Beta's Bride (Shadow Pack II)

Chapter 2: The Brunch

"Enjoy your meal," she said before she was eyeing Xavier. He rolled his eyes before Stella was thanking her and turned her attention to the meals in front of her.

"Wow, this was much more than I can digest, I'm afraid," she said but she was digging into her meal as Xavier can sense that her stomach growled just now. He smiled before he was taking a bite as well.

"Well, don't be shy now. It is really good stuff," Xavier said before he felt another brush of mind link inside his head. He sighed inwardly, thinking it was Sam but apparently, it was his mom.

'Mama, why are you trying to reach me?' Xavier asked her before his mother sighed. Not good, she never did that before.

'Where have you been? It has been hours since you went into town. I am afraid that you would be attacked by the locals,' she said before Xavier was taking a deep breath.

'I am just having brunch so I hope you don't mind,' he said before his mother was weeping.

'Mama, what is it?' he asked her before she was taking a deep breath.

'It's... your sister. You have to come home now,' she said before everything was frozen inside him. No! No, no, no! Not her sister. Not Diana!

'Okay, I will be back now,' he said before he stood up abruptly from the chair, sending it to the floor. Everyone in the café stared at him before Stella was looking at him strangely.

"I am sorry but I have to go. Something came up," he said before he was rushing out the door and before he could say anything, he was running toward his home.

*****

Stella looked at the retreating figure of the man that has saved her life for the first time in her 25 years of existence. She was looking at his broad shoulders, lean body, and those powerful thighs. She cannot get enough of those before the young man from earlier was greeting him and they went away.

She sighed before she was looking at the untouched Special Brunch that Xavier did not take the time to enjoy. She turned to look at her own. It was big enough to share for 4 meals but this was much worse.

Eating alone in public like she was just being dumped by Xavier.

Stella shook her head. No, that cannot be right. She was not dating him and he told her that he wanted her to treat him for saving her until it was he who paid for their meals and he that took off early.

Now, she felt like an idiot.

"What am I even doing? Wanting for him to notice me?" Stella mumbled in Italian before she was chuckling lowly. She has been a virgin for too long now and it was time for her to lose it.

Maybe during the Folk Festival if that's any consolation prize after all. She was about to enjoy her meal again when someone was greeting her.

"Hey, may I seat with you?" the voice was feminine enough with its light accent and when Stella turned to look, it was the waitress that was waving at them when they first came inside the café. Stella smiled at her before she was ushering her to take a seat.

"I'm Sam, by the way. I see that you are going out with my friend," she said before Stella was blinking her eyes at her. Stella was checking this woman out in front of her with her brunette hair and her peculiar irises.

It was red, or was it maroon? She could never tell in this lighting and perhaps this woman was wearing red contacts.

"I'm sorry, friend. Who are you referring to?" she asked her before Sam chuckled a little. She turned to look at the untouched meal and then Stella suddenly blushed. So, Xavier was not running away because she was afraid that this woman would be finding him with her but he did not want his friend to find out about him going out with her.

Well, that was... complicated enough.

"Don't worry. This is new to him for he has been waiting for so long to find his other half," Sam said before Stella was blinking her eyes at her.

"Other half?" she asked her as if Sam was talking in a different language, a language that she did not understand.

Sam chuckled before she patted her hands. It was warm and Stella liked it. Just like Xavier's.

"We talk later. Why don't you go around town and I pack this up for you? I will be out at 3 PM if that's okay with you?" she asked her before Stella was processing the information. Was Sam asking her to hang out?

"Sure, that would be great," Stella said as she was smiling at the waitress. She might be alone on this island but at least she was making new friends.

"Okay, I pack this up and meet you later, yes? I have to go now," she said before she was picking an unfinished meal for Xavier before Stella was finishing hers. She could eat that later if Xavier was not coming back to take it.

No harm in eating his for he has abandoned it. Let's not waste our food, yeah... Stella mused before she focused on the streets again but this time there was a smile on her lips as she was watching the children play.