Chapter 22

"Since you're looking for a drinking partner, why don't I join you instead?" Celeste looked up when she heard all-too-familiar voice speak. She noticed the odd smirk that as on his face when he noticed that he had caught her attention.

"And who are you?" The other man asked, straightening up some despite the fact that he had been acting as though he was been quite drunk mere moments ago.

"A friend you could say." The Alpha replied with a simple shrug as he fixed his attention on the other man.

"What do you say, a few rounds of drinks to decide who gets to be with her." He suggested as he made a indication of a take a shot using his left hand. He was making a bet on the fact that the other man would be too competitive and interested in the little human to turn the challenge down.

"Sure. Doubt you could be beat me though." The man replied with a small shrug as a smug smirk plastered itself on his face.

"In fact, you can even chose the drinks if you like since I can handle anything." Bane nodded his head in response to hearing this and without saying anything motioned for Celeste to stand up so that he could take her seat and force her to take the one next to him so that she was seated further away for the other annoying human.

She glanced around as she tried to see where her friends were. They had disappeared after fifteen minutes with a promise of returning quickly with drinks. That hadn't happened however. Instead, the strange guy had come up and tried to start harassing her and refused to listen when she told him that she didn't want anything to do with him. The whole reason why she hadn't wanted to come in the first place.

Having Bane show up didn't make it much better, especially not after the comment he made about drinking to decide who would get to spend time with Celeste. She didn't want to be with either man. She wanted her friends to come back so that they could think about leaving the place even if Jen got upset because she didn't find anyone to hook up with.

The alpha had asked one of the waiters to bring over a bottle of Vodka and Bacardi. He glanced over at the other guy who simply nodded his head to indicate that he was okay with the drinks of choice. Bane already got the feeling that the human didn't know who he was otherwise he wouldn't have behaved in such a way when he came over.

"How about we start with doing ten shots?" Bane suggested. He was fairly certain looking at the other man that it was about all he could handle before he would end up dropping. He might respect the man more if he turned out to be wrong about this.

"Sounds fair enough, you're serious though about letting whoever wins spends time with the girl?" The man asked, licking his lips as he looked over at Celeste. Bane had to push back the disgust and anger he felt when the other looked at his mate that way as he reached his hand out to shake with the others.

"I don't ever go back on what I say." The alpha replied. He of course had no intention in losing in the first place. He allowed the first set of shots to be poured for them, aware of the fact that Celeste was watching what was going on rather intently while keep only half her attention on watching for her friends. She had texted them to let them know what was going on and hoped that would be enough to get Jen to come back from whatever had distracted her.

Somehow, she caught Bane's eye just as he picked up the glass and got ready to take the first shot. A rather cheeky smirk appeared on his face as he gave her a wink before downing the first shot rather quickly.

She didn't know if it was coincidence or bad luck that at that moment in time 'For Your Entertainment' began to blast over the speakers. Bane loosened his tie slightly as he put the glass down and indicated that he was ready for the second.

The music somehow matched the Alpha's current attitude and fit well with the event that was taking place. She wasn't quite sure why, but it made it harder for her to take her eyes off the other.

"What is your usual favorite drink to have?" He asked the other man their glasses were filled again. The other had managed to drink his rather quickly as well though not in one shot the way Bane had.

"Sliver tequila though honey whisky isn't bad either." the man replied as he picked up the second shot glass and gave a mock cheer before he and Bane tossed them back at the same time.

Bane would have to talk with Aster after this was done. He knew that the other had to be there to take care of a deal. Was he not aware that his mate was here? Or did he not want to tell the other? he suddenly felt as his phone buzzed in his pocket and he wondered if it was a message from his Beta. He was too preoccupied with the current annoyance in front of him to check it.

Celeste couldn't deny the fact that Bane was doing a rather impressive job of holding his alcohol while the other man seemed to be struggling a bit. She didn't really want to spend time with either of them. If one was going to win however, she would rather it be Bane as she believed that there would be a higher chance to get the other to let her be.

She was perhaps a little too invested in watch both men to see how it would turn out. By the way that the alpha kept glancing at her, it seemed like her attention was fueling him to push harder to beat the other by the small smirk and side glances he kept giving her between shots and the conversation that he was having with the man in front of him.

By the seventh shot, the other man was struggling to keep his words straight and not slur. He didn't seem like he was ready to stop however, did he perhaps think that Bane would crack before he did if he kept it up? That would technically be impossible. The werewolf side of him allowed for him to have a far stronger alcohol tolerance compared to most humans. It was unlikely that there was anyone who could out drink him.

The fact that humans didn't know this about him was what made events like this fun. He could keep pride and dignity while making a fool out of whoever thought that they could best him. Perhaps if he was lucky, he could even impress Celeste enough to get her to change her mind about him.