The Alpha’s Mate

Chapter 8- Mall Trip

The next day of school flew by. Dad was less annoying and overprotective today, so he actually let me take my car. I got up early, picked myself up some breakfast from the local diner, and listened to my favorite jams on the way to school. With plans to hang out with Jasmine in the afternoon, I was looking forward to a taste of normal teenage life.

I didn't spot Dante in English class or anywhere in school, but I hesitated to inquire about it from Jasmine. Texting him seemed intrusive; after all, who was I to pry into his business? Still, a part of me genuinely wanted to make sure he was okay.

After the last bell, Jasmine invited me to meet her at the mall. Peach and Mya were tagging along, so it felt like an opportunity to get to know them better. Nervous but excited, I embraced the chance to spend time with the whole group.

I approached the food court and spotted them sitting at a round table. Jasmine noticed me and ran over, pulling me in for a tight hug. Her excitement was contagious. "Angel, I'm so glad we're hanging out! Time to get some new outfits for Friday!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

I smiled, trying to match Jasmine's excitement. "Me too." Returning to the table, I took a seat across from Peach and Mya. "Hey, guys!" I greeted them cheerfully. Mya mumbled a half-hearted "hey," and Peach offered a nod in my direction. Despite their polite responses, an uneasy feeling settled over me. I couldn't shake the sense that I was the fourth wheel, an unintended addition to their plans.

Well, this is awkward, I thought, glancing at the barely concealed expressions on Peach and Mya's faces. It wasn't my fault that Jasmine invited me.

"So, which store are we going to first?" Peach asked, sounding bored.

Jasmine's phone suddenly chimed. She glanced down at it and let out an annoyed groan. "Damn it, the boys want to join us. They're on the way," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Dante's joining us?" Peach asked, her interest immediately piqued. I was glad that she brought him up because I secretly wanted to know the answer to that question too.

"Yeah, I think just him and Rashaad. I doubt Akira will come, you know he doesn't like having fun."

Mya let out a groan, while Peach couldn't contain her excitement with a squeal. "Jaz, I don't feel like watching you and Rashaad flirt with each other all day," Mya grumbled.

A blush colored her cheeks. "Shut up, Mya. I don't flirt with him. He's just annoying as hell," she lied.

Peach twirled a strand of her hair. "Well, I'm just excited to see Dante. I don't understand why he plays hard to get; he knows he wants me. It's only a matter of time until he's begging to-"

"TM-f*****g-I Peach, I don't want to hear about how much you want to f**k my brother!" Jasmine exclaimed, covering her ears.

I clenched my teeth. It felt as though my entire body was suddenly engulfed in flames. I knew Dante would never be mine, but Jasmine was perfectly okay with Peach openly lusting after him? She had a massive issue with me just touching his hand yesterday.

I lowered my gaze to the table, the wood grain suddenly captivating my attention as I sought to regain control of my breathing. "Angel, are you okay?" Jasmine's concerned voice cut through the haze of my thoughts.

I looked up, realizing that all three of them were staring at me. Quickly, I nodded. "Oh yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about how I got lost in the woods last night."

I figured that explanation was better than revealing I was getting possessive of her brother, whom I had just met. Jasmine reached for my hand. "Oh my Goddess, are you okay?"

Mya and Peach continued to regard me with skepticism. "Yeah, there was this...wolf that stayed with me until my dad found me. It was surreal, he let me pet him and everything."

Okay, I'm sure they want to kick me out of their friend group now.

There wasn't even an ounce of shock on their faces. I frowned. "You guys don't believe me?" I asked in a low voice.

Jasmine seemed to be searching for the right words, while the other girls avoided eye contact with me. Guilt was evident on their faces.

Am I missing something?

She suddenly jumped up, her gaze fixed on the entrance of the mall. "Oh look, the boys are here, let's go!" she exclaimed, a visible look of relief washing over her.

No seriously, what the hell is going on?

The girls swiftly rose from their seats and made their way toward the boys. Though I remained seated, facing the opposite direction of the entrance, I could feel his overpowering aura entering the building. Bracing myself for his presence, I prepared to see him again. Pretending that yesterday didn't happen would be challenging. Reluctantly, I got up and followed behind them.

All three boys were wearing shorts and muscle shirts. I could feel Dante's eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze. Peach suddenly ran and threw her arms around him. "Hey Dante, I missed you so much!" she giggled like a little schoolgirl.

A burning sensation welled up in my throat, a bitter mixture of jealousy and insecurity that I struggled to swallow. Despite the turmoil within me, I continued to avoid direct eye contact with them. I couldn't shake the belief that he desired her just as intensely; she exuded beauty and popularity, realms I would never reach. As I grappled with these thoughts, a realization struck—when did I begin wanting attention in the first place?

Once Peach removed her slutty hands from him, Jasmine eagerly stepped in for a hug. "I'm so glad you're here. You've been too busy to hang out with me for a while now," she teased.

"You know that's not personal Jazzy," he replied, kissing her on the forehead. It was nice seeing them being nice to each other.

Rashaad grinned upon spotting me awkwardly standing behind the other girls. "Well, well, well...if it isn't my angel!" he shouted. Striding over, he wrapped me in his bulky arms, slightly lifting me off the ground. His scent was a blend of citrus and sandalwood, emanating a wonderfully masculine aroma. If I weren't entirely uninterested in him, I might have been impressed. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Dante's face harden. Was he jealous? Wait, what was I saying... of course, he wasn't; he had Peach throwing her ass at him.

Rashaad put me down but kept an arm around my waist. If looks could kill, Dante would have stabbed him a hundred times by now.

Peach scoffed, as if finding it ridiculous that any of them would be interested in me. "Be careful, it sounds like she already belongs to someone."

"Who?" Dante and Rashaad asked simultaneously, their expressions reflecting shared confusion. "Peach, what are you talking about?" Jasmine chimed in.

Yeah, what the hell is she talking about?

She folded her arms. "Ang, tell them the story you just told us."

Ang? I've never hated a nickname so f*****g much!

I frowned, my gaze narrowing, as I stepped away from Rashaad. "What does that have to do with anything?" The atmosphere grew tense, and I could feel the weight of their collective curiosity pressing down on me.

"Umm...last night, I just got lost in the woods, and I met this massive gray wolf. Surprisingly, he was really gentle. He kept me safe until my dad found me and took me home," I explained quietly, my voice carrying a mix of disbelief and vulnerability. I shrugged my shoulders, attempting to downplay the unusual encounter.

They exchanged glances, their silent communication leaving me uneasy. After a prolonged moment, Jasmine approached, placing a hand on my shoulder. Concern creased her eyes. "Angel, I think you need to go talk to your dad tonight. He has something he needs to tell you." My brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?" I whispered, the unease growing in the pit of my stomach.

"It's hard to explain. I just think he has held off long enough. It's time that you knew the truth," she replied, glancing back at Dante. "It's okay to tell her that, right?"

He gave a curt nod. My eyes finally landed on his face. His expression and eyes were emotionless as they met mine. Looking around at everyone else, I noticed they refused to make eye contact with me. I was beyond confused, but more importantly, upset that it felt like everyone was in the loop except for me.

I felt betrayed, especially by Jasmine. Despite our recent friendship, she was supposed to be a real friend, yet she was involved in keeping a secret about my dad from me? "You know what, since everybody here is so close and good at keeping secrets, I'm just going to head home. I don't belong here anyway," I snapped, my voice shaking as tears threatened to spill over. I quickly blinked them away; there was no way I was crying in front of these people.

I began heading toward the exit doors, but Jasmine grabbed my hand. "Wait, Angel, please don't go. It's not like that," she blurted out.

I slowly turned around, folding my arms and pursing my lips as I glared at her. "What is it like then? Obviously, all of you know what's going on, and yet nobody is telling me s**t!"

Jasmine's eyes pleaded with Dante, who shook his head once again. She turned back to me. "We can't... but I swear if we could tell you, we would. Your dad forbids it." There were tears welling in her eyes.

I could see that she was telling the truth, and she also felt guilty for not telling me. I wondered why she kept looking to Dante for answers, though; was he in cahoots with my dad on this?

I sighed deeply. "I-I guess I understand. I'm sorry for getting so upset. I don't know what's going on, but I just don't want to keep feeling like an outsider here," I admitted quietly, "everybody's being weird, walking on eggshells around me and s**t. I don't like it."

"I'm so sorry, I hate that you feel that way. Just...please, please talk to your dad asap. Everything will make sense then."

I nodded, still unsure about what she was talking about, and what the hell my dad had to do with any of this. "Well, I'm just going to head home and talk to him then. I'll see you guys later."

She grabbed my hand again. "Wait, he's still at work, right? Please hang out with us until he gets home, okay? You promised you would let me pick you out an outfit anyway," she pleaded, pouting her lip out like a child.

I pondered for a long moment, my eyes flashing to Dante. I was terrified that he still had a poker face on. What was he thinking about? Why had he been silent this entire time? What was going on that he had to hide it from me too?

"I guess I can stay then," I mumbled, my gaze lingering on Dante's unreadable expression.

She squealed and wrapped her arms around me, squeezing tightly. "Ow," I winced as the force of her hug caught me off guard. The strength in her grip surprised me, and I suddenly felt a bit like I was being squished.

"Jazzy," I heard Dante growl under his breath, a subtle warning in his tone.

She quickly pulled away, a mischievous giggle escaping her. "Sorry, Bestie, I forgot you're still so fragile."