Chapter 142
Astrid POV
“OMG!” One of the cheerleading group girls exclaimed. “This is a picture of- of- And this message!”
Everyone had shocked expressions on their faces. Toren and Aiden had stiffened. They looked at Kael, and he looked like he was barely able to contain his anger.
“Who had the audacity to post this photo and message?” he growled, looking at every football player and the girls. He held my hand and pulled me closer to him as if protecting me from every backlash that was about to happen or from every sneer I would face.
No one replied as silence coated the air. The girls stared at both of us and then at Tracy. As if in defense, Tracy said nervously, “I didn’t post it!”
I relaxed and crossed my arms across my chest. “I know you didn’t post it, Tracy. After all, your back shows in the photo.”
“Yes, exactly!” she added. “I didn’t even take those pictures.”
The girls nodded, but then there was another ripple of fear in the room. Who posted it?
“Tell me now!” Kael seethed. “Who the fuck has posted it? If this photo and message aren’t deleted within the next fifteen minutes, don’t be surprised if I lose control!”
Toren and Aiden came to stand in front of us. Their body language was like they were asking Kael to calm down. Kael had balled his hands in a fist and he let out a dangerous growl. A dangerous, animalistic growl that had me staring at him with wonder.
Toren turned to look at the others. “Whoever has done it, reveal now. Otherwise, this could get really bad now.”
The underlying threat in his words was palpable. It was like these boys were ready to physically handle the rest. Images of how they fought with a group of boys who dared to pass lewd comments on me in the school flooded my mind.
“Wait!” I said aloud, stopping these boys from going wild again.
The brothers snapped their heads towards me. “Astrid, leave it. This is under my control,” Kael said in a controlled voice.
I shook my head. “No Kael,” I said. “This is something I’d like to address.” I touched his forearm, and that seemed to relax him.
“But Astrid-”
“Please Kael, let me handle it,” I requested.
The doubt in his eyes was replaced by amusement. He nodded, and I turned to look at everyone. Toren and Aiden came to stand by our side.
“Whoever has posted this photo… thank you, to you,” I said with a smile. “You’ve put a stamp on mine and Kael’s relationship. Yes, we love each other, and this picture has shown exactly that.”
A saw a few girls looking at me with shock. Their gazes darted between me and Tracy and honestly, I was enjoying it. I continued, “What exactly do you see in this picture? Hmm? Kael is wearing a towel and his arms are wrapped around me. That’s a gesture of love. What’s wrong with that?” I went to stand in front of him and instinctively, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “You all can take a picture of us now. Honestly, it will make me feel like a celebrity.”
Someone at the end of the room chuckled while a girl giggled. Tracy’s face radiated jealousy as she clenched her jaw.
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Chapter 142
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I didn’t stop. I tipped my head up and kissed his chin. He looked at me with intense eyes, his anger dissipating. Then I addressed the others, “This picture doesn’t prove that we’ve had sex. But that is none of your concern.” I shrugged. “As for the message “I took my phone out and opened the message. “I received this message along with the photo in the morning at 3AM. So, I’ve had plenty of time to think that the person couldn’t sleep well last night. I pity them. Because, obviously, he or she was wondering what Kael and I were doing.”
And this time, several girls and boys burst out laughing. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Tracy’s face turning red. Some girls went to stand with her. It was obvious that one of them did it, but there was no proof.
“So, I’ll come back to this message. It reads: Do you know the legal age to have sex is eighteen?” I chuckled. “Duhhh. Of course, I know the legal age of consent. In Nevada, the legal age of consent is sixteen, while in Oregon it is eighteen years.” I narrowed my eyes as I scanned the people in front of me. “The person who sent me this message wanted to threaten me that since I am underage, they could file a criminal case against Kael, because he is over eighteen.” I scoffed. “But they forgot two things. First, we are in Nevada and in this state, we are both of age. This picture was taken here. Two: as for laws in the state of Oregon, we are well aware of it. The photo you sent doesn’t prove that we had sex. Just like now–Kael has me in his arms. Do you think we are having sex?”
A boy from behind said, “Bravo!” He started clapping and several others joined him, laughing and ridiculing whoever sent this message to us. Kael, Toren, and Aiden relaxed and joined in the laughter, too.
Kael kissed my temple. “That’s like my Luna.”
“Luna?” I asked, confused.
He smiled and kissed me again. Fuck. If it weren’t for his beauty, I wouldn’t have fallen for him. Maybe I could add to his protectiveness… Umm… also his dedication, his eyes, his possessiveness, obsessiveness… gosh, too many things…
The team started leaving, but I stopped them. “There’s one more thing that I’d like to tell you guys.” I looked pointedly at Tracy. “Tracy came to my room to talk to Kael yesterday. This picture wasn’t taken by her, but by someone who was behind her in the room opposite to ours. Now I don’t know who that person was, who was staying in the opposite room, but I’ll leave it to you guys to find out who that was.” I knew once I found that person, I’d be able to pin Tracy. “But why will you find out? So here’s an incentive.” I pulled Toren and Aiden beside me. “Whoever comes to know about this person first, Toren and Aiden will kiss him or her!”
“What?” the brother snapped their heads at me with utter shock on their faces.
“You can throw us under the bus!” Toren protested.
I grinned. Scrunching my nose, I said, “I already did.”
Kael barked a laugh as an excited murmur filled the room. The girls were thrilled at the prospect of kissing the boys. I found some boys also looking at Toren and Aiden with interest. Tracy, on the other hand, had paled. Along with her friends, she left the room. I knew she would do everything to erase the evidence. I didn’t care. My point was proven, and I had thwarted a major fight and confrontation. If I’m being honest, I was afraid that if I had succumbed to the message, Kael and I would have become distant and we both would have been really depressed.
My connection with Kael was becoming soul–deep. It was something I could not point at, but I loved as every day brought us
closer.
“You better stay in the stadium today,” Kael said as we walked out of the restaurant hand in hand.
“I’ll get a hundred shades tanned.”
“I don’t care,” he said and suddenly lifted me, grabbing my waist. I squealed, clasping his shoulders tightly, my legs dangling
in the air, my legs dangling in the air. “If you leave, I will bloody quit the game and come after you.”
I cupped his cheeks as he carried me to the bus that was supposed to take us to the stadium. “I love you.”
He stopped in the middle of the road. “Say that again, and I’ll fuck the laws.”
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Chapter 142
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1 giggled and kissed him on his lips. “No fucking the laws. You have a match to play.”
Two days later, I decided to skip school and stay in Vegas. I moved to Kael’s room because I had to give up mine. Since I was broke, I couldn’t afford to pay for mine. No one was able to find out who was in the room opposite to mine and so Toren and Aiden were relieved as hell.
I watched him play all day. On the day of the final match, the crowd had swelled to thousands, and it was exhilarating to watch him move like a wolf on the field.
Kael and his team won the match.
Oh, did I tell you I had started dreaming of wolves lately?