Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law novel Chapter 93

[Jasmine's POV]

I tilted my face up to enjoy the sun's warmth. Mindie and I were at school studying under the shade of a large oak tree. It was a couple of days after Isabella and I got kidnapped, and it was nice to do something normal with my best friend again.

The sounds of book pages being turned and the gentle scratching of Mindie's pen against her paper were like music to my ears. I couldn't help the large grin that bloomed across my face as a light breeze hit my skin, and I picked up my iced coffee to take a sip.

Mindie noticed my grin, and a sly smile crossed her face.

"I think I know the reason for that smile."

I shut my textbook and laid my pencil on it. "I just finished my work for the day, and I'm hanging out with my best friend. I'm not imprisoned by rogues In a dingy cellar. That's why I'm smiling."

"And you're going to go to the biggest gala of the year with a hot future Alpha," Mindie added, then picked up her drink to take a sip. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"What are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely confused. "What gala?"

Mindie straightened up with an excited grin. There was a new light in her eyes that schoolwork could never put there.

"There's a masquerade ball this weekend! This event only happens every two years. It's always organized by one of the four main, prestigious packs, and this year, Windhowl is hosting it." She paused for a moment to take a breath. "And everyone knows that they throw the best parties!"

I rolled my eyes and giggled at her excitement.

"Mindie, it's only a dance where rich people rub elbows all night. And what do you mean I'm going with a hot future Alpha? I'd never be invited. They only send invitations to the members of the most affluent and high-status families. Especially with everything going on with my dad," I swallowed past the emotion this sentence brought me, "I'll never be asked to go."

I took another sip of my cold drink.

"Girl, you're dating Axel Laken," Mindie pointed out. "Obviously, he will get an invitation, and then he will bring you as his date!"

I coughed as my coffee got stuck in my throat.

Mindie patted me on the back.

"Axel and I went on a couple of dates," I said after I could breathe normally again. "That in no way means we're dating. We haven't agreed to be exclusive or anything."

I hadn't seen Axel since I talked with Michelle and him about the kidnapping. He called me every night to offer support and told me he would be here if I needed someone to talk to. If I were being honest with myself, all I wanted was for life to return to the way it was before all that madness. I craved a sense of normalcy.

"You and Axel shared a romantic kiss under the moonlight," Mindie sang. "That has to mean something."

I avoided her gaze as my body heated and my heart slammed against my chest. When I thought of kissing, it wasn't Axel who came to mind.

It was Gareth.

His hot, insistent lips. Gareth's flushed, slick skin pressed against mine. The dirty things he whispered in my ear as he made me fall apart around his tongue, then his hard length. The possessive way he had held me, like I was his. The fact that I wanted so desperately to be his.

I remembered every moment about our night together. It was burned into my brain like my body was still burning for Gareth's touch.

A hot blush spread across my face, and Mindie pointed an accusing finger at me. I hadn't told her about the fact that I lost my virginity to Gareth. I hadn't told anyone.

"See!" Mindie beamed. "Just from the way you're blushing, I can tell that you really like Axel."

Oh, right. Axel.

"You want him to be your boyfriend," Mindie teased good-naturedly and gently bumped my shoulder with hers.

I cleared my throat and averted my eyes. "Axel probably won't invite me." I shrugged. "Honestly, it won't bother me if he doesn't."

Isabella and I were silent for a few moments as we stared at each other, allowing ourselves to enjoy the fact that we made it out.

Then, Isabella turned the key in the ignition, and I looked out the rearview mirror. Directly behind us was a sleek black car filled with men I recognized as Isabella's guards.

"Woah, that's a lot of warriors to protect us on the drive to your house," I told her.

She giggled, and a secret smile crossed her face. "We aren't going to my house. We're going shopping!"

"Ah, yes. Because our last shopping trip ended so well." I grinned at her so she would know I was kidding.

Isabella patted my knee. "This one will be much better. I promise."

"The guards and I will make sure that it will be less eventful, that's for sure," said a deep voice in the back.

My eyes widened, and I spun around, clutching my chest. I had thought Isabella and I were alone in the car.

All that I saw was the black divider, but when Isabella rolled it down, she revealed three more guards in the back seat, one of them was Beta Kevin. I assumed that he was the one who spoke before.

"Wow, Gareth isn't taking any chances, is he?" I muttered and laughed as I turned back around.

"This isn't just a regular shopping trip, by the way," Isabella told me. "We're on a mission."

"A mission for what?"

"To find dresses for the masquerade ball, of course!" Isabella answered. "You are going as Axel's date after all."