Chapter 6
Ripley's Point of View
She has been on my mind ever since I saw her standing in the doorway of the indoor training center.
Olivia Bennett.
Even just thinking her name now sends a sharp jolt through my chest.
The second I caught her scent that day light, wild, intoxicating, I almost lost focus completely. And in a sparring match of all places, that kind of distraction can get your jaw broken. I had barely dodged the hit that came for my face, just in time to save my pride. It would have been worth it, though, just for the look on her face when she saw me.
Curious. And maybe a little annoyed.
Totally unaware.
She has no idea who I am.
No idea that I am her mate.
I lean against the cold tile of the dorm bathroom, water dripping from my hair as I towel off. That moment, her voice floating across the mat, asking, "Who is that?", echoes in my head again, over and over. Like it means something more.
And maybe it does.
She did not recognize me at the party. She only saw shadows, and even then, she rejected me before she saw my face. I never accepted it, though. That bond, our bond it is still there, pulling tight like a wire in my chest every time she walks into a room.
And now?
Now she is here. On campus. In my space.
I cannot let her figure it out not yet. Not until I can convince her not to reject me again. Not until I am ready for her to really see me.
I pull my white T-shirt over my head, the fabric stretching across my shoulders as I exhale slowly. My hair is still damp, but I do not bother with it. I do not need to impress anyone. Especially not her.
Right.
I grab my boots, tug them on without untying the laces, and swing open the door to my dorm room.
I have already masked my scent. It is something I have learned to do since I was sixteen, an old trick, just in case I ever needed to hide from someone… or surprise them. The bond between mates is strong, but scent masking throws everything off.
She will not smell me.
Not yet.
My stomach growls loudly, reminding me why I am moving at all. I make my way towards the cafeteria, my strides easy and unhurried, but inside I feel like a lit fuse, burning slowly towards something inevitable.
She is here.
And she has no idea what is coming.
The moment I step into the cafeteria, my eyes find her like they have been searching for her all day.
There she is, Olivia. But she is sitting with that male again. Kael, if I remember right. Her best friend from what I was able to learn today. The one who is always a little too close. The one who does not know when he is overstaying his welcome.
I feel the familiar tug low in my chest, the mate bond still intact, still alive, no matter what she thinks.
She laughs at something Kael says, and it is like the sound rips straight through the noise of the cafeteria, straight through me.
Then her eyes lift.
And land right on mine.
Got you.
I give her my best smirk. The kind that always gets attention. And just like that, I start walking towards her. Slow. Confident. Controlled. I do not stop until I am right at her table, and I slide easily into the empty seat beside her, close enough that she has to tilt slightly towards me.
“Hello there,” I say smoothly, flashing that same grin. “You must be new.”
She blinks, and I see the blush creep into her cheeks before she even speaks. “I... yeah. Today is my first day,” she says, her voice steadier than I expect. “My name is Olivia. Olivia Bennett.”
Like I do not already know.
I lean back just a little and nod my head slowly, my eyes never leaving hers. “Ooh, I know who you are.”
The color in her cheeks deepens. It is adorable. She is trying to play it cool, but her body betrays her.
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, and I shrug nonchalantly, resting an arm on the back of her chair. “I just wanted to officially meet you. And introduce myself. My name is Ripley Parker, but my friends call me Rip.”
I push back from the table as if that is all I came for. And as I stand, I grab the apple from her tray, her apple, the one she has already taken a bite out of.
I lift it to my lips and take a bite exactly where she did.
“See you around,” I say with a wink, chewing as I walk away, her scent still lingering on my fingertips, on the apple, in the air behind me.
She has no idea what she started when she rejected me.
And I am not done with her.
Not even close.