Chapter Ten

LEO

A small yelp escapes my throat as oxygen gets lost somewhere in its way to my lungs as Erwin presses my body harder against his mountain-solid one. I am currently suffering an internal crisis just to prevent my blood from rushing to my cheeks.

Jean's eyes darken though his creepy smile remains intact. "Seems like you are quite fond of my nephew." He shoots a glance from the corner of his eyes to me, causing shivers washing over me, "Good for him. Please take care of him." Jean backs off to the crowd.

James casts a glare to my direction before following his father.

Such a daddy's boy.

I wave a sigh of relief as I see them disappear from my line of sight. Erwin's hand remains on my waist before he slowly releases me and I quickly step away from him.

 Fortunately the guests are standing a bit far away from us, so they can see our actions but cannot hear our conversation. It's a relief that they can't hear because I have no intention to stain my good name before the public so that they can find a hot topic to discuss at their dining tables.

"What are you actually planning to do by grabbing that waist of his in public? Huh?" Ruth suddenly pipes up from only god knows where, breaking through the sensual tension between us.

"What are you trying to imply?" Erwin counters sharply. "He is my married husband. I can do whatever I want to do with him in front of whoever I want."

Something in his statement makes my heart flutter as I can feel my cheeks heat up.

"He certainly did a good job to find someone like you." My face changes color as soon as I hear the voice. "Didn't know that he was capable of such a fit." My father chuckles, sarcasm latched to his every word.

How can a father be so hateful toward his own child?

"Oh sorry," Erwin once again turns his attention to my father, "I don't recognize you. Who you might be?" Erwin props up his chin, acting as if he finds this person before him quite amusing but fo0r some unknown reason I can tell he can guess who this middle aged man is.

Louis' eyes twitch for a bit before he replies pointedly, "The father of the man you married. Louis Snow." 

"Oh my, oh my!" Erwin gasps, "I am terribly sorry disgrace you earlier father."

Anyone who is capable of seeing can tell that he is acting to be very humble and respectful. He actually doesn't give a damn about what the others think about him. And I am very fascinated to see this because he is just acting on his natural instincts and I have never opened my mouth about my family before him. 

"And you are?" Asks Louis, suppressing his anger in his throat.

"I am your humble son-in-law, Erwin Warner." He smiles brightly.

Louis lets out a dry chuckle before hissing, "So do you know, I don't acknowledge a peasant like you to be my son's husband."

My knuckles start to turn white because of how tightly I am clenching my fist. My nails digging in the soft flesh of my palm as fury dots my vision.

How dare he call me his son!

I am opening my mouth to counter his words but the warmth of a hand over mine stops me midway.

I peer down over my shoulder to find Erwin grabbing my hand gently and stroking it.

Translation: I am handling, you don't have to waste your breath.

I close my mouth as Erwin calmly says, "Well, since I am already married to Leo and Leo is going to be the family head sooner or later then I don't really think I need your approval to be with him. And for the first remark, I too didn't know Leo was capable of tolerating a father like you." He finishes as smilingly as ever.

I sputter out a low chuckle at this calm insult earning a burning glare from my father and a mischievous look from my husband.

"Sorry." I quickly school my expression. "Please continue."

Louis snarls, "Is there anything left to continue about at all? You should keep your mad dog in check, Leo otherwise he will come biting back at you." He stomps away.

Erwin looks like he wants to say something but as he opens his mouth to spell the words someone interrupts, "Hey Leo!" He walks over to us, "Long time no see! How have you been, little nut?" Jules grins.

"Oh well, didn't think that you were coming." My dull eyes suddenly light up as I see my older brother smiling at me broadly.

Jules Snow. The most isolated person in our entire family and maybe my most favorite member in our family too. He is only three years older than me and for an alpha he is a bit small since he is not dominant. The height difference between us is only three inches.

In the middle of everything, I don't even notice when Ruth slips out from my side and goes to the crowd.

"How am I supposed not to, when my little brother is getting married even without telling me?" He peers over me with his dark eyes, which are just the same as me. A wide smile plastered over his face, which is too quite similar to mine. Especially our eyes.

But who will tell him that I too didn't know that I was getting married until the last minute before signing the certificate?

"Oh, let me introduce you to my husband," I snap out of it, "Erwin this is my older brother, Jules. And Jules he_"

"Erwin, right?" Jules doesn't let me finish my sentence.

"Right. Pleasure to meet you, Jules." Erwin smiles, this time a genuine one.

"Likewise." Jules' grin widens as he shakes hands with Erwin. "Please take care of him for me in the future. Though he can be very unfeeling sometimes, please still love him."

"Of course." Erwin acknowledges.

Only if he knew.

"In any case, guess whom I brought with me today?" He asks playfully.

"Whom?" I ask, curiosity leaks out through my voice.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Leo." A slow female voice says as the owner comes out from Jules behind, "I wish you have a happy married life." "Unlike me." She doesn't really spell the last part but she doesn't really need to spell them as they pour out of her dull eyes.

"Ba ba ba ba." A baby around one year blabbers from under her arms.

"Thank you Tina." I smile softly to make our conversation a bit more comfortable for her. "How is Rita?"

"Huh, this is how you are greeting each other?" Jules scoffs, his tone disappointed, "Do you know how much trouble I had to go through just to get big sis approval to bring Tina here? I don't even understand why she doesn't let her get out of the house."

I actually envy Jules for his ignorance of the family. Because this brat doesn't even know that our family member is baring their teeth at each other like hungry wolves. He is traveling through the world and barely comes home. Even when he comes, he only stays for a few hours and takes off somewhere again. His free spirit keeps him isolated from this ugliness of our family. He has always been this way. Not bothering himself with worldly matters and doing as he wishes. So, the family has long given up on him.

"So this the lucky person you married?" Tina asks, she is looking even worse than the last time I saw her, "He is very handsome." She comments.

"Hello Mrs. Tina, it's a pleasure to meet you." Erwin greets her warmly.

Thank you, thank you." She at last manages to smile a little. She shifts Rita from one arm to another, who is very engrossed in fiddling with her mother's ear rings, she seems to be struggling to hold her up properly.

"You can give her to me, if you don't mind." I offer her.

"O-Oh, sorry but she doesn't go to strangers." But despite her words, Rita spreads her arms and curls her tiny hands toward my direction, begging with her eyes to pick her up, astonishing the four of us.

But I don't waste any time taking her from her mother's arms. She stares at me like I am some kind of painting, with her black doe eyes.

And this is so fucking cute!

"She seems to like you." Tina smiles weakly but suddenly her face falls when she hears a particular female voice.

"When she doesn't seem to like her own father." Jessie shows up with another middle-aged woman at her toes.

"Oh big sis! Where have you been?" Jules immediately approaches her, all smiles.

"Was just looking around the preparations." She says as she shoots a glare toward Tina's direction, she shivers. "Not bad for a marriage that doesn't even exist." There is smoothing in her tone that is getting on my nerves.

"Oh, well please let me introduce myself." Erwin suddenly pipes up, who was standing in the sidelines the entire time, "Erwin Warner." He successfully turns everyone's attention toward him.

"So you are the prey?" Jessie walks up to him and stands closely to him as she inspects him, a bit too closely, "Guess you are not that bad looking."

If he is bad looking then your shit head is still in the gutter.

"Thank you for the compliment but I thought it was manners to introduce yourself before you compliment someone." He takes a step back from her to increase the distance between them.

Jessie opens her mouth but is quickly shut down by the middle-aged woman, my mother, Kelly Snow, "What an adorable son-in-law Leo has found for us." Her remark makes my stomach crunch.

"Thank you, Mrs.?" Erwin returns.

"Mrs. Kelly." She smiles warmly but her eyes say otherwise, "You can call me mother."

"What are you blabbering, mother?" A cold, deep voice approaches us, "Go, enjoy the party." It is directed to everyone.

"Oh Leon, dear you are here!" Kelly remarks happily.

"I said to go to the party." Leon repeats himself as he stands before us, his gaze chilling.

A sudden sadness creeps up in the bottom of my stomach as I stare back into these cold eyes.

They don't say anything as they retreat but Tina nods at me while she takes Rita away from me in courtesy and Jules waves at me a 'see you in a minute' hand then disappears among the crowd.

Leon turns on his heel ready to walk away, "I hope you will keep your husband in leash, Mr. Erwin Warner." Then walks away.

I open my mouth to say something but it's too late for that, so I close them and after a beat I excuse myself from Erwin and go to the restroom.

Various thoughts cloud my mind as I wash my hands but suddenly a familiar voice whispers in my ear from a very close distance, "You sure are very good at acting. Is he that good at sex?" I jerk my head toward James, who is smirking at me wickedly.

"Don't you think you are a bit too close?" I glare at him, of course not answering his last question.

"Hmm?" He grabs my ass, "Like this?"

I stare at the hand on my ass and then throw a direct kick to his stomach sending him flying, "You sure never learn." I say blankly as his back crashes against a wall. Then walk away from a groaning James.

Just the moment I come back to Erwin who is waiting for me with two glasses of wine, talking with John. "Hey here, for you." Erwin passes a glass to me. James bursts in, still holding his stomach, where I just kicked.

"Have a poker match with me, Erwin!" He yells so loudly that everyone in the party turns this way, "I am challenging you! If I win, you know the prize!"

Well, everyone in the room knows what the price is, which is me, since this is not a secret that James wants to marry me.

Erwin stares at him with a blank expression on his face, only god knows what is going through his head. He then slowly looks over his shoulder to peer at me, "If I win then we will stay at this hotel tonight." His voice is not loud but everyone can hear him clearly as the hall has fallen silent.

"Why?" I ask simply, "We have a home."

"I just want to, please?" He pleads cutely with puppy dog eyes.

And how am I supposed to say no to that!

"Fine." I shrug.

"Then I am game." He returns his attention to James, smiling, satisfied with himself.