Lust or Mate?

Chapter 8 - In love

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Alafia

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As Lex and I walked out of the auditorium, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by all the information we had just received. Studies were to resume the following day, and we were super excited. I even forgot about everything that had been bugging me for a while, and the fact that Gyda was seated next to us.

I also didn’t miss how she kept looking at me as though she wanted to say something. Lex asked if I had seen that, and I told her I did. She said maybe she wanted to talk to me, but I told her I had nothing to say to her. I was more than creeped out when she told me she found her in the bathroom with me last night. What was she doing there?

The auditorium was packed full, and we were divided into groups, thank Goddess, so I didn’t see Alexi. Lex and I spoke about him as we headed to the orientation because she thought that maybe we would bump into him, and she worried about my state of mind, but I assured her I wasn’t going to let this get the best of me. There didn’t have to be tension between Alexi and me. I’m a wolf, and everything tells me he’s one too, so we will eventually find our mates. We were both having fun, and it didn’t have to be complicated.

As we crossed the street, I noticed a small restaurant that was still open. "Hey, Lex, want to grab some dinner before heading back to the dorm?" I asked, pointing at the restaurant. We were going to go grocery shopping the following day.

"Sure, sounds good to me," she replied with a smile.

We proceeded across the street and were immediately greeted by the smell of delicious food. But just as we walked towards the entrance, we heard a voice call out my name, and we stopped and turned to see the last person I expected, walking up to us.

My eyes widened, and I didn’t even hear what Lex said as my heart started racing inside my chest while my palms became sweaty, even though he shouldn’t have had that effect on me after everything that went down between us.

Despite knowing better, my lips parted as I stared at him. He was even more perfect than I remembered. His sandy blonde hair was tousled just right, and his blue eyes were mesmerizing. He was dressed casually, but he still looked like a model. He walked up to us with a confident stride, and I felt myself heating up at how he carried himself.

"Hey," he said, a small smile on his lips as he stopped in front of us, his eyes on mine, and I could feel myself getting lost in their depths. What is this guy doing to me? "How have you been?" he added, and I struggled to form coherent words, my mind still reeling from the sudden rush of emotions, as I replied that I had been good, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you have a moment?" he asked, his eyes now trailing to Lex, and I said I did also looking at Lex as I silently communicated that I was okay and that she could leave me. She nodded and said she'd see me inside before proceeding inside the restaurant. There was silence for a moment as though he was trying to figure out how to say whatever he wanted to say.

"I’m sorry," he finally found his voice, taking a step closer to me, and asked what he was he was sorry for. I knew what he was referring to, but I wasn’t about to let him know how he hurt me. He said it was about how he handled things between us, adding that there was nothing between him and that girl and that he freaked out.

I opened my mouth to ask him what freaked him out, but he spoke first, beating me to it, explaining that he wasn’t looking for a relationship and was scared that maybe that was what I wanted. He said he did what he did to put me off, but when he woke up the next day, he realized it was wrong and that he should have just talked to me instead of acting the way he did.

I told him I appreciated him owning up to his mistake but assured him that he didn’t hurt me.

"I wasn’t looking for a relationship, Alexi. That is your name, right? Cause your shirt said, Alexi?" I asked, and he confirmed it was. He asked if we were good, and I said we were. He thanked me and extended his hand to me. "Alexi Black," he said, officially introducing himself, and I introduced myself back and introduced Lex, who was inside as well.

Alexi said it was a pleasure to meet me, adding that I had a beautiful name, and I blushed even though I knew he was just being nice. It didn’t really mean he thought my name was beautiful. He said that he wasn’t going to keep me and bade me goodnight. I bade him good night too and proceeded inside as he headed back to the yard, but I called him before he crosses the street, deciding to invite him to the party that Ford and Elly were throwing this weekend. It wasn’t my party, and maybe I shouldn’t have, but I did.

He stopped and walked back to me, but the words escaped me at the intensity of his gaze. I was suddenly not sure if I was being too forward. I liked Alexi, even after everything that happened between us, and there was no denying it, but there was also something intimidating about him, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I invited him and told him the room number, and I also told him he could bring his brother, and he said maybe they would show up and asked if he should bring anything. I wasn’t aware of anything he had to bring, so I told him I wasn't the host of the party but my friends were, and that I didn’t think there was anything he should bring. He nodded and asked me to take his number, saying that way I could let him know.

I took out my phone and gave it to him and he put in his number and gave it back to me. He bade me good night again after that and left, and I turned and looked at him as he walked away, feeling a swoony feeling in my stomach before running inside the restaurant, unable to contain my smile. Goddess, I had it bad.

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Alexi

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"And then?" my brother asked as he walked up to me, the knowing smile on his face telling me I didn’t have to answer. "You are a dead man, Alexios Silver," he said, laughing at me, and he was right. I was a dead man. I was in love. I had no idea how the hell it happened that fast, and it was beyond wrong and dangerous, but there was no mistaking it.

I was seriously screwed. When I went to sleep last night after I kissed that random cheek, I told myself it was over. I thought it was just about Fifi forgetting about me, but I was wrong. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and after I finally went to sleep, I woke up knowing I was in love with her.

I thought we were only supposed to love our mates. I don’t even know what the f**k is happening to me. I confessed to Kyron, and he said maybe it was all the freedom we suddenly found ourselves having. He said maybe I was overwhelmed by everything. How old is she, anyway? Why doesn’t she have her wolf yet? If she had it, maybe I would know what was happening.

"Do you think she’s your mate?" Kyron asked, and I told him I didn’t know. I felt something when we f****d, but I can’t confirm it until I’m looking her wolf in the eye.

"I need a drink," I muttered, my throat drying at the stupid turmoil inside me. Ky didn't ask me; he already knew what it meant when I was stressed and thirsty. He took out his phone and called our bodyguards. They were the ones tasked with organizing fresh sources for me. We headed back to our room, and he made food for himself. I didn't worry about eating when I was about to drink.

Because my Lycan was not awake, I didn't get hungry. I only ate to seem normal; otherwise, I could go without food until he awakened, which was two years from now. We headed to my living room after that and put on the TV.

I told Ky about the invitation and asked if he wanted to go. We didn't know these guys, and normally we would pass, but we said we wanted to mix with regular people and planned on making the most of our freedom, so he said he would go. Ky said he had met some of the guys, adding that their names were Azarios, Lake, Axford, and Axelly. He said Axelly and Axford were twins before correcting himself and saying triplets. He said Fifi's friend was their sister. I asked him how he knew them, and he said he had hung out with them after Fifi and I left.

I asked how they seemed, and he said they seemed all right. I grabbed my phone to check the time, feeling like the person I was waiting for couldn't get here soon enough, and just then, my doorbell rang. I got up and checked through the peephole, and it was a redhead. My fangs elongated as I opened the door and let her in.

"Good evening. You wouldn’t happen to be Alexi by any chance?" She said with the brightest smile, and I told her I was, returning her smile as I extended my hand for the envelope she had in her hand. There was nothing in it. It was just an excuse to deliver her to me.

"Mr. Black sent me to give you this," she said, handing me the envelope, but a gasp escaped her as I suddenly grabbed her hand instead and pulled against me.

"You are beautiful," I said, just as she opened her mouth to speak. She thanked me, blushing but the words died in her throat as I cupped her face and looked her in the eye. I told her she was going to do everything I said, and she nodded as I took her hand and led her to my bedroom.

My brother didn’t mind if I drank in front of him, but I liked privacy when I drank. I set her on my lap and sank my fangs into her wrist, shuddering as the sweet liquid made contact with my tongue. She moaned but did not move a muscle until I was done. I grabbed a tissue and wiped her wrist clean before doing the same to my mouth.

"Thank you," I said, cupping her face before telling her to forget everything that happened and only remember that she delivered the package she had come to give me. After that, I lifted the compulsion, and she blinked before bidding me goodnight.

"Goodnight, thank you for the package," I said, walking her towards the door while feeling like I had springs in my feet. There was nothing like drinking from a live source. I opened the door and bid her goodnight again. She smiled, causing me to smile back at her, but the smile faltered when I looked across the hall to find the girl I kissed last night standing alone on top of the staircase, staring straight at me. What the hell?