Derrick’s pov:
Walking down the hallway, I couldn’t help but think about how to approach my mate at the party tonight. I’m not one for parties, but this is my chance to finally meet her. Who would dare miss today’s party? I’m determined to find her, even if it means leaving everything else behind. Today, I’ll discover why she ran away at that time.
“Maybe she was just surprised to be mated to you,” Ethan said, always supportive of her. It didn’t surprise me, considering he also wanted a mate. But I wanted one too.
“But I’m not that scary for her to run away on our first meeting,” I grumbled.
“How sure are you?” Ethan taunted.
“Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side, we’re one,” I complained.
Sticking his tongue out at me, he said, “I’ve been protecting and siding with you for years, but now I’m siding with our mate.”
“You sneaky creature…” I trailed off as a sweet smell hit my nose. It was a mix of strawberry and vanilla, just like my mate. Ethan and I fell silent as we followed the scent.
It wasn’t long before we spotted a figure in the distance. We hurried towards it, and as the scent grew stronger, I realized it was Nengi.
“No way, it can’t be Nengi,” I angrily exclaimed.
“She can’t smell like our mate… the moon goddess wouldn’t do this to us,” I murmured.
“Hey, calm down and look… it seems like there are two of them,” Ethan whispered, his focus on the scene. Squinting my eyes, I saw two figures – Nengi and another person I couldn’t see clearly.
“What’s happening here?” I asked with a serious tone. They hadn’t noticed my presence. I watched as Nengi forcefully pushed the other woman, making her cry out in pain. It was clear she would feel the impact of the fall.
I watched as Nengi pretended to help the girl she had put down on the floor to stand up. “What a pathetic wolf,” I inwardly mumbled, glaring at Nengi. With my wolf hearing, I could hear everything she whispered in the other girl’s ear. She tried to say it in a way that I shouldn’t hear, but who was she kidding? My wolf’s sharp ear can catch even the faintest of sounds. Nengi may seem sweet to the pack members, but to me, she is far from good or sweet. She is a demon, wicked, evil, and destructive, just like her father. I’ve never liked or been fond of her since our childhood.
“Only God knows what this girl she was bothering might have done,” I sadly mumbled. The smell grew stronger with each passing minute. The pain of being mated to Nengi sickens my stomach and makes my heart sink.
“I feel bad for this innocent girl,” I muttered.
“Same here,” Ethan countered.
“Hmm,” I chuckled as I took a step forward. That’s when the sweet smell hit my nose, a mixture of vanilla and strawberry. This time, it was stronger than before. My throat tightened as Nengi turned around. I held my heart in my hand, praying that the moon goddess didn’t make the mistake of pairing us together.
“Oh! ….. Baby boy just trying to help this pathetic fool up,” Nengi sarcastically mumbled but in a flirty tone as she turned around.
“You don’t ever call her a pathetic fool!!” I growled at Nengi, making her jerk back in shock. Glaring at her trembling in fear, I shifted my attention to the feminine figure. Our eyes connected, and it felt like ages as we couldn’t look away. Ethan screamed in my head, confirming that she was my mate. She looked mesmerizing and beautiful, but I noticed she seemed a bit skinny like she hadn’t eaten well for days. This boiled my anger.
“Mmm… Derrick, are you okay?” Nengi asked, clearing her throat. I had long forgotten she was even here, but her voice snapped me back to reality. I was furious that she was bothering my mate with her horrible character.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” I raised a brow at her. “You really thought I would support someone like you? Spare me the disappointment,” I sarcastically mumbled, a dangerous smile playing on my lips.
“What the fuck! How could you?” she surprisingly uttered, clearly taken aback by my lack of support and refusal to be fooled by her lies.
“And why couldn’t I?” I dangerously taunted her, enjoying the power shift in the conversation.
“How could you support her? Why should you support her instead of me?” she growled, her anger palpable.
“You’re wrong… I support what’s good,” I said firmly, my expression hardened. I resisted the urge to reveal that the girl she had been bothering was my mate, not because I wasn’t proud of it, but because I sensed she wasn’t ready.
“Really? I’m so disappointed,” she yelled, shooting daggers at the poor girl before storming away in anger. With Nengi gone, I finally had the chance to spend time with my mate. But when I turned around, she was nowhere to be found. I searched high and low, desperate to catch a glimpse of her, but she had vanished into thin air. Her scent lingered, teasing me. Her constant running away hurt and troubled me deeply. I yearned to know more about her, but it seemed she didn’t share the same desire for connection.