A/N — Because of work going on in the house I can't write regularly. That's why this chapter got delayed. If I don't update the next chapter on the coming weekend, wait for a couple of days and then it should be up. Love, Auctorsam. 

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While sliding the cushion behind my lower back I wince at the pain shooting up from my sprained ankle. I should've listened to my friends and worn a crepe bandage yesterday, soon after the injury, instead of boasting about my Alpha bloodline and saying it'll be healed in no time.

Now I'd to skip school and stay home, tending to my broken ankle. I tried staying on the bed, but that was making me go numb. So I carried my butt to the couch and propped my injured leg over the coffee table.

My phone rings, Sandy's name flashing on the screen. It must be lunch break at school now.

"How is it?" she asks.

"Better than last night. I've bandaged it now. Should be cured by evening."

"I told you to wrap it yesterday itself!"

I wince at her voice booming out of the phone with anger. I can even imagine her shaking her head while saying that.

"Well, it's wrapped up now. Don't worry."

After Sandy's check up call, I lie down on the couch and stare at the ornate ceiling. There's nothing for me to do. There's no new show in Netflix I could binge watch. There's no good movie airing on cable TV. I'm in no mood to read anything either.

It all happened because of the gym job we took — The one where the owner of a high end gym, that caters exclusively for their celebrity clients, wanted us to take a look at the recent unusual accidents that kept happening at the gym.

Sandy, Khloe and I, disguised in our usual seance troupe attire, visited the place and I found out that it indeed was haunted. Not soon after stepping into the gym I saw the culprit, and even recognized her right away.

It was Kelly. When she was alive, she was a big youtube star. I'd seen a few of her videos. Her prominent dimpled cheeks gave the identity of her spirit away pretty much as soon as I laid my eyes on them.

She was famous for her hilarious mukbang videos and had gained millions of subscribers. Unfortunatley, a few months ago, she passed away due to heart failure.

Talking to her spirit in the gym I learned that she was very conscious about her chubby appearance. So one day she decided to lose weight and started going to that gym.

In there, she developed a crush on one of her fellow gym members — an up and coming hot young pop star called Derek. At first, it was simply her enjoying the view of that handsome boy working out. Then she had a couple of instances where they had small talks.

He was nice to her. She fell in love.

She started trying to make up her mind to make a move on him. She wanted to ask him out.

But her health got worse and she passed away — without ever telling him her feelings.

She regretted that — and hence the haunting.

I didn't know who that newcomer pop star was, but I gathered the details from Kelly's spirit and visited his house to talk about Kelly.

I was half expecting Derek would kick out my friends and I thinking we were some shady paparazzis or something looking for celebrity gossips. But he just listened to what I had to say. And to my surprise, started crying at the end.

It turned out he liked her, too. He just never had the courage to ask her out as she was so popular and he was just a novice at the entertainment industry. Just like Kelly, Derek regretted not asking the other one out.

I asked him to go to the gym with me and share with her his feelings. I was grateful when he complied again, without doubting my intentions.

After Kelly found out he liked her back, too, and letting him know of her own feelings — I passed on her message — she finally decided to pass on to the other side.

But not before suddenly tripping me and causing the sprain.

Shocked, I asked Kelly why she hurt me?

She said she was instructed to do far worse to me by this female ghost she had recently became friends with. This new friend told Kelly that I would soon visit the gym regarding the haunting incidents that happened there, and when I do, Kelly should hurt me.

But since Kelly came to like me, because I brought Derek to her so he could let her know about his love for her, Kelly decided to leave me with just a little sprain.

Kelly disappeared before I could ask her who this new friend of hers was. But I've a feeling who it could be. Instead of facing me again after nearly getting me crushed by a truck, my stalker spirit is now going around asking other spirits to help her hurt me.

I hear the front door of the house open and look over. Joe comes in and throws his backpack on the chair and comes and sits next to me. "How's the pain?" he asks.

"Much better. Shouldn't you be at school now?"

"I didn't want to leave you alone while you're hurt like this, so I ditched the classes and came back to give you company," he says.

I smirk and shake my head.

He reaches out and holds my hand.

I sigh and say, "Didn't we already have a talk about all this, Joe?"

"We did. And I agreed I'll soon tell my parents I want Jennifer as my mate. But I haven't been able to sleep since then, Belle."

"It's not an easy thing to do. I know that. And frankly, it is wrong of me to ask you to do that, instead of talking to my own parents and give them my decision. But you're the only one who can do this now, Joe. And I've become desperate for all this to end. I didn't realize what I signed up for when I came to live with you guys. If I knew things would turn out this way I wouldn't have agreed to it."

"I can behave better," he quickly says, "I'll be more careful of your feelings. What happened with Jennifer, I can make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It's not just about you. It's about Chris, too. You both are hurting me one way or another. I know neither of you mean to do that. But I now just want this to be over."

"Are you really sure about it?"

"I am," I say.

"I still need some time, though."

I nod. "I understand. Take your time."

"Can I kiss you?" he asks, taking me by surprise.

"What?"

"I want to kiss you. If you don't want to that's fine," he says with sad and pleading eyes.

I breathe out. Maybe he wants to confirm his feelings once and for all. "You can kiss me." Oddly I feel calm about this, as if this kiss will just be a courtesy transaction between two mate prospects.

Without letting go of my hand, Joe leans in.

Before his lips touch mine, the vase at his side of the couch suddenly falls down and breaks. He turns around. "How did it f—" His question is interrupted by his phone ringing. It's a call from his mother.

He looks slightly worried while speaking to her over the phone. After his call ends I ask him, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, it's just a minor emergency. I gotta go though," he says and gets up. Then he stops, sits back down and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before getting back up again and leaving.

By evening my ankle is fully healed. Without wasting time I visit my grandma's spirit to ask her if she has found the whereabouts of my stalker yet.

"I'm sorry, puppy," grandma says, "This one's harder to track. But don't worry, we'll catch her soon."

We can't track this ghost, yet she managed to track me to my client's workplace. How do I get rid of her?

On my way back home, I see Joe again who was also on his way back home from his parents' place. We decide to go out for dinner since I'm bored from staying home all day and feel like eating out.

After our meal, we hang out till late night and return home. Chris is up watching TV in the living room. I avoid looking at him. In fact, I've been avoiding Chris since after the night I spent with him at his house.

I loved being with him that night, which only scared me more the following morning. His actions showed he cared for me, maybe even loved me, but he never sealed them with his words. He never comes out and says I'm the one for him.

"Where's Jennifer?" Joe asks him.

"I just came back from dropping her off at her parents' home. Her dad got injured while patrolling. Nothing serious though."

Irrespective of the time the clock says it is now, Joe immediately leaves to go see Jennifer. He didn't even think of just giving her a call and ask about her dad. I don't think Joe realizes how much his actions speak when it comes to his love for Jennifer. I'm both disheartened and amazed by it.

And when I return to my room — surprise, surprise — Chris follows me inside.

"Don't just come into my room like it's yours!"

He ignores my comment and says, "So how was the date?"

"Don't," I warn him and sit down at the edge of my bed.

"Don't what?"

"Don't pick a fight with me over nothing."

"Nothing? You're coming home late with him even after I asked you to stay away from him. That's nothing to you?"

"Oh my god, could you be more selfish? I can't believe the level of entitlement you think you must be having for asking me to stay away from Joe when you let Jennifer cling all over you right in front of me! If you really like me then you wouldn't let her think she has a chance with you and you would've declared me as your mate by now."

He opens his mouth to say something but I don't give him the time. I say, "I don't care what your personal issues are. You're not the only one with fucking issues. I'm tired of you constantly implying that you like me but never coming out and saying it. Unlike you Joe is mu—"

I see Chris approach me and before I could think anything of it I feel his lips press hard against mine. In an instant my body goes from being dead tired to feeling like its every cell is given an electric shock.

My body starts to remember the way it felt when I was in his room on the night of the near-accident, and I begin to feel overwhelmed by my senses.

Even through his t-shirt fabric I can feel his elevated body temperature. When his large muscular arm encloses my waist I forget I'm angry at him, and give into the pleasure.

His broad shoulders feel like a fortress I can let my hair down behind and act free. I don't feel shy or shame anymore. I just want him. I want Chris, my mate.

Before I know it my back is on the mattress and he's on top of me, taking our kiss further into the realm of a passionate make out.

I always imagined my first kiss to be slow and sensual, not this sexually charged.

His hand slips under my top. I never thought the touch of a rough skin could feel this fucking good. When he starts kissing the side of my neck I bite my knuckles to stop moaning. That's when I catch my reflection on the closet mirror. I look like a far too gone hot mess, but there's still time to salvage what's important.

I love Chris. He's who I want.

But now is not the right time. I shouldn't give into the desire without fully knowing what's on the mind of the boy who is driving my body and mind crazy.

I muster energy in my arms to push him hard enough to break our kiss. "Quit it!" I say, "Don't touch me if you're going to continue to keep the truth from me! I'm not your plaything, Chris!"

He looks hurt, then angry, then gets up and storms out without a word.

A week goes by, we don't speak. I'm not done collecting my thoughts. Chris is not ready to say sorry.

Joe keeps to himself, too. It seems something had happened between him and Jennifer as well.

All four of us have strangely grown distant from each other, as if we're secluding ourselves to brood and make the final decision. We all have probably reached a tipping point. There's not much time left.

At the end of the week I remind Joe to talk to his parents. He's not responsive about it. But I don't push it. He's literally the only person in this house who has been nice to me. I don't want to take advantage of him and end up accidentally hurting him.

In the middle of the night, Penelope's panicking voice wakes me up. "Chris is hurting!" As soon as she finishes, I jump out of the bed and go down. I don't know how he's hurting or what's hurting him, except that I need to be there.

From his room's doorway, what I see freezes my blood.

The ghost that had nearly killed me is standing beside Chris with her hands around Chris' neck as if she's strangling him.

Chris looks likes he's having a painful nightmare. His eyes are still closed. His shoulders sweep side to side. His jaw is clenched, palms are fisted, and brows wrinkled.

"Chris!" I rush to him. As soon as I touch him the ghost disappears.

"Chris, wake up!"

"Chris, please, wake up!"

He wakes up. His disoriented eyes takes a moment to focus on me.

"Belle?" he says. "What's the matter?"

"I—I think you were having a nightmare. You were talking in your sleep loudly."

He gives a tired smirk. "You must be rubbing off on me."

I try to smile it off but I can't. I'm still shaken from what happened.

His hand reaches out and wipes my tears, making me realize I've been crying. "Don't be scared," he says. "I'm fine."

I kiss his hand and let more tears flow down. I thought I was going to lose him.

He pulls me down on his bed and moves me under him.

We kiss till I remember to push him away again.

"What do I've to do?" he says. "I'll tell everyone you're the one for me. Because you are. You're my mate, Belle. I can't pretend like I don't care anymore. I love you. I want you as my mate. If you love me back, which I know you do, let's end this. Let me mark you."

I shake my head. "Then I'll never know what stopped you from doing so in the first place."

"I told you I'll tell you everything one day."

"You're lying," I say. "You won't tell me everything."

His hand caresses the side of my face. "I'm not the only one with secrets. I won't tell mine; You don't have to tell me yours."

"But I want to," I whisper. "I want you to know everything about me. I don't want to hide anything from you."

Chris rests his head on my chest. I embrace him tight and run my hand through his hair.

"I can't," he says. "If you learn the truth, you'll hate me."

I hold him till he falls asleep. I've also made up my mind by then. I need to find out what he's hiding from me. And I've an idea where to start to look from.