Cold ✔

:::::Chapter 25:::::

Just as I'm about to say something, I see Alarick walking towards us. When he reaches us, he greets Matt and Darius and vice-versa. The atmosphere has suddenly become tense. The fact that Alarick hasn't greeted me and I have not greeted him doesn't go unnoticed.

"Hello, Beta Chriselda," Alarick finally greets me.

"Hello, Alpha Alarick," I say in a very formal tone.

"I thought that I'll never see you again but here we are," he says, clearing showing his dislike of seeing me here. He is adding fuel to the already blazing fire.

Somehow, I manage to stay calm. "By now, you must have come to know that Fate has a twisted sense of humor. Why don't we toast to that?" I ask as I raise my glass. He doesn't say anything and just walks away from us. I take a sip of my champagne and I too walk away. I go towards a corner, wanting to be alone for a while.

*Are you alright?* Matt mind-links me.

*Yes. I just need to be alone right now.* I mind-link him back.

I watch people talking to each other while I stand alone. Suddenly, the new Alpha of this pack approaches me. "Hello. I'm Alpha Brent Johnson," he introduces himself as he smiles at me.

"Hello. I'm Beta Chriselda Turner," I introduce myself and congratulate him on becoming the Alpha.

"Thank you," he says with a smile. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you standing here all alone?" He asks curiously.

"I wanted to be alone for a while," I tell him.

"Why? Aren't you enjoying yourself here at The Socials?"

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm enjoying myself. It's just that it was overcrowded there so I came here," I lie easily.

"Okay," he says. "I just came here as it is the responsibility of the Alpha to look after his guests."

"It's good to know that you've taken up the responsibilities already," I say to him.

"Well, I had too. Dad got drunk and now he's sleeping soundly at his house," he says and we both chuckle. "So, is Beta Charles your mate?" He asks all of a sudden. My eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Beta Charles? As in Beta Charles Lewis?" I ask him in clarification.

"Yeah."

"What makes you think that he is my mate?" I ask.

"I saw you both hugging a while ago," he answers. "So, I assumed..." He trails off.

"So, you assumed the usual," I state. He nods. "Beta Charles and I are not mates. We are friends who are meeting after a long time and that's the reason why we hugged."

"Okay," he says. "So, have you found your mate yet?" He asks.

Alarick's face comes to my mind. I shake my head to shake away the thought. "No and I'm not in a hurry to find him," I say. "What about you? Have you found your mate?"

"No but I'm in a hurry to find her. I want to meet her and spend the rest of my life with her," he says.

"It seems as if you're already in love with her even though you've not met her," I say, feeling a little bit amused by his love-stricken face. 

He just laughs. Then, he extends his hand for me to shake. "It was nice meeting you," he says.

I shake his hand and say, "It was nice meeting you too."

He takes my leave. Suddenly, I find Alarick standing beside me. I ignore him as I look the other way and silently sip my champagne. He starts saying, "You know, I was thinking about what you said earlier about Fate. After hearing Alpha Brent, I have realized that instead of pairing you up with Charles, Fate paired you up with me, a heartless Alpha. Now, that's what you call Fate's twisted sense of humor. Let's drink a toast to that." He raises his champagne glass. "Cheers," he says. To his surprise, I clink my glass with his and say "Cheers" before drinking the whole champagne and walking away. On the way, I place the empty glass on a table and head straight to my room.