Luna

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Father"

Lilly

The tension in the air is thicker ever since lunchtime. Contrary to the sit in total silence this morning, more classmates look at me and whisper in a hushed tone. Some even point me out with their fingers.

I know that everyone is secretly judging me regarding Analise's incident. I just turn deaf ears and blind eyes at them.

They hate me from the start, they will not suddenly like me now. Besides, I don't really care how hated I am. Lucas is with me. As long as there is someone who loves me and believes in me, I know that I will be fine. Especially, if he is my mate.

Honestly, my mate is all that matters.

The teacher ends his lecture and awkwardly tells us to review the lesson at home. He knows that no one listened to him. But, he is not angry. Instead, he is glad the class is over.

I silently collect my things. I feel that everyone's eyes are still on me.

"Do you always look like a scared kitty? A kitty who just took a fish and is scared that its owner will get her?" A loud and cheery voice says.

I am arranging my bag so my head is facing down. When I look up, I see a bundle of curly hair.

"You fix your thing like you're stealing something?" Ethan is standing next to my desk. He continues bombarding me with questions while alternately raises his eyebrows.

"Ethan." I smile. Ethan's face is a relief to see after being subjected to a day of being silently persecuted.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him. Ethan is two years younger than me. His classrooms are probably on the other side of the school.

"You don't know? I surprised you?" he excitedly says. "I did, didn't I?" He looks so proud of himself.

"Well. Beta Tristan called me earlier. He told me that I am to accompany you on going home and running some errands." He cheekily tells me. Ah. So Lucas picked Ethan to accompany me, after all. That's a relief.

"Is that so? Then I'm happy to be at your company." I reply with a small smile.

"Ohhh! You look nicer when you smile! You have a little dimple here. You look so cute!" He excitedly says while pointing at my cheek.

"..."

How will I respond to that? It's the first time someone called me cute.

I feel like I'm as red as a tomato now.

Of course, the pack members around us won't let the chance go. They are probably watching each and every single words I speak, secretly judging me with anything they find wrong.

"Wow you became red!" Ethan exclaims.

x x x

Our walk to my place is peaceful. Ethan talks nonstop about how proud his dad and mom are when I picked him during the assembly. He also tells me that he will definitely and surely become one of the most powerful wolves ever existed on earth and that I will be happy that I picked him up. I tried telling him that I picked him out of the crowd because of the "colors" I saw. But even I don't understand what it means, so I can't explain it to him fully. Also, I am not comfortable at explaining things. Ethan is good but I have issues with my self confidence.

Earlier, I was about to go to Mrs. Harley's office after class but Ethan gave me a note from her, telling me that it was a pleasure working with me and that it's going to be hard finding a student assistant as hardworking as me. The note includes my unclaimed wages as well as some bonus which is all in all $300.

This is probably the biggest amount Mrs. Harley gave to me. Of course, it's all thanks to Lucas.

So, all I need to do is to go back to my place, clean it a bit, and bring some of my things to the pack house. Actually, maybe it will be better to just move out? I am not sure how I will earn money for rent. Besides, it is too wasteful to rent this even though I am not staying here. It's just.. Won't it mean that Lucas and I will be living together? I am not staying in his room, but the thought of 'living with him' makes my face very hot.

I know that I am blushing so hard because Ethan starts teasing me that I am thinking of something that makes me blush again. Then, he starts teasing me that I am probably remembering my 'make out session' with Lucas. Hearing that probably makes me blush more because Ethan teases me harder.

My room is around half an hour walk from the campus. It is a room located in an old garage. It was the car washer's office back when the garage was operating as a car wash. The owner was an old teacher from my primary school. He took pity on me when my parents threw me out of the house and offered the place for free. However, he became weak from old age and his son took over the management of his properties. The son, Berry, started charging me rent from the moment his father retired. The room and the garage is old and rusty but it is good enough for me who had nowhere to go to so I had been staying here from then until now.

"You're kidding me! This ain't a room. It's a freaking garage!" Ethan exclaims when we arrive.

"It works for me." I reply with a smile. This place might not be a proper room, but it has been my place for years. It's the place where no one can judge me. It's my comfort zone.

"Still... for our Luna to be living here. The pack is a failure! A failure I tell you!!" He screams. Ah. This.. kid.. is really noisy.

I am about to open the door when I notice that the lock was undone. Immediately, worry fills me. No one else has ever stepped inside this place since I started living here. And only a few people knew I am staying here.

Berry, my landlord, loves money but he is a decent guy who will never interfere with my things. Aside from Berry, only those persons probably knew this place.

The thought of them coming here made my heart beat fast. Ethan, on the other hand, is still not finished with his monologue about how the pack and including is a huge failure.

I slowly push the door and notice that the lights inside are on.

Moving my sight into the middle of the room, I see the person I don't want to see the most.

"You took your sweet time, you filthy child." The person says when he saw me.

I know that he will come and look for me after the situation with Analise. I just never thought that he is so angry that he even went to find me inside my "trash bin" as he calls it.

I involuntarily gulp when I hear the hatred in his voice.

"Father." I whispered back.