"And here we are." Theo said, stopping before a very massive building that shone brighter than anything Bethany had ever seen.
She gazed dreamily at it, her lips slightly apart.
Taking in her appearance, Theo was reminded of his reasons for wanting to be with her in the first place. He had fallen in love with her mannerisms from the very first day it was his turn to watch over her.
He fell in love with the person she was beneath the strong and independent woman she had always tried to be.
Despite being just 18, she tried her best to be as mature as possible, laying her priorities before her and dealing with them, piece by piece.
But no matter how hard she tried to bury those soft sides of herself, When she's around the right type of people (her parents) and in the right places (in her home); it always comes out, shining brighter than ever, consuming her.
She didn't need to pretend to be happy, or responsible. They saw her, and she saw them as well.
Bethany stared at the shining skyscraper before her, her eyes glittering in awe as she took it in.
It was way prettier than she'd imagined.
The humongous glass building stood tall at the center of Eldrador city, towering over all the other buildings. It's presence more than enough to cast it's shade over all the other buildings several blocks away.
She was completely mesmerized by the way it shone, the way she could see people going about their business on each and every floor; some parties, some dinners, some meetings.
Deciding it was time she saw it in flesh, he tapped her arm lightly to get her attention.
She turned to him, her lips no longer parted, but excitement and nervousness shone brightly in her eyes.
"Wait, I'm coming to get you." Theo said, his voice like a soft sweet whisper yet steady and clear. Nodding, she watched him leave the car, ignoring the Valet that stood by his door waiting patiently for them.
Coming over to her side, his strides smooth and alluring, He opened her door, putting his right hand out to her, his smile soft.
She looked at him in mild confusion, wondering if he wanted her purse again.
"Give me your left hand, Princess." He said smoothly, doing very little to hide his amusement.
Mouthing a subtle 'Oh' in realization, her cheeks tinted heavily in embarrassment as she put her left hand in his, her eyes not reaching his.
He pulled her softly, and she followed his lead, stepping out of the car, gracefully, the soft evening air gliding on her skin as she smiled softly at him.
"You look breathtaking, Bethany." He said honestly as he observed her features. The way the golden lights from the chandeliers in the building reflected on her skin giving it a more luscious look, her green eyes, shining better than ever. He couldn't help capture the way she looking, storing the exclusive image somewhere deep in his mind.
She blushed under his gaze as the Valet took the vehicle away, scolding herself for being too embarrassed.
'He is your mate, dumb ass. It's completely normal to feel embarrassed.' Maria said, pretending to hide her eagerness to meet the others.
Swallowing, she faced Theo who looked quite lost.
"It's getting cold out here, Theo." She said softly, snapping him out of his reverie.
"I'm sorry, love." He said, embarrassed. "Let's go in."
As they climbed they steps, he couldn't help but realize that her scent was slowly fading. He looked at her in shock, wondering where she had mastered to mask her scent so effortlessly.
Even as an Alpha, it took him months to learn such.
"Is there something on my face?" She asked innocently, reaching for her cheek and jaw.
"No, it's not that." Theo said, chuckling a little. "I'm just wondering where you learnt to mask your scent so... effortlessly." He said quietly as they reached the entrance of the building.
The doorman opened the door automatically, like he had practiced a hundred times, bowing as they entered. Bethany felt uncomfortable by his action.
Sensing her displeasure, Theo clarified."Its his job, Bethany. The customers here are not exactly regular people."
Nodding in understanding, she followed his lead, his earlier question still awaiting her reply.
He led her to the doors of an elevator that opened automatically as they got closer, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the large reception.
Stepping into the elevator, her eyes scanned the box then landed on the tiny device that lay at the corner of the elevator, like a mini ATM.
Theo stood beside her as the doors closed, before going to the device. He tapped on a button that was hidden in from sight, and it elongated into a small pad, that had a fingerprint sensor.
He placed his four fingers on the pad, which scanned them and flashed green before going back to its place, away from any eyes.
He took quiet steps back to his spot beside her, sensing her curiosity, he explained. "It takes us to our own private floors."
"Private floors? Hold on. You guys own this place?!" She asked incredulously.
"Yeah, we do." He said, pride glinting in his eyes.
"Wow." She said, shaking her head. "Okay."
"Yeah. You haven't answered my question, though." He said giving her a side glance, smirking lightly.
"What question?" She asked, purely confused.
"Where did you learn to mask your scent so effortlessly?" He said smoothly.
"Oh... Uhh I don't know if that's a compliment or not but okay." She said giving him a questioning look.
"No, no. I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way, I swear." His hands slightly raised in surrender. "It's just, it's quite difficult skill to pull off even after learning, which is harder and takes so much time and effort." He tried to explain, hoping he hadn't fucked up again.
"So.. it's weird that I was able to pull it off?" She asked, trying to understand the real meaning behind his sentences. The last thing she needed was to be belittled by anyone.
"No, love. That's definitely not what I meant." He said, cursing himself in his mind, running his hand across his face, already feeling frustrated. The words he wanted to convey were eroding him faster than he could imagine, it was pissing him off.
"Princess, I'm not saying, you're weird. I'm saying that, what you pulled off takes a whole lot of people so much time and energy to pull off." He said softly, hoping she wasn't going to misunderstand.
Nodding in understanding, she thought about what he said. She thought back to her father's reaction when she had finally mastered it. He seemed very shocked, but shook it away quickly but she had caught it.
"That makes sense. My dad taught me. Although he was very surprised when I learnt and mastered it in a week. He didn't want to think about it, but my Mom did and she said some stuff about me being extraordinary." She chuckled at the thought.
"She wasn't wrong, though." Theo chimed, shrugging his shoulders. "It took me three months and that was faster than any other person in our pack."
"Wow." She said, nodding lightly."I guess everyone is really different then."
"Naa. You are just perfect." He said flashing her a sweet smirk as the elevator doors opened, revealing a very exquisite lounge.
"Welcome to the Alphas Lair, Princess."