Chapter 3

CASPIAN.

I combed my sandy blonde hair with my hand before I smoothed the shirt I was wearing and got out of my car. I went directly to the back seat door and picked up the bouquet of flowers I bought for Andrea.

Today is her graduation day, and I was on my way to attend the ceremony. And then, later tonight, I would be accompanying her to her graduation ball.

I couldn't conceal the happiness radiating within me at the thought of seeing her.

Although she didn't call back like she said she would, I was still in high spirits. That one conversation with her was enough to build my confidence back.

I would do everything to woo her and make her my Luna.

I opened my mindlink as I made my way to the school auditorium. I wanted to see her before the ceremony started.

'Andrea? Are you around? I'm on my way to the auditorium.' I sent her a mindlink and I could sense her mind was open.

But she didn't reply. It might be that she was busy or that she was talking with someone.

Mindlinking someone is possible in close proximity within human territory, but we needed to be careful. White flecks appeared around the pupils once a mindlink was established, so I was not worried that she wasn't responding. It was enough she knew I was already here. 

I was ushered inside the auditorium and pointed to the seats reserved for families of the graduating class. But before I could find my seat, I was intercepted by a female wearing a pencil skirt dress with her hair in a tight bun. She was indeed beautiful, but not as beautiful as my Andrea. And she was human.

"Hi!" She flashed me a wide smile, showing off her pearly white teeth. It didn't slip my eyes the way she gazed at my body before tilting her head up to look at my face. "I haven't seen you here before. Are you here with one of the graduates?" She asked in such a seductive tone that I couldn't help but internally grimace. 

I was used to she-wolves flirting and throwing themselves at me, given my Alpha title, but I never flirted back with anyone.

Flirting was not my game. I wasn't sure if I even knew how to flirt.

And I think I got used to the attention so that it wasn't affecting me anymore. They could bat their eyelashes the whole day or strip naked in front of me, but it wouldn't change anything.

My heart was set on only one woman.

"Yes. Andrea Milton." I answered in a cold voice, my eyes fleeting from her to the group of students entering the hallway from the other side. I was hoping I could spot Andrea, but she wasn't one of them.

"Oh! Drea! Yes, I know that girl. She's quiet but a really smart girl." She bit her lower lip, fluttering her eyelashes before she extended her hand in front of me, "By the way, I'm Shannon. I'm one of the faculty here. And you are?"

"Caspian." I answered curtly and shook her hand.

And then I smelled her. Andrea was nearby.

"Caspian..." Her soft voice came from behind me. I pulled my hand from Shannon's and turned my body to face Andrea.

I saw her gaze go to Shannon, and a flash of anger crossed her face before she looked back at me, her eyes accusing me of something I couldn't comprehend at the moment.

"Hi!" I greeted her. I was suddenly lost for words.

She was wearing a white dress that ended at midthigh and was holding her graduation gown in her arms. She had her dark hazelnut hair curled at the ends, and her face was left bare of any color or make-up, and she looked perfect despite the scowl that was evident on her face.

"Hey, Drea!" Shannon came out and stood beside me. "The ceremony is about to begin, so you should head to the backstage area for a debriefing. Don't worry, I will walk your brother to his seat."

Andrea's brow raised as she grabbed my hand, pulling me to her side.

"No, thanks, Miss Shannon! I want to talk with him for a second." She said this in a cold voice before turning around and dragging me with her.

"Okay, just make it fast then. It's nice to meet you, Caspian." Shannon said as we walked away.

I turned my head and nodded at her before putting my whole attention back on the female who still scowling at me as she dragged me away.

I couldn't help the grin tugging at my mouth at her action. Was she jealous? 

"Why didn't you tell her you're not my brother?" She stopped and faced me, letting go of my hand as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why didn't you?" I asked back, swiping my tongue on my upper lip discretely as I enjoyed the look on her face. 

"Well, if she didn't spend her working days fucking every human with a dick, then she should have known that I don't have a brother!" She was snapping at me and I couldn't hide the smug smirk on my face. She looked adorable when she was pissed off.

"Is that jealousy I detect?" I asked, my eyes boring deep into hers.

"What? Her getting all the dicks? Hell, no!" She rolled her eyes, and I could still see the anger flaring in them.

"Her, getting my attention?" I was pushing my luck, but fuck this! I wanted to know. 

The scowl was wiped off her face as a red tint started to creep into her cheeks. She took a deep breath before shifting her eyes away from me, looking everywhere else until they landed on the bouquet of flowers in my hand.

"Are those for me?" She took it abruptly and started smelling them.

"Yes. I'm not sure what your favorite flower is, so I just chose what I thought suited you."

"Thank you. Peonies and dahlias." She said in a soft voice.

"You're welcome," I answered, but my forehead creased, confused by her last words. "What do you mean?"

"Peonies and dahlias. Those are flowers. Those are my favorites." She said this without taking her eyes off the flowers in her hand. 

Peonies. Dahlias. I would keep that in mind. 

"I should go to my seat now." She tilted her head and met my eyes.

I rubbed my hand over my neck. I wanted to take her away from here. Damn this fucking ceremony!

"Okay. I'll just go and find my seat then." 

"Wait." She slipped her hand into the side pocket of her dress and pulled out something. It was a small brooch with the school's insignia.

"You should have this." She moved in front of me and raised her hands up to the left front of my shirt. She pinned the brooch on the side of the pocket and smoothened my shirt while balancing her graduation gown and bouquet in her hands.

"There!" She exclaimed, a happy expression on her face as if she had just won something. "Only those who have this can sit in that section behind the graduates." She pointed at the row of seats just a few feet away from us. "Otherwise, they will throw you out of your seat." 

"Well, they can try. I don't think they can beat an Alpha." I winked at her, making her giggle as she twirled her fingers into her locks while stepping backward slowly.

Fuck! She looked tempting. Was she flirting with me?

"I should go. I'll see you after the ceremony." She turned around abruptly but stopped in her spot. 

My brows furrowed. What is happening now?

But before I could ask her what was wrong, she turned around in my direction and dashed in front of me, throwing her arms around my body as she slammed her face into my torso.

Damn! This felt fucking good!

My arms automatically wrapped around her petite frame as my hands brushed her back softly, letting her sweet scent fill my nose.

"Thank you for coming." She said in a hushed tone, and then she untangled herself away from me and walked in a fast pace towards the backstage.

'Of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world.' I told her in a mindlink, but she didn't answer back.

I watched as she disappeared from the backstage door before making my way to the rows of seats she had pointed out earlier.

I found a seat with her name on it. It was the only one.

I shifted my eyes and tried to scan the names of other vacant seats in the section, but I didn't find any more seats with her name.

I was her only guest then. And even if Riley did show up, the fact that he wasn't on Andrea's guest list meant something.

I sat contently and let my eyes roam around the auditorium as it slowly filled with humans. I hated being in a crowd, but I didn't mind it this time.

'Caspian..' Her voice rang in my head, and a smile tugged at my lips. 'Behave. I can see your eyes from here. I'm the one graduating, all attention should be on me.' Her voice was teasing me, but somehow, I could feel the truth in them. She wanted my attention all to herself.

'My attention is all yours...' I answered her back as my head snapped to the crowd of graduates going to their assigned seats. 

'Good.' She replied back as my eyes caught her looking at me with a lovely smile on her lips.

I let out a deep sigh as I leaned my back on the seat, watching her as she took her place.

If she only knew, my attention has been drawn to her since the day she stepped into my life.