Scare and Curious

Jovita's POV

"I swear I heard a roar last night,” I said to my friends.

We had just ended the day’s classes, and I was telling them about my encounter from last night. I heard sounds outside my house and opened my window to check the source, but there was nothing outside.

Just as I was about to close my window, I heard a low roar behind the tree next to my window. Terrified, I quickly shut my window and went back to bed.

“What do you think it was?” Anna asked, looking pale.

“Maybe a wolf-vampire,” Maddie mumbled.

“I'm not talking about my encounter with Jayden, Maddie. Besides, I thought we dropped the wolf-vampire nonsense.”

“But what if he came back to haunt you for being rude to him? Or maybe he likes you,” Maddie said, her eyes twinkling.

“What's up with Maddie? What wolf-vampire did you encounter, Jovie?” Anna asked, staring from Maddie to me.

“I think Maddie is possessed by a wolf vampire,” I mumbled.

“What?” Anna shrieked.

“And that wolf-vampire is in love with Jovita,” Maddie retorted.

“Uh?” Anna asked, looking like she was about to faint. She was the softest of the three of us.

I rushed to her, seeing her pale expression. “I was only joking, Anna, and there's no such thing as a wolf-vampire.

“Whatever, Seth is coming over, so see ya later,” Maddie said, pulling Anna away with her.

“I'd surely get back at you, Maddie,” I screamed to their retreating backs.

“Hey,” I said, smiling, as Seth reached me.

“Hi.”

A pause.

“Hope you slept well last night; you didn't see or hear anything strange, right?” Seth asked, looking worried.

I stared at him surprised. My mind flashed to last night. Seth had never asked me if I slept well; something must be up.

“Yeah, I slept well, thank you.”

Another pause.

“Ummm, are you going to the group movie date this weekend?” Seth asked.

“Probably not.”

“Why not?”

“Maddie and Anna will be going with their mates, same as the others…” I said, feeling a bit down.

“Oh. Can you go with me then?”

I turned to stare at the pillar near where Seth and I were standing and spotted Jayden. He was leaning on the pillar, his face ice-cold, he looked like a perfectly moulded statue.

I caught the coldness in his eyes and realized that he could still hear my thoughts. He probably already knew Seth was asking me out to the movie.

But how did that concern him, I thought? He acted like I was some annoying fly in his way yesterday.

I looked up to meet his gaze again, and for a moment, he held it, and then he averted his eyes and walked away.

I stared at his retreating figure for a while. What's up with him? Did he like me? How could a guy as powerful and gorgeous as Jayden possibly be like an outcast?

I turned to look at Seth, but his eyes were fixed on Jayden; he had probably followed my gaze. He turned to stare at me fully, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Would you?” He asked.

“Ohh…umm…sure?” I replied. I had completely forgotten about the movie conversation.

“I'd be counting on you,” he said with a smile and walked off.

What's up with them? I thought.

…

I headed for the stream where my besties and I always hung by, in search of them.

The air was misty with the thick scent of an impending downpour. I wanted us to get home before it started to rain.

As I neared the stream, I caught sight of a figure standing close to the water. The wind blew a little harder, sending a sweet scent towards me. I inhaled deeply, wondering where the scent was emanating from, and for a second I felt chills run through my blood. I wondered if it was just the cold and waved the feeling off.

I was about to scream out my besties' names when I realized who the figure standing near the water was. Another chill ran through my blood.

I turned to go back quietly, not liking or understanding what I was feeling.

“I won't mind your company,” he said, startling me. “Did I scare you?”

I simply stared at him, unsure of what to say.

“It looks like the gorgeous and arrogant Jayden has made you speechless,” he said, clearly enjoying himself.

I snorted, barely able to conceal my irritation.

“I came here to search for my friends. Since they aren't here, I'd leave you to enjoy your solitude,” I said, turning to go.

Suddenly, he was standing in front of me. I gasped, both shocked and frightened.

Who the hell was this guy? I screamed in my head.

He stared at me, searching. A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes, and he quickly concealed it. He was hurt by the fact that I was scared of him.

“I'm not a wolf-vampire,” he said, replying to my thoughts.

“The wolf-vampire thing was just some rubbish Maddie made up. Wait, how did you know about the wolf-vampire thing; were you…” My voice faded as I realized he had probably been leaning on the pillar longer than I thought.

He stared at me intently.

“I wasn't leaning on the pillar,” he said.

“Uh? Then how do you know about the wolf-vampire thing?”

“I just know.”

I balled my fist, a little more scared than I had been earlier. How could he possibly know what I had talked about with my friends without eavesdropping?

“I'm a werewolf, just like you are, only a little different,” he said.

“Oh, okay.”

“You don't believe me?”

“A little,” I mumbled.

“Why?” He asked, raising a brow. I averted my eyes, trying hard not to think about his looks.

“Well…umm… for one, you're super fast, and you seem to hear from an incredible distance too, because I know you weren't in sight when I had that conversation with my friends. And…”

“And?”

“You seem to love being alone. For the past few days, since you arrived, you've mainly been on your own,” I said.

“Is that a crime?”

“I didn't say it was.”

“You didn't need to. Besides, I mostly hang out with Eric, Seth, Phil, and Conan. Maybe you've just been too blind to notice.

I glared at him, wishing I could claw his beautiful face.

The cold wind blew harder, sending chills with it. I perceived the scent again, and then the realization hit me. It was his scent. Why could I perceive his scent when I was neither his mate nor related to him?

I felt something warm engulf me and looked up.

“You should wear something thicker; you don't want to freeze to death,” he said, putting his thick, grey-coloured hoodie around my shoulder.

“How about you?”

“I'm fine.”

“Hmm,” I said, wondering if he was trying to play tough, but he seemed fine.

“You can go look for them.”

“Huh?” I asked, confused.

“Your best friends. Didn't you come here in search of them?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, turning to leave.

“Can I ask a favour?”

I paused, waiting.

“Can you not be scared of me? I wouldn't be comfortable if I knew the most beautiful girl on Fox considered me a monster.”

“Uh? Ehh…Yh..hh..,” I replied, flustered.

“Alright,” he said.

I turned, headed for the path I had come from, my cheeks burning red.

After a few steps, I turned back, expecting to see no one, but he stood there watching me, with a melancholic expression.

I turned and quickened my steps; I hated being watched.