LV1. Wolf's Wife

22. Romero - At the concert

"Oh, fuck!" I almost uttered those words aloud when Lexy finally appeared on the stage. I was not a great fan of classical music, so I was listening half-heartedly to the previous performances.

She was a vision in her pale blue, shimmering gown. The color was similar to the one I saw her first on that screen, when she was standing by her grandfather, all dolled up and petrified. Now, she was in her element, ready to impress everyone. I was already impressed, and she didn't even lift her string so far.

The melody she teased out of her violin was hauntingly beautiful. I had to look it up in the booklet. It was Liszt's Liebestraum, whatever that meant. There was another name beside hers, Alexander Trent. When I looked up, I noticed him for the first time behind the piano.

Double fuck. I thought for a good measure. I found the one I wanted to punch.

When the last notes floated in the air the applause erupted too soon. Lexy looked like someone waking from a trance. She lifted her gaze and for a split second I thought that she saw me. Of course, it was impossible. That fucker, Alexander was standing up from his piano bench and hugged her to his body. All my muscles tensed up, ready to spring into action. I felt Giulietta's hand on my sleeve, she sensed my turmoil. The twin bond worked after all those years, and I was grateful that she prevented making a spectacle of myself.

The reception was held in a huge ballroom, chandeliers sparkling and champagne flowing. All I could concentrate on was my wolf snarling at me to let him out. Since I first met him, I made an effort to let him out as much as possible, since he was locked inside me for too long. We went for a long runs and both of us enjoyed the possibilities and the space my father's estate provided.

Lexy was glowing, her cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling when she found us in the crowd. She was also holding the hand of that boy. It took everything in me not to snarl at them. I gulped down the champagne I held and snatched another one.

She had the audacity to introduce her aunt first, and then the rest of us was referred as her relatives form the US. I gritted my teeth, and I was more than sure that everybody heard it from our little group. Everybody shook hand with the boy.

"I didn't know that you had so many relatives." He muttered into Lexy's ear, but of course all of our shifter senses made it possible to hear him clearly.

"I didn't know that they will come to my graduation." Lexy answered him defensively. At least during the handshakes, she had to let his hand go.

Carolina, my father's wife and also the sweetest soul in the whole universe latched into a conversation about the performances. Everybody tried to accommodate her, only Lexy drew back a bit. She looked everywhere but to my direction. I knew that because I watched her every movement like a hawk.

She pulled out her phone from her purse and frowned when she checked the screen. I watched her as she pulled back a bit more and then she distanced herself from our still chatting group and stood by the wall. She was talking with someone on her phone, her face more and more agitated by every passing moment. I could not hear the conversation over the crowd, but I had to go to her. The pull was irresistible.

When I looked up and checked our little group, that totally engulfed Alexander into their conversation, I noticed that my father was watching me as intently as I watched Lexy. The others seemed immersed in their talk. He nodded toward me indiscernibly and that gave me the final push to go to Lexy.

"Problem in paradise?" I murmured into her ear. My tone sounded to sarcastic even to my own ears. She shivered.

"Oh, it's you." She whispered and we were so close to each other that I got lost in her endless blue eyes. We just stood there for God knew how long, only breathing each other's air.

"What's the problem, Lexy?" I asked finally. I always had to play the hero when it came to her. I wanted to solve all her problems without her even asking for it.

"You called me Lexy." She didn't sound angry, rather it sounded almost amazed.

"I'm sorry, it was..."

"No, it's okay." She actually put her palm against my lapel to stop me. I didn't dare to move a muscle. "No one ever called me that."

After a small pause, she added:

"I like it."

And she smiled, her cheeks became flushed again and I was fast becoming the happiest man in this whole ballroom. And the most foolish, too.

"Will you tell me what happened?" I cleared my throat after a few silent moments. She lifted her hand which still held her phone then dropped it back to her side. It was a resigned motion.

"I moved out from the dorm a few days ago. I found this small apartment near the school. The owner just called me that there was this broken water pipe, and all my stuff is damaged. The whole apartment is literally under water." She explained without taking a breath.

"That's not good." I scratched my head. "At least your violin is not there."

"Yeah. That would kill me."

I believed her, I still recalled how she panicked when she thought that we have to leave without her precious instrument.

"You can always sleep in my hotel room." I offered, the knight in shining armor peeking out.

"I can ask Alexander, he can make room for me." She told me dismissively. That made the knight go away and the caveman taking the stage.

"You are not sleeping in another man's bed when I am in the same city as you." I growled. I sounded just like the wolf I usually hid so well.

"Why would you say that?" Lexy looked into my eyes again. She looked really surprised by my outburst.

"Last I checked, we are still married."

"We... that's only..." She stammered. That decided it then. I almost grabbed her arm to pull her with me, then only nodded toward the others.

"Grab your precious violin and let's go."

The timid and shy Alexandra was back, and she scurried away without a word. I stepped back to our circle and informed everyone that Alexandra was coming with us to the hotel. Nobody offered any comment on it, and I was thankful for them. And I was more than happy that finally Alexander wandered off and I didn't have to speak with him.

I hoped that Lexy liked the Ritz because that was where we were staying.