Chained To Fate

Chapter 5

Jared Pov

    “What’s wrong with your brother?” The girl that had been playing with my hair asked. Her name was Elizabeth, and she has been sticking by me since we were little. We were both very popular, plus she was the Alpha’s daughter. My father and her mother have been pushing us at each other forever. She was alright, for a friend. I never felt romantically attracted to her though. I kind of figured out why when I got turned on by Easton. I didn’t know if it was because I was gay, or because it’s Easton, but either way, it was never going to happen with Elizabeth, whether our parents liked it or not. “Then again I guess that’s normal for those loser emo kids.” She said with a shrug as she glanced at her nails. 

    I growled at her, walking back to my car to grab my bag. The principal had already pissed me off as it is, and she wasn’t helping much. I grabbed my bag off of the hood of my car, causing her to slide down as she staggered to stand up. I pressed my hand down on the hood, locking her in place as I looked down at her, my anger peeking. “Don’t f*****g talk about East like that. He’s not a loser.” I growled at her, feeling my body shake with anger. I was getting sick and tired of everyone downing him. He wasn’t a bad guy, just misunderstood. Maybe if they started trying to get to know him instead of insulting him, he’d start smiling again...like he used to. Before, when I used to stand by his side, instead of ignoring him. It wasn’t his fault I was attracted to him, even still I abandoned him when he needed me. And what happened that day...and it was all my fault. No wonder he hated me. 

    She blinked up at me, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at me. “Jare-bear,” She whined, making me roll my eyes as she jutted out her lower lip, quivering it. “You’re so mean to me,” She whimpered. I sighed, backing away and walking to the classroom, leaving her behind. She was the freaking Alpha’s daughter for goodness' sake. She was strong and sure of herself when it was anyone else, but with me, she acted like a docile little pup. I had no idea why, and it was annoying as crap; It made me feel uncomfortable.  “Jare-bear!” She called after me, making me sigh in annoyance. She’s always called me that, ever since we were kids. I’ve told her to stop over and over again but she’d just ignore me, doing whatever she wanted, like a spoiled little princess. She grabbed my arm and I turned to look at her, forcing her to keep my pace as we walked to the classroom. It was time for our first class to start, and unfortunately, she had a lot of the same college classes as me.  “Let's walk in together, like a couple,” She said, a smile in her voice. 

    I groaned, but let her snake her hand through my arm. I should have shoved her off a long time ago, but I always ended up not caring, and going along with whatever. She knew we weren’t dating, she knew I wasn’t interested in her, so at this point, she knew that as long as she didn’t try to kiss me or anything then she’d get away with just about anything. Just like she knew not to say anything about Easton to me, but even still sometimes she pushes my buttons. “Hey love birds, just in time.” 

    I grinned at Ashton, one of my best friends. He was on the football team with me, and probably the most easy-going person I knew. If I had to pick a best friend, it would definitely be Ashton over Elizabeth. He never tried to force himself on me as she has. “Hey, Ashton,” I said, fist-bumping him before sitting down. I shook Elizabeth off my arm and she pouted as she sat down next to me, staring at me with a dreamy look in her eyes. “Are you ready for practice today?” I asked him, eager to be done with school so I could get out onto the field. 

    He nodded at me, grinning. “Yeah, of course, bro. They’re picking starters today. I know you’re a definite, but I’m hoping to place too.” He said with a grin. 

    I nodded at him, ignoring Elizabeth’s exaggerated sigh. She hated me talking about football. She was a cheerleader, and she’d be there in her tiny little outfit cheering, but when it came to actual talk about football she got annoyed, since she wasn’t the center of attention when it was about something she didn’t really understand. “I’m sure you’ll place, bro. You’re one of the best, you know. Beside from me,” I said, grinning as he patted me on the shoulder. 

    “Oh come on, can we talk about something else?” Elizabeth groaned, sighing again. 

    Ashton rolled his eyes, shaking his head at her. Despite being a football player, he wasn’t like the normal crew that chased after cheerleaders. He was currently dating the girl in the marching band instead, I think. Either dating her or just sleeping with her, one of the two. “Well, you could go talk to someone else then,” He grumbled, quiet enough that no one else but us could hear as the teacher came in. 

    She tsked, annoyed. “Or we could talk about something more meaningful than a bunch of boys wearing diapers and smacking themselves into each other.” She said with a frown.

    I snickered, knowing by diapers she meant jockstraps. Before Ashton and her could get into a big argument and get kicked out of the classroom-again-I interrupted. “What, pray tell, would you like to talk about instead, Elizabeth? Physics?” I asked innocently as I pointed at the blackboard. 

    She rolled her eyes at me, pointing to the book on the table. “This is literature class, for one thing, not physics. And another, I’d like to talk about the totally awesome party you’re having tomorrow night.” She said with a smile, examining her nails.  

    I looked at the board, where the teacher was clearly writing down the Schrodinger’s Equation on the board and frowned, wondering why she had her literature book out. Then again, she wasn’t the brightest girl ever. “First off, it is physics class. Second, I can agree with you on the party info. We need to know the details of the party, bro.” Ashton said, smirking at me. “What kind of ladies will be invited?” He asked, wagging his eyebrows at me. 

    I was distracted for a moment, remembering Easton had his eyebrow pierced, but shook my head, taking a deep breath. Focus. This was for the best. I’ll find my mate tomorrow and I won’t think about him like that anymore. “You know dad invited the whole pack of eligible people, since it’s Easton’s birthday too,” I said to him with a shrug. It was tradition, when a command’s child turned of age. We would throw the biggest parties and all of those eligible would come. The ones that were single and over twenty. But of course, there was a possibility that our mate was someone that wasn’t twenty yet. We didn’t feel our mate if they weren’t old enough as well. Something about the chemical imbalance, where the mate was only revealed when the two wolves were out, so they could recognize each other’s souls. Those that weren’t children of the commands had their birthdays celebrated in the middle of the square. It was bigger and more people went to it. Everyone knew that even though all those eligible were invited to the commands parties, that only the coolest crowd showed up. So that also didn’t help with the finding of their mate problem. But eventually there would be a regular twenty-year-old’s party and they would all find each other soon enough. It was very rare to not have a mate, only two or three went their whole lives without one. 

    Elizabeth nodded, excited. “I’m going to be there, and I’m so very sure you’re my mate, Jared.” Elizabeth giggled. 

    I rolled my eyes, annoyed already. “You have to be twenty or else we wouldn’t know,” I told her. 

    She huffed, and Ashton chuckled softly, making me wonder if I missed something. “Bro, ouch. You don’t even know your own girlfriend’s birthday?” Ashton asked, laughing. “That’s f*****g harsh, bro,” he said. 

    I looked at him, then at Elizabeth, confused. She wasn’t even my freaking girlfriend, what did I do now? “Today is my birthday, Jared, It’s always been one day before yours!” She said loudly, tears in her eyes. She stood up, slamming her hands on the desk and drawing attention to herself. I groaned, sliding down low, feeling embarrassed from all of the stares. “I’m so upset! I need to go!” She shouted, gathering her things. She huffed to the front of the class, staring at the teacher as she wiped her tears. “I don’t have time for literature! I need some time and space!” She shouted at him, before running out the door. 

    “What the f**k just happened, bro?” Ashton asked, leaning over his desk as he clutched his stomach in laughter. 

    “But...this is physic’s class,” The teacher said dully, scratching his head as Ashton rolled over laughing. The teacher sighed, glaring at me. “Just because you’re second in command’s son doesn’t mean you can disrupt class, you’re not second in command yet. Come up here and finish the equations list, without using a book.” He snickered, trying to torture me. 

    I shrugged, not caring. I memorized everything already anyway. I walked up to the board and grabbed the marker, uncapping it. “Okay, professor,” I said dully, and started to write them all one after the other. I ended up exaggerating, not only writing the equations but the names of them and the year they were founded. I could hear the gasps of the other students as they searched through their books, trying to find all of the equations to compare them to mine. I already knew they were perfect, every part of them. Finally, I finished, putting the marker down and smiled at the teacher. “There you go, professor. I hope this is good enough.” I said to him, towering over him. He gulped, stepping back as Ashton laughed, knowing I was taunting the teacher into trying to say something else. It was always like this, I swear. A teacher would try to school me and I’d always end up making them look like a blubbering mess. 

    “Yes, well…” He said, a blush on his face as he adjusted his glasses. “I guess it will do, of course. Next time, don’t mess around when I’m trying to teach, do you understand, Jared?” He asked, frowning at me. 

    I nodded, sighing as I walked back to the back with Ashton. “It’ll do? Really? He couldn’t have done it better and he knows it. Just doesn’t want to lose face to you, Jared. I swear, you’re going to end up a teacher if you keep this up.” He said with a grin. 

    I shook my head no, laughing. “I can’t be a teacher, I’m the next in line for the Beta title,” I said with a snicker. 

    He shrugged, looking at the front of the desk. “They could always make Easton do it, you know. If they felt like you were better off as a teacher.” He was right. It happened, sometimes. When one sibling born to a command wasn’t good enough, strong enough, qualified properly to take over, the younger sibling was eligible to try instead. It usually happened when the candidates were around fifteen or sixteen, but it’s been known to happen anytime, really. Even after a command becomes appointed in charge, their younger sibling can call them out and fight them for the title. It was rare, but it happened nonetheless. “Though I honestly doubt it in your cases. No offense, I know you hate to bad talk about Easton but...you know he’s not second in command material.” He said to me with a frown. 

    I could tell he was nervous, thinking I was going to yell at him for what he said, but he was right. Easton wasn’t qualified, not really. “You’re right, I guess I won’t be a teacher,” I said to him, nodding. Enough to tell him I wasn’t mad, but also that I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. He held up his hands, understanding the unspoken words, before pulling out a notepad and starting to copy down the board. I looked forward, tapping my pencil on the desk, not even trying to write anything down as I was lost in my own thoughts. As the professor tried to smear my work on the board, rewriting it and saying I missed it to make him look better, I couldn’t help but think about Easton. Where he went, what he was doing, and if he was coming back. I wondered if he’d miss this party too, like he did the last few. He hated them, and he avoided them, making dad even angrier with him. I couldn’t help but feel like this was the one party I didn’t want him to go to. Because as eager as I was to find my mate so I could forget about Easton, at the same time I didn’t want to watch him finding his mate.