Gemma
Gemma could feel everyone’s eyes bearing down on her as she entered, holding Theo’s hand. She knew everyone would be curious about who she was and how she had captured the elusive Theo, who had been mourning for his dead mate for more than two hundred years.
Everyone’s whispers sounded like unintelligible screams as eyes tracked her and Theo across the floor, accompanied by Germaine. Some of the glances she felt were very hostile, and she felt as though they burned a hole through her dress, skin, and into her very soul.
Theo squeezed her hand reassuringly as Germaine excused himself to talk to a crowd of young women gathered to one side.
Reagan, Chloe, and Angel greeted her with their mates.
“Doesn’t she look divine, Theo?” Reagan asked.
Theo’s smile seemed genuine, but Gemma guessed that was because he was supposed to be in love with her. “She does, indeed.”
The women introduced their mates, David, Timothy, and Cedric, and they chatted for several minutes. Then the trio of pairs excused themselves as they saw Ivan, the leader of the dragon shifter clan council, walking toward them. She knew he was the leader from Chloe’s spot-on description.
Before they walked away, though, Reagan whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry about all the sourpusses running around here. They’re just a bunch of jealous mean girls.”
Choking back a laugh, Gemma said, “Thanks. I appreciate all three of you.”
Gemma smiled at the ancient looking man with a long flowing beard as he slowly approached them.
“Hello, Theo,” he said, looking at Gemma. “Please introduce me to this exquisite creature you brought with you tonight.”
Theo said, “Grandfather, this is my mate, Gemma.”
She was taken aback to hear this man was Theo’s grandfather. Her three teachers forgot to mention Theo was the grandson of the leader of the clan.
Gemma held out her hand to the man, hiding her shock.
Ivan looked at her with surprise and then smiled hugely. He held out his arms and embraced Gemma tightly. “Welcome, my dear. What a wonderful surprise my favorite grandson has brought here tonight. I am Ivan.”
“I’m your only grandson, sir,” Theo said, laughing.
“You’re still my favorite,” Ivan protested.
As soon as Ivan released her, she reached for Theo’s hand. The warmth from him spread through her arm and into the rest of her body, soothing her.
Ivan peered into her silver eyes and said, “You have the most beautiful eyes. There is something quite special about you.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said. Normally, she would have deferred the compliment, but she didn’t want to offend anyone in any way, so she figured her best policy was to keep her mouth shut.
“I’m so happy he has finally found a mate. I have worried so much about him for such a long time. He had completely withdrawn from the clan and from the family – even from life. But it seems to me you have resurrected him,” Ivan told her.
Not sure what to say to that, Gemma simply smiled and bowed her head a bit.
“Come with me. You must meet the other members of the council,” Ivan said.
Ivan grabbed her free hand and began leading her to a group of equally ancient people with a small smattering of younger folks.
Gemma glanced at Theo, and he smiled and nodded reassuringly. It seemed to her that at least a little of the old Theo was back. She was grateful because she was certain that she wouldn’t be able to get through the evening if she had to deal with all of these strange people, act like she was his mate, and worry about why he was acting like a frozen copy of the man she had come to love.
When they reached the crowd, Ivan gleefully introduced Gemma to everyone. “I would like for you all to meet Gemma,” Ivan announced. “She is Theo’s mate.”
Everyone turned an appraising eye toward her.
Sensing her discomfort, Theo snaked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. Feeling the heat from his body and having the knowledge that right now, at least, he was her man, her mate, every nerve in her body was soothed.
This was a man who was here to protect her, and even though he hid it well, Gemma thought there was a tiny part of him that truly did care about her.
One of the older women took one of Gemma’s hands in both of hers and said, “Don’t worry, dear. There won’t be a quiz later. I know how hard it will be to remember everyone’s names at first.”
Gemma smiled at the woman’s kindness. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I have always been good at remembering people’s faces, but names have always been difficult for me. I love to read, and sometimes, I even lose track of characters’ names in books,” Gemma said. Then, she remembered she shouldn’t talk too much and clamped her mouth shut.
However, the older woman, named Clara, had found her to be very charming. “I have the same problem, especially when it is a minor character that is mentioned at the beginning of a novel and then not mentioned until later on.”
Gemma sighed in relief. She hadn’t messed up, after all.
Theo smiled encouragingly at her as she and Clara talked about the different types of books they enjoyed reading. It turned out that she and Clara had a lot in common. Clara was Theo’s aunt, and so she was very thrilled that Theo had found such an intelligent young woman to be his mate.
Gemma was happy to engage in conversation, but deep down inside, she wished this was more than a façade. She wished she was truly his mate.
