Chapter 2
Eden
11
I usually like Monday mornings since the first thing we do in my class is see our mentor. Every class has one, and my class, SA3–social science class group 3–has a human woman named Gudrun.
Seeing her smile almost makes me forget what Logan let happen. Almost.
“Now, dears, it’s not often that we have new students joining us halfway through the year, but today is a special day. I would like to introduce you all to your new classmate, Azriel Rhysander. Isn’t that just lovely?”
Everyone glances at the door, including Logan and his crew. They even share looks with each other, as if it’s news to them that there’s a new student.
Paris whispers to Logan, “It can’t be a werewolf, right? Your dad hasn’t taken in any new pack members.”
“Not a werewolf,” Logan mutters, his arms crossed and eyes burning holes through the door. “But not a human either. This new student smells…weird.”
The door opens, and then I lay eyes on the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen.
No.
This is a man.
He is insanely tall–taller than Logan, who is an Alpha–with black hair that curls at the ends. His skin is tanned like he enjoys the sun, and it’s so smooth you could mistake him for an airbrushed supermodel. I’m weirdly aware of how horrible my own face must look right now, with the angry red acne that always pops up whenever I least expect it.
“Vampire?” I hear Hilda whisper.
“Not with a tan like that,” Paris whispers back. “But geez, I can’t tell whether I want to lick or marry him.”
Logan glares at his girlfriend before his eyes travel back to Azriel, who still hasn’t said a word. Gudrun is talking about how we must make him feel at home while his eyes sweep over the room.
He appears utterly disinterested…until our eyes lock. Despite his seemingly ordinary brown eyes, a peculiar sensation creeps over me, as if there’s something inexplicably wrong about his appearance.
The disinterest vanishes and he smiles like we’ve met before, but again, there’s no conversation. He just takes an empty seat and the day continues like normal.
Lunchbreak comes around and I fill up my plate. Every student eats for free at our gymnasium, which helps a lot since my mother’s money goes to alcohol.
“You might as well fill two plates next time,” Elvira giggles.
“Or none at all,” I hear Paris says, her usual mean–girl smile playing over her lips. “Keep eating like that and you won’t just be an ugly freak–you will be a fat ugly freak.”
Hilda, who was holding a glass of water, spits it out all over the floor when she laughs.” Nice one, Paris!”
My face burns. I’m not sure if it’s from anger or embarrassment. Maybe both. I want to fight back, say something, anything, but the words are glued to my insides. Elvira sends them all a withering look, but it doesn’t stop Logan and his crew from laughing even louder.
“They’re jerks,” Elvira says as they walk away. “Don’t listen to them.”
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10:19 Mon, 23 Jun O.
Chapter 2
I know I mumble a just sucks that they have to remind me every single day.”
22
We find a table at the back of the lunchroom: I focus on my food while Elvira chatters about the new student and wonders what he can be if not a human or a werewolf Part of me wants to ignore the conversation, especially after this morning’s disaster, bur Azriel’s arrival is too big of a mystery.
“Did you see the way he looked at you?” she asks over a spoon of chocolate pudding
“Who? Logen?”
No, silly Azriel Khysander
Her voice is dripping with envy but in a happy way. She swallows her dessert. “He hasn’t talked to a single person except Gudrun and the lunch lady, and he couldn’t stop staring at you all through that last class.”
That’s not true. I claim, opening my own chocolate pudding container. Elvira always gives me one. “And if it is, it’s only because he thinks I’m disgusting”
“Please.” Elvira rolls her eyes. “You’re way too much in your own head. I think he likes you,” she gasps. “Do you think he is your mate?
I almost choke on the spoon that’s inside my mouth but manage to take it out to whisper–yell, “Are you crazy? Of course not! He isn’t a werewolf!”
“Some people have human mates.”
I blow steam through my nose, my heart thunder clapping inside my chest since Elvira always speaks so loud. Some pack members are looking at us, and I slump forward, hoping no one will hear me as I continue our conversation.
I know, but not me, my eyes shift around the room. We aren’t being watched anymore, and I’m relieved. “I don’t think I have a fated mate. I want one and obviously need one to escape from the pack and my mother, but I don’t think I’m special enough to have one.
“Hmm, I don’t know you’re turning 18 soon. This could be your lucky year.”
I hear two loud voices, and my eyes land on Axel and then on Logan’s gorgeous face. Blonde hair, broad shoulders, and blue eyes–it’s easy to see why he is popular.
If only people knew how ugly his heart is…
I avert my eyes. “Or my unlucky year,” I murmur. “Logan doesn’t have a mate either.”
Elvira pauses before sighing and leaning close so that only I can hear her voice, “Now THAT would be unlucky, but I don’t think he is your mate. No offense, but have you ever heard of an Alpha having an omega mate?”
She is right. It rarely happens, but it does happen.
“I think you have better chances with Azriel,” she says, pushing the empty plastic cup away. “No matter what he is.”
Azriel is pretty, and he is silent. If I were to guess, I would say he is a nicer man than Logan. He would probably treat me with respect if we were mates.
I don’t admit it, not even to my best friend, but I spend the rest of the week dreaming about escaping with Azriel and secretly glancing at him.
When I sit in the cafeteria a week later, he draws so much attention that it’s impossible to ignore the girls who keep passing his table like lovesick puppies hoping to be petted. Even the guys look at him with awe.
The peculiar part is that he doesn’t seem to care about any of it. He gives short answers and moves on as if he’s got much
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Mon,
Chapter 2
D
better things to do than entertain them, and soon, his gaze wanders again, landing on…me.
But that’s the thing.
Why me?
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