Chapter 23

When it was evident that the other man couldn't keep drinking any longer, Bane motioned for two men who were standing near by to help escort the man out and make it home safely. Even though he said this, Celest caught something else. Perhaps it was nothing, but she noticed him do an odd quick motion with this hands the look in his eyes changed to something less than kind before the two employees lead the man away.

"Are you alright?" Bane asked as he turned his attention back to Celeste once that matter had been dealt with. He tilted his head slightly when he noticed the odd look she was giving him.

"I'm fine, thank you. My friends were going to be back soon so you really didn't have to do anything." She replied as she turned her attention away from him to see if she could spot Jen or Tony.

"Are you sure, it seems like they've been away from quite a while if an annoying pest like that was able to come around and make you so uncomfortable." he remarked as he pulled out his phone. Of course, Aster had messaged him to let him know his mate was there. Probably after he couldn't find the other.

The alpha wasn't concerned about this now that he was with her. He instead asked a favor of the other before he put his phone away again.

"Either way, aren't you happy that I was the one who won't so you didn't have to deal with him any longer?" He then asked as he leaned back in the chair and surveyed the other.

"Don't think that because you won a bet that was decided between the two of you that that actually means I would be willing to do anything with you." She replied, crossing her arms as she refused to look at him. Something about that touch of rebellion in her tone caused him to be amused.

"Oh? What are you going to do it about it instead? A fair bet is a fair bet and you didn't object when it was made." He pointed out, causing the little human to turn to him with an annoyed look on her face.

"If you're going to be like that then make a bet with me." She huffed, a determined look in her eyes as she stared at him.

"And what kind of bet would that be?" He asked, willing to humor to see what she had in mind.

"The same bet that you made with him." Celeste replied as she motioned to the shot glasses. Bane was slightly taken aback by this and froze for a second thinking perhaps that he hadn't heard the other correctly at first.

He had to hold back a laugh as amusement sparkled in his eyes and a smile twitched at the corner of his lips when he saw how serious the other was. The more he to know Celeste, the more he began to believe that there wouldn't be a dull moment if she was around.

"Is that really what you want to do? I mean no offense, but you're rather on the light side. I worry that you might not be able to handle too much alcohol." He teased causing her face to flush at this.

"I might be small, but I can handle alcohol well enough." She retorted.

"Are we going to do this or not? Because if you don't want to, then I'm going to leave to go and find my friends." The alpha narrowed his eyes when she said this. It perhaps wasn't meant to offend, but he was one who never backed away from a challenge. Even if it was one against a little human who he knew that he would easily be able to beat.

"Very well." He replied as he motioned for the waiter to come over.

"Fresh glasses and drinks please. If you don't mind the same before?" He asked Celeste the last part and the other simply nodded her head.

"What kind of stakes are going we going for here?" He asked once the waiter left to go fetch what he asked. He was aware that more people were watching when they came to realize that the club owner was going to be taking shots against a woman.

He was pretty sure out of the corner of his eye he even saw a few people taking bets with money over who would win between the two. Did they think that Celeste had a chance simply because he had already had so much drink?

"If I win, you will let me after this. I don't care if you want to come and get your coffee or whatever still, just don't pay so much attention to me anymore." She replied as the waiter came back.

"And if I win?" He asked though not thrilled about what she was asking in return.

"I will be willing to go to dinner with you once in exchange as a thank-you." She replied. She knew that the odds were stacked against her because she saw how well Bane was holding his alcohol despite how much he had already drank. She could only hope though that luck was on her side this one time.

"Very well. You know though I don't have any intentions of losing though." He told her as he picked up his shot glass and waited for her to do the same. She didn't like the sharp smell of the liquid, but if it would get this strange person to leave her alone, she would do what she had to.

"I don't intend to lose either." She replied back as she tossed the first shot back, wincing slightly as the bitter taste invading her mouth and stung the back of her throat all the way down until a warm sensation filled her stomach.

"Can I ask though what exactly you have against me considering I haven't do anything to hurt you?" Bane asked as they got ready to take their next shots. He opted for the Bacardi first as he thought that it would be harder for the other to handle.

"There's something not normal about you first of all." Celeste replied. Being aware that there were other people around meant that she had to pick what she said carefully. She took the next shot before replying again.

"Secondly, I don't like men who think that's okay to chase after others while they're already promised to someone else." She continued. Bane paused when he heard this.

"Promised to someone else? Who did you that from? I don't have anyone else in my life." He replied smoothly as he took his third shot, noticing that Celeste's face was beginning to get more flushed. They were drinking rather fast, it would be no surprise if the alcohol hit her rather fast.

"That's not what the crazy woman at the store told me." She mumbled, pausing a second before downing the fourth shot. It was certainly affecting her, but she knew that she could handle a few more before she would be completely out. She just hoped that Bane hit his limit before she did. Though that didn't look like it was likely to happen consider how he didn't even seem like he was slightly buzzed yet. Did this weird curse he had going on make him immune to the effects of alcohol as well?

If so, she would call him out for cheating and opt out of going with him on that premise, if she could get away with it. She wouldn't have agreed in this first place if she knew it would be impossible for the other to get drunk.

"This crazy woman as you call her most likely doesn't know what she is talking about. The only one who tried to make a promise was her, but I never agreed to it because I have no interest in her. She's simply delusional." He said in a rather derisive tone. The look that was on the human's face didn't tell him whether or not she believed him however.

Bane couldn't deny that he was impressed with the other. Celeste was on the seventh shot and even though her focus was getting worse and she was having a harder time speaking coherently, she was willing to still keep going.

Knowing though that what he could tolerate versus what a small human could handle was quite different, he determined that for her safety and his concern that he would reward her perseverance just this once.