Chapter three

Ariana's POV

“mate?”

“Mate!”

I said right after him, staring in shock. Back then in class, I didn't get to see his face properly, but up close I was speechless. His face was perfectly structured and beautiful.

The way his lips were carved was so sexy that I could feel a magnet pulling me right to him to capture them in mine. My thoughts turned chaotic. I was stuck between admiring his beauty or saying something.

“You are my mate? Wow, not bad.” he suddenly smiled, still staring at me.

My heart began to pound heavily in my chest. This was the first time I was confronted by a boy who happened to be my mate. The other guy, Marcus, came to me with nothing but lies.

All I had for him was hatred, but with this person before me, I felt pulled towards him. He was giving me butterflies, and I was able to tell he was my mate.

Sniff! Sniff!

He started sniffing the surrounding air. All these while I could see he had something to say but had been holding back. His sudden action tucked me to the edge and I became uncomfortable.

Not because I didn't like what he was doing, but feared he might reject me if he found out I was wolfess.

“I can't smell your wolf. What's wrong?” he asked, raising a brow at me while I shuddered but was quick to conceal that side.

“Ooh, it must be the strong perfume I am putting on,” I forced a smile hoping he would believe. 

But then, his gaze turned piercing on me, almost as though he could see deep into my soul. My heart was beating loudly, and I squeezed my hand to control it, but I couldn't.

“You are nervous. You are lying, ain't you?” he sneered and I jerked. 

“No, wait yes. I just met my mate who happens to be a  charming hot boy, and he is this close to me, almost kissing me and you expect me not to be nervous?” I put on an act while he stared closely at me, not stepping away or blinking an inch.

“You are way beautiful yourself and I don't feel nervous. My wolf is already pushing me to Mark you right here and now,” he said, and suddenly, I saw his eyes flickering from normal brown to green.

“But I can't!” he grumbled and I shivered thinking I was going to be attacked. His aura changed as he was forcefully trying to control his wolf. His fingers tightened and dripped blood on the floor.

To me, those didn't matter. His words did.

“Why?” I said, my voice shaking.

“Because I am here to study. We will be graduating in a year and that day I will mark you. I have to bring home my mate, so I can be crowned the next Alpha of my pack.” he explained while I exhaled a sigh of relief. 

He wasn't going to reject me? At least that was better. Even though he wouldn't mark me now, I was ready to wait for him, no matter how long it took. Who knows, before then I might get a wolf.

“Brother! Brother!”

Someone yelled from afar and looking towards it, I saw a chubby boy walking towards us. He had a cheerful grin while coming, but then looking at the person before me, I saw his expression turned cold.

“That's my brother, Darius,” he said to me, frowning.

“Brother, who is that lady beside you?” Darius asked as he reached for us. His belly was so fat that it kept dancing along that way as he walked towards us, and worst of all was that he was a loud eater. 

There was a bag of chips in his hand and each crunch he took sent an annoying noise.

“Ooh, she's my mate. Meet my mate…” he said, turning towards me. “Sorry I forgot to ask your name?” he added.

“Ariana,” I smiled.

“Now you've heard. Her name is Ariana,” he said, turning to Darius. 

But the latter didn't say anything and stood there staring at me like there was something on my face. I began to feel uncomfortable.

“What?” he growled.

“She's pretty. Damien, she's pretty” Darius replied, and I saw his cheeks turn red.

“Yeah, she is. Now let's go! We have to attend the pack run.” he scolded.

The way he talked was as though he didn't like Darius to be around him, or maybe he didn't want the latter to meet me yet. Since it was private, I didn't ask.

“Your name, Damien?” I flushed.

“Yes. I'll see you around, mate.” he winked at me before dragging his brother away.

I flushed. Did he call me mate? Did he just call me mate? I was smiling widely and even forgot I had been scolded earlier by our teacher.

“You have made new friends already?” Daina's voice unexpectedly came from behind, and I found myself almost jumping out of my skin.

I didn't answer at first, and she walked right to my front. Her eyes searched me until she saw how red my cheeks had become.

“You are blushing? What's going on?” she asked curiously.

“You won't believe it. That person, Damien, is my mate!” I said happily. 

“What?” she exclaimed. Her expression changed into a frown, while her voice was cold.

“Yes, he is my mate,” I said again, ruling out that fact.

“You mean the Alpha brothers, one of them is your mate?” she yelled, sounding surprised.

“It's shocking, right? I didn't believe it at first. He came to me and called me mate.” my cheeks reddened the more.

“We have to head over to the packrun now. Let's go.” Her voice turned cold as she said.

I expected a smile at least, but she had a frown on her face instead. 

“What's wrong? You are not happy for me?” I asked, refusing to walk with her. I could be a fool on other things, but that expression on her face, I could read it.

“No! It's not like that,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Then it's like how? Talk to me, please.” I urged.

However, she took a while, seeming like she was mulling over her thoughts. From time to time, she kept biting her lips, intensifying my curiosity.

“Talk to me, Diana, please." I urged running out of patience.

“He… has a record… of,” she stammered.

“A record of what? Talk to me.” I grumbled.

“Of sleeping with women. He goes to the brothel almost every day. I am shocked to hear that someone like that is your mate.” she said.