[[ ---Chanel's POV--- ]]
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I was pulled awake by the suddenness of the bright lamp's illumination from Evalina's side of the room. I sat up and immediately and squinted my eyes momentarily before I found that it was in fact my best friend unpacking her luggage.
"Hey doll, what're you doin here?" I yawned then got up to help her. It was only Thursday and she still had Friday and the rest of the weekend to get to know her mate before she had to come back.
She looked up at me with wet eyes, "Gianna is going to do something and there nothing I can do to stop it." She cried.
I sighed and pulled my friend into my arms, I hated her family for putting her through this shit. I didn't want to say anything to piss her off, but during my stay with them I could easily sum up that her mother and sister are nothing but a bunch of social climbing power chasers.
To be honest I couldn't actually believe Evalina was remotely related to them as Evalina is nothing like them.
"Oh Lina, I wish I could help you, but I'm sure Cesare will do everything to stay safe and keep you safe as well."
Cesare, the handsome guy who fell instantly in love with Evalina, I couldn't help but smile. While Mates not be my thing...my friend deserves someone like Cesare, someone who would love and respect her always.
"Why don't we forget about this and get some sleep, in the morning we can go out and grab a coffee like usual." I offered.
Seeing as it was the holiday break we'd be able to roam the town as if it were the weekend.
"Yeah" she smiled.
I pushed her luggage to the wall and she climbed into bed, I turned off her lamp and then got back into my own bed.
...
"I think I want to try one of your holiday drinks." I said flirtatiously, the barista was seriously a cutie, he was obviously younger than us and I could tell I was making him nervous.
"W-well, uh, we have peppermint drop in a cup, or, um the ginger- uh, gingerman, uh I mean the iced gingerbread man is suppose to be good."
Evalina made a face, I had to agree with it, the iced gingerbread sounded horrible.
"Two Peppermint drops in a cup please." Evalina ordered for us.
The guy let out a small breath of relief before collecting Evalina's money.
"You know, since I cussed out Gianna I wouldn't be surprised if she stopped sending me money..." She said before growing instantly sad, "w-what if she stops paying my tuition as well?"
"Then I'll pay for your school" I said as if it was obvious. "I have a trust fund that I can easily dip into, or I could just tell my grandpa what's going on and he will gladly help, you know he practically considers you a granddaughter."
I couldn't help but smirk as I recalled all the conversation I had with Grand-Poppy about my best friend Evalina, now every time I call him it's pretty much custom that he asks about "his girls."
She smiled "he's never even met me."
"No but he does know that you're the reason I don't get into trouble anymore. He also knows you're my best friend, plus if you had to leave then of course I would threaten to leave so trust me when I say that you WILL stay at school one way or another."
The guy called our names out and we went to fetched our drinks before taking them to go.
As we strolled along the cobblestone streets looking at all of the high end shops I couldn't help but think about Evalina's worries.
What if her bitch of a sister really did stop paying for her school?
This is something I was having a hard time trying to fathom, you see I am an only child and my family is pretty well off to say the least.
My best friend knows that my mother died in childbirth with me, and that she left me a sizable trust fund. But she doesn't know that my father is Alpha Garland Addams, the wealthiest Alpha in all of North America. Our pack has so much money that other packs come to us for loans.
It's not like I intended on keeping it a secret from her, it's just something I tend to share with my friends once they've proven I can trust them. Evalina and I have been friends for so long that (even though I trust her with everything in me) it's just seriously never come up. To bring it up now would be weird, I would hate for her to feel like I purposely kept something from her, or worse, feel like I'm floating by on my family's wealth.
"Oh isn't that pretty?" Evalina asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
I smiled, "oh yeah, you'd look great in that." I said, taking a mental note to look for the dress in her size later as a Christmas gift.
"Evalina, Chanel...?"
We turned to see one of the ladies from the front office approaching us.
"Yes?" I asked, I knew we were fully within our rights to be out of the school today even though it's Friday instead of Saturday or Sunday, it's still technically the last day of holiday break.
"You two have received letters, if you would both follow me back to the head mistresses office she will gladly give them to you."
We looked at each other before following her...usually mail was given during call out every morning at 9am, if you had mail come later in the day or miss the call out for any reason your mail would just go to your room.
Once we made it back to school, the both of us were escorted into the head mistresses office, she sat regally behind her desk and smiled at us.
"In all my years, I haven't seen any student, much less two, get personal letters from Alpha Minicci." She stated as she held out our letters.
Evalina sat up a little straighter at the mention of her Mates last name. Ando wondered why his father would be sending us letters? I took the letters before leaving and going back up to our dorm room.
But as we reached our dorm I looked much more closely at the name written on the front.
Luca Minicci
I immediately opened my letter in awe, this couldn't be the same Luca Minicci that I've heard so much about.
--- Ms Chanel Addams,
Your presence has been requested for dinner at the Sparrow Grove Pack house promptly at 7pm. This is a black tie event, arrangements have been made for a car to pick you up at 6:30, I sincerely look forward to meeting you.
-Alpha L. Minicci ---
A dinner invitation?
From THE Luca Minicci?
"Did you get an invite as well?" Evalina asked.
"Yeah," I nodded a bit frazzled, I tried to paste on a smile but inside I was more than worried.
Before coming to school here my father had made one thing very clear, stay away from Luca Minicci. "although I wonder what possessed the alpha to invite us over to dinner so suddenly, especially since we've been here for so many years now."
Evalina knew exactly where I was coming from, "it says dinners at 7pm." She pointed out. "Cesar's said his uncle runs the pack...maybe he told his uncle about me?"
"That much is evident." I said and looked at my alarm clock, we had spent most of the day sleeping in and then grabbing a coffee, the time now read 4:37.
"Perhaps we should start getting ready." She suggested.
I sighed and placed the letter on my bedside table, "I don't think we have much of a choice." I said more to myself. I knew if my dad found out he'd be pissed, but on the other hand this was a personal invitation, this was a good as a formal order from an Alpha...to decline would be a form of disrespect.
A couple of hours later Evalina and I were fully dressed and ready to go. Knowing this was a dinner with an Alpha I went with a navy blue gown and Evalina had chosen a gorgeous emerald colored dress with a black lace overlay.
Soon after Evalina and I made our way outside and just as the letter stated, a luxurious black car was waiting for us.
To say I was on edge was an understatement, anything could happen, I'm just happy that Evalina and I had each other to back up the other if anything did decide to go down.
But true to form the car began going and Evalina and I soon found ourselves being driven up a long driveway, a familiar face stood on the porch waiting to greet us.
As the driver stopped the car, the man stepped forward and helped us out of the car.
"Good evening ladies, don't you two look lovely." Cesare sounded.
"I'm surely glad to see you." I said honestly.
He chuckled, "well I'm glad you both could make it."
Evalina greeted him a bit awkwardly, these two were too cute for words.
He showed us into the grand pack house and as I stepped in I looked down to gather the bottom of my dress a bit, the flowy ends were in danger of being stepped on and I didn't want to fall on my face.
But as the sound of another person entering the room hit my ears I also felt something deep inside of me sort of, wake up and it made my wolf stir.
I looked up and came face to face with the most heartbreakingly gorgeous man I've ever seen in my entire life.
"You got to to be shitting me." I growled lowly.
This couldn't be happening, not to me, I'm not suppose to have a mate.
'Mate' my wolf howled from deep inside of me.
I knew no one could hear my wolf, but upon her howl he locked eyes with me, he stared at me for the longest time before a slow lopsided smirk lifted up one of his cheeks.
Cesare and Evalina had long since left the room, leaving the two of us alone in the foyer. "I'm Luca Minicci, Alpha of the Sparrow Grove Pack." He stated with utter superiority, as if he expected me to swoon or something.
I simply lifted one of my perfectly sculpted brows to let him know where I stood, "and I don't have time for this." I replied, "let's just get this dinner over with and pretend like this never happened."
He chuckled and damn him for sounding so sexy while doing it, "feisty, and independent...not exactly what I'm use to."
"Don't get use to it" I sneered. "I don't want a mate, and even if did I wouldn't want some arrogant player like you."
"Ouch pussycat," he feigned heartache, "you wound me."
"Oh please, everyone knows Alpha Luca Minicci is the Italian playboy, or more adequately coined Don Heartbreaker."
Once again his sexy smirk returned, "so you HAVE heard of me?"
"I've heard to stay clear of you." I said before I stomped away toward the room I saw Evalina and Cesare disappear to.
Of all the rotten luck.
I never wanted a mate, especially not one who was dangerously sexy and hell bent on possessing me.