Once my godmother Ava leaves, it's only West and I alone. Waiting for him as he got yelled at my the principal made me think of what I was going to tell him- he didn't need to do that. West made it seem as though Jared was some discarded clothes instead of a future Alpha.

I thought for sure he would get into trouble, but seeing my godmother again- it's been so long. She told me she sent me letters, and how she couldn't enter my pack- it was all Silas. I remember getting birthday cards all the time from her, at least like five hundred dollars and a bunch of toys.

That was so long ago, memories I buried deep inside. There were happy moments in your childhood you longed for so much that thinking about it hurts. Thinking about the time I spent over at Noctis Luna hurt because they were good. Bits and pieces came to me, and it's interesting how West doesn't even remember me. I kind of remember him and his twin.

"Did he..." West rubbed the back of his neck. "Did he ever hurt you before?"

I shook my head, "Oh gosh no."

"I hope you didn't get into trouble with your mom."

West laughed, "Nah, once my mom figured out it was her goddaughter, her entire stance changed. I probably was going to get disowned."

"Sorry," and I meant it. West cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Like you weren't go to throw a punch at Jared the jerk."

"Yeah, and you stopped me then you punched him." I shook my head, trying not to smile at the absurdity of it. West surprised me, and I didn't like that. Not one single bit. I'm trying my best to dislike him.

After West punched Jared, I saw West going for the kill. Stepping in front of him, I only used two words: please don't. Something snapped within him and he stepped back, never looking away from me before the principal broke things up. Jared was in the school community hospital currently, still unconscious.

"Well yeah, he insulted my mate," West said matter of fact.

We stared at each other for a moment.

"West!" a feminine voice called out, and I recognized her as Abby from cheerleading. She was with another guy whose eyes narrowed when he saw West and I together.

"Word on the street is that you got into a fight," the guy said as they drew closer. "Without me."

West rolled his eyes, "Theo, it wasn't planned or anything."

The guy, Theo shrugged, "Well I still feel left out." Him and Abby both stood on different sides of West.

Abby's green eyes slid to me. "Why are you here?" Her posture screamed stiff and uncomfortable. As if I was the one intruding on her time with West.

"I was just leaving," I replied, faking a smile.

"We heard West was defending someone- don't tell me he actually did," Abby accused me. "Don't tell me you're the reason why West might get suspended." She wrapped her arm around West in a almost possessive kind of way.

"She's not," West stepped in before I could open my mouth. "The guy had it coming."

"Dude in one punch you knocked out Jared!" Theo exclaimed, holding his hand up for West to high five, but West dismissed it. Undeterred, Theo turned to me, holding out his hand. " Back to what matters. Hi, I'm Theo. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

I wanted to make a run for it, but I had manners. My father would disapprove if I ran. Mom would have too. I take his hand, "Edith."

"I've never seen you around here before," Theo mentioned, narrowing his eyes and studying me. "I would've noticed."

"Uh-"

Abby shoved Theo and West, impatient to be somewhere that wasn't here. Since day one she had it in for me. "Guys come on, Jax and Sophie are waiting for us!" She took West's hands, deliberately looking at me. Like she's staking a claim. I wanted to tell her that he's all hers. That it doesn't matter. I'm not competition, but she sees it as that.

"Nice to meet you Edith, hope I see you again!" Theo called, turning back and winking at me. This time it's West who shoves Theo's head. Hard.

Theo jogged up to avoid West, and West looks back at me for a few seconds before leaving with his friends.

During lunchtime, Penelope wanted to meet outside to talk to me about something. I didn't feel like eating anything, so I walked straight to where Penelope was sitting, picking a hidden corner of the massive school where there was no wolves lurking around. She already had her lunch tray ready, and took out the basket of fries for me.

When I reached for the fries, Penelope grabbed them quickly, and I saw her eyes narrow to slits.

"What's up?" I asked her, pouting because I really want some fries.

"Aren't you going to tell me something?" Penelope asked me, almost accusing, holding my fries hostage.

"Ask you what?"

Penelope's threw both her hands in the air, "You and West?!"

"What?" my heart hammered. How did she figure out? Did the whole school know?

"Edith, West literally broke Jared's face like it was nothing. Jared is a pretty strong Alpha too, so sending him to the hospital is no small feat. This is all because Jared called you crazy. Why would he do that? I mean, yes, he is chivalrous- he would stop someone from fighting- but I saw that you had to stop him from going further. You held him back. I saw the look he gave you. If it wasn't for you, no one could hold him back."

Dang Penelope and her perceptive skills. Of course I had to tell my best friend. If life was easy for me, West wouldn't be involved in my life. But Blaine's words from before were right: West isn't being pushy nor going all Alpha wolf on me. A deep part of me wants him to snap so I can have a legitimate reason to dislike him, and rejecting him would be easier. It's screwed up how much I want him to screw up.

"Penelope..." I trailed off sitting down, wanting to just get it out, but speaking it into existence just makes it the more real.

"You're dating the most popular wolf in school?" she inserted in herself, slowly pushing the basket of fries my direction.

"No!" I exclaimed, shaking my head and her eyes narrowed at how quick I answered that. "We are not dating or together or anything"

Penelope raised an eyebrow, "Uh, then what exactly are you? You better not be because as your best friend you tell me everything."

"I thought I could ignore it, P. I really did. I didn't want to tell anyone."

"I'm your literal sister."

I smiled grabbing a fry, "Unfortuntley."

"So spill it, sis."

"Promise you won't tell anyone," I know she wouldn't. "And don't overreact either."

"Me? Overreact?" Penelope placed a hand over her chest, offended.

I gave her a look.

"I'll get over it eventually," she winked at me. I made sure there wasn't anyone near our vicinity, looking around. The coast was clear.

"He's my mate."

Penelope stood up and hopped out of her seat screeching, "OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?"

"Not so loud!" I shushed.

"OH MY GOSH WHAT YOU FOUND YOUR MATE?!" I palmed my face, dragging it. She hopped up and down excitedly. "That is the best news! Oh my gosh! Edith! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

"Penelope it's not that simple. It's been a few days now, and I told him I'm not interested."

Penelope raised up a hand. "Let me make it simple for you. From the looks of it, West cares about you. Also. He's West Stryder. We have yet to see him go all typical Alpha on you. I'd say he's the exact opposite. He's so cute he even tried to join the soccer team to impress you."

"That's trying too hard."

"Wow Edith, I hope my mate will go to great lengths to try to woo me." Penelope sat back down.

When she puts it like that....

"Sure, yeah, he did. But I can't focus on a mate right now. You know I can't. Not with everything going on in my life."

Penelope is silent. Thinking.

I continued tapping my foot, "So isn't it just easier if I put distance between us? It'll be less heartbreak if we don't know each other."

"West could help you with...everything."

"I can't drag him into this," I shook my head. "I'm not going to drag him into my problems." In a way, I'm protecting him. From what my life is. From what Silas is. From me. And my crap show that is my life.

"And you didn't even reject him," Penelope stated. A deeper part of me, my wolf, is refusing it. I wonder how his wolf is like. "West knowing who his mate is, but not being able to do anything about it...that must be awful. Both sides. I wish you could just tell him. I wish you could. I hate that you're right. It is complicated."

"He thinks if we're friends that's okay."

"Honey, you guys will never be just friends," Penelope waggled her eyebrows. "You guys will make the cutest babies. I'll have one named after me."

"Hold your horses there," I muttered, chewing on another crinkle fry.

"Watching Jared get beaten was rather nice," Penelope shrugged. "I'll have to thank West for doing that."

"You were the one telling me not to do what West did!"

Penelope huffed, "I don't recall. It's been a long day." It's only noon.

Penelope had to rush to the library to print something out, leaving me to take a few moments alone outside. I gather my belongings, throwing the paper fry basket in the trash and decide to take the long way to my class, near where the huge theater is.

I almost stop when I see a figure way back at the edge of the theater almost laying down.

It's none of my business.

Really.

Curiosity killed the cat, but too good I'm a werewolf. As I walked closer, the figure is a he, and his features looked more and more...familiar. Gasping a little as I saw blood splotches on his white shirt and his lips were busted.

I stood only a few feet away from him, and his eyes fluttered revealing those familiar eyes. A hazel.

He coughed out the blood, then hissed out in pain. I rushed over to help. I couldn't put my finger on it. "You're..."

"Edith?" the guy asked, almost hesitantly. He rolled his head to the side, slightly groaning in pain. It was so strange how he remembered me, but West didn't.

"You're Wyatt, West's twins brother," I commented, noticing how unlike West, he had his hair out longer, able to put a short pony tail- not quite reaching man bun territory yet.

"Ah, yes, I suppose everyone knows West," Wyatt commented. It was just a simple statement, but I feel as though there was something else. I haven't seen them two together too. And West wasn't at his brother's show?

Something clicked. "Your mom was just here because of your art show. What happened to you?" His white collared shirt was splattered in blood, and it didn't look good.

"Yeah she just left," Wyatt only answered one part of my question.

"I'll get help. Should I get West?" Wyatt didn't look too pretty.

"You can't," Wyatt shook his head.

"Why?" I asked him, stubbornly.

"West lets his emotion get the better of him," Wyatt replied, then glanced at me. "Besides, he can't help me. Thank you, but I already have help on the way."

"Then I'll just wait until your help arrives," I said, feeling a strange kinship with this injured twin brother of my mate. Obviously, he was not going to answer why he was injured this badly on school property. "How come you remembered me? West didn't."

Wyatt closed his eyes again, but he responded, "There are some part of his childhood he's completely blocked out." Ask him why, I think, why West does. But I can't because knowing anything more about West will make things more difficult for me to stay away from him. He's already not staying away.

My eyes were drawn to a charcoal drawing next to him. It was an intricate drawing of two clocks- one I'd think was professional. "That's a really nice drawing. You're talented."

"You can have it if you want."

"It's your drawing. You should appreciate the beauty you created."

A tall male wolf is walking towards us, and Wyatt opens his eyes. The tall wolf does some motions with his hands, looking very concerned. Sign language, I realize. Wyatt responded back to him slowly. I could read their conversation. Tall wolf with the grey eyes asked him who did it. Wyatt said it wasn't important.

"See? Help. It was nice seeing you again after all this time. Wish it was under different circumstances," Wyatt gave me a faint smile. The tall wolf looked at me curiously. Like he knew me.

I signed a hello to him.

he asked.

.

He nodded his approval. Then:

I snorted, shaking my head. The guy didn't quite smile but his lips twitched, and he went on:

Maddox helped Wyatt up, and I took Wyatt's other side, helping him to stand up. He was a little shaky. I frowned. There's something odd and off about West not knowing about his brother getting hurt. My gut feeling is thinking Wyatt is hiding something big. Too big he doesn't want West knowing about.