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.