Chapter 4

The rest of the morning passed by uneventfully, if you ask me a little too much so. At some points I thought I might slip into a coma if I got any more bored, I was hoping for drama just to break up the day a little. Don’t get me wrong, I love to learn but the problem is with the way school is set up. 

Most of the subjects are incredibly boring and those that aren’t get the life sucked out of them by covering the material so slowly. I wish they would just let me take the exams rather than having to attend all these boring lessons.

The lunch bell rang and all my classmates promptly bundled up their belongings and rushed out of the classroom. I wasn’t in as much of a rush. I took the time to neatly pack my bag before following them cautiously, using all my senses to make sure that Felix or any of his followers weren’t nearby. 

I couldn't hear them and I couldn’t smell them but knew they couldn’t be too far away. I had memorised their schedule. I knew that their last thesson was only a few rooms away from mine and if they saw me they wouldn’t miss out the opportunity to torment me.

Felix was the new alpha’s younger brother and he has had some kind of fixation on me ever since I joined the pack. He found it frustrating that I seemed immune to his advances. I also don’t think that it helped that when he tried to impress me with his fighting technique during our first training session together I kicked his ass.

By the time I reached the cafeteria Ryker was already there sitting with our friends, Ava and Charlotte. Charlotte was sitting opposite Ryker, She was playing with her long blonde hair and hoping that Ryker would pay attention to her. Ryker however wasn’t in the least bit interested in what she had to say, he had his phone out and he was staring intently at the screen. 

Ava was sitting next to Charlotte rolling her eyes. None of us were very close friends with Charlotte but with Ava it was verging on hate. She didn’t like that Charlotte only sat with us when Ryker was around. She thought that Charlotte was fake, that she was only pretending to be our friend so that Ryker would ask her out on a date. 

Ava was probably right about Charlotte but I tried not to let it get to me. Ryker is usually a good judge of character so I don’t think he is going to fall for her lies. Let her play her games, the only person's time she was wasting was her own. 

I sat down at the table, taking my usual place next to Ryker. Charlotte threw me an irritated look but I completely ignored her. Ryker slid over a sandwich and an apple onto my side of the table. He knew me so well. I usually skip lunch while I am at school because of Felix. I know I could easily beat him in a fight but it really isn’t worth the hassle. 

Felix and his friends all sit on the tables closest to the food counters so I stick to the other side of the room when I can. I should have probably started bringing in my own lunch but that involves the kind of forward planning that I am not capable of in the morning. 

“If Mary-Anne tried anything like that again I am just going to tell her that you are mine.” Ryker teased. 

“That’s gross.” Charlotte said. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. 

“You do realise that we aren’t actually related.” Ryker said, looking at Charlotte for the first time since I joined the table. 

“Well yes but isn’t she like your adopted sister or something?” Charlotte asked. I could see what she was trying to do but it was backfiring on her because Ryker was starting to get angry at her questions. 

“What are you even talking about?” Ryker said, his annoyance was very clear from his tone but Charlotte didn’t even seem to notice. She just seemed happy at being able to hold his attention for more than a few seconds.

“Are you going to the alpha’s party next Friday?” Ava asked. 

I knew she was trying to change the subject but it was a stupid question. Felix made it very clear that Ryker and I weren’t welcome at the alpha’s house. I knew he didn’t really have any authority to make that call. Only the alpha had the authority to decide who was and who wasn’t invited. However, just like with the food situation, going up against Felix just wasn’t worth the drama so we stayed away. It was better that way anyway, I would rather stay as far away as I could from the whole family.

“I don’t think we are even invited.” I said. 

“You could come as my date, Ryker.” Charlotte said with a flutter of her eyelashes. 

“What is this party about anyway?” I asked. There seemed to be parties or events at the alpha’s house every few weeks, I could never keep track of it all. 

“I don’t know, my mom said it was something to do with the stars. I don’t really understand it to be honest but it should be fun anyway. Are you sure you can’t make it?” Ava said, the disappointment was clear in her voice and her eyes. 

“I can’t but maybe we can go shopping next weekend instead?” I suggested. Ava’s face instantly brightened.

“I will hold you to that.” She said. 

Ava started talking about all the shops that we could visit and where we would eat lunch. Ava treated shopping as though it was a military exercise. By this time next week we would probably have a printed itinerary with our time planned out to the nearest minute. I had a feeling that Ava might have a bright career ahead of her as an event planner. 

I silently chided myself for agreeing to this. I should have known better than to give her so much notice.

Elijah’s POV

“What are you still doing here?” My mom asked me as she stood in the doorway to my office. I glanced up at her for a moment and gestured to my laptop. I realised that I was being rude but I had so many reports to review and I needed to make sure they were done before my workers came into the office tomorrow morning. 

“You missed dinner again.” She sighed at me in frustration. 

It was a frustration that I shared but there was nothing I could do about it. Even though alpha’s weren’t meant to take over until they met their mate, I had no other choice. My father’s health started to deteriorate once I hit my twenties and we couldn’t risk him staying as the alpha any longer, so I took over. A few months ago I had to take over control of the pack's businesses from him as well. It was too much for a lone alpha, I needed my luna to help me.

That wasn’t the only reason I needed her though, I was so incredibly lonely. As an alpha and CEO of a multi-billion dollar business everyone needs your help but maintaining personal relationships was very difficult. I lost contact with most of my old friends years ago and I hadn’t got around to making any new ones yet. 

“I had the omegas bring me some food earlier.” I replied, choosing to ignore her tone.

“You need to stop working so hard, you are going to make yourself sick.” She told me. As though I didn’t already know that.

“Once I find my luna I will take more time off.” 

“When will that be? You don’t go anywhere, so how are you going to meet her?” She shouted. I grumbled in frustration but I tried not to lose my temper with her. She wasn’t saying it to hurt me, she just wanted me to be happy. 

‘She is right you know. We need to be with our mate.’ Flint, my wolf said. I could feel his desperation as he spoke to me, she was even more desperate for his mate than I was. 

“Fine. I will get my work into a good position and then leave the pack for a few weeks in search of my mate.” My mom smiled at my words but my wolf just grumbled louder. 

‘Silly human. At least our mate is smart, she will find us soon.’ He replied. 

My heart fluttered at the thought of having her in my arms. I tried to get him to explain what he meant so I could see her sooner but he cut off our link and refused to talk to me further. At least I now knew I wouldn’t have to wait for her much longer.

– Author’s note - I will be adding in some snippets from Elijah’s POV as requested by my readers but the rest of the book will remain from Diana’s POV