Chapter 2

• Scarlet
• "Are you crazy? You really kiss Alpha Xavier and run?" Neri and Alice asked, laughing. We are in their house, and thankfully, their parents are nothing like those omegas and other pack members who look at me differently, so I am always welcome.
• "I really don't know what entered my mind at that time. Or maybe I want to piss that Alpha daughter!"
• Yes, I hate Madison and the other girls who approach our Alpha. It was his life, and I shouldn't care and feel bothered about it, but I can't help it. As I've already said, part of me didn't want to accept anyone to become his mate. Or maybe I was thinking, no– I am not considering having him as my mate. No. I didn't want anyone from this pack to become my fated mate.
• "So, what does he taste like?" Neri asked, wiggling her eyebrows at me. When I looked at her twin, she was doing the same.
• "Whatever you girls are talking about, make sure you fill your stomach, so eat." Their mother, Ana, said as she placed a tray with pancakes and orange juice on the center table.
• It's Saturday afternoon, and I spend time with the beta family like other weekends. My father didn't care about me, but I know how to choose people who genuinely care for me.
• Days passed, and it was Tuesday. I sat on a vacant bench facing the school grounds while waiting for my friends. I didn't wait long because I heard them calling my name after a few minutes. "Scarlet!" Other than their faces, the twins also have the same voice. But I can distinguish who is who, which amazed them because even Aunt Ana couldn't do that.
• How did I do that? Simply because I could see their light energy. I don't know if that's what it's called, but it's a smoke-like thing surrounding them. Alice is gray, while Neri is light gray.
• "Why do you look excited?" I asked as soon as they were closer.
• "Didn't you hear it yet?" Alice asked. My brow furrowed as I looked at her twin, waiting for my reply.
• "What is it about?"
• "Goddess! You didn't know?" they asked exaggeratedly.
• "Goddess! What is it?" I asked, animatedly. The two laughed, and so did I.
• "We're having an exchange student, and we found out he's handsome."
• "You two saw him already?" I asked, and the twin nodded, wiggling their eyebrows. I shook my head in disbelief, thinking how fast they like someone good-looking.
• They continued telling me about the man I was uninterested in, but I had to listen if I didn't want to hurt their feelings. I felt thankful when we heard the bell and went to our respective classes.
• The following day, the twins decided to go on a trip with their father, so they were absent. They told me about it this morning, and I could not stop them. Since I was alone, I indulged in the woods near the school grounds during break time.
• "It's dangerous for you to be here alone," said the voice of a man behind me, making me startled. "Hi, I'm Jonas." He offered his hand for a shake, but I just looked at it, raising my brow.
• "Do I know you?"
• "I just introduced myself," he replied, smiling. He's cute, I give him that. But I am not a woman who could easily sweep off my feet because of looks.
• "And you think it's enough?"
• "I'm an exchange student." Alice and Neri would have been excited to meet him, but I was not.
• "So?" I asked, making him chuckle.
• "So it's true," he said, making me furrow my brow, and then he chuckled. "They say you're arrogant and rude." I sigh and roll my eyes at him, but he just laughs.
• "Yeah, everything they say about me is true. So what?"
• "I don't think so," he replied.
• "Did I tell you to think?" I asked, minus the arrogance, and gave him my genuine smile. I kind of like him, not intimately, but as a person. I never felt like this to anyone other than the twins and their family.
• "I'll be honest with you since I'm not the person who beat around the bush." I got curious, so I said,
• "Shoot!"
• "You're a healer." What did he just say? What the hell was that? "You're a healer and should come with me to enhance your abilities."
• "You know what? I started to like you. But after what you said, I don't think so."
• "Healers were supposed to be for males since healing needs energy that most female omegas lack. But you are different because you have a wolf."
• "Now you're acting crazy. I have no wolf!"
• "Says who?"
• "I just did. Are you not listening?"
• "How can you tell?"
• "Because I'm 17, and I had no wolf."
• "Wait until you're 18."
• "Don't give me false hope."
• "I'm not. When you turn 18, you'll have your healing wolf. But you need to come with me before she shows up,"
• "So, you like me by any chance?"
• "Are you that confident about yourself?" I rolled my eyes because he was talking to me as if we had known each other for a long time.
• "Stop messing with me; you won't get anything from me."
• "But you'll be able to gain something from me if you come with me." I looked at him and didn't find hatred in his eyes; it was just pure sincerity. I could tell that he wasn't lying.
• "Where?"
• "Somewhere far." His reply was short, and I wanted more. "It's a place where you can hone your skills and abilities with the other healers."
• "Like a hospital?" I asked.
• "Yeah, exactly like that."
• "My family is here."
• "As if your father cares about you." That stung. Yes, I feel hurt whenever they tell me how much my father hates me. But I didn't want to show him that, so I replied with a firm voice.
• "I have friends, in case you didn't know."
• "Oh yeah, the twins."
• "You already looked into me."
• "Come with me, Scarlet. You're the only reason why I'm here."
• "What do you mean?" I asked curiously, but he looked around, and his face suddenly changed.
• "Someone's coming. I'll explain to you once we leave. For now, think about it and then tell me your decision," Jonas replied before walking away.
• After a few moments, I glanced to my right when I suddenly heard a rustling sound and what seemed like a broken tree branch. I couldn't move from where I was sitting on the fallen tree trunk when I saw Alpha Xavier.
• "Who are you with here?" he asked, not leaving his eyes on me. Should I say it's Jonas or not? Wait, does he know about the exchange student? Why am I even thinking about that? He's the pack's Alpha, so he probably knows everything happening here or even at school.
• "No one, Alpha. I'm alone here." He didn't seem to believe me based on the look on his face. Shit, could he smell Jonas's scent? Hopefully not, because I couldn't smell it even when I was talking to him earlier. The problem is that Xavier is an Alpha, so if any scent escapes me or the other pack members, it's unlikely to escape him.
• "The truth, Scarlet," he said as he approached me. I suddenly stood up from where I was sitting, planning to run. But who was I kidding? He's an alpha, and I don't have a wolf. No matter how fast I ran, he would surely catch up, and I would only get punished.
• "It's the truth, Alpha," I said as I swallowed hard.
• "You know that if I want to, I can make you tell the truth whether you like it or not." I clenched my jaw at his words and couldn't help but chuckle. I thought I saw a flash of surprise and worry on his face, but it was only for a moment.
• "Oh, right. That's how alphas are. They always force pack members to do what they want."
• "I'm not like that, Scarlet," he said with emphasis as if defending himself.
• "What do you mean by your words if you're not forcing me?"
• "I just want to know the truth. Is that so wrong?" he replied angrily.
• "Yes, that's why you want to give me an alpha command to make me tell you the truth," I quickly retorted. I don't know where I got the courage to answer him. He's my Alpha, and I never had the right to talk back to him. But I was doing it now, and it seemed he didn't care. He was more concerned about whether I was telling the truth or not or if I was with someone.
• "Scarlet, stop it."
• "And what? Are you going to call me to your office again, along with Dad, so he can scold and hurt me in front of you?" I asked angrily. "Fine, you want to know the truth? Okay, I had someone with me here, and we were about to do something inappropriate. Still, he sensed your arrival, so I sent him away immediately. Are you happy now?"
• After saying that, I saw his face harden and jaw tighten as he quickly approached me and held me by my chin. Our eyes met before he brought his mouth close to my ear and whispered, "Don't let me catch you, Scarlet. No one else can touch you except m--" He stopped for a moment, and I felt his breath fanning my ear after he heaved a deep sigh and continued, "Except your mate."
• After that, he stepped back about a meter, and we stared at each other. "Remember what I told you, Scarlet." Then he left me standing there, rooted to the spot. What was that? What just happened?