Love Sick

Avoidance, camouflage and disappearance had become my new normal. Since my birthday, I had been doing everything in my power to stay out of Xander’s way.

It wasn’t easy, especially at school, where our paths were bound to cross. In class, it was hard to ignore his oh so lovely scent. Making it hard for me to concentrate.

For an entire week, I had dodged him however I could.

Skipping lunch just so that we wouldn’t end up being close to one another.

Nor having to smell that scent of his making me fall in love with him even more.

Ive always had some sort of crush on him. He was a sweet soul.

With a lot of care and patience for those he cared for. He was also strong and very protective of his loved ones. But he was smart, too.

All aspects that made me love him. But more reason to avoid him.

But today, the moon goddess seemed determined to make her match.

We were all assembled in the school hall was, and there was no escaping from it.

Everyone was over the moon and whispering to one another how they couldn’t wait.

This time of year was when the allocated which pack would host the ball.

A ball that all unmated and of age wolves had to attend. There was no choice in that matter.

Principal Lawson stood behind the podium.

Clearing his throat through the microphone to grab everyone’s attention.

Not that it worked. “Ok, settle down, everyone. I have some important announcements to make.”

Silence flood the hall and a smile tugged at his lips.

“Morning, everyone. I have some exciting news to share.

This year, our pack will host the annual Mating Ball.”

And although everyone else was happy, I knew there was no excuse I could give for not attending.

Besides, my mother wouldn’t allow that.

“And,” Principal Lawson continued, “We’ll need a lot of help from the student body to help set up the pack hall for this event.

Let’s make sure we hold our pack’s name high.”

Shit, that meant I had to go and obviously Xander would be there, as he was the student council president.

They were always very active in these events.

As future alpha, he got that position automatically.

To teach him on a smaller scale, what responsibility was.

future beta following with vice president and so the ranking would go.

However, I was stupid enough to sign up as the assistant.

So I would work directly with him.

My heart sank into my stomach. Avoiding Xander was about to become a lot harder.

As the assembly came to a finish, I slipped away unnoticed.

The library was my only safe space.

A space where I could disappear into the stack of books and live life through their stories rather than my own.

Just as I was about to enter the library, a voice stopped me in my dead in my tracks.

“Dawn!” a voice I’ve heard a million times. And a voice that held so much power over my heart.

I spun around, my heart jumping into my throat.

Xander stood there, his presence commanding and completely impossible to ignore.

His hair was a cascade of golden curls that framed his handsome, chiseled face.

His emerald eyes that seemed to see right through me.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, his voice gentle.

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

All I wanted to do was tell him and leap into his arms and have us run away into the sunset together, happy forever.

But this wasn’t a fairytale where the princess got her man.

Where consequences just fade away when the couple gets together.

In fact, ours would just grow in abundance.

“dawn?” he called my name, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I liked my name on his mouth. “I haven’t been avoiding you,” I lied..

He stepped closer, his mouth only inches from my ear.

“Tyler told me what happened at the training camp with Amanda.

Why did you let her do that?” he whispered and I felt his breath dance on my skin, make goosebumps erupt all over me.

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Instead, I found myself staring at him, my mind drifting away from what he said.

The way the sunlight danced across his curls, the depth of emotion in his eyes.

He was absolutely mesmerizing. I couldn’t get myself to look away.

“Are you okay?” Xander asked with concern.

He had never seen me be lovesick so I don’t think he could recognize it, or at least I so I hoped.

He reached out, lightly touching my arm with his fingertips.

Bringing on a second wave of goosebumps. And making my body grow hot.

I snapped out of the trance. Feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

Coating them in red. “I…I’m f…fine,” I stumbled over two brief words. “I just... I have to go.”

Xander’s gaze softened. Making my feet feel glued to the ground.

We stood there, locked in each other’s gazes.

The world around us fading away.

His eyes held a softness that made my heart ache.

“Dawn,” he began, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

The way he looked at me with such care and gentleness—it was too much.

“I really have to go,” I blurted out, turning on my heel and swiftly leaving the hallway.

I didn’t stop until I was outside the school, the cool air hitting my red face.

I needed to get home. I needed to cool down.

I pushed through my front door to be greeted by the Luna Scarlett and my mother having tea.

Was there anyway of escaping any traces of Xander?

“Luna,” I greeted Scarlet formally, bowing my head.

My face was still flushed, my heart still beating like that of an African drum.

almost freeing itself from my sternum with its rhythm.

Scarlet smiled. “No need for the formalities, Dawn. We’re practically family.”

Her words only made me blush harder.

if she knew who my mate was, she would make us official family within the next week.

“Th-thank you,” I mumbled, trying to avoid their curious gazes.

“Is everything alright, dear?” Riley asked, concern and curiosity revealing itself in her tone.

“hmmm” I nodded my head, not trusting myself enough to speak.

I needed to elude everyone’s questioning gazes.

I needed to be alone, just me and my wolf.

So I brushed past them and ran upstairs.

As soon as I closed my bedroom door behind me, I heard my stepfather Asher’s voice through the door.

“What’s up, Birdie?”

“Just need to lie down,” I called back, trying to sound convincing.

“Not feeling well.”

“Alright, feel better. I’ll get you some chicken soup later,” he replied.

I heard his footsteps fading away.

I threw myself onto the bed.

“Why is this so hard?” I asked myself.

“because you deny us what rightfully ours,” my wolf Ryka answered, mocking me.

“the real question is why deny our bond?” she continued.

I rolled my eyes at her hard enough that she could feel it.

My mind kept going back to him. The way he had looked at me.

The Way his fingers brushed my arm.

What that simple act did to me—it was all too much.

How was I supposed to deal with this?

How was I supposed to face him?

Knowing what I knew and keeping it from him?

My thoughts drifted back to the Mating Ball.

In just a week. Xander would turn eighteen, causing the bond to become even stronger and harder to ignore.

I had to become strong enough for the rejection that was about to come.

The rejection I would have to start.

How was I supposed to do that when, every time I saw him, I swooned and fell apart right in front of him?

I buried my face so deep into the pillow it was almost smothering, but not nearly as smothering as Xander’s scent.

I let myself cry at the dark path that lay ahead for me.

A bond that I wanted to have so badly that couldn’t be, no matter what.