“Hi!” She said when she finally found her voice.
I extended a hand and smiled at her. “My name is Nadia. I’m Riley’s wife.”
“Celeste. My name is Celeste. It’s nice to meet you, Nadia.” Her eyes shifted to my stomach as a wide smile graced her lips. “Congratulations on the baby!”
“Thank you! I heard you mentioned you’re Andrea’s friend. Do you live around here? I haven’t seen you before.” I asked her just to keep the conversation going.
“I’m just visiting a relative. I saw Riley, and I thought maybe he knew where Andrea was. I haven’t seen that girl since she left the boarding school without saying goodbye to me.”
“Oh! If you want, I can forward your contact number to her. Of course, only if you want.”
“Really? That would be lovely. I’m staying here for a week, so I hope I can catch up with her.” She rummaged in her handbag as she continued talking. “Are you sure it’s okay? That I’m not giving you additional work? Oh shit!” She was in a hurry and some of the contents of her bag spilled on the ground.
I was about to nudge Riley to help out, but Darvin was already there, crouching on the ground and picking up her things.
My gaze followed them as their eyes locked while the Alpha handed her her things. Celeste smiled at him before saying her thanks without taking her gaze off him. It was Alpha Darvin who dropped his gaze and moved back behind us again.
Celeste turned her attention back to me, smiling shyly as her cheeks blushed. “Here’s my card. If you can give Andrea, or at least give her my number, I would really appreciate it.”
“I will do that.” I looked at the card in my hand, and by the time I raised my head to look at her again, her eyes were already behind me, at Alpha Darvin.
“You know him, right?” She was asking in almost a whisper, and I had no idea if she was terrified of Darvin or amazed by him.
“Yes, we know him. Celeste, this is Alp..” Riley cleared his throat, cutting me off from saying Alpha.
Oh, Goddess! I forgot that the female in front of me is human.
“... This is Darvin, Riley’s friend.”
“Oh great! It’s a bit awkward if he’s standing behind you and you don’t know him. Me and my mind. I’m sorry.” She smiled apologetically at me before turning to Darvin and extending her hand to him. “Hi! My name is Celeste. Thank you for helping me pick up my mess.”
Darvin’s hands were inside his pockets, and I saw him swallow multiple times before he lifted a hand out and took Celeste’s.
“Darvin,” he said curtly before pulling his hand right away as if Celeste’s touch burned him.
Celeste returned her gaze to Riley and me as she stepped backward. “I’m not going to disturb you more than I already did. Thank you, and nice to meet you.”
I smiled at her and watched as she turned around and walked away from us.
“Nadia…” It was Riley’s, and I knew that tone.
I tilted my head up to look at him. “I’m okay. No harm done.”
“About her knowing me, I used to visit…”
“I know…” I placed a hand on his chest as I smiled lovingly at him. “I saw pictures of you at Andrea’s boarding school.”
His forehead creased. “What do you mean you saw?”
“Zahra has many photos of you. Some of them were taken with Andrea in her boarding school.”
“I’m sorry you have to see that.”
“I don’t see any problem with that. Relax. I won’t be throwing any tantrums soon.”
‘Instead of being worried about me, maybe you need to check why Alpha Darvin suddenly became too quiet.’I told Riley through our mind link.
Although Alpha Darvin and I were never really friends, I had seen him around his sisters and with Riley. He would always be smiling and joking, despite whatever the circumstances were. He and Riley were exact opposites. Riley would be the one frowning, while he always had an inviting aura on him, so seeing him not giving Celeste a smile was a bit off.
