2. Got away by an inch

2. Got away by an inch

Silence befell, and the crowded hall turned eerily still. Every existing soul was rendered motionless as they stared in the direction of table number five.

All the gazes burned holes in Aria’s back. To say she was used to all the ignorance and cold treatment everyone gave her. As every eyeball appraised her at this moment, she prayed for the windows to burst open. She wished for a tornado to sweep her out of the room and take her away.

Aria lacked the courage to face or fight them, so she did what she could to avoid their gaze! She shut her eyes tight, cutting out the sight of this nightmare. But her life was a nightmare in itself, and there was nothing that could stop this from happening. This was inevitable.

Her body turned white, and she shut her eyelids tighter. Blood drained from her cheeks as Aria waited for the touch of his lips to fall on her own.

Great! She was going to lose her first kiss to a bully. An undeserving, filthy bully who all but respected her.

“Stay right where you are with your bloody mouth, Neil Weaver!”

A voice boomed over her shoulder, making a trembling course through her. Bewitching cologne that she contemplated as smoky wood hit her nostrils. It fluttered her heart and twisted her guts.

‘Jake!!!’ Aria whispered his name as he stopped beside her.

His muscled arm brushed against her skinny one and sent a current of nervousness slamming into her. She forgot to breathe as she peered at him.

His dark as midnight eyes set ablaze as he regarded the five bullies. Aria lifted a hand to touch her chest as her heart raced fervently through the corridor of her chest, pounding with an unstoppable intensity.

“Jake. Calm down, buddy. We’re just having fun. No big deal.” Neil moved backwards while raising his hands in surrender. “You can ask Aria if you don’t trust me.”

Grasping the front of Neil’s shirt, Jake growled grimly in his face, “No big deal? She’s freaking white from all the panic you injected into her. Do you think that’s not a big deal?”

Shockwaves scattered throughout Aria’s being. Was he speaking in her defense? Jake Ragnar, the future Alpha of the Sapphire Blue Pack, was speaking for her, the omega who couldn’t help herself.

She pierced her nail in the pit of her palm. The biting pain made awareness seep into her consciousness that this was not a delusion.

“Why are you overreacting, buddy? Calm down. I am your friend and you know I—”

“Exactly! Because you are my friend, I know what a jerk you can be in situations like these. You better not bother her again. Do you get that?”

“Okay, fine. Let go of me.”

Jake looked to his side at Aria’s face as he released Neil with a jerk. The corner of his mouth twitched, sending a thousand butterflies dancing in her belly.

“I apologize for their behavior, Aria. You can go back to work.” The world dimmed around the edges as she scrutinized his mouth and the small smile it sported.

“T-thank you.” Aria mumbled, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over her.

He not only saved her from the torment of physical abuse, but he also safeguarded her from the dire consequences of being expelled from her job. She was so glad, but she couldn’t express it with anything more than a mumbled thank you.

“Aria,” She had barely moved when Jake called her.

His voice caught her heart aghast. It started palpitating at an abnormal rate, which did not go unnoticed by Jake. Aria felt him close the gap between them and stop a hair-breadth away from her. Yet he was so close that the warmth of his body infiltrated her spine.

“I want to apologize to you on their behalf! Look what they have done to you. You are trembling!”

It was after he mentioned this that Aria realized she was indeed shivering. It was not because of her classmates who bullied her; rather, it was because of him, Jake Ragnar, the pack's alpha-bearer and son of the alpha.

“Th-at is completely okay. But… they didn’t do anything. It is just that I am too shy to face people.” She lied since she didn’t want to mess with Neil and his friends and avoid the future aftermath.

Jake could only save her once from them, not always. Furthermore, Aria could not take the chance, given that these guys would find a way to bother her because they were that bad.

"You can not even lie properly, and you do not have to.  I have seen and heard everything!” She lowered her gaze to the floor before he noticed the glimmer in her eyes that emerged because of him.

This was her first ever close encounter with Jake Ragnar, and she already lied to him. What must he be thinking of her now? Aria stood there with her back still facing him. She didn’t have any courage to face him. Her stomach was in knots and her heart slowly climbing up to her throat.

This was his effect on her. No wonder she had a crush on him!

Even though they were classmates, Aria didn’t see him until it was the freshmen party. He was sweet to talk with. No, she didn’t talk to him, as she didn’t get any chance to. She had just seen glimpses of him talking with his friends with a warm smile. He was different, unlike other alpha kids who are arrogant and vile and consider others low.

Aria often wondered about his mate. So did others. He celebrated his eighteenth birthday a few months ago, and he still hasn't found his mate.

Jake was least bothered by her. Unlike other wolves, he refused to go look for her. He believed she would come when she wanted to come. Until then, he would enjoy his life.

But he has a girlfriend. A beautiful she-wolf who complimented his title yet contradicted his nature She was a narcissistic bully. Veronica, the daughter of the pack’s leading businessman and Alpha Ragnar’s friend.

Her lungs snarled for oxygen as Aria refused to breathe. She didn’t move either. Afraid that he might bring his gaze to appraise her. She waited for him to set her free from the invisible boundary of powers he drew around her. It was as if her movements depended on his commands, like it typically happens for typical omegas.

But he was indescribably different! Because what he did next shocked her to the very core.

Jake put his hand on her shoulder and made her turn around. His smile on his glowing handsome face came to her view, and she saw him assuring her, “You don’t have to be scared of anyone. Not when I am your alpha to be. I will make sure that these assholes never mistreat you again." He cast a glance toward her bullies over the table, and they apologized to her one by one.

“I am sorry, Aria. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Dilane said.

“It was a joke. We would never do it to you.”

“We are sorry as well.” They apologized, taking her by surprise.

“Th-that’s ok-okay...” She hesitantly mouthed, not sure if they did it out of regret or Jake’s fear.

To her dismay, the expressions on their faces indicated both.

“Alright then, I assume you will keep your apology in mind and never mess with her.” Jake said before letting her go away.

‘Goddess! Why do I get so nervous around him all the time?’ Aria wondered as she came back to the counter.

She was not pretty enough that the future alpha would help, was she?

Tbc...

His best friends are Dilane, Kai, Neil, Zack, and Oliver.