Chapter 20

"Are you going to be driving us there?" Celeste asked once Jen was finished with her own makeup and was certain that she had found the right clutch purse to match her champagne dress.

"No, you know my father would kill if he found out I was going without telling him." Jen scoffed as she picked up her phone. She might've lived on her own, but her father was still in control of where she took the car of weeknights and weekends. He didn't trust his daughter to have good discretion in what she did or where she went.

"A friend is going to be coming to pick us up instead. Harder for my father to know if I leave the car behind." She sat on the bed as she texted said friend to find out how far out they where.

This was the first time Celeste had heard that a third person would be tagging along. If they were going, why did she even have to go?

"Can't I just opt out if you've already found someone else to tag along?" She pouted causing Jen drop the phone from in front of her face with an aghast look on her face.

"No!" the other hurriedly shouted as she jumped off the bed to come over and wrap her arms the other's shoulders as though she was she would leave.

"You're the prized gem. If that man really is going to show up tonight, having you there will bring up the chance of me meeting him by at least ten percent." Jen explained as she kept clinging to the other who wasn't thrilled about the current position.

"If he isn't there though and you drag me along for nothing, what do I get in return?" Celeste asked as she tired to pry her friend's hands off from where they were positioned on her shoulders.

Jen was quiet as she thought about her friend's question before a light bulb seemed to go off and she whispered something in the other's ear.

Celeste was so surprised by what the other had said that she tilted back to look at the other and make sure she wasn't joking.

"You're serious about that?" she asked, not sure if she should trust what the other said.

"I wouldn't go back on my promise to you over something like this. In fact, for one time even if he does show up tonight I'll do it with you as thank you for letting me drag you out. You'll also though have to come with me another time after this if it was successful. Deal?" Jen asked, holding her pinky out to the other woman who gleefully hooked her pinky with the other's so they crossed.

"Deal!"

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Celeste's excitement over the deal did little to curb her nerves however when they pulled up to a parking spot not too far from the club but close enough that they could see the lit neon letters over the front that read 'Moonlight'.

At least the friend that Jen had asked to drive them seemed nicer than some of the other guys that she had brought along before. Plus, he was a decent driver.

The club was packed by the time that they had gained entrance after having to show their IDs to the bouncer who gave Celeste a quick double take. Jen blew it off on the fact that her friend looked younger than she actually was.

The speakers in the club were booming out some techno beat that Celeste wasn't all that familiar with, but Tony, Jen's friend seemed thrilled about.

Jen's first stop was to hit the bar. She was eager to get something to drink while waiting to see if Bane was going to show up.

Celeste at first refused anything, but changed her mind and got a margarita after Tony assured her it was okay as he didn't intend to drink since he was the one who had driven them there.

The club was even more packed than Celeste had expected it to be. Most of the people from her perspective didn't look as though they were quite sober either even though they seemed to be having a good time. She on the other hand felt more nervous as she waited for her drink to be ready.

Jen took the opportunity to try and sweet-talk the bartender into telling her whether he knew if Bane would show up at the club that night or not.

He didn't have an answer for her though as he explained because it was very random when the other would make his appearance. There was no rhyme or reason as to why he showed up, he just did it when he wanted to.

Jen knew that this answer meant that she would have to rely on her friend to attract the other. Only if he happened to show up and knew that she was there.

What neither of them did know was that Bane was already at the club and the bouncer at the door had alerted some of the other staff to the fact that they might have a code yellow on their hands if the alpha found out that Celeste was at his night club.

Most of the staff that did security and guarded the doors were from Bane's pack. It made it easier because he knew that they were reliable and that nothing would get past them.

They were mostly concerned about what kind of destruction they might have to deal with. Bane's mood could be unpredictable often. Now with his mate involved in the mix, they didn't know if to expect to react harsh to the news or if it would help put him in a better mood.

Which is what lead the guard to decide that contacting Aster would be the best choice as the beta was likely somewhere within the night club as well and could run interference if necessary.

Getting hurt wasn't on the top of the wolf's of things he wanted to deal with. He was just trying to do his job and had never faced this kind of problem before.

He could only hope that not rejecting the human and her friends was the right choice to make.