Chapter 66: It feels Right
Nyra blinks at him. "After party?"
Adrian nods like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. "it’s Moon-Crest’s tradition. Everytime we win a match, we host an after party."
Oh.
Nyra has never been involved with any of the combat fighters before. And she didn’t even have any friends either, so she honestly didn’t know about it.
But that’s not even the point...her eyes drop to the fresh bandages wrapped around his ribs and shoulder.
"You can’t seriously still be going. You’re badly injured."
"I can."
She folds her arms. "Adrian, your wounds are going to get worse!"
He laughs softly before peeling back the edge of the bandage around his shoulder just enough to show her. The ugly claw marks are already knitting together. Though the red marks still remain, it’s not as deep anymore.
"You forgotten?" He looks smug. "Werewolf heal super fast. You know that."
She rolls her eyes, but the relief shimmering in them is obvious. If Adrian is no longer in pain...then she’s happy too.
"So..." He tilts his head, smiling until his dimples pop. "Is that a yes?"
Nyra sighs dramatically, though she can’t stop herself from smiling back. "..fine." She pulls out her phone, "but I’ll have to text Julian first."
Nyra: I’m going to the match after party with Adrian. I’ll be home late, he’ll drop me off. Don’t wait up.
Almost immediately, three dots appear.
Julian: y’all behave tonight.
Nyra snorts as she texts back.
Nyra: Nothing’s going to happen. We’re just praying, that’s all.
After that, they walk to the parking lot together with the other guys. For the first time Nyra genuinely enjoys their company, listening to their banter is much more entertaining than she thought.
Adrian opens the passenger door of his SUV for her, then bows teasingly. "For my Luna."
"You’re crazy." Nyra hisses, hiding her face as a few students giggle at them, then quickly slides into the car.
Adrian only laughs harder.
---
John climbs into the back seat with a groan much to Adrian’s dismay. The guy has enough money to buy a car, he’s just being stingy, crazy bastard.
"I swear I’m only here because nobody trusts you two alone together." He says as if reading his mind.
Adrian starts the engine. "Nobody asked."
"Shut up and drive!" Jason retorts, though his voice is playful.
The drive is surprisingly... peaceful. Except for John talking nonstop from the backseat, jumping from one topic to another without taking a breath.
"...and then David seriously thought he could flirt with one of the nursing students while bleeding from his eyebrow. I laughed so hard when he got rejected."
Nyra rolls her eyes at the story, but the corner of her lips lift.
"And Javier almost cried because the medic said he’d have to stitch the claw marks on his chest."
"I did not cry!" Javier protests through the phone John has on speaker, "And stop calling me if you’re have nothing sensible to say." The call drops.
Nyra finds herself laughing before she even realizes it. The warmth, the banter between them feels... nice.
Something she never really had growing up: Company.
Adrian notices the smile on her face, and reaches to squeeze her hand across the console. She doesn’t pull back.
It feels...right.
---
Twenty minutes later, the SUV pulls into the parking lot of one of Moon-Crest’s most luxurious hotels. The kind of place where only reach people can afford to host events.
Nyra has never been here before, but she has heard about it from Anna so many times when she rambles about school parties hosted here.
There are several students hanging around the area, and a few are already going in.
John whistles as all three of them climb out. "They really went all out this year! The decorations are sick man!"
Adrian chuckles under his breath, and helps Nyra down. He helps her smoothen the front of the jersey she’d refused to take off.
Only for th both of them to freeze when they look back up at the building.
Standing by the the grand entrance is Anna. She has changed into a short white dress, her blonde hair falling in soft curls over her shoulders.
Yet she is still wearing Adrian’s black BLACKWOOD 01 jersey over it like a jacket.
But that’s not even the issue. The issue is that she’s hanging off the arm of one of Moon-Crest’s fighters.
The poor guy looks stiff, like he would rather be anywhere else. Especially when he looks up and sees Adrian’s gaze pinned on them.
He starts shaking his head, eyes wide and frantic. "Nothing’s going on." He mouths fearfully, his face looks like he’s asking for help.
But Adrian can’t explain what he feels in that moment. He knows it’s not jealousy-- not really. He doesn’t care of Anna decides to sleep with half the Alphas in Moon-Crest.
What he cares about is that: she’s fucking pregnant.
Plus, she could’ve at least taken off his jersey first before acting stupid.
But Anna doesn’t seem to care. Not that the guy looks uncomfortable, not that the father of her child is watching. She just laughs loudly at something only she finds funny, clinging even tighter to him.
John breaks the awkward silence first, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I officially give up. I know now-- she’s a whole mess."
A whole mess indeed.
As Adrian glances back up at Anna making a fool of herself in front of everyone, Rylan’s words in that locker room keeps replaying in his head.
"Another man’s child. Another man’s.."
Fuck it!
Before Nyra or John can hold him back, he matches toward her, fists clenched on both sides.
"Adrian wait!" Nyra sighs at the drama, rushing behind him.
John kisses his teeth in frustration as he runs after the two of them. He doesn’t need them making anymore scenes--not tonight at least.
But Adrian isn’t listening. He rips Anna of the boy not even sparing him a glance, before dragging her the opposite way, away from earshot.
Anna is smirking. Actually smirking as she’s being pulled. She thinks her plan is working because she actually came here to check if Adrian would still get jealous and protective over her.
Her smile drops however, when Adrian glares down at her, silver eyes completely cold. There is no jealousy or protectiveness in them.
No sign or the care they once shared.
"I’m only going to ask you this once, so you better be so fucking honest right now." He gestures angrily with his forefinger. "Who the fuck is the father of that baby you’re carrying!?"