Library meeting
1451 Words
Maya POV
Class wrapped up, and the professor’s parting words echoed in Maya’s mind. Her friends gathered their things, chatting about the upcoming midterm and weekend plans, but Maya barely heard them. Her thoughts were on the project. How was she going to get through six weeks of being close to her fated mate?
As she stood to leave, she caught sight of him leaning casually against the doorframe. Gabriel’s dark hair was slightly disheveled, and the smirk on his face made her pulse quicken in a way she didn’t want to admit.
“Maya,” he called out, his deep voice cutting through the noise of the room.
She stiffened, clutching her bag tighter. Her friends stopped, their eyes darting between her and Gabriel.
“Should we wait?” Camille asked, her tone laced with curiosity.
“No, go ahead. I’ll catch up later,” Maya said, forcing a polite smile.
Camille and the others shrugged, sending one last glance Gabriel’s way before walking off. As they turned the corner, Maya glared at him.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, stepping closer. “People are going to start talking.”
“Let them,” he said nonchalantly, pushing off the doorframe. “We have a project to discuss, remember?”
“We could’ve discussed it over text,” Maya snapped, brushing past him and heading down the hallway.
Gabriel matched her pace effortlessly. “Sure, because that would’ve been productive,” he said dryly. “Face it, princess—you’re stuck with me for this.”
Maya stopped abruptly, turning to face him. “Don’t call me that.”
“Why not?” he asked, his smirk growing wider. “It suits you.”
She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay calm. “Let’s just get this over with. Where are we meeting?”
“The library. Study room 3. Eight o’clock,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“Fine,” she bit out, spinning on her heel and walking away.
The rest of the day went by in a blur as Maya tried to focus on the classes, but all she could think about was meeting Gabriel in the library later that night. She felt very uneasy about it, especially since her and Adrian were still fighting.
He’d sent her multiple texts, which she had ignored. She just wasn’t ready to talk to him. Not after the stunt he’d pulled. She understood his reasoning, especially since she’d lied to him about finding her mate, but what he’d done had gone too far.
As day turned to night, her dread only grew.
Maya arrived at the library with a knot of frustration tightening in her chest. She spotted Gabriel immediately—he was seated at the table, leaning back in his chair with his long legs stretched out, looking like he owned the place. The dim light of the study lamp cast shadows across his sharp features, making him look both devilishly handsome and infuriatingly smug.
“You’re late,” he said without looking up, his voice dripping with mock disappointment.
“It’s two minutes past eight,” Maya snapped, dropping her bag onto the table. “Don’t start.”
Gabriel finally glanced up, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. “Relax, princess. I’m just messing with you.”
Maya ignored him, pulling out her notebook and flipping it open. “Let’s focus on the project,” she said, her tone clipped. “I’ll take corporate development. You can handle land preservation.”
Gabriel leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “Not so fast. We’re supposed to argue both sides, remember? That means working together.”
Maya’s jaw tightened. “Fine. Then where do you suggest we start?”
Gabriel smirked, clearly enjoying her annoyance. “How about we list the key points for each argument and figure out the strongest angles?”
She huffed, but she couldn’t argue with his logic. “Fine.”
They worked in tense silence for a while, the only sounds in the room the scratching of pens on paper and the faint hum of the library’s fluorescent lights. Gabriel’s insights were surprisingly sharp, his observations cutting straight to the heart of the issues. Maya hated to admit it, but he was good at this.
“You’re quiet,” he said after a while, glancing at her. “Not like earlier in class.”
“I’m focused,” Maya said tersely, not looking up.
“Or avoiding me,” he countered, his smirk evident in his tone.
Her pen stilled, and she finally looked up, her glare meeting his amused gaze. “Do you always have to make everything difficult?”
“Only when it’s worth the effort,” he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair. “And you, Maya, are worth it.”
Her stomach twisted, and she cursed her wolf for stirring at his words. “This isn’t a game,” she said sharply. “This is half our grade.”
“Who said I’m not taking it seriously?” he replied, his expression softening. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself.”
Maya groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Can we just stick to the project?”
Gabriel chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, princess. Back to work.”
Despite his teasing, they made significant progress. By the time they packed up for the night, Maya had to admit—grudgingly—that Gabriel was a surprisingly good partner. But she wasn’t about to tell him that.
As they walked out of the library together, the tension between them lingered, unspoken but palpable. Gabriel glanced at her as they reached the steps. “Same time tomorrow?”
Maya hesitated, her instinct to say no warring with the realization that they really didn’t have much choice. “Fine,” she said finally, starting down the steps.
Gabriel’s voice stopped her. “Hey, Maya.”
She turned, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the serious look in his eyes. “What?”
“I meant what I said earlier,” he said quietly. “You’re worth it.”
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing on the steps, her thoughts a tangled mess.
The next morning, Maya did her best to avoid Adrian—again. She wasn’t ready to face him, not after what had happened. His apology the night before had felt genuine, but the memory of his desperate plea to mark her still lingered, making her stomach twist.
She buried herself in her routine instead, hoping to drown out the chaos in her mind. Classes had always been her safe haven—a world of structure and logic where emotions didn’t rule the day. Today, however, her thoughts wouldn’t stop drifting.
Political Science and Business Administration. She’d chosen her double major for a reason. Growing up as the Alpha’s daughter, she’d seen first-hand how important it was to have strong allies. Her father had always stressed the importance of being prepared for anything, and she wanted to be someone her pack could depend on, even if she wasn’t destined to lead.
But the pressure she put on herself was relentless. She had to excel. She had to prove her worth, especially now that the mate bond had thrown her life into disarray. The thought of Gabriel—arrogant, infuriating, and somehow unsettlingly captivating—made her grip her pen tighter as she sat in her lecture hall, trying to focus.
Her thoughts wandered to her friends. Well, Adrian’s friends, really. She hadn’t had any when she first arrived on campus. She’d felt out of place and alone, unsure how to navigate life outside her pack. Then Adrian had swooped in like a knight in shining armor, introducing her to his circle of polished, high-society peers.
Camille, Jenna, and the others had welcomed her into their fold, but sometimes Maya wondered if she truly belonged. Their world of exclusive clubs and lavish outings felt more Adrian’s than hers. Still, they made her feel included, and she was grateful for that.
Yet, after last night, even her friends felt like a reminder of the growing divide between her and Adrian. She hadn’t answered their texts all morning, avoiding any questions about the party or Gabriel. She wasn’t ready to explain anything yet.
Her phone buzzed on the desk in front of her. A message from Adrian lit up the screen: I miss you. Can we talk?
Maya sighed. Maybe she was being too hard on him.
Okay, where do you want to meet? She texted back.
Our spot.
- Writer
