XAVIER'S POV-

It's been two days since I found my mate and now that I'm getting ready for school, the sight of her is still replaying in my head. Her hair an alternating shade of light and dark red, her bright red eyes, her plump lips, her long slender legs...damn! I can't get her out of my mind! I want to claim her, I really do but I can't. I can't risk the lives of my family, and most importantly I can't risk her life. But the fact that I don't want to reject her is also weighing on my mind. I just can't bring myself to do it. I want to get to know her at least.

The morning goes by in a blur and before I knew it, I'm in the school parking lot surrounded by girls I do not bother to remember. Kaden and Jace are by my side and try to herd the annoying crowd. Why do they always flock around me?

Maybe some still hold up hope that they might be our mate

I scoff inwardly at the sheer absurdity that any one of them might entertain the idea of being my mate.

Exactly, we already found her.

I clench my fists at the reminder. Now I feel conscious by the fact that I have the same first period with her and suddenly my feet feel like lead. I stop, feeling nervous. This is new for me. I am never nervous or afraid of anyone and that is because I have always believed to above everyone. But why is this not true for her? Why is the mere thought of her making butterflies flutter in my stomach?

I don't know how long I stand there for but Kaden nudges me forward and I take a reluctant step. You okay? He mind-links. Just fine, a lie and he knows it. He clenches his jaw, a sign that he isn't happy that I'm lying and Jace clears his throat. He senses the awkward tension but I couldn't care less. My mind is elsewhere now and as we step foot into math class the scent of vanilla washes over me and my eyes stray towards her seat on the row beside the door. She's posed over a book, not even looking up at me like she frequently did the first week she was here. I feel disappointed somehow.

"Xavier!"

My wolf and I groan inwardly at the same time at the sound of the annoying mouse-like voice coming from a well known source. I want to stare at my mate longer but doing so will make others suspicious. I tear my gaze away from her and turn to the now approaching peacock. Elane. I mean, what is she wearing? I don't know where not to look. My eyes stray from her tight leather mini skirt to her blouse that is too low cut revealing her boobs. Her face is too...yellow? Is this how makeup is meant to look like? Definitely not, she gives it a bad name. She disgusts me and I would like to tell her that to her face but for her background. In Flouden there is a heirarchy, first the royal family, then the nobles and then the commoners. Elane's from one of the three most influential nobles in the Kingdom and getting on their bad side will not be beneficial in any way.

"Xavier where were you last night? You weren't at the party" she says. "Oh" After coming back from my little 'excursion' I went straight to bed not bothering to even show my face at the party.

"Yeah I was tired after my run" I reply glancing back at my mate. I don't know her name and now I am regretting it. I never thought I'll have anything to do with the 'human girl' well boy was I wrong.

I feel fingers on my arm and I jolt back to reality. I look down to find red painted nails that remind me of claws more than anything. "Run huh? Why didn't you call me so that we could run together" Elane asks as she leans annoyingly close to me.

Me? Ask her? For a run? Hell no! She can hardly keep her hands to herself in broad daylight, I hate to imagine how she'll be when we're alone together. I shrug her hand off and offer a tight smile as I respond "I wanted to be alone". I look away and try to make my way to my seat when she pulls me back and presses her boobs against my arm and says "Aw, were you sad because you are still mateless? Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find her soon". I hear audible gasps and I take a deep breath. Everyone knows how much I despise the topic of my mate, now even more so that I have found but cannot claim her. The audacity. I look to Kaden and Jace, mind linking them.

Get her off me or I will cut out her tongue and start a civil war

They look at each other and quickly pull her away from me. "Now now Elane, you can't just snuggle Xavier. I'm here too" Jace says as he opens his arms. She only glares at him and I turn away and walk to my seat seething. It's like she just realized what she did as she keeps her distance from me. Good, I feel my restraint slipping away.

James, the math teacher walks in. He looks around until his eyes land on me then he bows his head. I growl in response. I've warned him to stop with the bowing because I don't want my mate to find me suspicious. Too much. I glance at her and find her staring at me confused. She scrunches her forehead and I can basically see the wheels turn in her head. It's cute and my heart aches at the thought of not claiming her. She continues staring for a few seconds before turning back around. I don't even know her name yet.

James, take attendance

Your Highness? But it is unnecessary to do that--

--Just do it!
I snapped and he flinched.

Yes your Highness
He sits at his desk and fumbles through some papers then he clears his throat before starting. "His high-- X-Xavier" he clears his throat and adjusts in his seat. His discomfort at addressing me without a title clearly shown. I sit up straight and answer
"Here!"
He nods and continues in terms of rank with Jace and Kaden coming after then Elane. The last person of course is my mate since she isn't even among the ranking order.

"Lorelei Caddell"

"Here!" She replies, quiet but sure. Lorelei. Such a sweet name. I wish I have a nickname for her.

This is bad. I'm falling for her, fast.

James starts the lesson immediately but I hardly notice. During the whole class my mind was filled with thoughts of her. I glance at her way every so often and either find her focused on the board, forehead scrunched or writing aggressively in her notebook biting her lower lip. And I find that cute too. It's like everything she does is cute!

That's because she's cute

Yeah no shit

I close my notebook in frustration. I won't be learning anything anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lunch time and I can say that I did not learn a single thing at all. Even though we had different classes, my mind was filled with thoughts of Lorelei and it's driving me crazy. I couldn't get her out of my head, her red hair that seem as soft as silk, alternating between light and dark red. Her pupils also red but bright, full of life and a hidden spark. Her tall lean form which gives the impression of a model. She is beautiful, perfect even.

I walk into the cafeteria with Jace and Kaden in tow. Elane is somewhere around and a group of other people that just seem to always be around me. I call them NPCs. We go to a table and all place our order to a NPC then he runs off to get them. Conversations start and it gets noisy at the table in a span of three seconds but I couldn't care less. I look around, trying to find red of any kind. I see a few but they turn out to be someones t-shirt or pants. I try again then I see her. She walks to the short line and orders food that looks like it's for two, well three. And her meal has a lot of meat. She's not a vegetarian then.
She leaves the line and walks out of the cafeteria. Where is she going? Why doesn't she have lunch here?

Let's follow her

I have half a mind to invite her to our table to eat but that would not bode well. Does she have no friends? That's understandable since she's new. I kind of want to be her friend--

"Xavier!" I turn my head in front of me in Elane's direction and almost sneer.

"Hm?" I say as I take a fry from the plate of food now in front of me.

"Why weren't you saying anything?" She asks and places her hand on mine.

"I was deep in thought" I say as I take my hand from underneath her claw. I place it on my lap under the table and wipe it on my pants aggressively. I don't want any of...her on me.

"Deep thought? What kind of thought?" She smiles and adjusts her sitting just enough to show her cleavage. I know what she thinks I was thinking about and it sure as hell not that.

"Don't get any ideas Elane. I still haven't found my mate" I grind the words out as my gut twists with disgust. At myself. My mate is literally a few meters away from me but here I am lying my ass off.

" Oh I never had any" she replies and breaks into a banshee scream that is apparently her laugh.
I take my chicken and tear through it in annoyance. I chew silently and hope she stays silent but I guess it is physically impossible for her to do so.

" Have any of you seen the Mate less freak these days?"

Low murmurs erupt from the NPCs and I immediately remember who they're talking about. It's the girl from the family with a curse-like prophecy that forbids them from finding a mate until the 'Red Luna' is found then they are to be her most loyal vassals. And it gets even worse because in order for them to continue their bloodline, they become 'possessed' or compelled to sleep with a random werewolf. Married or not, old or young (though they range from 70-18), noble or commoner. And because of this their bloodline is mixed between being nobility and being a commoner and to high society, your bloodline is your life. Being mixed is being lesser than commoners themselves, pariahs in high society and basically social suicide. I think her name was... Jessica? I feel bad for her but having anything to do with her will not be good.

"Come to think of it, no" a NPC replies. Elane frowns and says " Where is she hiding? That bitch hasn't greeted me today and it's pissing me off"

The only bitch I see and know is you Elane.

"When I find her I'll--"

"Just leave her alone Elane. You don't have to keep doing this, you can wake up one day and choose to be a good person for once!" Jace snaps. Elane flinches and the table goes silent. Even I'm surprised because Jace never snaps at Elane. Sometimes it seems that he likes her and I'm sure everyone thought the same. Does he have a thing for that cursed girl?
 
Kaden clears his throat and says "I don't think 'good' is in her dictionary. I wouldn't be surprised if she's a demon" he chuckled lightly, trying to soften the atmosphere. It works, the NPCs laugh and Elane glares but Jace stays silent and stares at his food. Weird.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of school was a bore. I wanted nothing more than to go to somewhere quiet and just think. Unfortunately there are very few places like that when you're a prince. But I found one, a place where werewolves hardly step their foot in. A library, a human one to be exact. There are very few humans here in Wolfridge and they apparently do not like books so it is always almost empty. There are books but there is no librarian save for an old human lady who goes to the library occasionally. And I am on my way there now. I drive and park my car in the parking lot in front of the library. I come down from my car and stroll to the front door, my favorite space already in my mind. It's at the back of the History aisle. Human history of course. It's dark and quiet and away from everyone. It's my personal space.

I take a step into the library and turn to my right to find the table and chair saved for the librarian empty. No one then. I walk forward and walk into the History aisle when it hit me. The scent of vanilla. And it's coming from the Anatomy aisle which is a few steps away from me. Before I my mind could catch up I found my legs leading me towards the scent. I walk and turn the corner and my eyes meet bright red ones. My breath catches and I stop. My feet glued to the ground, not sure whether to move forward or back away. I take a step back and she tilts her head, her red locks falling over one eye and making her look  breath taking. My mouth moves before my mind brain could make a rational decision.

"Hey"

Shit.