Ava’s POV
I skimmed down on the floor in the school hallway. My heart ached for an unknown reason. I hadn’t felt pain since I escaped from hell, but it was torturous now.
All I did was remain motionless as I watched one of the twins kiss a blonde girl. I had no idea what her name was. I never associated with people, so I knew nothing about any of my classmates. The sharp pain pierced my soul. I clasped my hands on my chest in an attempt to alleviate the pain, but it didn’t work.
Damn it! Why am I feeling this way? Why am I experiencing pain that I have buried deep within myself for so long? I clenched my fists and tightened my grip on my shirt when he looked up and noticed me.
“What?” he mouthed, a teasing grin on his lips.
I was astounded. Did he just sneer at me? I felt both sad and strong. I’d never been and will never be a weak girl. I was no longer the little girl who could be intimidated by anyone. I’m the new Ava Garcia.
I had to calm myself down. This jerk didn’t deserve my anger, but why must I be mad at him in the first place? Why was I so jealous, like an enraged wife who caught her husband cheating on her? He was neither my boyfriend nor husband. That blonde girl must be his girlfriend.
I must get out of here before they label me an intruder. I turned away and left him with his girlfriend.
***
When lunchtime arrived, I dashed over to Oliver’s class to call her. We both walked to the school cafeteria to replenish our empty stomachs.
We whirled and sat in our seats after getting our food. We started eating until I noticed the twin brothers in a corner. They attracted girls like bees. They were nothing but flirtatious. I slammed my fist into the table in disdain. Oliver was caught off guard by my actions.
“What the hell is happening to you? You’re not the Ava I know. Do you know the twin brothers? Don’t tell me…” She gasped, as if a sudden realization had occurred to her. “Don’t tell me that what I’m thinking is the reason you’re like that?”
I raised my brows. “And what are you thinking, ma’am?”
“Do you have a crush on them? I mean, both of them.”
I nearly choked on the water I was sipping. “What makes you assume such nonsense, Oliver?”
“The way you said you were disgusted with a mysterious stranger, and you were bitter and jealous of the girls who were talking with them, makes you sound more like a possessive housewife.”
“Oliver!” I scowled. “No! Why should I have a crush on them? Don’t you see that they are both playboys? Isn’t it obvious that they’re both flirting with all of those girls? They’re not my type, and I despise them to the bone.”
She never responded. She only studied the features of my face, not saying anything.
“What? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Like what?”
I swallowed and cleared my throat. “I’m not sure, but could you please stop staring at me as if you’re trying to figure me out?”
“I’m not disputing you, but Ava, tell me why you despise them. What’s the problem?”
I was at a loss for words. She was right. Why did I despise the twin brothers? I had no clue at all.
“Can we stop talking about them and just focus on our food, Oliver?” I muttered, ignoring her query.
“But I’m not the one who isn’t eating. I’m almost finished with my meal. You’re the one who hasn’t eaten anything. You’re talking to me while looking at the twin brothers. If you like them, Ava, you could try being their friend first. I don’t want you to get hurt, please,” Oliver expressed concern for me.
“I don’t like them, okay? Stop talking nonsense, and please don’t bring this up again,” I whispered.
“All right, but I want you to know that I will always be there for you. I will always stand by you, Ava.”
“Thank you, Oliver,” I said as we continued to eat.
I kept glancing in their direction as I devoured the food. I immediately averted my gaze when one of them caught me looking at them. Goodness! This is so embarrassing.
I hurried to finish my lunch and dashed out with Oliver, who I knew was taken aback by my reaction and the manner in which I rushed out, as if I was being hustled by a tiger.
***
Ethan’s POV
She caught me kissing a girl. I’d been thinking about this mere human. I was unable to get any sleep at night because her face tormented me in my dreams. My Lycan wasn’t going easy on me either, having already approved and accepted her as his mate.
What should I do? I didn’t want her, but my Lycan wasn’t even ready to understand me. He was outrageous.
Were we not in the same boat? We shared the same body, but he chose to side with a human. I figured the best thing to do was hook up with the school bitches. I’d be able to forget about her if I fucked them one after the other.
I sneered when I saw her standing there clenching her shirt. She must have thought I didn’t notice her presence, but I could smell her scent. I could sense her even if she was a thousand miles away. I stared at her from a distance, and I was stunned when I saw something in her eyes that I never expected to see.
Pain.
She appeared wounded, and I was to blame. I should have been the one to protect her, but instead I hurt her. I casted a glance at her when I noticed something new and different in her sight. She was now disgusted with me. She loathed me.
“I’m going to kill you!” Liam roared. He was my nagging Lycan monster.
“Shut up, monster. You can’t kill me. Do you know why? Because we share the same body.”
He roared in agony when he realized I was mumbling the truth.
“I’m strong. I can protect our mate. Why must you choose to reject her?” he wailed, questioning me.
“I agree with you, Liam. You’re strong, but let me ask you, are you stronger than he is? If not, please stop. Don’t start something you’ll never finish or win. Let’s just have some fun with the bitches.”
“No. I’m not in support of what you are doing,” he grunted before shutting himself up at the back of my head.
“Who gives a damn about your opinion anyway?”
***
Aiden and Ethan’s POV
She was here, our mate. I could smell and sense her. She was walking towards the cafeteria with her friend.
She was stunning. I wished she’d never been a human. We weren’t strong enough to protect her from him. We could only protect her by refusing to accept her as our partner and queen, because our father wasn’t the type of man we could mess up with.
We made eye contact with her. She had been looking at us for quite some time. We tried to ignore her hot gaze, but it was too much for us. Our gazes met and latched. We stared at each other. It felt as if nothing existed around us. It was just the three of us. Then, she smirked, giving us the most disgusting look I’d ever seen.
“What the hell is going on? What’s her problem?” I asked Ethan through our mind link. “Why is she acting this way? Did you do anything wrong to her?”
“I don’t know, brother. She only caught me kissing the blonde girl in our class. What was her name again?” Ethan replied.
“What? You kissed who? Who is she?” I hissed.
“Relax, brother. It’s just a girl. I don’t even know her name. It’s just a girl I fucked inside an empty class,” Ethan explained.
“What the fuck? You fucked a girl whose name you didn’t know, and you let our mate see it?” I asked, my face flushed with fury.
“She didn’t. She only saw the kissing part, and it’s not necessary to know the blonde girl’s name, or must I get to know her first before banging her cunt?” he arrogantly asked.
“She must have detested us even more by now, especially since she never knew the true cheat among us,” I whispered and exhaled a sigh.
“What does it matter if Ava detests us? Can you protect her?” He scoffed at me. “Just let her go and let me fuck my bitches in peace.”
“You sound as if you’re not interested in her, and yet you memorized her name, Ethan,” I laughed at his foolishness.
“Who cares if I remember her name, dumbass?” Ethan retorted and looked away.