ALESTER:
The delicious savory earthy smell was faint and had a sweet overtone to it. Alester’s eyes snapped in its direction seconds before Samantha walked through the doors of the training grounds.
She looked sheepish, biting her lip and rubbing circles on the side of her elbow. As she stepped out with the other wolves.
She wore a pink spandex workout outfit. The name brand logo stretched out of shape. Her mid-drift muffin’d over the top of her high-rise leggings. Samantha’s eyes shot up, looking straight at Alester from across the room. She gave him a timid smile.
Alester hesitated, his breath catching in his throat. She looked beautiful. The reminder of her beauty made his heart ache anew. He gave Samantha a polite nod and a smile that didn’t reach past the dark circles under his eyes. He forced himself to focus back on the weights in his hands. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his heart.
Samantha’s eyebrows knit together, and she pursed her lips. In the crowded gym, her attention stayed on Alester. He hadn’t come back last night..why? There are dark circles under his eyes. Did he not sleep?
Alester squirmed under Samantha’s gaze. He tried to ignore it, but once Samantha took the first step toward him, he knew he couldn’t stay.
He set his weights down as an overwhelming smell of fruity candy and roses filled the gym. Phiona ran out of the dressing room. She snatched Samantha’s arm and turned her around.
A low growl left Alester’s lips. ‘How dare she grab Samantha!’
He stood to confront them until he saw Samantha’s face.
She was laughing. They both were. She stood rigid. Yet, it was like watching ice thaw. Samantha was relaxing.
‘What are they talking about?’ He wondered as Phiona handed Samantha an oversized grey shirt, obviously not her own.
‘Where did Phiona get a male’s shirt?’ Alester let out a low growl, his top lip twitching.
‘Who would dare betray their future Alpha by giving MY MATE his shirt?’
‘I don’t want Samantha wearing it!’ His hands formed into fists, muscles contracting.
He stood ready to confront the girls but stopped in his tracks when Phiona lifted her head and smiled at him.
He look towards Samantha, who looked worried again.
Alester grit his teeth and huffed, storming out of the training area before his wolf made him change his mind.
Back in his room, he continued working out. After a few minutes, he calmed down. He rubbed the sweat out of his eyes and pushed his hair out of his face before sitting down to hydrate and catch his breath.
Alester grabbed his College acceptance letter off his desk. ‘This is what I want.’
He determined anew. ‘I’m going no matter what.’
Alester wrote, highlighted, and circled the day of orientation. He didn’t need a mate.
…
Phiona and Samantha were waiting in the dining hall, even though Alester got there early.
Phiona grinned widely as she told some tale to Samantha. Samantha sat silently, bouncing her leg, with a small upward tilt to her lips and an eager-looking nod here and there. They were everywhere! Alester took his lunch to his room. Ignoring these girls was getting tiring.
Even on his way to return his dishes, he ran into Samantha.
They gawked at each other. Samantha’s mouth gaped open and shut. Like a fish trying to breathe out of water.
“Hi.”
Samantha could finally get a word out of her mouth. But Phiona sauntered down the hall just behind her, overshadowing her.
She waved him over. “Ali-Bear!”
Alester walked quickly towards the kitchen, but Phiona pursued him. Linking her arm with his.
“Samantha is so fun!” she cheered as they walked down the hall arm in arm.
“She definitely needs training. She doesn’t know ANYTHING! Don’t worry though, she’s a quick learner, and she has me.” She winked.
Phiona rambled on about how quickly Samantha. How strong she was, and all about their endeavors in the garden that afternoon.
Alester didn’t hear a word. He focused solely on the distance between them and the other side of the dining hall door. It couldn’t come fast enough.
He pried his arm out of Phiona’s grasp as soon as they made it beyond the doors. She flinched at his sudden movement.
“I need you to stop touching me.”
His words bounced off the walls in the empty room. He continued past her, putting his dishes in the sink.
Phiona’s eyes misted, but she swallowed back her tears and followed him.
“But I’m your mate. I’m supposed to touch you.”
She reached out and grabbed his arm. He shook her off roughly and backed away, his hip bumping into the counter.
“I don’t want you as a mate. In fact!”
NO!!!!! his wolf roared in his head. Alester growled, agonizing pain shot through his temple. He stumbled backward, gripping his head. His wolf would not let him reject her.
“What’s wrong?” Phiona shouted, steadying him. She pushed his hands away with her perfectly manicured nails and stroked his temples with her thumbs. His yelling stopped and his arms fell limply at his side.
Alester relaxed at her touch and opened his eyes. Phiona was inches away from him, closer than she had ever been before. Her breathing hitched as electricity bounced off the space between them.
Her breathing was shallow, and her heart sped. Her scent engulfed him. Intoxicated him. It had lost its nauseating sweetness. It was just pleasant, tempting. His eyes hazed with each breath.
His wolf wanted to complete the distance, yet Alester couldn’t move. His emerald green eyes fixated on her luscious, smooth pink lips. Phiona leaned in closer. She slid her hand gently down his face, gliding her thumb teasingly over his lips. Alester gulped. Her face was an inch away, lips hovering over his.
Her hand slid across his square jaw to the back of his head, fingers twisting through his hair. She closed her eyes in anticipation. Alester’s heart raced, but it was no longer racing due to desire, but fear. He tilted his chin slightly as she completed the distance.
It was enough that her lips landed on his jaw instead.
She pulled back in shock. Her hand still entangled in his hair.
“I would’ve preferred the lips, but still. Our first kiss.”
She stared at him in awe before a wide grin spread across her face as if she had just won the prized buck.
The trance she had over him was gone. Alester glowered, pulled away, and stomped out of the cafeteria.
