Where are my waiters? Guests want more drinks, Marcus, make that baking snappier, will you?” our snarky head maid yelled at everyone in the kitchen from the entrance.

She loved giving orders without actually doing anything herself. And she wasn’t snapping at me because I was doing my job more efficiently than she expected so she couldn’t find any fault, to her chagrin, I thought, but I was wrong. Madam Rosa was glowering right at me from many feet away.

“Carla, get that…. oh my goddess, your grace!” her spiteful voice instantly metamorphosed into a sweet, cheerful voice.

I raised my head to see a breathtaking Emma at the door of the kitchen. She looked super-hot in a black off-shoulder dress that stopped below her knees, highlighting her beautiful pale skin which was now tanner than before.

My jaw literally dropped as she marched towards me in her sophisticated fvck-me gold colored heels. Her hair had grown longer and styled wavy. Dear goddess, my best friend was a sight for sore eyes!

“Carla, what the hell?” she shrieked, at me, her blue eyes glowing red with fury.

That was when I realized she had caught me washing dirty dishes, oh my god, I quickly dropped the plate I was holding back into the basin.

“Why are you doing dishes, Carla? Who made you do this? Don’t tell me you have been doing dishes since you came here!” she turned to glare at the head maid who was quivering like a dried leaf in an evening wind.

“Emma…, it's not what you think, really,” I struggled to say.

“Ye.. yes, your Grace, it's not at all,” Madam Rosa suddenly seemed to be at loss for words.

“Don’t you ever make her do this again,” Emma warned the head maid and dragged me out of there to everyone’s shock. They probably didn’t know their Luna queen was my best friend. But I wanted to keep it that way though, not wanting anyone to treat me with favoritism.

She took me straight to the pack’s guest apartment without saying a word to me, except when I asked after Aileen and she told me Aileen was with her father and grandfather.

When we got into one of the guest rooms, I gasped out as gorgeous dresses were displayed before my eyes, as they were arranged on the bed.

“Somehow, I felt something like this might be happening, so I came prepared.” Emma muttered breathlessly. “It’s a good thing you are a great stylist already, so go wash that kitchen stench off you and come get ready. We have so, so much to catch up on, including Mint.” she let out the last sentence icily.

I rushed into the bathroom and took my time washing my body, wishing I could wash out the nervousness forming in the pit of my stomach off as well. As I came out of the bathroom, Emma was calmer and her eyes softer.

She enveloped me into the warmest hug I have had in a really long time. “If they were going to treat you this way, you should have just stayed back,” she whispered with a heavy voice.

She broke the hug and sniffed back which I was sure were tears. “Get dressed, we don’t have all day.” She concluded and nudged me to the dresser where there where make-over instruments were neatly arranged.

I went to work and few minutes later, I was done. Emma suggested a beautiful sleeveless shiny silver dress, slit from the end up to above my knee. The dressed was tight fitting, accentuating all my curves that were swallowed all these months by that fvking over-sized maid’s gown.

Gazing at the mirror, I literally took my breath away. Anxiety made my stomach churn as I instantly thought of what Mint would think if he saw me like this. I wasn’t putting on the blond wing, it was me this time around, and I wonder if that would make any difference.

I don’t know if Emma knew Mint would be taking a new chosen mate tonight, but there was nothing any of us could do. The elders of the pack have decided.

Emma and I walked out of the room and headed to where the party was being held. It was an outdoor party held in the most beautiful part of the park house. Everywhere was green, colorful flowers decorated the place as well as bright lights.

Well-dressed people sat in groups around tables. I didn’t need to look for Mint, his smell was the first thing that hit me as soon as I walked in. His table was in front where he sat with the rest of his family. Emma ushered me to her table where her father, her mate and her child was. Little Aileen was curled on her father's arms, sleeping.

I was queasy from too much anxiety, feeling suddenly too self-conscious and aware of people’s eyes on me. I ambled with Emma by my side to their table, bowing to the Alpha and saying hi to Emma’s father.

I was about to take my seat when Alec rushed up to me, with his mouth wide agape, in utter shock.

“Oh, my god, Emma, you look amazing, Jeez!” he exclaimed, seizing me up carefully from head to toe. “Please allow me introduce you to my family,” he requested taking my hand into his before even before I had the opportunity to decline.

I don’t want to be close to Mint, please, Alec, please, arrhg, I begged in my mind as a sweat broke out from my eyebrow. Emma raised an eyebrow at me but I was whisked away before I could say anything to her.

With my hand still placed in Alec’s palm, I stood in front of Mint’s family’s table, directly facing him, totally aware of only him. He looked dashing in his white tux, exuding so much grace and dominating aura. His features were hardened, and his grey eyes as well.

Did he still hate me that much? I wondered, as I greeted other members of his family.

“Mum, dad, granny and brother, meet my best friend Carla, Carl, meet my big family. You guys, Carl means so much to me.” he said the last line a little bit more seriously than expected, snaking his hands around my waist causing my body to go stiff momentarily.

★★★★★

MINT

Alec was crossing the line, I thought as rage boiled inside of me, watching his hand resting on her waist.

But what line though? I couldn’t remember drawing any lines. I only told him to keep an eye out for her while trying to act like I didn’t care about her at all. He had no idea that she was my mate, none fo my family did.

Hades, my wolf, let out a growl which caused my chest to rumble loudly. I was trying to keep my cool, but the animal in me couldn’t. Seeing another male no matter who he was put their hand on our mate, ignited our sense of possessiveness.

My hands curled into a fist, forcing myself and my wolf to calm down. I tried to look away but was finding it really difficult to. Carla looked too stunning, too attractive that I felt uncomfortable at the number of eyes staring at her.

How on earth do I ever take a chosen mate when I couldn’t ever get her off my mind? I wondered. It went without question that I had to reject her tonight and let her go before marking and taking Mira as my Luna.

“Son are you okay?” my granny whispered with a concerned voice, leaning close to me.

“Sure.”

I assured him, and took a swig from the glass of champagne in front of me. I watched Alec escort Carla back to Zyk’s table, and I saw her smile at him. Another wave of fury coursed through my blood.

Get your hands off her this instant, Alec! Was what I badly wanted to yell, but instead, filled my glass and downed all the content at once into my throat. I knew I had low tolerance for alcohol and I wasn’t supposed to be drinking, but I couldn’t help it, this alcohol was the only thing that could stop me from losing it.

It seemed Alec had feelings for Carla, and there was nothing I could do to stop him, neither do I have any right to.

The ceremony began smoothly, but I was already feeling dizzy from too much alcohol. I wasn’t hearing what was being said, all I wanted was to leave this place, and be alone as I had always been since I came to the pack.

I stood up abruptly, completely oblivious of my parent’s shocked and worried expressions, sauntering out of the gathering as composed as possible.

Finally out of the sight of the crowd, I loosened up a bit, letting the alcohol my body sway to the alcohol like a drunk.

“Alpha, are you okay? Let me escort you to your room,” a female voice said behind me and I turned to see Mira, the daughter of Alpha Abel coming to clutch my arms.

I shoved her arms away, walking further away from her to my apartment, hoping she wouldn’t follow me anymore. Mira was like a leech that won’t go away. She exhausted me with her constant availability and fawning and sticking to me like permanent glue.

I shoved the first door I got to open, took off my tux, the bow tie and shoes, and slumped on the bed like a heap of sand. The sheets felt and smelt different from my room, but I couldn’t careless, I just want to sleep and forget about everything.

Forget about Carla, forget about Carla, forget about Carla, I chanted to myself.

Mira rushed into the room and tried to pull me out of the bed, muttering some incoherent words, and that was when I lost it. I yelled at her to leave my room at once, and she did because I heard the door close after her.

I was about to doze off when I heard the door open again. I groan in frustration, but when the scent hit me, my eyes flew open. My blood coiled, my pupils swarmed in my eyes. Everything was blurry and hazy, including the image except the scent. It was too delicious, too familiar, but my hazy mind couldn’t pinpoint who or what it really was.

I wasn’t feeling lazy anymore, my d!ck hardened in my pants, tingling painfully from a craving I didn’t know existed in me. Or was it the alcohol? I got up from the bed and walked towards the person at the door.

When did Mira smell this good? I wondered, grabbing her and hurling her to the bed. She struggled, kicked and kicked, trying to hit my hand away.

Instintively, I leaned down, taking her full lush lips into my mouth, causing her to stop fighting instantly.