Love Denied Vol.1 Of The Love Trials Trilogy

Chapter 4 "More Surprises!"

(Tori's POV)

I had woken up disgruntled from my dreams...

Then Arianna had texted me as a reminder that today I would start riding the goddamn bus. And I hurried to get ready and leave for the bus stop! So when I had gotten dressed, I left at a run for the bus stop, then realizing how uncool that would seem of me, I started walking to the stop.

As I started reaching the corner that would lead me to the bus stop, I felt eyes on me...

Someone was watching me!

Letting my instinct take charge, I glanced up at the house I was walking by. My gaze met a window on the second floor, and I was startled to find a girl at the window gazing out at me. She seemed just as startled as I was!

Mate! My inner beast growled out, and I was shocked to realize that she was the mate from yesterday.

We stared at each other. A sort of mutual understanding transpired, then the sound of dogs barking broke that chain. My hackles went up as two small dogs came running at me baring their teeth. I growled deep from my throat and had the two dogs cowering in an instant.

When they had scurried away with their tails between their legs, I glanced up at the window one final time...

She wasn't there anymore, and the curtains had been drawn.

Cursing my idiocy, I hurried once more to the bus stop. Once there, I found that I was early still, barely anyone was there except for two other people. But soon the rest started coming and it was a crowd of people.

Surprises of surprises, my mate showed up at the bus stop!

"Oh!" She said in surprise when her eyes found me in the crowd.

I could've probably said the same about her!

"Good morning." I greeted in a husky voice.

She blushed a little under my piercing gaze.

"Ah... Hi!" She said with a smile that caused fluttering in the pit of my stomach.

The bus rounded up behind the streets corner and came to a stop at the bus stop. Everyone crowded at the edge of the street, meanwhile, I hung back until everyone else had boarded. Then I climbed and found the one empty seat beside my mate.

Mine, mine, my mate! My inner beast howled in triumph as I took my seat next to her.

A small growl escaped me, and she gave me an odd look.

"Are you okay?" She said with a hint of what sounded like concern.

Her concern caused a warmth to spread through my chest.

"Yeah. I'm alright." Then as an after thought I added, "So what's your name?"

"Um, Minori Sen." She said her green eyes looking uncertain.

"I'm Tori Saul. At your service ma'am!" I said with a country ascent and a wide smile that showed teeth.

Minori shivered beside me, our thighs bumping into each other as the bus turned a corner. I had to suppress my inner beast as her scent reached me, she smelled of chocolate and forbidden fantasies. With a sigh, I held myself mentally at bay until we had reached the school.

The ride was quiet and tense.

Finally the bus pulled up to the schools frontcourt yard. We were dropped off at the third path, and everyone hurried into the building or hung out at the stairs with their friends. I walked into the building trying to ignore the urge to look at Minori.

"Hey wait!" Minori exclaimed from behind me...

I froze.

"Oh, good, you waited!" She said breathing heavily, "Would you be willing to take part of an art gallery opening?"

I was chagrined by the determined glint in her eyes!

"Ah... Yeah sure, when is it?" I asked almost willing to do anything to keep that determination sparked in her eyes.

"It'll be in a month!" Then as though she'd just realized, she added, "And I was wondering if you'd be willing to do a certain piece for me?"

"Yeah, I guess if there's a certain piece you want, I can make it for you." I said dumbfounded.

No one had ever had the guts to tell me what to do before! I had always done what I pleased, sometimes though I'd go along with what everyone else was told to do. I was surprised but also pleased to have a mate who could be so spontaneous without a second thought towards me.

"Umm... Thanks! See you around!" She said with a smile that showed me that she had the cutest twin dimples I've ever seen before.

Then she ran into the building with a wave at me.

When I entered the classroom that day, my friends exchanged looks when they saw me enter with a wide grin. I simply grinned even wider and took a seat as I started sketching on one of my sketchbooks. After the tardy bell rung and the teacher had started class, I surprised to see Minori's face staring up at me from the page I had been sketching on.

"So that's our latest mate, I should've known she'd be cute." A familiar voice stated with an air of arrogance.

I chilled to my bone with terror and glanced up at Logan.

Mate! Betrayer! My inner beast snarled in disgust as Logan took the empty seat at my left.

"She's pretty... Maybe Baird and me can take her off your hands? After all! You don't want a mate, all you want are followers who can't or won't question your authority!" He taunted in a whisper as he glanced at my friends.

I bristled furious at his taunt.

Before I could leap from my chair to get at his throat, Heath took hold of my arm from behind. With his mystical mage powers, he slowly drained the venom from me. Though I was still fuming, I no longer had the need to take Logan's throat out.

"Tsk...tsk...temper...temper...temper..." Logan tsked as the teacher turned his back to us and began to start up the projector.

"Hold your tongue." I hissed out to him and his tsking stopped. "You may not belong to our pack anymore. But you have no right to disrespect me on my own territory!"

In a school as big as this one, it was hard to avoid another pack on one's territory...

The school was divided into two halves by two packs. Those packs were the Pédegrue Pack who was led by Baird, and then there was the Kurr Pack, which was led by me. The Pédegrue Pack was in charge of the Robotics Club, while my Kurr Pack was in charge of the Art Club. Both of the packs were sworn to protect their people from the hunters, the hunters hunted witch's, sorcerers, mage's, were, and others alike. It was common knowledge to us that the Student Council belonged to the Hunters.

Our school was practically a war zone with three different groups in charge, and one group on the sidelines.

Not that the humans knew a thing about it!

If it weren't for the fact that unlike the other two groups, I had no wish to let the humans enter our battles... Or for that matter get caught in our battles! The humans would probably already be aware of our existence in the school already! Since the other two groups were more than willing to sacrifice the humans for any reason necessary. Levi Rene had been a prime example of that...

I sighed as I turned my dark brown eyes on Logan.

"You will respect our treaty as much as God is willing!" I stated gravely but firm.

"God! You have no God!" He spitted out.

"No, but the humans have a God, and the people have a Goddess." I said, "You can have your pick of them if you like, but you will respect me!"

I glared at him as I got my point across.

He nodded once angrily and turned to pay attention to the teacher.