Chapter 9
-LANA-
“Wake up!” labella, my younger sister, says. I open my eyes to see her face inches away from mine.
1 roll my eyes and push her away.
“Come on!” She insists. “We have plans today. Remember?“.
What the hell was she talking about?
Plans? Today! The only plan I had today was to ignore the pain in my heart after my mate brutally broke it
Things have been awkward between us ever since he left me in his room that day, We haven’t said much to each other since; basically, things have returned to what they were before I knew that he was my mate
I still had this fear in the back of my mind that Apollo would come to my room one day and reject me without any warning
“We were supposed to crash Apollo’s party tonight. Don’t you remember?” she demands.
My stepbrother’s name is enough to make me fly out of my bed. I forgot all about my depressing thoughts.
Whoever said anything about crashing Apollo’s party! I couldn’t even remember that he was having a party tonight. I’ve been locked up in my room, grieving for something I never even had
“What the hell!” Isabella asks as she looks at me on the ground. Apparently, getting up so quickly from my bed was not a good idea. I’d managed to trip on the bed sheet and was now flat on my ass. I wince as the pain finally catches up to me now that the shock of her words is over.
What did I say to make you move that quickly?” she asks; I can see the confusion on her face.
I ignore her as I try to remember our plans. I can’t remember ever agreeing to crash a party with Isabella. She must have made some kind of || mistake. That was the only logical explanation.
“I don’t remember plotting to crash Apollo’s party,” I point out to her, repeating my thoughts aloud.
Once more, I try to search my mind for an explanation.
She sigh. “We spoke about this a month ago!” She says, “Remember? He has this party every year. For some reason, we are never invited. We agreed that this year, we would be attending without his permission. How can we have a stepbrother who throws such amazing parties and yet we never get the chance to attend?”
Now that she was reminding me of it, I do have a vague memory of this conversation. However, it didn’t go as she implied it did.
If I remember correctly, you’re the one who wanted to crash his party. I’m the one that said I have no interest in that I tell her now that my memory of that day was returning.
I was true that she wanted to crash the party, but I clarified that anything to do with Apollo was of no interest to me. Oh how I wish I could return to those days when I didn’t know Apollo was my mate. It was a much simpler time, and I didn’t have to worry about heartbreak. Now, all I could think about was him. I found myself watching my window whenever he left or whenever he returned with some random woman
It was not healthy. It was having a negative impact on me.
“Oh, come on!” Slie exclaims. Please, please do this with me. I cannot do it on my own! I need you there!”
I’ve never been interested in attending Apollo’s popular yearly party. However, this time was different. Now that I knew Apolla was my mate, interested in his life and curious to find out what happened at one of those parties.
Did he have hundreds of women dancing on him Were there women strapping in front of him as well!
I was
I roll my eyes at those thoughts. I did not like the idea of any woman too
in too close to him, even though I knew I could do nothing about it.
“Okay” I say “If you are excited to crash Jus party, I guess I can spare some time to take you there?
She beams with excitement at my words. I would never admit that I also wanted to be there with her. She didn’t need to know all the details; she didn’t care about those details as long as
“Yes” She grims from ear to ear. “I already have suffits plumed
planned out fue tonight. I swear all eyes are going to be on us!”
I should have known she would have used this opportunity to her advantage.
How, you are not for ing me into dair of those new you love wearing. Em going with my oversized jacket and joggers”
12:41 PM & D
Chapter 9
Even I had to admit that going with a packet and joggers was not the best idea considering the kind of parties Apollo held. However, I was uncomfortable wearing whatever labella had picked out for me.
She narrows her eyes. “You always dress like that. This is an actual party; you need to dress
the occasion.”
Not this again. My sister loved to design outfits and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer one day. Her clothes were beautiful, but I was not interested in wearing them. They were not my style.
“Isabella,” I warn. “Do not try to change my mind. I will not be wearing it. Maybe you can convince me to wear something else”
She sight. “You will never get a boyfriend like that. Are you not interested in daring someone? If you wear my outfit. I promise you will leave that party with someone!
I narrowed my eyes at her. I knew that she was simply teasing me. However, she may have had a point. I wanted to test Apollo’s reaction to seeing the wearing something I didn’t usually wear tonight.
Even though it would make me uncomfortable. I had a reason to take the risk
It was a strange feeling in my chest. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to do this, but I had to
“Okay.” I tell her. I will wear what you want me to wear.”
Please Lana, you have to wear- she pauses and looks at me in surprise after realizing what I’ve just said. “Wall, what?”
1 roll my eyes once more. “Why do you look so surprised!”
I can’t believe you actually agreed to wear one of my designs without me having to beg for the entire day, she notes. “Something is definitely up with you I don’t know what it is, but I’ll find out eventually.”
This was one secret that I was keeping with me for as long as possible. No one in our family could know that Apollo was my mate. Things would go crazy the second that anyone did. Besides, getting everyone worked up didn’t make sense when Apollo didn’t plan on claiming me as his. Nothing was ever going to happen between us.
“Do you want me to change my mind? 1 demand, and she quickly waves her hand in the air.
“Of course not! She insists as she pulls me out of my room.
I sigh as she drags me along with her. I know that there is no opportunity for me to change my mind. I had already agreed to do this with my sister. and she would bold me to my word.
“Ouch!” I say as my body bumps into a hard chest,
My eyes widened when I realized whose rock–hard chest it was.
Apollo is staring down at me with heat in his eyes. I instantly feel myself grow wet between the legs.
His jaw clenched, and for some reason, it felt as though he could tell that I was aroused. My cheeks burn at that possibility.
“Can you watch where you’re going? Isabella scolds him as she continues to drag me away.
I tried not to look back at him, but it felt as though his eyes were digging into my back. I knew I had to be wrong: Apollo wouldn’t be watching me leave. He had so many women in his life that I was like nothing to him, even though I was his mate.
“Is it just me, or has Apollo been moody lately?” she asks me. “There is something up with him, but I just can’t wrap my finger around it.”
I frown “maybe he han’s picking up as many girl as he usually does.” I say in a dry tone. “And maybe, just maybe, those girls are finally growing a brain and realizing they could do better for themselves,”
She turns to look at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay?” I repeat her question with one of my own. “Now, why won’t I be okay?”
She shrugs, “Tet’s just say that Apollo not the only one who has been acting a little strange ever since he returned from Havenville.”
Theeze
She has noticed our strange behaviors. Even though we were clearly giving my sister a reason to worry about us, I was absolutely sure that she didn’t have a chur why we were behaving this way
“Well, I have been pretty upset that I didn’t bind what I was looking for at the Mystic River” I point out, trying to distract her
The entire family was aware of the hurt 1 fich alter i retured empty–lumled on that day
She sighs, “another told me about your reaction. It is not the end of the world sister. You will find your mate. I promise. Just give it some time”
Of course, didn’t know the entire truth.
She would never know that I did find my mate that night.
And he didn’t want me. He will never want me
