When they touch me (Shelagh Milano) novel Chapter 3

Artemisia

He can’t be my mate. His scent would have overpowered everyone else’s easily and signaled me that he was near.

I chew at my thumbnail while my thoughts keep running wild about the fact that all of this just doesn’t make any sense.

Also, how bothersome it would be to have a Blackwood as my mate.

So, why am I disappointed?

Joining the applause that drags me out of my train of thought, I beam as my brother and his mate step onto the stage. They look so excited and anxious at the same time at what is about to happen that it makes me feel butterflies. The best thing out of all is that it seems like they are happy to finally be able to see each other again the most. Even if in such moments the memory of my rejection hurts the most, I’m glad that the feelings of happiness that I feel for my family overpowers me.

Automatically, my eyes wander over the crowd to find the Alpha Blackwood already looking at me. My eyes snap back to the stage and I gulp.

So embarrassing.

As he is standing rather close by, I guess that the mystery of the mouthwatering scent that I’m smelling is resolved.

Goddess, why me?

The coronation goes by quite dragging as I can’t seem to concentrate on the ceremony. I bounce on my heels as my insides won’t stop tingling because I keep sneaking peeks to look at Blackwood, finding him already looking at me.

Oh, God, maybe he feels that my wolf is dormant.

As the elder finishes the ritual, and my brother goes to take his Luna’s hand, a collective gasp rises. I clench onto Zaccaria, and he puts his arm around my wrist to stabilize me on my feet, even though he must feel the uncomfortable feeling of our bond to our parents as leaders being strapped from us, before our links to our new Alpha and Luna click into place.

As another round of applause disrupts the air, I try to push through the crowd after my brothers to get to Giorgio and Diana to congratulate myself with them. But the people are just too aggressively trying to get there first that I get separated from my brothers and, as I seem not to be able to move any further, choose to step out to the side, waiting for everyone to just calm down after they had their chance to see the beautiful pair.

I take a deep breath and smile at a waiter who brings me a glass of champagne before my nostrils get assaulted by a scent that I had hoped not to smell again.

And just when I’m without my brothers.

How practical.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Taking a sip from my champagne flute, I act annoyed while hoping that he will get the hint.

Even if he never does.

“Alpha Riccardo, good evening.”

“Come on, Missy.” He chuckles, trying to get closer to me. “No need to be so formal. After all we have been through.”

I look over the crowd with my tongue pressed to my teeth, trying to spot my brothers, but all I find is a certain someone staring at me.

“If we were talking about what we have been through, it’s Dr. Guerrieri for you.”

I tear my eyes from Alpha Blackwood to look at Riccardo, who is grinning at me like a moron. And I regret it immediately.

“Come back in with me. Let’s talk.”

I push out a single laugh, trying to keep my voice down. “You are not really trying to hit on me while your wife is at home, pregnant with your third baby, Rick!”

“You always think too much. Missy, come on.” As he grabs my wrist, I snatch it out of his hold maybe a little too aggressively.

“Don’t you dare touch me!”

“Why are you acting so ha-” Riccardo is just about to open his mouth the wrong way as he gets interrupted by a deep baritone.

“Missy, is everything alright?”

I have to keep myself from physically shuddering as I turn around to look at the disrupter wide-eyed.

What did he just call me?

Blinking repeatedly as I am still recovering from his voice traveling through me like honey, I put up a smile and shake my head.

“Yeah. Everything is just alright.”

Alpha Blackwood clenches his jaw, his gaze moving onto Riccardo. “Where is your wife, Alpha?”

I nearly choke on my spit as Riccardo’s face pales, and he starts to stutter like an idiot. The way he pronounced his title mockingly, making me feel malicious joy.

“She wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed at home.”

Alpha Blackwood clicks his tongue, totally uninterested in what Riccardo just said, and leans in slightly to talk to me.

“Didn’t you want to congratulate your brother? I guess we could get to him now.”

A shiver runs down my spine as his eyes capture my gaze entirely, making me lose the sense of time and place for a second. Just as I see him lift an eyebrow I finally get my brain to start working again.

I jerk up slightly to look over the crowd and don’t see how we are going to make it as my brother is still closed in tightly by his admirers, but still choose to go with his rescue offer.