Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 63

Leilani swivels in Connor's embrace, sipping casually on the straw. She doesn't believe him, but she decides that she'll humor him anyway.

Connor lowers his head, breathing his hot minty breath on her exposed neck, wondering how many hours is appropriate before he calls it off and takes her away from here. He knows they should wait for the two guests of 'honour', but there are a lot of things he would prefer to do them deal with those two. The fact that they have still not arrived annoys him to no end, and not knowing if they are going to show up at all and then they will have waited all this time for nothing.

Leilani has a quick look around, her glass shielding her slightly, only her stormy blue eyes can be seen, as she looks around the room at all the people. Connor is half right. There are a lot of eyes focused on her, but truly she doesn't even really care, every eye could be on her in the place, but the only ones she wants on her are Connor's.

After dancing in his arms for so long and feeling his body pressed against hers for so long. She is having second thoughts about the plan. She doesn't really want to be here any longer than necessary. She doesn't want to come face to face with Gabriel at all. All she wants to do is explore that exquisite body once more and feel her flesh against his.

Leilani is about to turn back to Connor to suggest as much, when a particularly intense stare catches her gaze, it is not like the others that are looking but pretending they're not. They're stealthy staring when their mates or dates cannot see. This is an unblinking stare, but there is something different about it. It is not lustful. It is almost slightly confused. He doesn't even look away when she catches him. They continue to look at each other.

Connor doesn't even notice the strange interaction between the two as he puts a hand on the small of Leilani's bare back and guides her towards a table.

Leilani glances back over her shoulder. The man is still looking directly at her but she can't get over that gaze. It is still not like anything she's ever been before. It is not hostile nor is it seductive. Yet, he just keeps looking.

As soon as the two are settled on a table, Oscar approaches.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Connor turns and eyes a man wearily putting a possessive hand on Leilani's waist, but Oscar doesn't even spare him a glance. Still, his eyes completely fixed only on Leilani. "Ummm sure"

Leilani is rarely nervous, but for some reason she is in front of this man.

"Is that your natural hair colour?"

Oscar thinks he knows the answer before it is even said, as it is pretty obvious. It would have to be the world's best dye job with not a single root showing and such consistent colour. "It is, is that a problem?"

"No problem. It is very beautiful. It just reminds me of someone I know and I have never seen a second person with the same before you"

Leilani laughs.

"Well, you know more than me. I've never come across a second person with this color hair"

"Your parents don't?"

Leilani purses her lips, staying silent. She would have no problem answering this question if she had the answers herself. She has no idea what her parents look like at all. She has no idea whether she got this hair from her mother, her father, her grandparents. She knows nothing about it. Connor grips her hand as he stares at the man. He is strong, he is young, but Connor has never seen him before and that surprises him. Connor takes great pride in knowing all the alphas around the area, young and old.

He doesn't feel hostile towards the man, even though the man is showing an unusual interest in Leilani because his gaze is strange. It is not lustful like the other men. It is purely inquisitive.

Leilani looks into the stormy blue eyes of the man in front of her. The eyes that look eerily similar to her own.

Oscar stares at the woman. That hair, those eyes. It is all just too unbelievable for him.

"Do you mind if I ask your name and what pack you are from?"

Connor finally put a stop to it.

"I think that would be inappropriate to ask her that Mr...."

Connor raises an eyebrow at the man who thinks he can ask such things without even first introducing himself. Oscar finally looks at the man beside Leilani. Taking him in for a moment, frowning slightly, trying to remember where he knows him from. Oscar extends his hand to shake Connor's.

"I am the future alpha Oscar Grayson of the Amber pack"

Leilani looks at the man in front of her and her hospitable expression slowly drops and her disdain grows.

Oscar is shocked by her change in expression as she looks away. Not even giving him another glance.

Connor shakes Oscar's hand, his eyes darkening in the process.

"Well, I am Alpha Storm and I think this conversation is over"

Oscar stares at the couple who are completely ignoring him now. Back to chatting and flirting with each other like he's invisible.

Oscar is shocked. Although the Amber pack is not huge, it's hardly a nothing pack. It isn't till the name Alpha Storm rings a bell that he can understand the situation a little more.

His mother told him about Alpha Storm and how he was fated to his sister Maggie. Maggie refused Alpha Storm and the whole turbid tale.

Oscar can understand the hostility from Alpha Storm to some degree, but looking at the woman next to him, who instantly ignored him. He doesn't get the point. Shouldn't she be happy? And why is Connor acting like that? By all accounts, even though Maggie is his sister and he shouldn't be thinking so, hasn't Alpha Storm won out? Isn't he in an advantageous position?

He cannot see how his sister could win out against this girl in any aspect.

Oscar can do nothing except for take a sneaky photograph and move on his way. He suddenly doesn't want to be in this place for a moment longer, saying goodbye to the few people he has to and then walking out of the venue.

A big black limousine pulls up outside the venue. Gabriel sits inside. Waiting for the door to be open for him, stepping out with his luxurious shoes and his expensive suit. Straightening himself up as he waits. Maggie gets herself out of the car and rushes to his side. Linking arms with him as he walks in with fast long strides. Maggie struggles to keep up, tripping slightly on her heels. Maggie looks off to the side pulling Gabriel slightly.

"Look, it's Oscar"

Gabriel looks over. He hasn't seen Oscar in many years and he has grown into a magnificent man. He is large and possesses the domineering aura of a true Alpha.

Gabriel reluctantly allows Maggie to pull him over while he just wants to get inside and get this over and done with, as they are already running late. He wants to maintain a good relationship with the people of the Amber pack. One of the few benefits of marrying Maggie is the instant connection with a pack that is not too far below his own.

"Oscar"

Oscar is staring out into space. Waiting for the car to pull around. Even his sister's voice isn't enough to bring him back to the present. Maggie stands in front of her brother waving a hand in front of his face, not believing his lack of response.

"Oscar"

Oscar finally comes back to the present, looking at his sister. Looking properly at her features like he's viewing her for the first time ever. "Maggie?"

Maggie laughs, slapping Oscar lightly on the shoulder.

"It has hardly been that long. You're acting like you don't remember me?"

Oscar laughs half-heartedly as he stares off into space. It is not that he doesn't remember her, it is that suddenly she looks so unfamiliar, how can his sister look like a stranger and a stranger look like his sister? His mind is riddled with confusion. "Sorry, it must be jet lag. You look beautiful today Mags"

"I know"

Maggie gives her brother a twirl that he never asked for. Oscar gives her a slight smile and nods.

"Where is Mum?"

Maggie thought that Astrid was coming with Oscar to the ball.

"Dad didn't want her coming with me"

Maggie laughs again, making light of a terrible situation.

"That is Dad for you. So possessive of Mum that he's even jealous of her for going with her own son"

Oscar smiles sadly as his small gray sports car pulls up to a stop, the valet getting out and handing him the key.

"Yeah, something like that, I guess, I have something to do now Maggie. Go in and have fun and come by the Amber pack so we can catch up before the wedding"

Maggie nods, hugging her brother once again. Oscar kisses her cheek, smiling weakly at her. Gabriel stands with impatience and Oscar is in no mood for the whole situation. Just wanting to leave this second.

Maggie waves as Oscar gets straight into his car, starting the engine and roaring away from the venue without looking back. Gabriel turns and walks towards the entrance without even waiting for Maggie. Maggie hurries to catch up, linking arms with Gabriel once again.