Chapter 10

Chiara's POV

The next few days at school pass unbelievably slowly. Without even Lynn to talk to time seems to tick by in half speed and I feel like a ghost wandering among the living.

I try to think on the bright side when I realize I’ve gone almost a week without anyone calling me a freak or a wolfless loser, but it’s hard to stay positive when you’re cripplingly lonely.

My only solace is Felix, and I only dare to text him at night in case Vedant sees me and tries to take my phone away. If I lose Felix than I will have nothing left. I can’t let that happen.

I’m laying in bed, doing my best not to dwell on everything that happened at Alice’s party when a message from Felix pops up on my screen. I open the text and smile when I see it’s a picture of my favorite flowers, white roses.

Felix: I passed these in my garden and thought of you :)

I look back at the picture, doing my best to appreciate the flower’s beauty as well as the thought behind the text, but I can’t help but feel sad as I realize that Felix must come from a well-off family if they have such a beautiful garden.

I am glad that he is, I would never want him to suffer the way that I have, but I also can’t help but feel inferior. I have no money, and no family. If not for the pack’s generosity I wouldn’t even have a roof over my head.

Iris: I know this is off topic, but I can’t help but wonder what you would do if you found your mate.

Minutes pass and Felix doesn’t reply. I shouldn’t have asked him, but I just couldn’t help myself. I grab the pillow out from under my head and place it over my mouth, screaming into it.

Why did I ask him? Of course he would choose his mate, any sane wolf would. I am just a sad orphan girl he’s never met outside of the internet.

My phone buzzes.

Felix: Iris, I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to worry about another woman. You are the only one for me. I am sorry if I’ve ever said anything to make you doubt that. I love you, Iris. There could only ever be you.

My heart flutters as I read the words on the screen over and over. He loves me, only me.

I smile at down at my phone, but after a minute the deep aching feeling of loneliness creeps back in. Felix loves me, but this may be the only relationship we are able to have.

I might be stuck in the New Moon pack for the rest of my life, ignored by my community, and cosmically tethered to very man who demanded it.

I won’t tell Felix everything, but I need to vent some of this frustration. If he really loves me the way he says surely, he won’t think differently of me after knowing the extent of my isolation here.

Iris: Can I tell you something?

Felix: Of course.

Iris: I’ve actually been having a really hard time lately. Something happened with some of the other wolves at school and now I’m being ignored by everyone, even my best friend. It’s been really lonely.

Vedant's POV

Simon walks up to me with a smug look on his face the day after Alice’s party. “I heard you ended up kissing Chiara in the bathroom last night. How did that happen?”

My fists clench as I think of what an embarrassment the night before had been. I almost snap at Simon, but catch myself, carefully reigning in the Alpha power that was threatening to spill over. Simon was right, I had kissed Chiara.

“Chiara trapped me in there. Alice said one of her friends caught Chiara acting oddly in the kitchen. She must have slipped something into my wine, and she took it upon herself to seduce me from there.”

Simon raises his eyebrows. “That girl is insane. I can’t believe she drugged you.”

The more I think about it, the angrier I become. I had ordered her to leave the party before I did something I would regret, but that doesn’t mean she can get away with spiking my drink and luring me into the bathroom like a lunatic.

I let the Alpha power start to roll off of me and down the hallway, not enough to command, just enough to get attention. Once I have everyone’s eyes, I let my voice echo down the hallways.

“Chiara is shunned. If anyone even thinks about approaching her there will be consequences. That is an order from your future Alpha.”

There is a general murmur of agreement from the crowd, before everyone goes about their day. Simon gives me a look but doesn’t say anything.

I watch over the next few days as Chiara is slowly worn down by loneliness and isolation. I thought watching her suffer would bring me more joy, but I find myself having to look away more often than not. I didn’t expect her to look quite so dejected.

I do my best to shake off any pity I may have for her. It’s normal to feel bad when others suffer, I’m not a sadist. I just have to remember that she deserves this.

That night I can’t help but feel unsettled as I drift off to sleep.

The smell of roses hits my nose as I walk toward the small clearing and I smile. She’s waiting for me. I increase my pace, eager for more time together.

I step through the break in the trees and see that she is facing away from me, her long hair cascading down her back. I slow my movements, sneaking up behind her before quickly lifting her off the ground.

I delight in the sound of her squeal, my laughter muffled by the brief struggle. She reaches back to smack my arm, “Vedant!”

“Alright, alright.” I set her down carefully, turning her to face me as I do. Her eyes meet mine and I watch as her gaze heats. This is what I’ve been waiting for.

My mouth finds hers and the world goes quiet. All that matters is this feeling, this heat between us. Her name is a low moan in my throat, “Chiara.”

I force my eyes open, running one hand over my face. What the hell was that? I had a dream that I was making out with Chiara and it was… kind of nice.

I try to shake it off, but Nelson won’t let me. “You want her.”

It was just a dream.

“No. She is our mate. You dream of her because you want her near.”

I feel my irritation grow at his words. I said it was just a dream. Probably a side effect of whatever she gave me at Alice’s party.

“You’re wrong. You should accept her as ours. It’s what I want.”

I don’t respond, as I try to control my anger at his words. How could I accept my brother’s murderer as my mate?

I grab my phone, and send a quick text to Iris, a picture I had taken earlier in the garden, to get my mind off thing. I smile at her quick response, but the conversation quickly takes a turn I hadn’t been expecting. She asks about my mate.

I think about Chiara and all that she had done, before vowing that Iris is my only love. I’m happy to leave it at that, but Iris goes on to tell me how she’s been isolated at school, and how not even her best friend will talk to her.

I freeze. I had just ordered the whole school to do the exact same thing to Chiara. Is it possible that Iris and Chiara could be the same person?