His unexpected mate [the green coven series]

WELLCOME TO WILDWOOD

ALICE POV

The flight went smoothly, and I even managed to get a few hours of sleep. Upon arriving at Macon Airport, I texted mom reassuring her that i safely landed in US and I was pleasantly surprised to find an Uber driver holding a signboard with my name on it.

An hour later, I found myself in awe, passing through the imposing gates of the college.

A wall surrounded the entire building, within which a tree-lined avenue led to the college’s main building through the dense, lush forest. An impressive structure, made of red bricks with white windows, stood three stories high with wings extending from either side, my new home. Ivy covered almost the entire exterior, giving it a mystical and comforting aura. The imposing but cozy structure here was unexpected for me, and the thought of my ancestor crossing the same threshold made me feel happy.

After taking my suitcase from the car, I headed to the main entrance, where I was greeted by a girl with a dazzling smile and bright blue eyes. She handled all the formalities necessary for an international student living on campus and then showed me the route to my room. Two flights of stairs later (no elevator, so dragging the suitcase behind me was quite fun), and with half a lung less, I was in front of my roommate.

"Hi! I'm Alice, nice to meet you! I'm your new roommate," I began, offering her a polite smile.

"Hi, I’m Valerie, but everyone calls me Val! I have a feeling we’re going to be great friends!" she smiled wisely. Val reminded me of Ilaria, with her round face and fair complexion, though she had a darker shade of blond hair and brown eyes instead of blue. He had a small figure, muscular but well proportioned, about 5.6 tall, a bit shorter than me (I'm 5.8). Looking at her, I noticed an immediate connection between us, I have the felling that we’ll become like peanut butter and jam on toast. " So, I hear you’re from Italy! Cool! I am an art student, I have always dreamed of visiting or even living there for a while, studying, painting, and exploring all those museums and historic cities! Where exactly are you from? Rome?" Val asked with a dreamy and genuinely curious look.

"Yes, Italy is rich in history, art and architecture. Maybe when I come home to see my parents during spring break, we can go together!" I answered perhaps with too much enthusiasm and putting the cart in front of the horses, but I already felt her part of my life, even with the small exchange of greetings, a strange feeling in fact.

" My family lives in a small village in the heart of Tuscany. You can reach Florence and Pisa in less than an hour by car” as I am referring to as a tourist guide or one of those advertisements that go on TV on 'I love Tuscany, OMG'.

The images of our family home make their way into my mind, and a pinch of sadness struck me unexpectedly. Almost 24 hours and I have already planned to return home.

If Grandma was still alive, I would have visited her in Tampa for Christmas. Perhaps I would have had the opportunity to visit her a couple of weekends during the year to suffer less the distance from home, but life had other plans.

Mechanically I take my hand to my grandmother’s pendant and I start to twist it between my fingers, a gesture that almost always allows me to get out of the vortex of thoughts, and I recover quickly hoping that Val didn’t notice anything.

"Really? That would be cool! A dream come true! You know what, I was a little annoyed when I found out I was going to share the room, but now I think this is quite a blessing! " responded trilled from my proposal, it doesn’t seem that I noticed my mood change for luck. " So why did you leave the cradle of art to come here, almost in the middle of nowhere, to Georgia?"

"Long story short, mom and dad wanted me to take over the family restaurant, but I want to be a scientist. So when I had the chance, I took it", I muttered, with a hint of guilt.

"I get it. No more questions! I’ll go unpack. Later, we can take a small tour of the first floor, where we will attend classes, and maybe dine in the cafeteria! I don’t know everyone, but some of my high school friends study here. If you’re interested, I can introduce you to some," Val suggested.

The room we share is not as small as I thought, not even too aseptic or banal, it is decorated with minimal and essential style, which nevertheless provides me with cozy vibes.

"Okay then, I’ll take a shower to shake off that feeling of airplane and be ready for the tour sooner than you think!" I said, pointing to the small shared bathroom.

After a long hot shower, taking time to wash and condition my hair, I was ready to go in half an hour. The weather was warm, so I didn’t bother to dry my hair or make up: I’m not a big fan, just for special occasions or events. I opted for a soft white t-shirt and black leggings, and patiently started unpacking my suitcase and finished storing my clothes in the wardrobe, thus arranging my little new home.

Half an hour later, Val was ready, too, and we walked through the college hallways. He showed me the classrooms, the common bathrooms, the gym on the ground floor (which was super cool and fully equipped), the outdoor training areas, and the library-the best place ever!

The room was full of shelves and books perfectly arranged in alphabetical order and by genre; some seemed ancient, others more recent. Even some available for free consultation on all topics of study, as well as novels, thrillers, art catalogs, and much more, paradise for a little nerd like me. A large window overlooking the outdoor garden provided natural lighting, and there were tables for shared reading and group study. The librarian, Miss Bianca, seemed to be in her fifties, composed but with a sweet smile. I think spending time here will be more than enjoyable.

Walking and chatting casually to get to know each other, we entered the cafeteria. Some friends of Val were already waiting at an oval table, she had warned them that she would take me to dinner so that we could meet and eat together. Looking at the common room, I was impressed by the vast buffet available to students. The tomato and basil pasta caught my eye, but it was clearly not cooked until al dente. The Caesar salad with fruit seemed to be the most sensible option. Val opted for pasta, maybe as a way to prove me wrong, and it was definitely not the best choice in the world though.

At the table with the others, we had a chance to laugh and joke a bit during the meal, which gave me a chance to get to know Philip, Karla, and Angie. Besides being welcoming and friendly, they all looked very sporty. Every morning before class, they go for a run together. I inquired if they are part of an athletic team, but it appears that they just enjoy running. They inquired about my interest in joining their group, but I jokingly replied that it's not feasible for me to run an hour every morning before coffee, I can get grumpy.

Val laughed and let the topic slide, shaking her head .

Their demeanor is pleasant. I'm lucky to have already found someone who I can get along with. It would be pleasant to spend time with them outside of the classroom. Angie and I will be sgaring some courses, so there's a chance we can study together.

Suddenly, time stood still, the atmosphere cooled, and an almost disturbing silence spread, as soon as a group of boys began to make their way to the buffet. Well, not really types, almost gods on earth! Sporty, dangerously stunning, well placed and at least 6.4 high. my jaw dropped. Were they a football team maybe? Or the water polo Olympics? There’s no other explanation.

They spread the scent of bullies all around, corresponding to their appearance, all the muscles and little grace, undoubtedly very nice, and with the bad guy vibes, damn it remind me of Marco in appearance and manner. This experience was supposed to help me erase him from life and memory, and instead I’m here finding similarities between him and other kids. Bloody hell.

One of them stared at me intensely, making me feel almost uncomfortable, and making me carry on with difficulty the conversation with Val and the others.

The more I tried to avoid his gaze, the more I found myself stuck in those amber eyes, where I felt I could read nothing and everything at the same time, definitely intriguing.

Come on girl get better, less than a day at school and already you caught a crush on the big bad guy, I sighed internally.

"Hey Ali, what's up?" asked Val. "Are you tired? Is the jet lag effecting you? " with a concerned expression.

"No, actually, I have a weird feeling. That guy, I think he's staring at me. I muttered, trying to mask my mixed emotions and appear annoyed. I am not seeking male attention; the memory of Marco remains reverberating in my mind, and if I don't stop my mind racing as soon as possible, that guy will be a problem for sure.

"Oh, don’t pay too much attention to him and don’t even mess with him. The less you turn around, the better. We’ve known each other since kindergarten, and he still seems to forget my name," he practically whispers like we’re conspiring against the pope. " He’s a typical athlete, you know? A control freak, always asking for respect and more nonsense. Personally I try to avoid it as much as possible, and I suggest you do the same, also because you would only attract on yourself the deadly wrath of his fan club."

"Got it,” I replied stuffing my mouth “The less, the better.”

I tried to avoid his gaze for the rest of the time, even though I still felt his piercing eyes on me. After dinner, we headed straight to our room, jet lag was affecting me and luckily sleep claimed me in no time.