Chapter 108: _In The Loop Again
Luther’s POV
*****
Montecito wasn’t really a town — more like a carefully curated pocket of luxury pretending to be quiet.
Humans, witches and wolves all intermingled in a tight-knit, stinky-rich community. Buildings sprawled around the group as they navigated through the ’lower village’ region’s brick road.
From restaurants, wine bars—it was no wonder Celeste picked this spot for a vacation. That or she did it randomly.
Luther noticed a few people staring at them. And so did Atlas who made a sound. "I guess a group like ours would raise many eyebrows."
That... Still didn’t make much sense.
The stares some of these people gave were deliberate. Like they were studying a story they’d already heard.
"You think they know who we are?" Silas questioned Celeste, grabbing her hand. "You especially. I won’t be surprised if the daughter of the continent’s Alpha King is popular everywhere."
Celeste gave a smile that barely reached her eyes. "Trust me, Silas. I’ve always been the child who faded into the background. I doubt most people would see me as anything more than a pretty girl."
"You mean ethereally gorgeous," Silas just had to tease, pressing a kiss on her cheek.
Luther looked away but ended up meeting Azrael’s face angled at him. Even with the glasses on he knew the guy noticed his reactions too.
’Goddess give me strength.’ he thought to himself as they continued following Celeste.
Eventually, they got to a destination she seemed to like. An open-air restaurant with an excellent view of the ocean. Soft music drifted over the waves, a few people settling quietly in their seats.
They all sat around a round black wooden table, Celeste already picking up the menu book. "Seafood. Gods, these all look nice."
Atlas leaned his neck to see and so did Silas, leaving Luther and Azrael to sit in silence.
After the three of them finished picking what to eat, Celeste turned her eyes to them. "What about you guys? And please, don’t tell me you’ll take nothing."
Luther smiled but before he could speak—
"Chardonnay." Azrael dropped almost flatly. "Or any of their finest sparkling wine. That’ll do for me."
Just then, a waiter approached them with a practised smile. "Good afternoon. Welcome to Gardenia." He paused, eyes sweeping past all their faces. "Seems you guys are new here. I hope your stay in Montecito has been good so far."
Celeste, Silas and Atlas were the only ones who managed to respond cheerfully. Luther sat there with his arms folded in front of his chest, already loathing the social scene.
Ironic since socialising has always come so easily for him.
Once again, Celeste and the bond switched up whatever normalcy was left in his life.
"Luther?" Silas’s call brought him back to reality. "The kind waiter just asked what you’d like to order."
His brother’s harmless smile somehow added to his growing agitation. But Luther used everything in him to smile back at him, trying to ignore his arm on Celeste’s shoulder.
Wanting to break your brother’s arm didn’t make you a bad person... Right?
Grabbing the menu, Luther mentioned the first thing his eyes caught. "Well, the filet mignon with red wine should be alright for me."
The waiter nodded, walking off to go get their orders.
"Okay," Celeste placed a hand on the table, drawing all their attention. "This is the first time I’m going so far away from home without any kind of supervision from my parents."
Azrael chuckled. "I can imagine how protective they are of you."
"More like caging." Her eyes rolled at his words. "My father especially. Gods, growing up, that man used to see almost everything around me as a threat. It didn’t help that my magic was a late bloomer..."
Luther stared at her, his mind zoning off as she went on and on.
She was opening up.
Actually opening up and being free about herself to all of them. While he already knew most of what she was saying—since they literally dated for almost a year. Being in the loop felt so... Benign.
Almost making him forget his overwhelming jealousy of Silas. Almost.
Smiling to himself, Luther shook his head. He shifted his gaze to his right, searching for the waiter in case he was coming with their food yet.
He wasn’t.
What got Luther’s attention instead was a group of six guys sitting not too far away. With mocking grins and disdain in their eyes.
’Wolves.’ his wolf pointed out.
He kept his eyes on them for a moment—before deciding it wasn’t worth it.
Sadly, it seemed that wasn’t his decision to make.
The sound of chairs scraping against the marble floor cracked through the restaurant’s serenity. Deliberate. Like the twats wanted them to be aware of their nauseating presence.
Well, aware Luther was.
Soon, the others raised their heads, swerving to the incoming guys.
"Celeste Bloodoak." One of them with chestnut hair spoke out first when they arrived at their table, dressed in a blue denim jacket. "That’s you, right?"
Celeste froze, violet eyes narrowing in confusion. "Uh... Am I supposed to know you guys?"
The guy smirked like an idiot, glancing back at his friends. "I’m a big name around these parts. Alpha Jacob of the Silver Mist pack." He bragged.
That didn’t impress Celeste. "Never heard of you."
Jacob’s smile twitched for the briefest second. Then, "Oh, that’s fine. I’m here because I know you—and your affinity with whoring around."
Silence.
For a few seconds, all Luther heard was a faint ringing in his ears. He felt like rubbing them, unable to believe what he just heard.
Yet it was real.
"Excuse you?" Silas withdrew his arm from Celeste, voice dropping to a cold rasp. "Who—"
"We mean no offence," another guy raised his arms. "Just saying. Those blogs from Blood Eye blew up on the internet. First your ex. Then a random witch. Now... Your ex’s brother?"
"All under two weeks, bro!" A third guy boomed with laughter. "She’s probably going to hook up with a human next."
Their laughter sent anger swirling through every inch of Luther’s being.
He got on his feet before Silas, eyes dimming into slits. "Why don’t you say all that again?" His tone was colder than a glacier. "I dare you."
He felt Celeste shift behind him. Felt the bond flare—sharp, alarmed.
Alpha Jacob tilted his head, eyes raking him from head to toes. With a mocking laugh, he poked a finger at Luther’s chest. "I said what I—"
BAM!
It happened so fast that it felt like a blur to even Luther.
His fist connected with the bastard’s jaw, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing onto a wall at the other side of the restaurant.
Customers gasped, the clanging of plates and silent chatting dying down.
The restaurant itself held its breath for a heartbeat.
But then—hell broke loose as the other young men fixed their eyes on the group.
"Fuck them all up!" A burly one roared, claws already unsheathing from his fingers.
Luther’s stance bristled.
So much for a relaxing vacation.
