CHAPTER SEVEN - A DATE IN THE FOREST

MONA’S POV

I stood there watching their faces as I tried to make a decision quickly.

Luka was going to tell me all about him and Aster's relationship, so wouldn't it be wiser to go with him?

If you want to learn about someone, you should observe them, my head advised me.

Besides who could tell me about Aster, other than Aster himself?

I turned to Luka and gave him an apologetic look, before heading over to where Aster stood.

“I guess you were curious about our date after all,” Aster said, smirking victoriously at me.

“Whatever, let's just get out of here,” I said impatiently, trying to ignore the burning sensation at my back that I knew came from Luka staring daggers at us.

“Whatever you say, my lady,” Aster said, handing me a helmet.

I put the helmet on and climbed behind him on the motorcycle.

“I assumed you had a car,” I said shakily. Much as I was trying to get away from here as soon as possible, I had never gotten on a motorcycle before.

“You are going to want to hold on tight to me Mona,” he said, turning ahead as he started the engine.

“Okay but, don't drive too fast----” the words were barely out of my mouth when Aster sped off.

I could feel the wind beating against my arms, I found myself, holding on to his waist tightly as he drove.

I could feel his abs through his shirt and I was doing everything that I could to contain myself when I knew all I wanted to do was run a finger all over his abdomen, feeling everything from his firm abs to his bulky muscles.

I placed my head on his broad back and kept quiet as I enjoyed the rest of the ride.

We finally came to a stop as he parked the bike somewhere I didn't recognize.

Somewhere I didn't even think anyone could have a date —The forest.

“Um… what exactly is the plan here?” I asked him as we got down from the bike.

“Just relax, this place is not as bad as it looks, I promise,” he said, smiling at me like we weren't surrounded by trees and vegetation.

“I don't know why I thought you could impress me,” I murmured to myself, rolling my eyes.

“You will be impressed,” he said confidently, stretching out his hand for me to take.

Skeptically, I took his hand with narrowed eyes and allowed him to lead me deeper into the forest.

“I swear if I get murdered out here, Luka is going to tell my father,” I warned him as we continued walking.

“You are not going to get murdered,” he replied to me in a bored tone.

“And how far away is this place that you are taking me—”

“We are already here.” he said, stopping abruptly and I looked away from his face as I took in the sight in front of me.

It was serene. It was a large clearing filled with the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen planted around the area. There was a thick white blanket laid on the floor, and on it was a basket of delicious looking food and fairy lights strung between the surrounding trees.

“What. The. Hell?” I exclaimed in shock, as my hands came up to my mouth.

“Are you impressed yet?” Aster asked me with a confident smile on his lips as I walked around, taking in the beautiful and thoughtful setup.

I couldn’t even hide what I was feeling, I was impressed.

“How in the hell did you pull this off?” I asked him, turning back to face him as he walked closer to me.

“I came here with my followers and they helped me decorate after I had asked you out,” he said and I stared at him in complete fascination.

He did not seem like it, but he was a really thoughtful guy. He walked closer to me until his head hovered right above mine.

I stood there motionless as he lowered his head to mine, like he was going to kiss me.

Did I want him to kiss me?

Actually that wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Let’s go and eat,” he said instead, and I couldn’t help the way my stomach seemed to sink in disappointment.

He led me till we sat down on the soft blankets, facing each other.

“So why do those guys follow you anyway?” I asked him as he poured me a glass of punch from a jug.

“Because they respect me,” he said, like it was common knowledge.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the glass from his hand and took a small sip.

“They respect my father and the work he has done for the pack and they follow me because I am as dependable,” he replied, pouring himself a glass as he spoke.

“So they just trust and admire you for no major reason?”

“They have a reason,” Aster said, taking a sip. “Two years ago, the pack was attacked by rogues. It happened while we were in school, the teachers ordered us to hide, while they fought against them, but they were greatly outnumbered. So I mobilized all the guys who had gotten their wolves like me to stand up and fight against them, because of me, a lot of lives were saved that day,” Aster said, finishing his glass.

Wow, so he was a hero?

“What are rogues?” I asked him, still sipping my drink slowly.

“They are wolves without a pack, they are a manner less and brutal bunch, you don’t want to run into one,” he said bluntly.

“And how can I tell if someone is a rogue?” I asked calmly, like my imagination wasn’t already running wild.

“Trust me, you will know,” he replied vaguely.

Well that wasn’t helpful at all.

“I also wanted to ask, what is the deal between you and Luka?”  I asked, dropping my empty glass and he paused and looked at me.

“It’s you of course,” he replied with a small smile. “We are both trying to win your heart.”

That didn’t make sense.

It felt like he was holding something back from me, there was no way that I was the cause of their enmity.

They looked like they had hated each other for a very long time.

“No but… Luka said that—-” I was suddenly interrupted as he placed a finger on my lips, silencing me.

I looked from his finger to his face, wondering what the hell he was doing.

“This is a date Mona, I only want to learn about you not about what Luka said, besides he always lies when he can’t get his way,” Aster said and I gave him a look.

I didn’t know enough about Luka, but that did not sound like it was true.

“You are really pretty Mona,” Aster said, as his hand suddenly brushed stray hair from my face.

His slight touch sent electricity down my body and I licked my bottom lip as I looked up at him.

How could a guy this gorgeous call me pretty? It felt like a prank somehow, my whole life felt like a prank these days.

“Do you use that line on all the girls you bring here?” I asked him and his hand dropped from my face as he looked at me in amusement.

“Why? Are you jealous?” he asked and I scoffed at him.

What did he think of me? That I was some easy girl who only needed a picnic and words of affirmation to be swayed?

“I am not jealous!” I replied to him defensively and his face turned serious and he locked eyes with me.

“Believe me when I say that I would never bring another girl to this place again. This will be our new spot,” he said as his hand found the back of my neck, bringing me closer to him.

Wait, was he going to kiss me this time?

Why wasn’t I pushing him away?

Maybe I was easy.

I closed my eyes, ready for his lips to touch mine.

“Get away from her, you bastard!!!” a voice suddenly yelled, making us break apart.

I turned my gaze to find a very angry Luka, standing in front of us.