TESSA’S POV
The next day, I woke up not feeling excited about going to school. After the mess that happened last night, I am not sure if I still have the courage to face all the shifters who surely attended the said event.
To say that I am embarrassed will be an understatement. I feel something beyond that, perhaps because I messed up the birthday celebration of the most special werewolf in the pack.
Sighing, I still forced myself to fix the bed. I know for sure that Aunt Alice won’t like it if I skip classes today, and I don’t want my professors to have a negative impression of me either.
“Remember what I told you last night, my sweetheart. Do not associate yourself with Atlas. That will make your life easier. Got it?” Aunt Alice reminded me after breakfast.
I was perplexed when she told me that Luna Serene despises my mother. As much as I wanted to know more about it, Aunt Alice didn’t want to supply me with some stories from the past, which I respected.
I nodded my head and offered my aunt a sweet smile.
“I promise I won’t even go near him.”
“That’s good.” She pressed her lips to my forehead. “Go ahead. Your uncle is waiting for you outside.”
Uncle Harry drove me to the university. It was only a fifteen-minute drive. The hospital where he works is near the area, so he volunteered to drive me every day for my safety as well.
I know it’s kind of weird for him to do that. He’s a vampire, and he can teleport or sprint to the hospital if he wants to. When I asked Aunt Alice about it the last time, she only told me they were trying to live normally as much as possible.
“Thanks, Uncle. Have a good day,” I told him right before I got out of his car and proceeded to the main gate.
As expected, many students started to stare at me as I walked my way to the first class. I put my earphones on as I couldn’t bear to hear them talking about me with my enhanced hearing ability. It definitely sucks knowing they have nothing good to say about me.
“Tessa!” Mikhaela waved her hand as soon as I entered the room.
“Hello,” I said shyly, taking a seat next to her.
“Hey, do you feel better now?” she asked worriedly.
“O-Of course…” I bit my lower lip and winced. “I’ll never get used to more attention, but I know this will pass.”
She patted my back. “Don’t worry. With the mating season coming in a few weeks, I am sure that they will stop talking about what happened last night.”
“I really hope so.”
Time passed like a blur. The professor for the second class was absent, which gave us more vacant time. Mikhaela dragged me into the library to get some books she needed to advance read. However, when I saw the Atlas inside and started talking to a librarian who seemed to be around our age, I tugged Mikhaela out of that place.
The same thing happened during lunch time. At that moment, Atlas was in the cafeteria having lunch with Cohen and their other friends, and so I told Mikhaela that we should eat somewhere else.
I have to avoid him…
Mikhaela huffed in frustration. We ended up eating some chips and settling down on the bleachers of the soccer field. Luckily, those guys aren’t doing a practice game.
“I get it. You’re avoiding Atlas,” Mikhaela remarked, giving me a curious look.
Letting out a sigh, I nodded. “My guardians told me to avoid him. I’m just trying to obey the adults. They know best.”
“But why?” Her forehead creased. “Is it because of what happened last night?”
“Sort of.”
“That’s just a minor mishap, Tess. Atlas won’t mind it.”
He may be not… but his mother didn’t like what happened. Whenever I recalled how Luna Serene talked to me with disgust dripping off every word she said, I could not help but feel the creeps crawling on my skin. It feels off to be around her… well, actually even around his son, who seriously sports a bad attitude too.
“I just don’t feel like being around him too,” I said.
“That’s odd. You see, a lot of she-wolves want to be around him!”
“Even you?” My lips curled up for a smile.
She giggled and shook her head afterwards. “Nah, we’re more like brothers. We, all four, grew up together. Me and Cohen; Him and Julia.”
“Julia?”
“Yes, she’s a granddaughter of one of the Elders. You haven’t met her since she went to England for some family matters. But she’s coming back, and I’m going to introduce you to her,” Mikhaela added.
It seems like Julia was her best friend. Her eyes spark as she speaks of her.
“Sure, she seems interesting,” I said and she instantly nodded.
“Yes, she is!” she exclaimed. “We, three, are going to be best of friends!”
When the final class ended, Mikhaela and I parted ways. I was already familiar with the road going back home, and I assured Aunt Alice it was not necessary for Uncle Harry to pick me up.
The sun was already setting as I walked on the left side of the road, and I smiled as I observed it. If there was one thing I was obsessed with the most, it would be the sunset.
Turning on the dark and quiet alley, my feet stopped on their own when I saw a group of shifters beating up a man. A gasp escaped my lips as one of them noticed me. I was about to run away. However, they were fast enough to block my way.
“Look who we have here. The new girl in town,” said one of them, who leered at me.
My heart pulsed widely as I gripped the straps of my backpack. I looked back at the man whom they beat up, and fear crawled up my skin when I noticed that he had already passed out.
“Why don’t you join us for a bit, sweety?”
“Yeah, we haven’t welcomed you yet. You should come with us.”
“P-Please… just let me go,” I said, getting anxious every second that passed.
They were encircling me and blocking my escape route.
“Oh, don’t you want to have some fun?”
They all laughed devilishly, making me swallow so hard. One of them touched my ass, and I screamed because of that. But it seemed that it was their definition of fun as they walked near me and held my arms.
“P-Please… just let me go. I will keep my mouth shut…”
“Not until we get to taste you, sweety.”
Their leader grinned and then tore my uniform. I tried to push him, but damn, it appeared like my body weakened because of the dreadful feeling that engulfed me. The man in front of me was about to lick my neck when someone growled behind them. It was a dangerous growl that sent shivers down my spine.
They all looked at the werewolf who growled, and I was shocked when I saw who it was.
It was none other than the future Alpha, with his future Beta next to him, giving these perverted werewolves a deadly glare.