You are Interesting

Cole POV 

The locker room fell silent. Aiden leaned against the doorway, one of his hands in his pocket and his dark eyes fixed on Lucas. A small smile appeared on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes.

He said lazily "Practice ended ten minutes ago. Why are you still bothering my little wolf?"

Hearing it, I clenched my jaw and said with gritted teeth "I told you not to call me that."

Aiden didn't even look at me, his attention stayed on Lucas.

Lucas crossed his arms, forcing a smile and said "I was talking to my brother."

Aiden’s one eye raised and he asked with a mocking tone "You call that talking?" 

His voice remained calm, but I could feel his anger beneath his words. 

Lucas shrugged and said with a casual tone "What I do with my family isn't your business."

Aiden took one slow step forward, like a Predator, and said with his cold voice, "No, it becomes my business when I have to keep pulling your hands off him."

The room grew colder. Several teammates quietly slipped out of the locker room, pretending they had somewhere else to be. Nobody wanted to stand between two future Alpha heirs and I wanted to hide my face. Seriously, what's wrong with this guy? What kind of talking was that? Everyone looked at me weirdly. I really want to become invisible at that moment.

Lucas laughed "You've known him for what? Three days?"

Aiden finally stopped walking, his eyes narrowed slightly and he said in a low voice "Long enough."

I frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Dude, I knew about you because of your arrogance and Playboy nature. Not to mention, my fated mate chose him. But I was invisible in the academy. I was pretty sure that if my so-called fated mate didn't reject me in front of everyone, they wouldn't even know my name. How could this guy who declared himself an untouchable ruler knew me before?

Lucas looked at me "See? He's playing with you."

Yeah, genius, I also can see it. No need to point out.

I rolled my eyes and answered "I don't care." 

Lucas smirked and said with a teasing voice "You should."

After that, he walked past me, deliberately bumping my shoulder before leaving the locker room and the door slammed shut behind him.

I really want to punch my brother. He was really annoying me.

After he left, the atmosphere became silent again.

I let out a slow breath then I turned toward Aiden and asked with an annoying voice "What is wrong with you?"

Aiden tilted his head, a smirk appeared on his face and he said with a teasing voice "That's an interesting question."

I narrowed my eyes and said "You keep interfering."

He said without hesitation "I do."

What a shameless cr**p. He didn't even hesitate.

I asked with gritted teeth "You keep calling me yours?"

He nodded "I do."

I continued "You threatened your own teammates because of me."

He nodded again "I did."

His answers came so easily that I almost forgot what I wanted to say next.

I rubbed my forehead and asked "Why?"

For the first time since I'd met him, he didn't answer immediately.

His eyes searched my face quietly then he looked away and murmured "You'll find out."

I was really tired of him and said "I don't want to."

A faint smile returned on his face "That's not how curiosity works, little wolf."

I rolled my eyes and said "I hate that nickname."

He nodded again "I know."

He was really annoying and I wanted to punch his pretty face.

I said with gritted teeth "Then stop using it."

He said immediately "No."

I stared at him. Was he crazy? What's wrong with him?

I continued "You really enjoy making people angry."

He looked back at me and said with a low voice "No, I only enjoy making you angry."

…………………

The rest of the afternoon became another nightmare. By the time I reached the library, whispers were already spreading again.

Someone said "They were together in the locker room."

Another one asked "Did you see Cross?"

Another person said "He was fighting with Lucas."

Someone said “Cross’s taste has become worse. Serena is better than that loser Cole”.

Another person said “She even rejected that loser because of Aiden. How could Aiden choose a loser over her?”

I tightened my grip around the history book in my hands. These good classmates of mine didn't even bother to whisper anymore. They discussed these things in front of me. There should be another topic in our syllabus and it should be gossip. I was pretty sure everyone would get a high score in that subject. 

And that jerk Aiden Cross! He wasn't satisfied to humiliate me when my mate rejected me because of him. He made sure to make my life a living hell. Well, I knew he was arrogant and rude, but I never thought he was a psycho. 

Well, it's good. My so-called ex-mate would finally find her real mate. They both were crazy and unfortunately, they both targeted a nobody like me.

I was not stupid enough to not understand how this rumour circulates. Serena was the school bell. Everyone admires her. One word from her could destroy anyone's life.

What unfortunate luck I got. After rejection by my mate, I can't live peacefully. I even had to suffer from her ragging and that jerk's harassment.

I really want to ask the moon goddess what crime I committed previously, you gave me this kind of luck.

I sat at my usual table near the window. It was finally peaceful or so I thought.

Five minutes later, the chair across from me scraped against the floor.

I didn't have to look up. I knew this jerk very well.

I murmured "You've got to be kidding me."

Aiden rested his elbow on the table and asked with a teasing voice "Studying?"

I rolled my eyes and asked with an annoying voice "What does it look like?"

He said "You looked lonely."

I said with a calming voice "I wasn't."

He continued "You are now."

I sighed. I was tired of him. Seriously, I really want to know what this guy would take to leave me alone.

I asked with a tired voice "Cross?"

He replied "Hm?"

I asked with a tired voice "Do you ever leave me alone?"

He replied without hesitation "No."

I looked at him and asked "Why?"

A smile appeared on his face and he said "Because you are interesting."

What was that? What did that mean? And why the hell did he think I was interesting? For god sake, I was not an omega but an Alpha.

I replied "I am the most boring person in this academy."

A smirk appeared on his face and he said "You should look at yourself through my eyes then you will know that you are the most interesting person I have ever seen, little wolf."

Before I could answer, two students walked past our table.

One of them laughed loudly and said with a mocking voice "Looks like the rejected Alpha found himself a sugar daddy."

The other student snorted "I guess Cross likes collecting broken toys. He will be bored with him after some time."

My fingers tightened around my pen. I kept my head down and ignored them but I heard the chair beside me suddenly move. When I looked at the source, I saw Aiden's angry face. 

The two boys noticed him and immediately stopped laughing. They didn't notice him before. He walked toward them without saying a word.

One of them swallowed and said "We were just joking."

A smile appeared on Aiden's face and he said with a colder voice "I wasn't."

Neither student waited to hear anything else, they turned around and ran.

The library became silent again.

I looked at Aiden and said "You don't have to do that."

He returned to his seat and said "But I want to."

I narrowed my eyes and asked "Why?"

He met my eyes and said "Because every time someone hurts you, I get irritated. No one can hurt you, only I can hurt my little wolf."

I blinked. That wasn't the answer I expected.

He leaned back in his chair and said lazily "Anyway, did you eat? Or you are still on hunger strike because of those useless people's gossip."

Yeah, an untouchable future ruler like him did not care about gossip or rumors but a nobody like me was affected by this gossip. After all, unlike him my family didn't support me.

I looked away from him and said "You need help."

Aiden laughed and said with a humorous tone "I've been told."

Before I said anything, the bell echoed across campus, and all students began packing their bags.

I stood up and said "I'm leaving."

He stood up too and said "So am I."

I narrowed my eyes and said "No, you are not walking me back."

Hearing it, he raised an eyebrow and asked with a teasing voice "Who said I was?"

I rolled my eyes and said "I know you. You can't give up any idea to embarrass me."

He sighed and said "You really don't."

His words lingered in my mind as we walked out of the library. Outside, the evening wind carried the smell of rain and for a brief moment, we walked side by side without arguing or speaking.

It felt strange but comfortable and it made me forget he was still Aiden Cross, my rival, the most dangerous person at Blackthorne Academy.

And somehow, the only person who kept showing up for me whenever everyone else walked away.