THE ALPHA'S VIRGIN SLAVE: Submit Alpha Ian's curse - Chapter 356: Chapter 356

Tanya's POV
I looked at the strange number calling me for the hundredth time with a low sigh.
"Aren't you going to pick it up?" My friend Takey, who was sitting on my right side in a café, asked with a raised brow.
"And why would I pick up a number I don't remember or know?" I replied seriously.
"Well, why don't you block it then?" he asked, annoying me.
"How is it your concern when it's not bothering me at all?" I shot back coldly.
He faked a smile, then pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at it.
It was surprising and uncomfortable to see him act concerned about my calls. Takey was usually quiet and very reserved. He mostly chose to observe the situation rather than be involved in it. He was a friend I knew through a childhood friend, Drake.
Although he was very attractive, I just couldn't be one of his admirers, and that intrigued him a lot; he openly said so a few times. I mean, the man was tall and handsome. He had beautiful dark skin with short white hair styled in a lovely haircut. He had high cheekbones and dark gray eyes. His abs were something to drool over, and he had a casual swag that was just down to earth.
Drake, on the other hand, was a very confident, talkative fellow. He was as tall as Takey, and he was well-built. He was a redhead with hazel eyes. He also had dimples and curly hair, which was surprisingly shiny. He preferred to wear a suit rather than casual clothes, but because I mocked him most of the time when he had a suit on, he wore casual clothes whenever he was going to meet with me. He was a fan of sports and surprisingly avoided being a part of noisy groups, even though he was as loud as hell.
"Hey, your phone is ringing," Takey whispered softly.
I looked at it, then shoved it into the pocket of my baggy jeans.
Whoever was calling my phone was acting very desperate. They couldn't stop calling, no matter how I cut their call. It was amusing to me; that's why I let it ring since last night. I also wanted to see how long they could last until they got tired.
"You know, you have been acting very differently since you came back from your mom's place. Did something shocking happen there?" Drake asked seriously.
"I called you all here because I have something important to tell you. If I had known you were all going to say such nonsense, I shouldn't have done it," I answered, then stood up and walked out.
"Come on, Tanya, we are sorry," Drake said at the top of his voice.
"I'm not listening to you, and quit following me," I screamed.
"Do you want me to kiss you like I did in high school?" he screamed back at the top of his voice, making me stop in my tracks.
What the hell was wrong with him? He was making it sound as if it was really an intimate kiss when it was a freaking kiss on the cheek!
I turned and glared at him as he approached me with Takey.
"How could you say such nonsense out loud? Don't you have any shame as a man?" I asked once they were standing in front of me.
"It got to make you turn our way, so it wasn't all that shameful," he answered with a smirk.
I was about to turn back and walk away when he quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me to him, moving his arm around my shoulder with laughter.
"Takey, talk her out of leaving us, please," he pleaded playfully.
I was about to yell at him when I heard a chuckle I couldn't forget no matter how hard I tried.
"You seem to be having a lot of fun while I was desperately calling your phone last night and today. Being very concerned and fearing the worst must have happened to you," August said from behind us.
I quickly turned and looked at him.
He looked different from the last time I had seen him. His voice was deeper, like that one time I drove him to his place. He was wearing a black see-through T-shirt, an open jacket, leather trousers, and his hair was nicely brushed back. His eyes were a golden yellow, and he looked pissed despite having a calm expression on his face.
I kept quiet and looked at my friends in shock, hoping they were seeing him as I was.
There was no way I was hallucinating him, right?
The day he left, I cried my eyes out, and I decided to bury the memories I had of him. I left thinking I would never see him again and embraced the lonely, miserable life I was going to live!
"You are seeing him too, aren't you?" I mouthed the words to Takey, who nodded with a serious expression on his face.
"Who are you?" Drake asked coldly.
When August looked at him from head to toe, I quickly moved between them. He had a murderous look that scared me a little.
"August, what are you doing here?" I asked in a cracked voice.
He extended his hand to me and grinned. A shiver spread throughout my body as I swallowed hard.
"Is he asking for my hand? But why?" I asked myself silently.
"Tanya, who is he?" Drake asked loudly.
How was I going to introduce him to them? My mother's lover? My soon-to-be stepfather?
August looked at him for a second and then shifted his gaze to me.
"I'm her lover," he answered seriously as I froze in shock.
"You are kidding, right? I have known her for a very long time, and if that was the case, she would have told me!" Drake exclaimed.
"Look, pal, I suggest you piss off while we are asking you nicely," Takey warned with emphasis.
August smiled warmly and then leaned in.
"You want me, don't you? How about you show them who you belong to?" he said huskily.
I hesitated for a second before I tiptoed and pressed my lips against his.
I was a little angry at his words, and I was sad a day ago. He was the cause of my heartache, and I wanted to stay away from him, but in my heart, I knew being with him would be my happiness, even if it was in secret. My body and mind wanted him at all costs. I was willing to do anything in my power if he could choose to be by my side and acknowledge my feelings.
He kissed me hard, thrusting his tongue in while his arms went around my waist.
Without much restraint, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed him back happily.