Chapter 28: Chapter 28

"I want to thank all the families and friends for taking the time to attend my wife's birthday party." Jaxon took the mike and thanked his guests. Then he took a glass of wine and held it up for a toast.

"Let's raise our glasses and have a toast to my wife's happiness." All the guests raised their glasses and gave a toast. There were not only werewolves but also humans present there as the Knight family was a reputed family and well-known businessman In the USA.

"Thank you everyone. Thank you for doubling my happiness by joining my party. I want you all to feel at home, and enjoy yourselves. And have fun." Brianna thanked everyone and everyone started enjoying themselves. Some were enjoying food while some were enjoying drinks. While some were enjoying dancing with their partners. Jaxon and Brianna were dancing together beautifully in the middle of the hall, enjoying each other's company.

While someone's heart was burning seeing them happy and deeply in love. Even a blind person can tell that they are so in love. Lauren's heart bleeds seeing their proximity. Her heart wept in sorrow that she could never stand with him like the way Brianna was standing. Looking at them she felt Brianna and Jaxon's pair were a perfect match. They looked good together. Even their status also matches. Brianna was from a well-known family like the Knights. Where she's just a poor girl who doesn't even have a family. She didn't match in any way. From her point of view, It's a sin to aim for the moon for a girl like her.

"Why are you looking off, Ren?" Rhys leaned near her ear from behind and whispered. Lauren flinched but calmed down when she felt it was Rhys.

Getting no response from her he settled himself on the next stool across from her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, staring at her worriedly. Lauren's gaze was fixed on the couple dancing on the stage. Rhys followed her gaze and sighed heavily as he understood why she was looking so gloomy. He could understand her feelings as he was going through the same feelings too. He loved her but she loved someone else. And her loved one was with someone else in an intimate way.

Tears instantly blurred her eyes, clouding her throat and making it hard to speak. She felt like a huge rock on her chest. When she watched them making out in the middle of the stage. Her eyes blazed with rage. She was angry and sad at the same time. She could not think straight. She felt like killing them. It was becoming difficult for her to stay there. She was feeling suffocated.

Rhys noticed her uncomfortness so he decided to take her away from this suffocating environment. "Do you want to go out to have some fresh air?"

Rhys suggested and Lauren looked at him with her teary eyes which pained his heart.

"Please, take me away from this place. It's suffocating me."

Rhys held her hand and helped her to get up and then led her to the garden. The soft night breeze blowing across the open meadow ahead of them touched her face and caressed her skin. She sighed, wrapping her hand around her arms to warm her.

Seeing her being cold, Rhys took off his jacket and made her wear it. "Why do you care for me so much, Rhys? You know I don't feel the same way as you."

His full heart longing for Lauren could be seen right through his eyes. His undying love and little smile on his lips indicate that he was willing to wait for her love.

Rhys took her hands in his and stared right into her eyes holding a pool of emotions in them. "No matter how long it takes, Ren. I, Rhys, am willing to wait for you the rest of my life until you love me. I will wait for your love, Ren, I promise."

Hearing this, the tears she had been holding back for minutes finally broke free from her eyes in waves. "Please, don't love me. I'm not worthy of your love. You deserve better. I even have a son."

Rhys reached out his hand and touched her face. "Your son is my son. I consider Alex as mine. I don't care if you will ever love me or not. I just want to be with the girl I love and I can't see her in pain. I want to see you happy. I want to fill your life with happiness. Give me a chance, Ren. Please."

Lauren was confused. She could not understand what she should do. She can't think of someone else in Jaxon's place. And she didn't want to ruin Rhys's life. She was sure that he would never be happy with her. But Alex likes him a lot. That matters for her. She was so confused and before she could say something someone called her.

"Miss, Lauren. Master is looking for you." A maid told her and Lauren understood that the Old Knight was looking for her.

"What does he want from me now? I didn't do anything to offend him." Lauren thought in her mind and looked at Rhys to get permission from him.

"Rhys… "

"Go. Otherwise, Mr. Knight will be angry." Rhys motioned her to go and Ren gave him a smile before following the maid.

"Mr. Knight, you asked for me?" Mr. Knight whipped around to face her and smiled at her.

"Yes, someone wants to meet you. Vivian Miller. My best friend. Though he is a vampire, we are really close. So be careful. Don't anger him." Lauren nodded her head.

"Where is he?" She asked and Mr. Knight pointed his finger at him.

"Okay, rest assured. I will go and meet him. And won't make any blunder." She was about to walk ahead but stopped thinking about something.

"Does he know that I'm the surrogate?" Lauren asked him and Mr. Knight just blinked his eyes. So she walked off from there.

Vivian noticed Jaxon standing near the bar and enjoying his drink alone. He looked here and there but Brianna was nowhere to be seen. He had seen her when she was a little girl. He hadn't seen her after she had grown up.

Vivian advanced toward the Bar and stood next to Jaxon.

"Hey, Jaxon! What's up, dude?" Vivian gave a smack on his arm and Jaxon's face lit up seeing Vivian after a long time.

"I'm good. You tell me where have you been all these years. There was no news about you. As if you just disappeared." Vivian just shrugged his shoulders at his words.

"Nothing much. Just don't bring up that topic. I don't want to talk about that." Vivian tried to dismiss the topic so Jaxon also let go of the topic.

"Why are you alone? Where is the birthday girl?"

"There she is." Jaxon pointed his finger in the direction from where Brianns was coming. Vivian shifted his gaze in the direction where Jaxon was pointing.

And his heart squealed in a different way and he couldn't avert his eyes from the beauty before him. She just took his heart away at first sight.

"Beautiful." The Word escaped from his mouth while a smile made its way to his lips. A dimple formed on his cheek as he smiled.

Jaxon was shocked to notice a smile on his face that no one had ever witnessed in their life. And when his gaze followed his gaze he found out Vivian wasn't actually looking at Brianna but at Lauren. Vivian's eyes fell on Lauren who was walking before Brianna. And she was coming on his way to meet him.

Jaxon looked at Lauren and then at Vivian. And he felt threatened. He was so mad that he couldn't think of anything to take him away from her.

"Why is he looking at her like that? He shouldn't look at her like that. I don't like it a bit." Jaxon thought in his mind with gritted teeth. His eyes were fixed on them.

"Hello, Mr. Miller." Bowing her head slightly Lauren greeted him respectfully. And he liked her way of greeting. But he didn't want her to bow her head before him. Because soon she is going to become his life partner, his half-one.

"Nice meeting you, Miss Lauren Monroe." Lauren smiled at him while Jaxon didn't like that she was smiling at him.

Vivian was holding his hand forward in order to shake hands with her. It would look inappropriate if she didn't reciprocate so she placed her hand to meet his hand. They both felt sparks running down through their body from the contact of their skin. They both shared a shocked look. But there was someone who was standing beside them fuming in rage looking at them.

"Nice meeting you too, Mr. Miller," Lauren said in a low tone with a small smile.