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Chapter 7
Her POV
Have you ever experienced being so confused? Confused to the point that your mind is whizzing with questions and you just want to rip a chunk of hair from your head? I've got a fair share of those moments in the last 3 years. Fair share meaning everyday. And I think you've guessed why.
Math.
I never liked Math. At all. And I know that I will never like it anytime soon in the future. But believe it or not, I was once a Math Wizard back in elementary. I was exceptionally good in this subject filled with numbers and equations. Until they decided to add the alphabet to the equations, everything went downhill from there. To be honest, I don't know how I passed the subject.
Oh okay, maybe I copied some of Scarlette and Carly's homeworks. Hell, okay maybe I copied their quiz answers too but that's the end of it, unless I forgot some other things I did. But that's not the point. The point is, Math makes me confused to the point where I want to rip a chunk of hair from my pretty little head. Just like the situation in front of me.
•••
"Mate." He said and my eyes widened with shock and confusion.
"Wha-" I didn't finish because the man who cried mate growled at me. His eyes flamed in fury.
Was he talking to me? I think so because he is looking at me. Was he addressing me as his mate? Mate. The word sounded so foreign on my lips. How come he knows I was his mate? How come I don't know I was his mate? Was that the reason his eyes held anger in them? I gulped when he released another growl and he walked in a fast pace towards me, was he going to attack me? Is this how you reject your mate?
I braced myself for the pain, literally and figuratively. But my body was suddenly jolted backwards and a hand was firmly placed on the back of my neck and another hand held my wrists. I was facing his hard chest.
Nick.
If I wasn't in this situation, I would've pushed and kicked him because his hand gripped my wrist so tight that it hurt.
"Alpha Mason." Nick said and I leaned my forehead on his chest, doing my best not to shake and fall to my knees. I breathed through my mouth, in and out. Nick stiffened.
"Alpha Nick." The guy acknowledged, his tone lighter and it sounded like the two of them were friends. "Please step away from the lady and let me punish her." He spoke and my breath hitched. What?
"She means no harm Mason, she will not interfere with you and your mate." Nick told him with clenched teeth.
"And how do you know that? She stood in between us and my mate just seconds ago. We all know what that means." He said clearly controlling his anger, Nick's body tensed further and his hand that was once at the back of my neck dropped to my waist.
"This is all a misunderstanding Mason," he explained and continued, "because she's mine." He exclaimed and I gasped. Nick is my mate? What the fuck is going on?
"Let me go." I firmly whispered, making sure I was serious.
"Just go with what I'm doing or you'll die." He whispered so low and leaned closer to me. It took all of my power to resist shivering when his breath tickled my ears, I sighed.
To the others it may have looked like he was comforting me, just as any mate should. It must've been convincing because after a few beats of silence, he removed the hand on my waist and I heard the sound of heavy footsteps going farther away. I vaguely remember nodding my head to Luke and Scarlette's questioning, but I'm not so sure.
The day went by in a blur with me occasionally zoning out because of the confusion. I was more than eager to go home and have my head cleared up. My phone read 2:30pm when the bell rang, I waited for everyone in the room to exit before going out myself. The hallway was half-empty now, some freshmen and juniors were still lingering around though. I walked towards my locker and held the handle. So many things happened in a matter of two days. Too many for me to handle, to be honest. I was taken out of my thoughts when I heard someone whistling.
"Hello there, Sky." Bob said, he was a tall old man with grey hair and bright eyes. He was one of the school's janitors.
"Hey Bob." I said and he took off his hat and put it back on. He walked past me and turned a corner.
I put some of my books inside the locker and closed it. I turned and walked for the doors until a thought popped in my mind.
Where in the world are my friends?
My question was answered when a classroom door suddenly flew open and there stood Nick. He gestured for me to come in, I hesitated at first but eventually came in when I heard Bob's whistling. The classroom wasn't empty of course, all of my friends were there. I stood still in front of the door and crossed my arms in front of my chest. I narrowed my eyes at Nick, who was perched on the side of an armchair. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Uh, sorry?" He said, unsure, and anger boiled inside of me. I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth and took heavy breaths to calm myself. When I relaxed, I opened my eyes and looked straight at Nick.
"Sorry? That's it?" I asked him, venom dripping from my every word.
"That's it? I saved your life from an Alpha that wanted to kill you! At least have some decency to say thank you." He whisper-yelled.
"Okay then," I said and he looked taken aback, "Thanks a lot Nick." I said and pursed my lips into a thin line.
"Well, you're-" He started but I cut him off.
"Did you actually think I was sincere?" I asked him rhetorically and Jason coughed, probably hiding his laughter. Nick frowned at me.
"Please explain to me now what happened back there." I pleaded and leaned my back against the door, pinching the bridge of my nose. I squeezed my eyelids shut to lessen the throbbing on my temples.
"That was Alpha Mason from the Silver Blood pack, his Dad and mine were acquaintances and his pack moved to an unclaimed territory in the neighboring town. Some of the werewolves in his pack now study in our school-" He explained but Luke chimed in.
"Fun fact: Mr O'Donnell a.k.a. the Principal is in our pack. Anyway, go on." I opened my eyes, he smiled and nodded at Nick, who then rolled his eyes in response.
"As I was saying, his pack moved and they wanted to be allies with us. Usually we would turn their proposal down, not to brag but our warriors and trackers are outstanding and I really didn't know what kind of Alpha he was." He stood up to his full height and walked a few steps towards me. "My dad trusted Mason's father though. I haven't talked to him fully about it, but I think they knew each other in the past. Fortunately, Mason found his mate and she's one of ours. The girl that-"
"I bumped into." I finished his sentence and he nodded, sitting again on a desk closer to me.
"But why did he want to hurt me? Why did you tell him that I was your mate?" I looked at him and tried to show no emotion. It was clear, though, from my voice how confused I was.
"Jason forgot to tell you that mates are extremely protective of each other, but more so the males. If you were informed about our world earlier, you'd know that the growl Mason made was a warning. It meant that he sees you as a threat since you were literally in between them. He's also an Alpha so that doubles the protectiveness." He explained further, effectively answering most of my questions.
"So, no more questions? That's good. Let's go home." He exclaimed and stood up, he walked towards the door I was leaning on but stopped when I spoke up.
"Wait, why did you tell him that I was your mate? Am I your mate?" I asked him, getting annoyed that I felt the first bouts of fluttering in my stomach. No.
"Like I said, my dad knew his and they're strangely competitive with each other. Mason's father was bragging about how his son found his mate and that their pack was complete." Annoyance tinged his voice, "My father, like he was, said that I found mine too. Good thing he didn't give a name or we'd all be screwed. I figured the solution presented itself earlier, so I told Mason you were my mate."
"What? What are you going to do then? I can't just pretend that you're my mate, I don't even know how to find mine." I snapped at Nick and I noticed that Jason flinched at my tone.
"Wait, did you tell my parents about this already?" I asked aloud but no one answered.
"Your parents already know, Dad informed them. They said they would approve if, and only if, you would say yes." He said in a low tone and dropped his gaze to the floor.
"No, I don't think-" I started but Luke suddenly spoke up.
"Please do it Sky, our pack's dignity depends on you." He pleaded.
"I know it's wrong that you get to shoulder this," Nick started, "but I swear no harm will come to you when the truth comes out. I'll be responsible for everything." He looked at me straight in the eyes.
I held my breath. "But-"
"Please," He said, "you're my best friend, I wouldn't be able to do it with anyone else."
Release. I glanced away from his hopeful face, already feeling my resolve fall. I knew it was hard for him to plead like that, knowing he was an Alpha and everything. The only other time I felt like this was when he asked if he could stay in our house the first time his parents went away.
I peeked at Luke and saw him biting his lips and doing the puppy dog face, amusement lighting up his features. I glared at him and looked at Nick, sure enough he was doing the puppy dog face too. I glanced at everyone and hell, they were looking at me expectantly with the same horrible expression.
"Screw all of you. I hate the six of you. Go to hell." I said and leaned against the door, glaring at them but they all laughed when the side of my lips twitched up.
"Thank you Sky, my dad and I will take care of future consequences so don't worry. I promise, nothing bad will happen." Nick told me with a genuine smile. I nodded at him.
"But how are we going to act?" I asked Nick and he glanced at Jason and Scarlette, who were both leaning on the teacher's table in front of me.
"Well," Scarlette started and had a thinking face for a second then continued. "You haven't shifted yet so you won't recognize your mate, Sky. But for wolves that have shifted, you first feel a pull that will lead you to your mate when he's close. There's this intoxicating scent that will leave your mouth watering, when you finally meet and look into each other's eyes you will feel like you are hypnotized." She smiled and glanced up at Jason, I inwardly grimaced at the display of affection.
"I will never get used to your mushy moments." Luke said and shook his head. Jason gave him the finger and gently nudged Scarlette's side.
"Oh! Yes, I almost forgot." She cried and looked directly at me, I tilted my head to the side. "When he touches you, you'll literally feel sparks." She finished and sank back to Jason's side.
"But how about in my case?" I asked her, "I haven't shifted yet but what if my mate has?" Nick and Amber perked up at my question and we all looked expectantly at the couple.
It was Jason who answered me, "Like she said, you won't know. But if your mate has shifted, he still won't be sure. There's a pull, no doubt, but no sparks." I thought he finished but he added, "Like with humans." I nodded in thanks at his explanation. Something beeped and we all pulled out our phones and checked if someone texted us.
"Not me." I announced and looked at my friends. Nick checked his phone and sent me a look which I clearly did not understand.
"Dad invited Mason and his family to dinner tonight, you and I have to join them." He said and gave me a worried smile. I sighed and held the doorknob, I yanked the door open and turned my head to look at Nick.
"So are you coming with me or not?" I asked him with a bored tone, he immediately stood up and held my hand. I chuckled and accepted the warmth and assurance he transferred.
I therefore conclude one thing.
I love holding Nick's hand... But let's just pretend that I didn't say that.
•••
"You look pretty." His voice reached my ears and I rolled my eyes.
"You're complimenting my back, genius." I replied to him and proceeded to comb my hair.
I was standing in my room's balcony. I faced the road and counted the vehicles that passed by, at the same time untangling my locks. I wore a blue short-sleeved blouse, a high-waisted denim skirt and black loafers. I padded my lips with nude lipstick and curled my eyelashes.
"I know, your legs look hot from behind." He said and I turned my head to glare at him, he raised both of his hands in the air.
"Hey, just joking." He told me with a smile, I looked at the road again and ran a hand through my locks.
"Why are you nervous?" He asked.
"Oh, I don't know. I was just going to meet another pack's Alpha along with his family and pretend to be your mate." I stopped brushing my hair to opt to raising my hands in the air. He chuckled. Unbelievable.
"This is not-" I started but stopped immediately when I felt his hands cover mine.
"Hey, you're so pessimistic. Everything's going to turn out fine. All you have to do is say that you love me and you feel the sparks and all that crap." He said and I can imagine him smiling. I sighed again.
"It's going to be fine." Nick reassured me. He held my shoulders then turned my body to face him.
His expression was calm, but someone who really knew him would see the nervousness beneath. The subtle pursing of his lips was a telltale sign. Ah, so he was cheering up the two of us.
"We have to act like a real couple, that includes showing affection at school." He told me seriously but I was too caught up in watching his lips. Tempting. I wonder if those are soft, like marshmallows.
"Sky, please stop what you're doing." He said and his voice grabbed me out of my stupor.
"Sorry, what?" I asked him with confusion.
"Stop looking at my lips, stop it with that innocently curious look." He answered me immediately and closed his eyes.
Oh. He opened his eyes again and stared at me. I tried to look directly at his eyes but they would subconsciously wander down his face, then stop at his plump lips. He groaned and the next thing I knew, his lips were on mine.
I just stood frozen on my spot, unsure of what to do, unsure of what to think. Then I hesitantly kissed him back, still close-mouthed, still testing the waters. His lips were indeed very soft, even softer than marshmallows. He tilted his head to a better angle and I felt like I was on cloud nine. Wow, if kissing Nick always felt this way I should kiss him more often.
And that thought with the help of my Mom's voice, I pulled back and lightly pushed at Nick's chest. To my surprise, he didn't even move and chuckled instead. I glared at him and walked to my bedroom to hide the blush I know was tinting my cheeks. He was trailing behind me and I took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Hi anak, is everything fine?" My Mom asked, concern slightly showing on her face.
"Um, yeah. Just peachy." Mom, I also just had a make-out session with the boy behind me a.k.a. my best friend, I added in my head.
"Oh, okay then. Nick's Dad called and he said that the guests are going to arrive in 15 minutes, tops." She chirped and gestured the two of us downstairs. We followed and walked behind her, Nick pulled me to his side and put his arm on my waist, I stiffened a little but didn't budge.
I needed support anyway, I haven't fully recovered from what happened a while ago. Heck, my knees feel like jell-o. I didn't notice that we had already reached the front door until my Mom turned and stared amusingly at Nick's hand on my waist. I cleared my throat, louder than how a normal person clears their throat.
"Like I was saying, relax and just be yourself. I can't believe my baby has grown up already." She dramatically said and wiped a non-existent tear from her left eye. I groaned and Nick suppressed a laugh.
"Mom." I warned her and she genuinely smiled at me and opened her arms. I left Nick's side and engulfed my Mom in a bone-crushing hug.
"Hey people, I'm still here." Nick announced and we pulled away.
"Emma, do you mind if I steal your baby from you tonight?" Nick asked my Mom and ignored my glare.
"Of course dear, you can steal her anytime you want. You can steal her forever." My Mom chuckled and shoved the two of us, slamming the door shut the moment we got out. I shrugged and walked the familiar path to the McCane's house.
"You heard that? I can steal you anytime I want." He told me seductively and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I scoffed and walked faster away from him. He caught up and walked to my side, he grabbed my hand and entwined it with his.
"Jerk." I said and was going to scold him more but decided to elbow his ribs instead. He stopped which resulted to me halting to a stop too.
"Honestly, woman!" He yelled and I looked down at my shoes instead to hide my laughter. After some minutes of cursing and nagging, he eventually stopped and spoke up.
"You know Sky, we have to act like a couple to everyone. Even to those nosy brats at school." He told me and I looked up to see him so worried.
Nick and Sky. To be honest, I never saw the two of us dating or something, we were just best friends. Simple as that. If three months ago you told me that we were going to be a couple, a fake one at that, I would ask if you banged your head. Nick was my fake-mate-slash-fake-boyfriend now. I mentally rolled my eyes. I cannot get used to this.
He ran a hand to his already tousled hair and before I can register what he was doing, his lips was on mine for the second time today. It only lasted for, I think, a heartbeat then he pulled away as he flashed me a cheeky grin. I shook my head but smiled at him as well.
"What? I won't let my mate face those people without looking like she's been properly snogged." He explained and hugged me again. This one was longer and he buried his head at the crook of my neck, I shivered when he inhaled.
"I know you're probably enjoying yourself mate, but we have visitors to take care of." I reminded him and he pulled away, putting an arm around my shoulder. I looked at him, not surprised that he's already staring at me, and we both broke into laughter. We proceeded to go to their house.
Wait, I take back what I said earlier. I can get used to this. I really can.
•••
Ha, early upload. :P And you guys have guessed it, Mason isn't her mate. And bookonthehead901, you're conclusion was right, I didn't expect someone would pay attention to that girl when I wrote her in :D
Anyway, I want to thank everyone for the 13,000+ reads and the 400+ votes. I know you don't like crappy author's notes so bye! ~ Eren