Chapter 2

ZULEIKA’S POV

Ever since Zade introduced Lavin as his best friend and housemate, he never ceased to taunt me at any slightest chance he gets.

Funny how girls from college would die for him. If only they knew petty and big of a bully he was, they wouldn’t be tripping for someone like him.

“Isn’t he so hot?” Freckles squirmed, staring at Lavin’s  and Zade’s photo on her phone.

“You must be sick, Freckles.” I shook my head, grabbing my backpack, ready to leave since our classes were cancelled for some reasons best known to the gods or maybe the lazy-ass lecturers.

“Admit it, Leika. Lavin and Zade are hotties. You’re lucky you got one as your brother and the other as your brother’s best friend.” Her eyes remained glued to the phone and I couldn’t help but sigh.

Freckles had finally joined the herd.

Another victim of college girls falling for charming, cocky wolves like Zade and Lavin.

“I’m leaving for the cafeteria,” I rose to my feet. “You can keep staring at them.”

“What, no! You can’t leave me here!” She yelled, grabbing her back pack also. “Let’s leave for the cafeteria then, I’m so famished.”

A laugh tore off my lips at her sudden change in attitude. I’ve never seen anyone whose mood changes faster than Freckles’.

One minute ago, she was ogling over my brother and his best friend and the next, she was rubbing her flat stomach, complaining that she was famished.

“What should we choose? I’m so tired of the boring menu in the cafeteria.”

Her lips formed into a pout and her brows arched, a sign of her displeasure which only made me chuckle.

Before I could give her a reply, my phone dinged and when I checked whose message it was, it turned out to be from Zade. My older brother.

‘Come down to the lodge. I need you to do something for me.’

I frowned upon reading the message. Why would the almighty Zade, the captain of the football team need the help of his nerd little sister?

“Freckles, you’d need to go to the cafeteria alone. Zade wants me at his lodge.”

Freckles heaved a sigh, her displeasure obvious. “I guess I will have to go on my own.”

“I’m really sorry.”

I grabbed my backpack and left the class, heading to the sports lodge.

The walk from the campus to the sports lodge took about five minutes and once I arrived, I headed to the football and Hockey team lodge.

Ever since I became a student at MCcall College, I kept wondering why the football and Hockey team lodge were merged together.

If anything, hockey and ice skating should be together, since both sports are played on ice. But it turned out my question would never get an answer, because no one was interested in telling me, not even Zade, my brother.

Upon arriving at the entrance door to the lodge, I paused and inhaled sharply before placing a knock on the door.

It’d be rude of me to barge into a lodge filled with boys, who might probably be naked or shirtless.

I would rather let the earth swallow me than embarrass myself in front of hundreds of boys—naked boys.

My brows furrowed when I didn’t get a response. Zade specifically asked for my present at the lodge, so he was expected to respond when I got there but why wasn’t anyone responding?

Raising my folded knuckles to the door, I placed a knock once again, this time I got a response.

Initially, it wasn’t a response but a groan from someone, like I had just interrupted their alone moment.

“Zade? Zade, is that you?” I asked but got no reply this time.

Without wasting as much as a second, I grabbed the door knob and pushed it open.

I thought it was Zade who groaned like he was sick, that was why I was prompted to push the door open, but when I did, I almost regretted it.

First; there was no one in the lodge, well, except for one.

Two; when I heard someone groaned, I thought it was my brother, so I hastily pushed the door open.

Third; Turned out that the person who groaned like I had interrupted their moment was my brother’s best friend, Lavin.

He was dressed in a hoodie and his hair damped. His rumpled hair made him look like a rag doll and that earned a chuckle from me.

I wasn’t meant to chuckle, at least not in that kind of situation. I was supposed to ask him where Zade was and why he needed me to do something for him.

“Why are you here, Leika?” His deep voice rang out, snapping me out of my daze. “Zade is not here.”

“Exactly.” I nodded, meeting his gaze. “I got a text from him. He wants me here so I can help him with something.”

“Call him, then. You just interrupted me.”

For a second, I saw his eyes blazed with anger, but it disappeared as fast as it came.

“Well, then, I’m not sorry. If you need someone to blame, Zade should be the one.” I rolled my eyes as I reached for my phone in my cross bag.

I dialed Zade’s line but he didn’t pick it up. Not the first call and neither the second.

If he wasn’t going to be in the lodge, why would he call me to help him?

All I wanted was to leave the lodge as I couldn’t stand a minute with Lavin.

Just when I was about to call for the third time, a message popped in and upon reading it, my pupils dilated in shock.

‘You need to help Lavin. You both have to kiss.’

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Zade!” I smiled. A smile of disbelief. “Why would I do that!”

“Why are you screaming? Can you please lower your voice? No one is screwing your pussy,” Lavin’s face twisted in anger, his nostrils flaring. “Easy there, tigress.”

I had no idea why he was suddenly mad because I doubt it was because of my sudden burst into the lodge.

My gaze narrowed on Lavin as I asked, “you know about this, don’t you?”

“From my knowledge, Leika, I don’t think I owe you an explanation.” He simply said as he rose to his feet, throwing his hands into his pants.

“Zade wants us to do it together!” I stomped my feet to the ground.

“And why can’t you say it?” He snapped his head toward my direction, his jaw clenched. “Are we fucking? No? So why can’t you say what Zade needs us to do?”

“He wants us to kiss!” I yelled. “This might not be a big deal for you because I know you don’t give a flying fuck about it, but it is a big deal for me!”

“And why is it a big deal? I doubt this is your first kiss.” His lips stretched into a smirk. “You were good at masturbating, so I doubt you’ve not had your first kiss.”

Raising my hand, I raked it into my hair in frustration. “Why would Zade want us to kiss? Why?”

Even if I was to do it, at least there should be a reason. I can’t just let Lavin kiss me like a worthless whore without giving me a detailed explanation on why we had to do it.

“Why not ask your brother? I told him not to do this because I can handle it myself, but he insisted.”

“And what is that fucking thing!” I stomped my feet once again but Lavin’s eyes darkened.

His dark gaze met mine and for a second, I couldn’t breath.

The way his gaze ceased me up, I forgot how to breathe.

“You don’t raise your voice at me, Leika. If you do, I will make you regret it.” He drew, taking slow but steady steps towards me.

While he neared where I stood, I took a step backwards until my back hit the wall.

A gasp escaped my lips as he towered over me like a god, while I looked like an insect in front of him.

“My father, the Alpha of the Darkfire Pack, is hosting the Gathering of the Blood Moon in a few weeks.” His voice was controlled now, colder.

“It’s a sacred rite. Every Alpha heir must present their chosen mate. Refuse, and you lose your claim.”

“And what does that have to do with me?” I muttered, feeling my fingers clutching the side of my dress. “Why do I have to help you?”

“You don’t have to, Leika.” Lavin let out the closest thing to a smile….. a smirk. “You can leave now and I won’t stop you.”

Immediately those words left his lips, I was tempted to run and never look back, but why was my legs not moving willingly?

They were frozen to the ground, unable to move an inch.

“Why not take one of your little fangirls?” I asked, swallowing the invisible lump in my throat.

“Because none of them matter. Look, I told Zade not to drag you into this, but he insisted. You can leave if you want to, I won’t force you, tigress.” His voice was low. But something in it made my wolf still.

My legs didn’t move. Couldn’t.

“What’s wrong? You also want a taste of my lips?” His full brows arched as he narrowed his gaze. “Leave, Leika. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Who said you’re hurting me? I will help you because my brother asked me to.” I blurted out without thinking and not until the words left my lips before I realized what I had done.

There was no going back again. I shouldn’t have offered to help. Why should I help someone I consider my enemy?

“Well then, thanks for your help,” He leaned a bit closer. So close enough our breaths mingled. “Thanks to your brother, I get to taste your lips.”

Without any warning or whatsoever, he captured my lips and kissed me—hard. Like it was the first and last kiss of his life.His lips moved against mine, rough and hungry. Like something ancient was waking up.

My eyes were still wide open in shock, while he kissed me.

My heart began to race in discomfort but I couldn’t push him away because I agreed to it.

“Fucking kiss me back, Leika.” He growled in my lips.

And I did. My eyes snapped shut afterwards as I reciprocated the kiss. One I detest so much.