Chapter 3

• I jogged excitedly as I stared at the note and the mesmerizing handwriting attached to it.
• Everything about Nicholas was just so beautiful. From his oceanic blue eyes, to his straight nose, to his full sexy lips, to his eye lashes, even the way he walked was so attractive.
• Seriously, does this guy have one flaw? Why was he so perfect?
• I must say, the Moon Goddess is so cruel, making some people perfect from their appearance to their character and making other people unattractive. Other people like us.
• During our Biology class, I was passed a note informing me it was from Nicholas.
• When I was told who the note was from, I quickly yanked it to read the content of the note.
• It had been three weeks since I discovered Nicholas was my mate - since we discovered we were each other’s mate. And, everyday during those three weeks, I waited for him.
• Initially, I thought he was going to reject me but, when he said nothing for three weeks, I was convinced it was a yes.
• And, this note? It confirmed the whole thing! I was going to be accepted.
• Or what else could “Meet me at the cafeteria” might have meant?
• The cafeteria was filled, I usually don't go to the cafeteria because I wasn't paying for meals, I just brought my own snacks and made it my lunch.
• When I sighted Nicholas at the far end of the cafeteria, eating alone, I made it towards him, shyly.
• So, we would start dating right away? Omg, what if he wants to mark me tonight? Oh, I'm not ready!
• I approached Nicholas and sat across from him on the table.
• “Hey.”
• I greeted shyly.
• Nicholas didn't respond to my greeting, he just abandoned his sausage and faced me.
• Maybe he was shy. Oh, what if he had liked me all along? Oh, no! I'm not ready for this.
• “You called me here.”
• I indicated.
• “Yeah, I did.”
• Oh My Goddess, his voice is so heavenly. I wish I could capture it on a tape and listen to it all night long.
• “I called you here because I have something to say.”
• Yeah, accept me.
• “Ever since I found out you were my mate, my mind had really been troubled.”
• Oh dear, you should have given it a careful thought. Even though you take a year to answer, I'm going to wait!
• “I thought I should tell you how I feel.”
• I like you too, my—
• “I don't have any feelings for you and I don't intend on accepting you.”
• Wait, what?
• As if the whole cafeteria had been eavesdropping the conversation, they began to take out their phone to capture the moment.
• Meanwhile, I was numb, glued to my seat.
• “I don't like you, Aubrey. I like someone else and I wish to make her my future Luna, not you.”
• Shit!
• “So, I, Nicholas Weston, rejects you, Aubrey, as my mate.”
• The whole cafeteria whooped. Nicholas got up, grabbing his tray.
• “Please, let's pretend like this mate shit never happened.”
• Then, he walked away, the whole cafeteria capturing his receding figure.
• ~
• Yesterday was exactly a year that happened. And today, I was blessed with the face of the culprit.
• Nicholas Weston.
• Suddenly, Nicholas grabbed my neck, hurling me against the wall aggressively. I could hardly breathe, his grip was so strong.
• “Who the hell are you and how did you get in?”
• Oh, great. He doesn't even recognize me.
• How can he? I mean, I was nothing but a cameo appearance in his life.
• The grip tightened and I fought to gather my breath, clasping his hand tightly.
• “Speak before I rip your throat apart.”
• Yeah, a quite prominent statement in this Pack.
• Dying by the hands of people that wanted me dead would have been so much better but, dying by the hands of my first love? Iconic.
• The Moon Goddess got me this time.
• The door yanked open and three guards walked in, one of them was the one I attacked at the restroom, earlier.
• Oh, there would be an audience to watch my death.
• “Alpha, we will take it from here.”
• One of them said, walking towards us.
• At least, Nicholas wouldn't be the one murdering me.
• But, Nicholas raised a finger to halt him, while staring amusingly at me, his grip around my neck, loosening.
• “Aubrey?”
• He whispered my name for the first time since a year ago.
• And, not coldly like he did when he rejected me but, in the coolest, sexiest voice I had ever heard.
• My heart skipped and it began to pound faster than it should as Nicholas gazed lingered on me.
• ~
• Few minutes later, I was back in my cell, hopelessly sprawled on the floor.
• I was still trying to comprehend what just happened a few minutes ago. I met Nicholas Weston again.
• No, screw that. Nicholas Weston is the ruthless Berserk Alpha they talked about and the man I was sold to?
• How did all of these play out? It felt like fate was making fun of me, laughing right to my face.
• All I wanted was a life where I don't get to bump into or, mistakenly, catch a glimpse of Nicholas again.
• I thought I had gotten over him, I thought all feelings I had for me had been buried deep inside my heart but, the minute I set my gaze on those blue intoxicating gaze again, all my buried feelings raised their heads.
• They all came out of hiding.
• Not to mention how he acquired all those built.
• When he walked away, stalking out of the room, my gaze lingered on his forearm, and his sexy back view.
• It was over a 100 times bigger than the last time I set my eyes on him, a year ago.
• The lady in the cell beside me tapped the wall gently, grabbing my attention.
• “What happened?”
• She whispered.
• When I was taken away to the restroom earlier and looked into her cell to catch a glimpse of her face, I couldn't. It was as if she had deliberately hid her face.
• However, what I knew was that she was about the same age as me.
• “My silly ass attempted an escape and I bumped into the Alpha. Yeah, I know, I am so unfortunate.”
• “Oh goddess, the Alpha? What did he do to you? Are you hurt?”
• Her voice was panicky and I could tell she was really worried as if I had gone to a battlefield.
• “What? Hurt? Oh, right. He kinda strangled me but, I am fine. I got dismissed. I made it out alive.”
• “What? Really? He did nothing to you?”
• Okay, where did all these worries suddenly pop out from?
• “Is there a reason why he should have done something to me?”
• I curiously asked, furrowing my brow.
• “I'm just surprised. One of us who also tried escaping a few days ago, was poisoned to death.”
• “What? Really?”
• Then, why did Nicholas let me go? Why did he ask them to take me back to my cell? Or, were they coming back to get me?
• A banging on the cell’s gate kicked me out of my trance as I flinched at the noise.
• A guard peeked into my cell.
• “Get up, you are needed right now.”
• Oh God, no. Was I really going to be poisoned? Was this it for me?
• With a shaky breath, I followed the guard out of the prison, through a hallway and into a library.
• Wait, if I was going to be poisoned, why was I taken to a library, then?
• The library was the largest I had seen my entire life.
• Bookshelves lining the room, stood atop us, different books arranged in each and everyone of them.
• A woman in her early thirties approached us, nodding to the guard to take his leave. Immediately the guard released his grip on my elbow and stepped out, she grabbed a rag from a mahogany desk at the center of the table and dumped it on my face.
• “Clean this place.”
• She commanded, signaling to the whole room.
• What? I don't understand.
• “W-where? The table?”
• I asked, pointing at the desk in front of us.
• “No, the windows. I said, "Clean the entire place, dumbass bitch.”
• What?! The entire library?
• “Or, do you want a punishment much more worse than this? Something that would cost your miserable life?”
• “No. Not at all. I will clean the place.”
• I picked the rag that had dropped to the floor and walked towards the bucket of soapy water, hurling it along with me.
• “You have three hours. If you don't complete the task in three hours, a much worse punishment awaits.
• She said with a wicked grin and stepped out, leaving me in the dusty, stuffy library.
• How was I supposed to clean this in just three hours? There are about 300 books.
• Damn!
• By the time I was done with the first shelf, I was already sweaty and tired. There were still five more shelves to go and I had gone for an hour and half with the first shelf.
• At some point, I thought about abandoning this punishment and awaiting the ‘worst one’ that lady talked about. But then, I thought, if I was unable to handle this one, how would I handle the one that was much worse.
• On my third shelf, the door was yanked open and my heart skipped thinking it was the lady who had come to check back after three hours.
• Could the three hours be over?
• However, instead of the soft clicks of her high heels, I had moaning sounds.
• Moving behind the shelf and peeking at the direction of the sound, I saw two couples making out shamelessly, against the first shelf.
• Actually, taking a closer look, I realized it wasn't just a couple but a young lady and Nicholas Weston.
• And as I continued watching them, Nicholas Weston suddenly broke the kiss and looked towards the direction I was hiding.
• “Who is there?”
• His throaty voice asked.
• Nicholas began to slowly make it towards me but I quickly swirled around, hoping to hide better this time.
• But, who said I was good at hiding? Because, when I swirled around, I was suddenly facing him. Nicholas Weston.
• The rag slipped out of my hold and I gasped, clasping my mouth.