71

"Why are you grinning all the time?" I asked Ella.

Since the fire alarm, she had a permanent grin. When the siren went off, we were told to go straight to the dressing room.

It had been a false alarm, but today's PE class had been cancelled. Luckily for me. When I got the skimpy uniform, I thought at first it was a bad joke. I had felt so uncomfortable and the looks that were being thrown at me I also found extremely uncomfortable.

"Oh, I just find the situation funny. Because he doesn't want you."

"Was?"

Ella looked at me caught: "Oh nothing nothing."

...

"Are you going home?" Ella asked as we stepped out of the building.

"Yes. I still have to unpack a few things. We just moved in yesterday."

"I can help you if you want?"

"No, that's not necessary!" I said, smiling.

"Will you be picked up?" she asked me.

"No, my mother works. I don't have far to go."

"I can tell Hunter to drive you home."

I widened my eyes and gestured with my hands in panic.

"No! That's not necessary. I still have something to do anyway. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before she makes me let Hunter take me home, I'd better get out too.

Because of all the rush, I didn't notice that the said person was standing directly behind me.

For the second time today I ran into him. His hands grabbed my waist again, preventing me from tripping.

I had to swallow.

His green eyes stared straight at me. As if they wanted to look into my soul.

"I...I'm sorry. Again."

"You're really clumsy!" he said and for the first time I see him smile slightly. Otherwise he had looked at me wordlessly and without any emotion until now.

I had the feeling that he didn't like me. Or resented having bumped into him this morning.

I cleared my throat and took a few steps back so his hands left me.

His smirk was gone immediately and I got a bad feeling again.

He exuded a certain danger. Alarm bells went off for me when I was around him. His gaze alone came close to a death threat.

I didn't know why, but despite all that, I wasn't afraid of him. I felt like he wouldn't hurt me.

Maybe I was stupid and naive, but I couldn't describe the feeling.

"Hey Hunter. Would you drive our Luna home?"

When Ella said my name, Hunter's eyebrows furrowed and he glared at his sister. His breathing was rapid and he didn't answer until he had exhaled deeply.

"Klar."

"No. I'll be fine. See you...um...tomorrow."

Before Hunter could reply, Ella did it for him.

"If you're not comfortable with Hunter, can I get Jacob too? After all, he already showed interest in you this morning and he would very much like to take you home. Although, then he would bother you again."

I looked at Hunter perplexed when I suddenly heard him growl.

Am I just imagining it? Did he really just growl?

His whole body was tense and his hands were clenched. I could see his jugular, angry as he was right now.

He put something in Ella's hand and said, "Drive her home. I still have something to do."

With these words he was gone and Ella grinned victoriously at me.

"I feel sorry for him, but he deserves it. After what he pulled off this morning."

I stared at her confused. Was she talking about Hunter now?

"Come on, I'll drive you home."

She winked at me and led me to Hunter's car. Although I kept protesting on the way there, she ignored me and then pushed me into the passenger seat.

It didn't take her long to sit down as well. Ella started the car and rolled out of the parking lot.

"Where do you live?" she asked me.

I gave her the address and she drove off. I thought about Hunter. Why was he so angry earlier?

"Your brother..." I started.

She smiled and gave me a quick look.

"Yes. What about him? Do you have a crush on him? I'm happy to set you up...even while I'm at it."

"Wait what? I'm not into him. Besides, I don't want you to set us up."

"Yeah!" she mocked. "What did you want to ask?"

"I feel like he doesn't like me at all. Every time he looks at me it feels like he's trying to kill me with his eyes. Have I done something wrong?"

Ella gave a short laugh before replying, "Hunter is an idiot. I can imagine the way he looks at you. But he doesn't hate you. He never could, no matter how hard he tries."

"So he wants to hate me?" I asked hurt.

Ella sighed and my mood continued to sink. That was answer enough. Hunter didn't like me. I didn't know what exactly I had done wrong, but it hurt me. Even if I didn't know him at all.

"Do you feel anything near him?", she broke the silence after a while.

"Oh we're here! That house over there!" I changed the subject.

Ella seemed to notice that I didn't want to talk about Hunter anymore. So she parked in front of the driveway and said, "Would you like us to pick you up tomorrow?"

By we I mean she, Hunter and her. I could safely do without that. I had to stay away from Hunter. After all, he didn't like me and I don't want to cause him any torment with my presence.

"No, not necessary."

"Alpha? What do we do about it now?"

My thoughts were with her. Constant. Ever since I first saw her. I already knew that I would definitely not be able to sleep today.

Why did she have to meet me now? Was it fate? Or torture?

"Alpha?" I heard a voice.

I looked at Jake, who was eyeing me with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked via Mind-Link.

I nodded to him briefly and turned back to the others.

My uncle gave me a scathing look and said scornfully, "As an alpha, you have to stay focused and not think about shagging any women. One child as an alpha." He shook his head contemptuously.

A menacing growl escaped my throat and I slammed my fist on the table.

"Uncle, since I know that you only want the best for this pack, I'll let you stay here. If it were up to me, I would have thrown you out long ago. I'm your nephew and a lot younger than you. Still I'm your alpha. Because I'm the strongest here. You know that, otherwise you would have challenged me long ago. If you continue to disrespect me like this, I'll throw you out of the pack. Do you understand that?" I asked angrily.

He nodded angrily and remained silent for the rest of the meeting. When that was over, everyone left except my beta.

"I'll make sure you have a new table tomorrow!" he said with a smile and pointed to the broken wood.

I sighed and flopped back down in the chair.

"What are you thinking?"

"Isn't that obvious?" I asked.

"Don't torture yourself. Get to know her first."

"No. I have to stay away from her. That's the only way I can protect her."

"So you actually want Zoe by your side? Forever?"

"I honestly don't know. I definitely don't want to. I absolutely hate this girl. Actually, I wanted to make her my mate. Because she would have protected the pack and I wouldn't care if her anything would have ever happened. But after meeting her , I'm contemplating not making Zoe my mate. I can't be with a woman if my mind is always on someone else."

"So you want her?"

I looked at him in agony.

"With everything I have. But I'm not allowed to. Not if it puts her in danger."

"You don't want to make someone Luna? What if there's a riot? Or Zoe's father starts a war?"

"I'm a hybrid. Zoe's father is afraid of me. I won't let him threaten me any longer."

"They're not called war packs for nothing. Maybe it's time."

I knew straight away what he meant. I had thought about it too. However, in the end I was against it.

"No. I can't do that. You know why."

"I know it would suck. You become immortal, live a lifetime. While we grow older and eventually die. But you have a chance to have a life with her. You can tag her. Although she will become a vampire, but she would be immortal like you."

"Being a vampire is the worst. I won't let that happen."

I was part vampire myself, but that side was suppressed by a witch when I was born. My parents said themselves that being a vampire was a curse. My father had hated his ways.

I was a werewolf. Had all the senses that everyone in this pack has. I age like the others. In addition to my werewolf powers, I had some vampire powers. These were not entirely suppressed at the time. I could manipulate people. My senses were stronger than those of an ordinary werewolf. I was stronger and faster. That's why everyone was afraid of me.

As soon as I tasted blood for the first time, the spell would break. I would be immortal and would have all the abilities of a vampire. I would be one of the strongest beings in the world.

But I never wanted to bring out my vampiric side. Like Jake said, I'm immortal. I would watch the people I loved die.

This was something I couldn't take. Even father said it was a curse. That's why I swore to myself as a kid that no one would ever make me bring out my vampiric side. Never.