•••

ee hat inding ate as ûcked ith our ead."

I walk in a daze, barely registering the loud chatter of students, the shove of careless shoulders and elbows, and the unruly slam of backpacks that are inevitable in the hallway rush. A slow, goofy smile pulls up the corner of my lips, my mind and heart on replay mode, thinking about one person.

My Mate.

It feels so good just to think about it.

After delivering those parting words and shooting a menacing look at my harmless best friend—which was a tad bit unnecessary, but hell, it was excusable because of Alpha-jealousy and all that—Alpha Seneca had fixed me with her intense stare, so many emotions hidden in the depths of those endless pools of grey.

"I'll see you around," She'd said in a low voice, so low that I doubt even Nora had heard, and had squeezed the hand on my shoulder, before she'd quickly spun on her heel and left, leaving me in a dazed, dreamy state.

"Hello!" I jerk, startled out of dreamland by an annoyingly loud voice. My rapidly blinking eyes focus on none other than a glaring Nora, who's standing there with her hands on her hips, her nostrils flaring in irritation as left her foot tapped out an irritated rhythm. When she takes stock of my blank stare, she gives me a dramatic eye-roll of her own.

"I see that finding a Mate has fucked with your head." Nora snorts derisively and turns around to continue walking, leaving me shocked. I gape at her stiff, retreating back and wonder what on earth caused her sudden mood-swing, before following hot on her trail.

I grab her elbow and force her into a halt. "What's gotten into you?"

"What? It's not like you don't know what I'm talking about." She throws her hands up in exasperation. "It's the Mating Pull! Wait for a few hours and then see her reaction towards you. If it's still the same possessive attitude, you can go to la-la land, and dream about your happily ever after."

Ouch. That hurt.

"Are you insinuating that I'm not good enough for her?" I demand in a whisper, my voice clouded with the hurt I'm feeling. Her green eyes widen, her hand flying to her mouth.

"What? Goddess, no, Mike! What I'm telling is that you—" She jerks a thumb harshly, poking my chest, "—are too good for her! She's a monster who doesn't deserve someone as good as you! But no matter what, in the end, I know that you will love her even without that smitten look in your eyes right now since she's your . . . Mate," She finishes with a swallow, and a pained look crosses her eyes quickly before she conceals it with her usual air of bubbliness. "So, all that's left to do is to wait and see how she feels . . ." She trails off, and her eyes suddenly brim with tears. The sight of my best friend breaking down instantly makes my anger vanish, and my heart hurts for her.

"I know you're judging her because of whatever you heard, Nora, but please, I don't appreciate you saying stuff like that." I assert in the most gentle tone I can muster, taking a step forward to pull her into my arms in an attempt to offer her some comfort.

She opens her mouth to defend herself but I shush her gently and hug her tighter, not wanting to get into it in the middle of her breakdown. Her small frame tucks easily into my larger one, and my chin rests on the top of her head. I squeeze her once more and tentatively voice my concern about the reason for her hysterics, feeling narcissistic and stupid for even considering it. "Nora . . . are you—um, are you afraid that we might no longer be friends? That I might stop loving you now that I've found my Mate?"

I feel her stiffen in my embrace, and I wait for an endless second while she struggles with the answer, holding my breath. Then, she nods mutely into my chest, making me sigh in relief as a small laugh escapes me. I grab Nora by the shoulders and pull her away, looking into her sad, shining eyes.

"Don't ever consider that possibility, okay? You are my best friend and the closest thing I have to a family. I have always loved you and I would give my life for you in a heartbeat. You hear me?" I declare fiercely, my eyes blazing with determination and promise as I stare into her watery gaze. For some reason, she sobs harder, and wraps her arms around my neck, burying her face into my t-shirt.

I wince in pain as my tender ribs burn, barely holding in a groan.

"I love you, too, Mike. I love you, too." She sobs out in a muffled voice as she clings to me like I was liable to disappear any second. The only person who'd ever said those words to me is Nora, and I can never get enough of them. I feel anchored, and a sensation of belonging somewhere fills me when my friend says those three simple words to me.

But why am I filled with a strange sense of longing all of a sudden?

Because you want your Mate to love you too, my Wolf comments, and I just about kick him to the back of my mind. Now's not the time to think about impossible things.

I just rub her back in what I hope is a comforting manner, and helplessly look up. A few students mill around, no one paying attention to the misfits, and I thank the Goddess that my bullies aren't here to mock us further. That's when my wandering gaze latches onto a set of icy blue ones, and I'm taken aback by the anger simmering in its depths. But something about this set of eyes is different; distinct from the usual hatred I receive from my bullies.

This guy simply glares at me in anger, and while this isn't new to me, I'm shocked since something about his fury makes it look like he has a personal vendetta against me. Fear strikes me when his fists clench, the malevolent fire in his eyes burning a bit brighter before he turns around swiftly and saunters away.

Only after a few seconds of his departure, do I realize how much power he'd oozed and how his presence alone had had a dominating power to it. Something even Chance can't do so well. If there's another person as powerful as, if not less than my Mate, then he must definitely be new around here.

He must be her pack member. I muse, and feel a fresh wave of shame course through me when I realize how I must've looked – hugging another girl, while my Mate is out there doing Goddess knows what.

Maybe he thought that I was cheating on his Alpha.

I curse inwardly at that, feeling a desperate need to explain myself to my Mate before he rats me out to her and gets her to assume wrong things. But that's when I remember the sobbing girl in my arms, and hold myself back from rushing in his direction.

Take care of your best friend. You can explain yourself later.

My body sags at that thought, and I wipe the tears streaming down Nora's cheeks.

"Oh Nora, what am I going to do with you . . ." I sigh and grab her by the shoulders, gently leading us in the direction of the next class.

•••

The day finally comes to an end, with me not running into Alpha Seneca even once. That's been bothering me slightly – okay, a lot, but I'm not about to go and confess it to someone. I may look stupid, but I'm not that stupid.

I shake my head at my thoughts and hoist the strap of my backpack higher, as I walk outside the class with my head slightly down, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes and provoke, or worse give them a non-reason to beat me up.

Strangely, no one shoves me or laughs at me as I silently make my way across the halls to reach my locker and grab my books for the day's homework. I feel some gazes on me, but something is different now.

What might that be?

I dare a quick peek up, and meet the eyes of a short brunette, Magdalene Diaz, a pack member, who's staring at me with open curiosity.

Curiosity? Since when did people change from hateful to curious?

I hurriedly avert my eyes away from her boring ones, and quicken my steps, feeling uncomfortable and uncertain all of a sudden. Is the whole school playing a prank on me? Like the time when they invited me and Nora to a party just to humiliate us in the end? Yes, that must be it.

These assholes have probably planned to let me off the hook for a day to see how I'd react, so they can bully me relentlessly afterward with my behavior.

Never. I would never give them the satisfaction of seeing a real emotion on my face. With that resolve, I manage to maintain a neutral expression on till I reach my locker and twist the combination to open it.

That's when it happens.

I feel rather than see her approaching. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and a small shiver of awareness rolls down my spine and I instantly know it like a seventh sense, that my other half is nearing me. A hush falls across the room, and I zip up my bag, slowly turning around. For the second time in a day, the sight of my powerful Mate takes my breath away.

She strides down the hall confidently, regal like a queen who owns the place, her head held high with a defiant tilt to her deceptively delicate-looking chin. But anyone with half a brain will know that nothing about her is delicate and she is a girl who is more than capable of taking down ten Wolves at a time. Her presence dominates the entire room, forcing everyone to bow their heads slightly in submission. I follow suit and slide my eyes down, my ears keenly listening for the sound of her approaching footsteps.

Not seconds later, a pair of leather boots come into my line of sight, and I feel an electricity-inducing finger under my chin, raising my head up gently. Much to my reluctance, the zapping touch leaves my skin, and I resist the urge to longingly gasp. A pair of deep slate eyes molds with mine, something like anger hidden well behind well-concealed layers. I struggle to maintain her intense gaze, clenching my fists to stop myself from looking down again as I try to read what her eyes were hiding.

Trying to read her is like a 1-year-old trying to read the Oxford Dictionary.

An impossible task.

"Don't ever look down." She orders in her low, throaty voice and my stomach flutters involuntarily, my heartbeat flying out of control from such close proximity. My eyes widen in shock because it's rule one that you always look down in the presence of an Alpha. I hear a low, dry chuckle that forces me to tear my eyes away from the magnetic presence of my mate, only to collide with the familiar icy blue eyes of the guy who had been glaring at me earlier.

What is he doing beside my Mate? Are they . . .?

My question must have been reflected in my expression because Alpha Seneca clears her throat.

"This is my Beta, Ezra Harland." She says impassively with a slight nod in his direction.

Great. He's the Beta?

Just my rotten luck.

He smiles at me, but there's nothing humorous about it. His eyes are filled with hidden mockery and something more . . . something I can't quite decipher, but something equally venomous.

The look reminds me that I have to confess to Alpha Seneca that the guy must've mistaken the hug I had given Nora, but the silence in the hallway and the intimidating as fuck expressions on the Alpha and Beta's faces stop the words on the tip of my tongue.

"Hello, Aleph." He greets me with scorn, yet not glaring outright. I glare back automatically but realize after a second what he had called me. Aleph!? As in the female Alpha's Mate!

Does that mean my Mate really accepts me?

"He doesn't even . . . " He mutters the rest of the sentence under his breath, and my half Wolfy senses are too weak to pick it up. Whatever it is, it's nothing good as Alpha Seneca fixes him with a hard stare. He mumbles an apology indistinctly, and she gives him a look before turning to me.

"My men, Jonathan and David are waiting outside to escort you home. Don't put up a fight and accept their ride." She orders, still emotionless. I don't waste a second to nod in assertion and she nods, almost looking pleased with herself.

Keyword being almost.

I expect that she would do something else, but much to my disappointment, she turns around and walks away.

That's it? Nothing more?

Then as if she read my mind, she stops. She then turns her upper body slightly, her face showing the slightest hint of hesitation. "Tend to your injuries, please." She scans me up and down, "And be safe." She adds and struts away as the students parting for her with Ezra following behind.

Bodyguards?

Seriously?

What else is she going to do?

* * *

Dedication: @tugalicious

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