Chapter 262
Elle’s POV
Brad Rayne stood in the center, his commanding presence immediately recognizable. To
his
left
was Lester Harrison. And o
“How the hell would them know about this place? Sophia whispered, her voice tight with disbelief.
I stared at her in stunned silence, my mind screaming the same question. How the fuck would 1
know
why he’s here?
Marcus, our date, looked like he was about to hyperventilate with excitement. “Oh God, oh God! That’s Brad Rayne, isn’t it?”
I let out a soft sigh, already sensing disaster approaching. “Well, this date
is
probably fucked.”
Sophia shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the potential failure
of
her
revenge plan.
here.
Meanwhile, I could feel Brad’s gaze locked onto me like a heat–seeking
missile.
Even from across the restaurant, I could sense his displeasure at finding me
Lester looked like he wanted to murder someone–probably everyone in this cracked. Clearly, he was less than thrilled to discover that Sophia had come
to
restaurant.
a date.
jaw was clenched so tight I was surprised his teeth hadn’t
Roy, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. That perpetual discovered the most entertaining drama of the year.
smirk of his had only gotten wider since spotting us, like he’d just
Coincidence my ass, I thought bitterly, but managed to paste on
a
“Well, hello there, Elle! Sophia!” Roy called out cheerfully, his voice carrying across the restaurant with that practiced charm. “What a delightful
coincidence!”
polite smile. “Yes, what a… surprise to see you all here.”
Brad’s eyes swept over me with that cold intensity that made my skin prickle. Without a word, he guided Lester and Roy toward a table near ours. The three Alphas settling into their seats was like watching apex predators claim–every other patron in the restaurant seemed to shrink back instinctively.
Alex immediately appeared with several other assistants, moving swiftly to intercept the phones that had started emerging from pockets around the
restaurant.
‘I’m sorry,” Alex announced politely but firmly. “Unice prepared to face legal action from the Moonshade Bay Councu, I’d suggest putting those
devices away.”
The phones disappeared faster than snow in
summer.
Roy kept shooting me amused glances, his eyes twinkling with barely contained laughter.
I sighed and turned to Marcus. “I’m really sorry, but I don’t think we can continue this evening. Maybe we could exchange contact information and try again another time?”
But Sophia had other plans. She stood abruptly, her expression ice–cold. Actually, no. We don’t need to reschedule. Marcus, I suddenly find myself disliking the atmosphere here. Would you care to join me somewhere else for drinks?”
She moved around the table and placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “Do you remember the way home? Take a cab back later–you’re being way too much of
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Chapter 262
JR
a third wheel right now. Don’t follow us.”
Sophia linked her arm through Marcus’s and practically dragged him toward the exit. But just before leaving, she leaned down and whispered urgently in ans ear: “Keep Lester here. Don’t let him ruin this for me.”
The moment Sophia and Marcus disappeared through the door, Lester shot to his feet like a man
I moved faster than I’d ever moved in my life, positioning myself directly in his path to the exit.
possessed.
way. “You… Lester stared at me in shock, clearly not expecting a human woman to physically block his
If this had been anyone else, Lester probably would have simply moved me aside without a second thought. But I was Brad’s mate, and even an enraged Alpha wasn’t stupid enough to lay hands on another Alpha’s claimed partner–especially not when that Alpha was Brad Rayne.
I smiled up at him with malicious satisfaction. “Now you know exactly how I felt when you stopped me and let Mira walk away with Brad, don’t you? And this is just the beginning.”
Roy burst into laughter, the sound rich with genuine amusement. Even Brad’s perpetual scowl seemed to lighten slightly at my words.
I crossed my arms and announced loudly enough for the entire restaurant to hear: “Sorry, but, decided to crash our evening, you might as well settle in and enjoy a proper dinner.”
none of
you are leaving this restaurant tonight. Since you
“What about me?” Roy asked with mock innocence. “I can’t leave either?”
“Nope.” I turned to face Brad directly, my chin lifting in challenge. “Nobody leaves.”
Brad leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, clearly enjoying watching me handle his ally.
Roy finally took pity on his fellow Alpha and grabbed Lester’s arm. “Alright, alright,
we
ender!
Let’s all
But just as I was savoring my victory, I remembered that Brad and I were supposed
sit
down and have a civilized dinner, shall we?”
be
in
the
of
a cold
war. I immediately turned to leave.
Brad appeared in front of me so fast it was like he’d teleported. Alpha reflexes
were
truly
unfair.
“Where’s all that courage from thirty seconds ago?” he asked, his voice low and amused.
I looked up at his impossibly handsome face, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of
water. Being this close to him a
Li
my brain short–circuit.
“All you have to do is sit quietly and have dinner with us,” Brad continued, his voice dropping to that sinful whisper that always made my heart race. “In exchange, I guarantee Lester won’t go anywhere near Sophia tonight. Deal?”
His lips brushed against my ear again, sending electricity shooting through my entire body. I stumbled backward, face flaming.
“You… I couldn’t form a coherent sentence.
After weighing my options and realizing I was thoroughly outmaneuvered, I stomped back to the table and threw myself into a chair with as much dignity as
could muster.
Brad followed, looking insufferably pleased with himself as he settled beside me.
I have to admit, I didn’t expect you to be such a loyal friend.” Roy said with genuine admiration. “That was quite the performance.”
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Chapter 262
I shot him a sweet smile. ‘Well, Yara’s pretty loyal to Mira too, isn’t she?”
Roy’s grin widened. “Touché.”
Brad caught Alex’s eye and nodded once. Within minutes, Alex was moving through the restaurant with a briefcase full of cash, politely asking the other diners to accept compensation for the inconvenience and find somewhere else to eat tonight.
The humans took the money and practically sprinted for the exits. Nobody argued with the Rayne family when they wanted p
Soon, the massive restaurant was empty except for the four of us and the staff, who discretely withdrew to give us space.
Finally, we could speak freely without human ears listening in.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
