Chapter 6

_Xena's POV_

The moment I arrived home, I shut the door behind me and leaned on it.

The memories of the events that occured today, made my eyes well up with unshed tears.

Why did it have to be me?

Why did I have to be the unlucky one? Why did I have to be paired with a junior?

Just why?

Did I perhaps offend the moon goddess unknowingly?

That was the only genuine explanation to why I was mated to Ryder, the Alpha's son!

This was the second time such a thing happened in history, and I was the unfortunate one to make history repeat itself.

As a history teacher, I knew of a certain lady whom her mate had been 10 years younger than her. It wasn't a nice experience for her at first, but they got along quite well as their life progressed and eventually ended up happy together.

Though their love was recorded in history, a love that made many cry and laugh, I still didn't want to be a victim of such forbbiden romance. Why couldn't I have gotten someone older? Even if it was just a year older or two years older, I just didn't mind.

But someone younger? And my student?!

That was a curse!

The door bell suddenly rang, startling me from my position of leaning on the door.

Was it Ryder?

Layla hadn't said anything to me yet, I didn't bother asking either.

I looked through the peephole of the door and let out a deep sigh of relief when I saw Valkyrie standing outside and her lips twitching impatiently.

I hurriedly pulled open the door and threw myself into his arms.

"Hey, Hey, Hey! Watch it!" She exclaimed, almost losing her balance and falling to the ground.

"Why the sudden hug?" She questioned again as I pulled away from the hug to look at her face.

"Wow, you're crying? What's wrong?" She wiped the tears off my face as she pulled me along into the house.

We sat on the sofa and I directly leaned into her, letting her warm embrace envelope me. "Val, just let me stay this way for a while." I said, my voice muffled as my face was buried into her chest.

As I didn't have any parents, I had no one to lean on in time of difficulty and emotional traumas, Only Valkyrie was there as my everything.

She stayed, took care of me, and made sure I never had breakdowns. She was my emotional support, my family that I never had and my life support, after Layla.

"Xeny, tell me what the hell is wrong with you!" Valkyrie yelled, pulling me out of my train of thoughts. I cleared my throat, head still on her chest as I mustered up the courage to tell her about today.

"Val, I found my mate." I said quickly and felt her froze. I shut my eyes as the tears threatened to fall again. I just didn't want to stain her dress.

I wouldn't be that selfish.

After a while of silence from her end, she pushed me backwards a bit to look at my face.

"You're kidding me, ain't you?" She asked, her brow furrowed as she waited for my response.

"Why would I joke with something like this?" I asked her in return and that was when her eyes widened in realization that I was serious.

"Oh my goddess! This is great news!" She screamed and jumped from the chair. "Finally you can get mated and married! You'll finally be happy!"

I watched her continuously expressing her happiness and my tears fell even more. What would she do when she hears the heart breaking part.

"You should be happy and not crying your eyes out, Xeny!" She said to me and directly pulled me up. I smiled through tears and called her name softly, "Val.."

She just gave me a playful look and wiped my tears with a finger, "I know, I know, you must be so emotional right now. It's not something you expected, but you still have to be happy! Cheer up!"

She was literally not getting the hint that the tears falling from my eyes weren't ones of joy, but pain.

"Valkyrie can you hear me out for_"

I was asking when she suddenly cut me short again.

"No, No, No, I'm not going to listen to you this time. You'll do the listening, while I do the talking. Now sit down" she pushed me down to the sofa as I just watched her in disbelief.

She was this happy that I got my mate?

If this had really being the mate I wanted, I would surely have joined her in expressing my joy and gratitude. But this? This was not the mate I dreamed of having, it was better I never even met my mate.

"Xeny, this is your dream come true. The exact joy and happiness you've been seeking for so long. You should be smiling and dancing, even talking to him on the phone like a love struck fool. Not crying your eyes out." She said slowly, holding both of my hands in hers.

"I know it took the moon goddess this long to actually match you up with someone, but you still met him, didn't you?"

I shook my head at her words and she scrunched her face in disapproval.

"You shouldn't refuse, or you feel the goddess is stupid?" She asked me, her gaze narrowed.

"No! I don't feel the goddess is stupid" I hurriedly replied.

"Yes, the goddess is crazy." Layla suddenly said in my head and I just shut her out. She had been on mute for so long, so why would she speak up now?

"Then if you don't think the moon goddess is crazy why are you crying and shaking your head? You're not happy?" She asked me and I nodded instantly.

"It's beca_"

"Shhh, because you feel it's been so long?" Valkyrie cut me off again and I groaned in annoyance.

"Hear me out! Will you?!" I had to yell at her or she would never listen. "The moon goddess matched me up with no other person but Ryder Blackthorn, the Alpha's 18 years old son!"