Athena
"Sebastian..." His name fell off my lips on its own, and a strange relief flooded within me. The fear that'd strangled me Python like a does to its prey, vanished in thin air.
The sight of him alone, made me feel safe and secure even though it was not how it was supposed to be, how could I feel secure with the one whose only intention was to hurt me?
He looked at me, his eyes softening for a brief moment but then when Chris emitted a groan in pain, the prior rage crawled it's way back into and once again, all I could see was the very familiar dark eyes of Sebastian and the flames of the wrath that was capable of destroying everything in a matter of a second.
"Chris Robinson," Sebastian spoke, his brows rising as if he was just acknowledging his presence, "One of the newly rising arms suppliers."
He stepped closer to Chris who still haven't managed to get himself off the ground.
"You were living a good life, man. Why? Why did you decide to do this to yourself?" The sympathy in Sebastian's voice was not at all real, "Dared to touch something that is not yours, an act that you'd have to pay with your life in return. Not a wise choice, buddy. Not. A. Wise. Choice."
Chris moved backwards, frantically dragging himself back as he shook in fear, "Alpha, it's not like that. I thought she was just another of those women. I did not know—"
"She is not one of those women!" He growled, "And you should have fucking understood it the moment she said 'no', but you.....not only did you manipulate her taking advantage of the fact that she's not in her right state of mind, but also stoop to the point of forcing her. You dug your grave with your own hands, boy. The moment you touched my woman, it was a death wish and your wish has been granted."
"Alpha...I'm sorry, I'd not have done it if I knew about her. You take my business, properties or whatever you want. Just spare me." I could tell he was trying to get up, but his shaky legs and the lack of energy caused by the blood loss did not let him succeed.
"Business?Properties?" Sebastian chuckled, "I don't do deals that are worth only pennies, Chris. Besides, it'd take me less than a week to make what you have made your entire life. Nothing in this fucking world will ever be equal to her worth, she's mine and whoever tries to hurt her, shall be given death. Only death."
Without giving him another chance to speak, Sebastian kicked him in the face. He fell to his back with an agonizing wail and began begging for his life but it did not affect Sebastian. He was not going to spare him.
"It's ironic how people like you don't think about the consequences of their action but later for some stupid yet very common reason, they expect to be forgiven," Sebastian stomped his foot on the fingers of his right hand that was not injured, Chris tried to free his hand but no gain, there was no escape layin anyway near for him, "But what's even more ironic that you all are not truly regretting your actions, it's just your fear of death talking and if let go, you all won't hesitate to commit the same crime all over again. Treachery— It runs in the veins of people like you."
"This is the hand you used to tear her dress, didn't you?" He put more pressure on his fingers and Chris's scream echoed throughout the place, "Here goes your reward." The next moment he shot at the palm of his hand.
A gasp slipped past my lips as I looked at the scene unfolding in front of me.
Another scream from Chris sounded through the place but it halted in the middle cut off by the sound of the next bullet being fired.
Sebastian had shot him right in the middle of his chest. Blood oozed from the wound, but there was no sign of movement in Chris's body, not the rise and fall of his body nor any shout or scream. His eyes were wide open, his mouth ajar and there were blood spatters covering his face. He did not breathe.
He was dead.
Putting the gun behind his belt and walked over to me/
I was literally shaking from all the shock and trauma. I could barely move or breathe properly, the whole event kept playing in my mind over and over again, in an endless loop that I wanted to break but remained unsuccessful in doing so.
If Sebastian hadn't come here on time, I could have been raped or even murdered.
He coldly opened his coat and slipped it around me, but something stopped him from pulling away. His body froze and he seemed alert as he smelt something.
He grabbed my face and smelled my breath, "You are drugged."
I could say anything, I just looked at myself. My senses were not working, my brain had just stopped.
Sebastian's anger reached its peak, "That bastard drugged you and you couldn't even understand it? Are you that stupid?!"
"No, I'm not," It left my mouth on its own, "But I couldn't tell there was drug in that wine."
If anything my answer was to make him even more enraged.
"You know what my biggest mistake was? It was purchasing you from that auction," he spat, his bitterness directed at me, "My life could have been so much easier but no, I fucked it up by myself." He bend down and lifted me in his arms, carrying me in bridal style as he headed down the stairs.
"I did not know..." I sobbed, unknowingly resting my head against his chest, "I did not know that his intentions were bad. It's not my fault that everyone I come across only wants to hurt me."
I felt his body stiffening upon my question but he spoke anyways, "That's...that's your fucking problem. You think everyone in this world is an angel, whereas, in reality, each individual is a true demon hidden under disguise. You are just too naive for this world, and try to find good in everything."
I didn't utter anything else, I let go of my tears, using his chest as a pillow that did not feel soft in any way. He indeed had rock hard chest but for now, I had no other option than adjusting to this stone.
As he walked down the stairs with me in his arms, everyone's stare turned to us. The music stopped, and all the chatter amongst the people halted as well. The uncomfortable amount of attention that drew upon us was partially there because of the fear that Sebastian's presence sprouted within the people around us.
"Pete," He let out, loud.
It was just one straight command and I saw the same man who was apparently the one who's thrown this party, came rushing towards us through the crowd.
"Yes, Alpha... what's the matt—" He did not complete his sentence as his eyes fell on me.
"Chris Robinson, one of your guests tried to touch my mate," Sebastian said, gasps were heard throughout the room when that one specific word 'mate' left his mouth.
"Alpha, please do not worry. I'll take action against him right away, I'll—" Pete stated almost immediately but he got cut off in the middle.
"I shot him dead." He said with a straight face, not even a drop of any sort of emotion was there and that was scary.
This was the second time when gasps were heard throughout the room but just like prior, nothing affected Sebastian.
Pete looked too shocked to say anything, "Handle the investigation if the police come. State it as a well-planned murder by an intruder, and if it goes out of hands just talk to my beta. Those officers will be removed from the path as well."
"No, Alpha. That won't be needed, I'll take care of everything." Pete stammers.
"Good to hear that, the party was good. Thanks again for the invitation." With that, he walked out of the place with me.
*****
The ride to the mansion was full of silence and cold glances from Sebastian towards me.
I rested my head against the car door, looking through the mirror of the closed window of the car, discovering the want to disappear in the darkness. My body was going cold for some reason, maybe it was one of the effects of that unknown drug but why my emotions were making a big mess was a mystery I could not solve through any attempts of mine.
As I held Sebastian's coat tighter around myself, my hand accidentally slipped into its pocket and I found something which, for that specific moment, for some bewildering reasons, turned out to be good news for me— His hip flask.
I lightly shook it, hiding it from Sebastian's view who seemed to be very invested in a smoking cigar. The flask was nearly full.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I opened the bottle before I gulped down the liquor like water. It was strong, the bitter taste and the burning feeling that went up and down my throat and every vein of my body were enough to prove the fact.
Whether I could handle this or not, was a debate I kept for later. I only focused on drinking it up, however, before I had finished even half of it a hand yanked the bottle away from me.
"What the fuck are you doing?" He looked at me in both disbelief and annoyance.
I felt angry. I did not why, but I just felt like slapping the shit out of Sebastian at that moment.
"Give it to me!" I tried to reach for the flask but he moved it away.
The look he gave me was similar to the one, anyone would give to some lunatic.
"You have seriously lost your damn mind," He glared at me, "Sit. Still."
"No, give it to me!" I once again moved to grab the flask but this time what he did was completely contrary to my imagination.
He opened the window and threw the flask away.
"It's gone. Now shut your damn mouth and sit still."
Tears gathered in my eyes on their own. I couldn't believe he just did that to me.
"How can you be so emotionless about this matter? All I wanted to do was to drink." I sniffled, "You are just so selfish and cruel to me for no reason. What have I done that you won't even let me drink? Was that drink worth that much?!"
"What?" For the first time ever I saw a Sebastian who looked confused, but alas, I might not even be able to remember it the next morning.
"I can't deal with you anymore, you never try to understand me. You always do this to me, snatch away the things I need." I cried.
"Athena, you are fucking drunk and drugged already," His jaw clenched, "And you want more alcohol?"
"Yes, I want it. But you blew my opportunity away!"
More tears rolled down my cheeks.
I might have looked like the stupidest person on earth for crying because I missed the chance to drink alcohol when I was already drunk to the beyond. But at that moment, nothing was more hurtful for me than Sebastian snatching his hip flask away from me and throwing it away.
I was disheartened in a way that was indecipherable.
Sebastian let out a groan of annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking almost on the edge of losing it.
"Fine, you'll get to drink once we reach the mansion. Now stop crying like a kid." He grunted.
Hopes rose within me as well as mistrust.
"I don't trust you." A frown settled on my face as I wiped my tears.
"You have no other way, so either you trust me and get the chance or keep crying like this and get nothing in the end."
As much as I hated to admit it at that moment, it was true. I had no other way.
So, reluctantly I agreed and shifted back in my seat. On the good side, my sadness evaporated but on the bad side, the temperature of my body dropped even more than prior.
I rubbed my hands together trying to keep myself warm but it was not working.
"What happened?" Sebastian asked, apparently noticing my discomfort.
"I'm cold," I said, my voice coming out shaky.
Sebastian released a sigh and grabbed my arm before he dragged me all the way close to him and settled me on his lap. He pulled me near him so that I could nestle my head under his chin, and bury my face into his neck, basking in his warmth; He used his other hand to shift my legs over the seats aiding me to get comfortable before he embraced me in his arms as if to make sure that I don't move away, a step that I'd call unnecessary because at that moment I did not want to be anywhere other than in his embrace.
"Fucking mess." He muttered, rubbing my back over the coat and occasionally my hands to keep me warmer.
"I'm not a mess," I uttered, snuggling closer to him, stealing his body heat, "You are. You are the mess over here and no matter how I try to fix you, you never listen." I fisted onto the fabric of his shirt as I shifted even closer, he allowed me to move closer and press my cheek against his chest.
He did not push this mini argument further, instead, he just held me like that, silently letting me get restful in his warmth for the rest of the ride.