Chapter 5 Ch Five

Freya The kids had long gone still and their expressions were solemn as they picked up on the change in energy in the hall. I was too angry not to scold them anyway so their subdued countenance didn't stop me from doing just that. “Didn't I warn you two to stay close to Jace?” I chided, trying as much as possible not to allow the intense anger I was feeling to reflect in the tone of my voice. Anytime I scolded my children, I tried to sound stern rather than angry. As I chided them, I dialled my assistant's contact again and ignored the unabashed stares coming from Blaine and his partner, whom I had discovered a couple of seconds ago to be none other than his Luna, Amanda. After giving Jace a proper description of where we were, I hung up to focus on the twins who looked as though they might burst into tears the next minute. Just as I was about to start leading them away from the area, the Alpha of the Crimson Valley spoke again. “Freya.” It was part question and part statement. The reasonable part of me screamed at me to ignore him and get my kids as far away from him as possible but my anger overrode that part and I found myself glaring at him. “Blaine.” He tore his mask away from his face and if I hadn't been too angry, I might have been blown away by the intensity in his beautiful shade of green eyes. Amanda scoffed. “I should have known. Who else would be stupid enough to bring their kids to an event like this?” If looks could kill, the withering force of my scowl would have torn her into shreds. “You really should be careful what you say to me,” I warned. Her blue eyes hardened instantly and she also tore her mask off her face. “Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?” she spat. My lips turned up at the corner into a smirk. I felt a weird sense of satisfaction that I had gotten a reaction out of her. The expression on my face incensed her even more and I watched with pleasure as her eyes started to darken and her lips tremble with rage. I returned my gaze to Blaine who hadn't taken his eyes off me for a second. “You really should teach your Luna that it is important for someone in a position of power to learn how to control their emotions.” “Go back inside, Amanda,” he ordered, still keeping his gaze on me and not bothering to spare his Luna a glance. A gasp of disbelief slipped from her lips. “You can’t be serious right now. Didn't you hear how she just spoke to me?” “Return to the ballroom, Amanda,” he snapped as he turned his head to look at her. “I am not going to repeat myself.” She gave me and my kids a withering look before marching angrily away from us and towards the direction of the ballroom. My kids, unnerved by the look she had given them, pressed themselves closer to my sides. “Let’s get out of here, kids,” I said in a friendly tone and we turned to start walking towards the ballroom. I suddenly felt Blaine’s hand on my shoulder and bit my bottom lip to keep from lashing out at him for the sake of the kids. “What do you want?” I queried, turning to face him and resisting the urge to trace the ridge of his perfectly chiselled jaw with my eyes. For the first time, I realized that even if I was looking up at him due to our height difference, I didn't feel the least bit intimidated by him. It was as though my rage had emboldened me. “How have you been?” he replied and I nearly laughed out loud at how ridiculous the question sounded. “You do not need to concern yourself with that,” I said and started to turn away from him again. This time, he grabbed my arm and I had to take a deep breath to keep myself from giving in to the urge to tear him apart or at least, try to. Even in my anger, I was conscious of the fact that he was a whole lot stronger than I was. “Are the kids mine?” he queried in a much lower tone, his expressive eyes shining with uncertainty. The sheer audacity of him was enough to render me speechless. How dare he ask anything about the kids when he had tried to cut off their existence even before they were born? “Is everything alright?” Jace’s voice filled the quiet space to my relief. I pulled my arm out of Blaine’s grasp and with my children hurried over to my assistant. “I'm really sorry for not showing up on time,” he said to me. “It's alright, Darling,” I replied, looping my arm through his. My assistant grew rigid with surprise but I ignored it. “We should leave this party already.” Blaine gave a nervous cough, drawing my attention back to him. Vaguely, I registered the fact that that was the first time I had seen him uncertain and nervous. Nervousness and uncertainty couldn't be used in the same sentence as Blaine Mortimer. “I apologize for my actions,” he said and then brushed past us. Did the Alpha of the Crimson Valley just utter an apology? That was so unlike him. Blaine, the most feared Alpha, apologized to no one. “What happened?”Jace queried and I suddenly realized that my arm was still looped through his. “Nothing,” I replied coldly, unhooking my arm from his. “I would like to return home. The kids and I have had enough for one evening.” His amber eyes betrayed no emotion as he gave a small nod and started to lead us back towards the ballroom. We had nearly reached the door we came in through earlier when one of the Alphas appeared at my side to persuade me to stay for the last dance. I resisted the urge to groan out loud.