"God, Lexi! Do you ever mind your own business??" Daniel sighs while scrubbing a hand down his face. Lexi glares at him in return before childishly pulling out her tongue at him. He rolls his eyes in return, shaking his head at her like a disappointed parent.
I would have laughed at their little banter, but I'm too frozen in my seat for the moment.
I've done some research on Lycans due to the fact that they rule over us, and I read some rules about them to know their mating process is a bit different to ours.
For werewolves, after finding our mate, we usually wait to introduce our parents to one another and wait for their blessings. Then we meet with our Alpha to break the news before deciding when we would like to start the process and where. Some werewolves prefer to do it in front of the whole pack, mark themselves that is, while others prefer the woods or in the confines of their bedroom.
But werewolves with higher ranks are expected to mark themselves in front of the whole pack. Just like Brad and Stacy did.
It's a rule in most packs. After that, they're free to roll in the haystack or whatever it is they call it nowadays.
The whole process sometimes takes weeks. The parents might not give their blessings right away, and it's not so easy to book an appointment with the Alpha. And even after all that, if you decide to have a public marking, a date will have to be fixed. And it's not always a closer date.
Werewolves don't mark themselves in their wolf forms, though. Just the human sides are enough, and the wolves begin to build a connection with each other after the human sides have marked each other.
For Lycans, it's rare for them to find their mate quickly like us. Some spend centuries on earth before finding theirs, and this is why when they do, they don't waste time, marking them immediately. The mating process usually starts immediately after they meet. Their beasts would already begin to form a link with one another before the human sides physically mark each other with a bite on the neck.
After that, they're free to also mark each other in their beast form anytime they please. That's about all I know.
So I'm also surprised that Reagan didn't mark me the moment he saw me yesterday. If I'm really his mate as he says, he would have placed his bite on my neck in front of everyone to stake his claim on me. They're that possessive of their mates. He did say it was because my wolf was still going through heartbreak, so does that mean my wolf doesn't recognize him because she is still suffering from the mate bond between Brad and me? And I'm still confused about having a second mate, I've never heard of it before.
"When is your class?" Reagan suddenly asks beside me, and my body has this immediate reaction to his deep voice.
"Nine," was my only answer, and he nods in response. I'm not even sure what the time is. My phone's in my purse in his room, and I haven't even touched it since last night. I almost forgot about it. I'm pretty sure I have tons of messages waiting for me there.
"My class starts at that time too. We could go together." Lexi states with an excited smile. I'm not sure why she likes me so much when we just met. I thought Lycans don't like creatures lesser than them.
"I'm driving her." Comes Reagan's gruff voice with his face set in a frown.
"Oh come on, Your Highness." Lexi's voice is laced with sarcasm, and I'm surprised she can talk to Reagan in that way.
"You spent the whole night with her and will still spend the rest of your lives together. It's my turn now."
Her words are like a blow of realization to me. I will be spending the rest of my life with him if he truly is my mate. It all feels surreal right now. Is this really happening to me?
"Why don't you two let the person in question decide who she wants to ride with." Daniel suddenly suggests, and I don't know if I should be grateful or nervous. Lexi and Reagan both snap their heads to me, waiting for my answer.
Right now, as much as Reagan's presence affects me, he's also suffocating me. And I'm in dire need of some fresh air. He's been hovering around me since last night with that possessive look in his eyes.
And I may not know Lexi, since we just met, but she seems nice. And I know this choice will dampen Reagan's mood, but if I really did have a choice, I would prefer to be alone right now. With my mum or dad or anyone, someone I'm very familiar with, like Lana.
"I'd like Lexi to drop me off," I announce, and a triumphant grin appears on Lexi's face while Reagan scowls in response.
"Come on, cutie. Let's bounce." Lexi stands, and I follow her while avoiding the dark look on Reagan's face.
"I have to go get my purse," I mutter before going back upstairs and navigating through the hallway for Reagan's room. I find the purse on the nightstand where I left it yesterday, and grab it. I search for my phone and do find tons of messages from my mum and dad, but they didn't call. I understand, they didn't want to put me into trouble by blasting my phone with calls when I'm in the presence of the Prince. The messages just are asking if I was alright and safe and pleading with me to call them or send a text. I also found some from Lana, asking almost the same things, but telling me to text her the deets.
I send a quick text to my mum to reassure her before putting my phone back in my purse. It's already some minutes after eight, though.
I head back downstairs when I see Reagan at the landing, making me slow down in my steps. He still is frowning with his arms crossed around his chest, and his eyes pinned on me.
When I come to stand at his front, he pulls me closer and traces his fingers across my chin to my hair. Then he abruptly pulls it away from my neck, where I'm using it to hide his lovebite, and lets it fall down my back in its waves. His eyes have a warning in them, and I didn't need him to say it before knowing the message he's trying to pass across. He wants to show everyone else that I'm already taken, and I shouldn't hide that.
"Stay out of trouble." His eyes are staring straight into mine. He twirls a long strand of my hair to the end with one of his fingers before letting go.
"Let's go." Lexi's voice sounds from the sitting room, and I step past Reagan to her even though he doesn't leave his spot. I walk with her towards the private elevator in the sandals I saw with the dress.
The elevator doors slowly start to close after we step in, and I look up to see Reagan staring straight at me. His eyes are the last things I see before the doors finally closes shut.
"Man, talk about grumpy." I hear Lexi say beside me, and I turn to see her smiling at me. I slightly laugh at her word but don't reply.
"I'm glad he has found his mate, though." She adds.
The whole way down, we're both silents until the elevator dings and opens to the reception. And we both made our way to the underground parking lot.
Since the Penthouse is located on top of a hotel, there are many cars parked in the parking lot.
Lexi walks over to a red convertible, but before we get there, another car zings in and parks beside hers. The driver's grumpy face looks familiar to me as he hops down and slams his door shut behind him.
"Miss. Alexia." He nods to Lexi, who rolls her eyes in return.
"Enough with the formalities, Adrian. We live in the same building for crying out loud!"
He doesn't say anything, but there's a faint lift of his lips before he turns to me and returns to his cold professional self. He surprisingly bows a bit to me, and I'm left shocked.
He reeks of Lycan juice, and he's bowing to me?
Now I remember where I saw him before, he was with Reagan last night at the ceremony. He was the one following him around like a bodyguard and even reprimanded Brad for speaking disrespectfully to the Prince.
I don't know if I'm supposed to bow back or anything as such. But I'm rooted in my spot as he walks past me without a backward glance.
"That's Adrian. He's the royal guard assigned to Reagan." Alexia informs as I'm still staring at Adrian's retreating form.
"You'll get used to his grumpy and formal greetings."
She swings open the driver seat and gets in. I do the same at the passenger's side as she starts up the engine of the car.
"So, Adrian said you had a mate before, who rejected you for another. Is that true?" Lexi asks as she drives down the highway at full speed. I'm almost hyperventilating in my seat at the thought of having an accident. We speed past cars at an alarming rate, and I think I'm about to throw up.
"Yeah," I answer, still staring wide-eyed at the road.
She must have noticed my panicked expression because she slows down a bit.
"Well, he must be really dumb to have done that." She stares at me through the corner of her eyes with a smile to follow.
"Yeah, about that. I thought werewolves don't have second mates. So how come Reagan claims I'm his?" I decide to ask since Reagan had avoided the question yesterday. I needed answers.
"That's true. You guys don't. But it doesn't apply to Lycans. I feel this is something you should discuss with Reagan."
"I tried to, but he didn't give me the answer I needed."
"He will in time." She reassures, making me sigh out loud and sulk in my seat.
"I've never seen you here before. Is this your first year of college?"
"Yeah, I'm a freshman. Started last month." I explain.
"Cool. I'm a sophomore even though I'm almost a century old." She laughs, and I stare, stunned, at her.
"Oh, don't look at me like that. I only did high school before but decided to take a try at college now. It's been good so far."
I know there's a possibility she might be old, but almost century?! I wonder how old Reagan is. From what I've learned, his father has been ruling for more than two centuries now. But there is a rumor about the First Prince soon taking over. I wonder how true that is.
"How old is Reagan?" I curiously ask, staring at Lexi as she stares at the road.
She looks at me briefly before answering.
"I'm not sure, but let's just say he's way older than me."
She pulls her car into the school parking lot, and I stare out at the students moving about the big building. I know I'm going to be receiving a lot of stares today from werewolves who both were at the party, and were not. Words spread fast in California, and I'll be the talk of the Town for a long time.
An average she-wolf, claimed by a Lycan Prince at an Alpha's inauguration ceremony, and said Alpha challenges the Lycan Prince because of this.
Yeah, I can see it now. Everyone would want to know what's up, and some might have even come to false conclusions. I dread what they might be saying about me. I also dread seeing Brad at school today, he is sure to be pissed. Either because I'm being claimed by another, or because he almost lost his Alpha position because of me. Either way, I don't feel sorry for him. I wish him more painful experiences like what he had done to me.
"Hey, you okay?" Lexi asks beside me as I was staring out the window for too long without getting down. I jerk my head towards her before nodding a 'yes.'
"Yeah, I'm good. Just nervous..."
"Because of what happened last night?" She asks, and I nod once more. "Adrian briefed us this morning on what happened before you both came downstairs.
"Not to worry, as long as I'm here, they'll learn to keep their heads down and not stare or say anything. And when I'm not around, just ignore them. They'll also be scared to say shit when they smell Reagan all over you. Now, let's go." She tilts her head towards the door before opening her side door to get out. I follow soon after exhaling out a breath.
As we make way towards the college building, I feel eyes on me from different corners. But whenever I look to the direction, I see no one staring at me. But I know they're. They're just waiting for me to look away. I can hear whispers with my augmented hearing, and they're not good.
"...that bitch! She must have sprayed something to make two powerful beasts almost fight over her. Now she's walking with a Lycan..."
"...Poor thing. I heard Brad rejected her for Stacy...
"...I don't think the Prince would mark her otherwise, he would have done so last night in front of everyone..."
"...oh, she's so lucky. Being claimed by a Prince..."
"...I bet His Highness is only looking for a good lay, then he'll get rid of her..."
"... she's the reason Alpha Benson refused to inaugurate Brad yesterday..."
"...Is it just me, or is her skin glowing?..."
The last one was from a guy, and I frown at all the murmurings. Some were even worse. My eyes scan the room for the owners, but they always keep shut when I look up.
"Ignore them," Lexi advises beside me. I notice she's not as cheery as before when we were back in the car. Her face holds a blank look, and she walks with her back straight and her chin held up high, acting all high and mighty. Her pose demonstrates arrogance, intimidating anyone near our range. I can see most people gawking at us but mostly her, and I don't blame them. She's beautiful like a goddess and also fashionably dresses in a grey long sleeve crop top with black ripped jeans and a pair of heeled knee-high boot. Her hair is shining under the sun while her skin radiates its light. She's looking both very intimidating and attractive at the same time.
As for me, the hairs at the back of my neck rise. And I feel really uncomfortable from all the stares. Some aren't even hiding anymore but are openly staring now. Maybe I shouldn't have come to school today. The humans are oblivious as always, though.
"I need to get to my dorm." I suddenly announce, stopping Lexi.
She frowns down at me in response.
"Why?"
So I can escape all the freaking stares!
"I need my books for class, and they're in my dorm room." That was also true. She nods in understanding, and we begin our walk across the campus grounds. There's still about fifteen minutes left before our classes start.
The dormitory halls go silent as we both walk in.
Familiar faces stare at us in shock and awe as we proceed to walk. They stare away, though, as Lexi glares at them all and lets out her Lycan aura, and I see some scurry off.
I couldn't be anymore happier as we get to Lana's and my dorm room. I twist the doorknob and walk in but halt in my steps.
In the middle of the room are Lana and Gina, staring or rather glowering at each other. With their sharp claws out at their sides.
Lana is in front of my bed, though. As if she's blocking Gina from my side of the room. They go rigid as we walk in, retracting their claws, but relax when their eyes land on us. Gina, however, glares at me with so much hatred evident in her eyes until they land behind me on Lexi. She stares in shock at her with her jaw hanging wide open.
I'm still staring between her and Lana with furrowed eyebrows because I've never seen them fight before. They may have misunderstandings sometimes due to Gina's selfish nature. But Lana always tries to be the better person and end the fight. I wonder what would have caused Lana to fight back even with her claws out.
"Ellie!" A bright smile is seen on Lana's face as she walks over to engulf me in a bear hug. It was then when she moved away from my bed did I see the claw marks on my pillow, about three of them. I'm frozen in Lana's arms as she hugs me tight before returning it.
"Why didn't you text me or call later? Are you alright? Did he do anything to you? Tell me..." She's checking my body like a concerned parent, bringing a smile to my lips.
"I'm fine, Lana," I assure her with a smile.
"I see that. Damn, you look amazing, and your skin's glowing." She breaths out as she moves back to staring at me a bit more. I arch an eyebrow at her statement since I don't feel any different. Maybe that new beauty lotion my aunt sent me was finally working, 'cause I also heard the same thing on campus.
Lana's eyes finally divert to who was behind me, and she blinks when she realizes who she was. She seems speechless a Lycan is in her dorm room.
"Lana, this is Lexi." I introduce her. "Lexi, Lana, my roommate."
"Hi." Lexi wiggles her fingers at a shocked Lana with a smirk on her face as she takes in her reaction. Lana just keeps opening and closing her mouth like a fish, tongue-tied a Lycan is talking to her.
"Hi, Lexi!" I hear Gina's ear-piercing squeal. Lexi diverts her eyes to her, her face immediately taking back its former blank stare.
"I'm Gina. You remember me, right?" She asks as she walks closer to us, and acting like Lexi and her are long lost friends and not a powerful Lycan that can rip her head off in a sec.
Lexi only cocks an eyebrow in response, still having that blank stare on.
"I once talked to you in the hallways, remember?" Gina says with an excited look on her face. Oh, so Lexi must be the Lycan that had once brushed her off.
"I had invited you..." Gina started, but Lexi cuts her off.
"Given you're not human but a werewolf, you should know my status. And also that it is rude to talk to a Lycan so informally when he or she doesn't give you permission. My name is not Lexi to you, it's Alexia, and you shall address me with a sign of respect." Lexi's tone is cold and hostile, and it surprises me to the extent I step back from her.
Gina's smile wipes off as she also blinks in shock before staring between Lexi and me, not expecting to be so rudely shut down.
She points to me as she says, "B...but she just called you..."
"Is that clear?" Lexi adds, her tone louder and a scowl now evident on her face with her aura showing forth. Even I am tempted to bare my neck at her show of dominance.
Gina stops once more, and tears of embarrassment pools in her eyes as she bares her neck in a sign of submission.
"I'm sorry, Alexia." Her lower lips wobble, and I see her bite down hard on them.
Gina looks up to see Lexi nod at her before her eyes move to me to glare daggers through them. Then she stomps out the room past us before scampering down the hallway.
"Man, talk about psycho." I hear Lana snarl beside me, and now I'm overly curious as to what has happened between both of them.