Chapter 63 She Lost Out

"No. It’s just work." Eira placed her phone facedown on the table. "This is my first time working as an executive assistant. If I make a mistake, Alpha Killian tells me."

Alpha Sebastian frowned. She sounded too quick to defend him.

Alpha Killian was known for being cold and demanding. Alpha Sebastian did not believe he was simply giving Eira helpful advice.

"You were never cut out for office work," he said. "You’re better at taking care of a home. Even Lila agrees that you’re a good cook."

Lila slowly lowered her fork.

"That is not what I said."

Alpha Sebastian looked at her.

"I said Eira’s cooking was good. You somehow heard that she should quit her job and stay home." Lila gave him a cool smile. "That’s quite a leap. Do you misunderstand people this badly at work too?"

Alpha Sebastian forced a polite expression. He had no interest in starting a fight with Alpha Killian Sterling’s sister.

"You misunderstood me, Lila."

"No. You put words in my mouth."

She turned to Eira.

"Are you really leaving Sterling Group?"

"In about two weeks."

Alpha Sebastian’s mood improved at once. He placed a piece of fish on Eira’s plate.

Eira looked down at it but did not touch it.

Lila noticed there was nothing spicy on the table.

"Wait. Which dish is your favorite?"

Eira paused. "I didn’t make one."

"Why not?"

"Sebastian has a sensitive stomach," Ethan explained. "He doesn’t eat spicy food."

Alpha Sebastian nodded. "I prefer simple food."

Lila stared at him.

"So Eira has been eating whatever you like for four years, and you say that like it’s perfectly normal?"

"It’s only dinner," Alpha Sebastian said.

"Every night for four years is not only dinner."

Lila reached for her wine.

She had been taking small sips throughout the meal. Now she finished the rest of her glass and poured a little more.

Eira gave her a warning look. "Slow down."

"I’m fine."

Lila took another drink. A few minutes later, her cheeks were pink and her eyes had gone slightly unfocused.

Ethan watched her sway toward Eira.

"Is she seriously drunk already?"

"She doesn’t handle alcohol well," Eira said.

Lila rested her head on Eira’s shoulder and wrapped both arms around her.

"Eira," she mumbled. "Don’t leave me here."

Eira understood the signal.

"Lila’s had too much to drink. I’ll take her home."

Alpha Sebastian stood. "Call her family’s driver."

"My phone’s dead," Lila mumbled. "And don’t call my parents. They’ll give me a whole lecture."

She lifted one finger to her lips, lost her balance, and nearly slipped from the chair.

Eira caught her.

"All right. I’ll take you back to your apartment."

"Thank you," Lila whispered, leaning against her.

Her sudden sweetness reminded Eira of the younger children at the group home. They often held on to her the same way when it was time for her to leave.

Eira smiled and gently moved a strand of hair from Lila’s face.

Alpha Sebastian stared at her.

For one brief moment, he imagined her holding a child of their own with that same tenderness.

The thought caught him off guard.

"You can ask Alpha Killian to pick her up," he said.

"He’s out of state."

Alpha Sebastian’s expression changed. "How do you know?"

Eira gave him a flat look.

"I arranged his trip."

Alpha Sebastian realized how unreasonable the question had sounded, but the tension in his face remained.

"I’ll drive you."

"No," Lila said at once. Her drunken voice was suddenly firm. "I don’t want you coming."

Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened.

Eira helped Lila stand, then looked at Ethan.

"I’m sorry to leave while you’re still here."

Ethan waved her off. "Don’t worry about me. I can get myself home."

"I’ll take her," Eira said to Alpha Sebastian. "You two can finish dinner."

"Come back when you’re done," Alpha Sebastian said as he opened the door. "I’ll wait up."

Eira acted as if she had not heard him.

She had no intention of coming back.

--

As soon as the door closed, Ethan turned to Alpha Sebastian.

"Okay, what is going on with you?"

Alpha Sebastian returned to the table. "What are you talking about?"

"You got jealous over a text from her boss."

"I wasn’t jealous."

"Sure."

Ethan leaned back in his chair.

"You offered to drive her. Now you’re waiting up for her."

"She’s my wife," Alpha Sebastian said. "Of course I’m responsible for her."

Ethan studied him.

"You’ve spent years chasing Serena, but now that Eira is actually leaving, you won’t let her go. Are you sure this is only about responsibility?"

Alpha Sebastian did not answer.

His gaze fell on Eira’s place setting. Half her rice remained, and she had not touched the fish he had placed on her plate.

She used to eat anything he gave her without complaint.

Tonight, she had barely eaten.

--

Lila’s driver was already waiting downstairs.

"Miss Sterling. Miss Crawford," he said, opening the back door for them.

Lila pulled Eira into the back seat and climbed in after her.

"Go, go, go," she urged. "Before Alpha Sebastian comes after us."

The driver pulled away from the apartment building.

Once they were a few blocks away, Lila dropped the drunken act and sat up with a grin. She was tipsy, but nowhere near as drunk as she had pretended to be.

"How was that? Pretty convincing, right?"

"You nearly fell out of your chair."

"I was committed to the role."

Eira smiled. "Thank you."

"Anytime. I just wish we could’ve finished dinner. I tried everything, so I don’t feel too bad, but you barely ate."

"I wasn’t very hungry."

"That’s not an answer." Lila pulled out her phone. "We’re ordering food when we get to my place. Something spicy this time."

"Can you still eat?"

"A little. But this is mostly for you."

She opened a delivery app, tapped the wrong button twice, then handed the phone to Eira.

"You do it. My fingers aren’t cooperating."

"The wine is catching up with you."

"I said I wasn’t that drunk. I never said I was sober."

Eira ordered Buffalo wings and loaded fries, choosing a hotter sauce for herself and a milder one for Lila.