The Alpha's pretend mate

AVELORA Our school was built to unite the tribes, not to separate us.Then why are we in ranks? Why am I part of the working population when I’m supposed to be a student like everyone else?I was supposed to be equal, at least, equal in illusion?Our hierarchy was so strict that even the cafeteria wasn’t exempted.I balanced the fancy silver food tray that was exclusively prepared for Alpha Khyrix as I stepped into the restricted dining hall."I hope he falls on his butt at his coronation tonight." I muttered, staring down at the tray.As expected, Natalia was wrapped around him like second skin. His beta, Zayn, lounged to his right with two other guys sitting next to him, I didn't bother to learn their names because they hadn't bother to learn mine.Natalia planted her lips on his cheek, she then looked up at me as if making a point.I almost gagged but set the tray on the dining table anyway, Khyrix didn’t even glance up, he was totally absorbed in his phone, his body relaxed and

AVELORA “What do you mean?”The words barely left my mouth before my entire existence collapsed under its weight.“You’re not my mate,” he repeated, like that explained everything. I shut my eyes in frustration as I ran my hand through my already disheveled hair."you know what...?" I exhaled sharply I'm not even going to ask. " I moved to walk past him but was pulled back.His hand closed around my wrist. “I’m sorry,” he said, firm. “But you are the best option.”A broken laugh fell from my lips."Oh, because I'm convenient?" I made an air quote, tears burning behind my eyes "Wow, I'm flattered""No." he said "Because you are the best option."That stopped me. "what?" I stared at him, waiting for him to explain, Waiting for the reason he thought justified ruining my life in one night.I swear, if this was some elaborate prank, I was absolutely poisoning his tea and spitting in his favorite food."Because even though you go here, this is the first time I've seen you."Wow. “I’ve been

AVELORA The door flew open.It wasn’t pulled or pushed by anyone. It burst wide, as if the wind itself had forced its way in, yet the hallway beyond was empty. And still, the room shifted.Something moved through the air, through me. It slid beneath my skin, crept into my bones like a whispered warning.Pressure bloomed behind my eyes. All too familiar and terrifying. “That’s my mother,” Khyrix said, spinning me so I faced him.'Finally'.The word brushed against my mind, uninvited. Mybreath caught. “Avelora.”Khyrix’s voice reached me, distant, as though it had to fight its way through something thick and unseen. But it tangled with another voice, one I knew far too well. “Avelora.” a voice so soft and certain.The same one from my dreams.“Hey,” Khyrix murmured, grounding me. “We need to sell this.” I nodded, clinging to that thought as energy surgedthrough me, wild and uncontained.“Okay,” I breathed.That was the last thing I managed before his lips met mine.The contact snapped

Khyrix"Mate," my wolf—Torin—growled as I stepped through the crowd, the familiar scent hitting my nose. Wild jasmine, the scent of the girl that serves me with a scowl on her face every morning.Torin pounded against my chest, urging me to be faster in my search for her. I moved through the crowd without slowing, wolves parting for me.I spotted her in the distance, right beside Natalia."We warned her to stay away," my wolf growled.She stood there, completely unaware.Her wolf was supposed to be dormant, not nonexistent.And yet the bond thrummed against my chest angrily while she stood there, her usual scowl on, as though I were nothing more than her Alpha.Nothing more.I stopped just in front of her, eyes wide as she stared at me. I could feel her pulse jump.Good. She felt it too.I leaned down, close enough that my mouth brushed her ear. “Mate.”Her breath hitched.The reaction was immediate: her fingers twitched, her pupils dilated, and the air between us thickened.Mine.The

# Chapter nineThe impact of her body hitting mine sent us both sprawling back into the closet. My head cracked against the hardwood shelf, and for a second, my vision went blank."You little thief," a voice hissed.My eyes snapped open to see Natalia. She wasn't the polished, untouchable Natalia. Her face was contorted, her teeth bared in a snarl that was more wolf than human. She had her hands bunched in the fabric of the hoodie, Alpha Khyrix's hoodie, exactly the same one I had on, and she looked like she wanted to shred it, and me, to pieces."I... Natalia, stop," I gasped, trying to push her off."You’re wearing his scent," she spat, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You think because he brought you here, you’re special? You’re a placeholder. A charity case. He’s an Alpha, he needs a Luna with blood that matters, not a servant who can’t even find her own wolf." She shoved me harder against the shelving. A row of alpha Khyrix’s shoes tumbled down around us."He’ll get bored," she wh