CHAPTER 3

JAYDEN’S P.O.V.

Could goddess be so cruel? I asked Faye as I ran back to mom.

“Is everything alright?” Jared asked with a concern.

I just shook my head and rushed to sit in the car.

“Why is she crying?” dad asked in a worried tone. “Jay, did anyone hurt you?” he demanded. His alpha aura rolling out in anger. Even the mere thought of anyone laying their unwanted hands on me rose fury in my dad. He was ultra protective!

I shook my head again.

“Let us go. I will talk to her later,” I heard mom tell dad and she climbed back in the car followed by Jared and we all were taken inside. If I had looked around, I would have noticed how beautiful and serene the compound was. How a sterling lake was in the centre of it and how swans were swimming in it. But my heart was heavy. And my eyes were clouded. Faye was showing me the scene over and over again. She was obsessing over the boy who clearly belonged to another girl. Why else would he kiss her like that?

‘Maybe because he is also a playboy like our brother?’ Faye reasoned. ‘Jared also hops from one girl to another, Jayden. But none matters to him. But when his mate would come along, well, it would be a different matter altogether.’

‘But he must have scented me,’ I argued. ‘If he really is our mate, like I felt him, he must have felt me, and yet he ignored us. He even ignored your claim over him. I don’t think he is worth it, Faye. I have been right all my life, this mate bond is nothing but a shitty deal!’

‘Shut up, Jayden,’ Faye scolded me roughly and retreated to the back of my mind. I knew she was not angry with me, she was angry because I was right!

I knew mom and Jared were trying to mind link me. Jared was trying to cripple my defences against him, but I knew better. I have mastered the art of blocking my thoughts from him and it was what I was using right now. I could sense mom and Jared talking through mind link beside me. I knew they were silently talking about me because they did not wish to bother me. But I was bothered. I was so damn bothered that I really needed to vent out my feelings.

“The council meeting is starting in less than ten minutes, Jay-Jay, would you okay for a while?” mom asked in a gravely concerned tone as the car halted near the spot where our rooms were allocated. “And tomorrow, we will celebrate your birthday,” she grinned.

I just nodded, ignored her grin over my birthday, hopped out of the car and walked to the room that I knew was designated to me.

“I am here if you want to talk,” Jared called out as I rushed to my room and locked it. I really did not wish to talk to anyone.

**

Mom kept us apprised on the status of the council meeting every hour. It was more like an announcement in our heads stating how long the meeting would still go on, and if anyone needs anything, and to check if we all were fine.

When I did not respond to her calls and answer her back, I felt her warning echo in my head. She was willing to skip the meeting if I was so upset that I won’t even respond to her.

Defeated, I started to reply to her check ins. Last thing I wanted was to come in between my parents alpha and luna business. They took it very seriously, after all, fate of all those who belonged to our clan rested in their hands.

‘We will be done in another hour,’ mom’s voice echoed in my head after around six hours. So far I have skipped food, water and any sort of activity. All I wanted to do was stay coiled in this strange bed and forget about meeting this strange boy. Or was he a man? I did not even know how old he was because I did not know how he looked!

“Fuck!” I cursed as I stripped my clothes and pulled out my jogging clothes. Quickly changing into my comfortable sports bra and slacks, I stepped out.

“Hey, you are out,” Jared called out. He was sitting with two girls, who were smiling broadly at him. Even within alpha females, Jared was way too popular. These girls just could not control their drools over him.

Scoffing at him and at the sight of the girls, who were eying me suspiciously, I left. I had no idea where the training ground here was, or even if the council had a training ground. But I followed my nose. The scent that was so tantalizing was coming from west direction, so I ran in the opposite and marched towards the east. I jogged along the houses, attracting a lot of stares and murmurs on the way, but I did not care. After ten minutes I saw an open field. And I sighed in relief. There was no one in sight on the field, and with the darkness falling, I knew I would be safe from the curious and prying eyes.

So I ran. I ran until I was out of breath. I don’t know from whom I was running. Was it from myself? From my desires? Or from that tantalizing scent that was growing stronger by every lap I took of the field. By the time I panted and dropped on my hands and knees, the scent was thick as smoke in my head and it was making me giddy.

“Are you always so fast or it is something in the Swiss air?” the voice asked in a very carefree, casual way.

I looked up and stared at him. I was in a crouching position, and in this position, he looked huge. His eyes were locked on mine but as I stared, I saw his eyes rake my entire face and then drop a little lower. I could swear his eyes turned black momentarily as they halted on my chest. I looked down, owing to my position, I was exposing my br*asts to him. I placed my hand on my chest and stood up straight.

He was tall. I was five feet eleven inches tall, and he was taller than me. Wow! He must be at least six two… and he was broad too. He seemed masculine and had well built body. And the way he was leaning against a pole, he looked very relaxed and carefree.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

He raised his eyes at this question. I was not used to men, well, boys in his case, gawking at me like he was. But I was also not used to feel smitten. No male ever dared to eye me. No male ever dared to touch me. And no male, none whatsoever, ever dared to talk like this to me. Everyone knew I was the alpha princess and I commanded a respect that came with my title.

But this boy, well, his boyish grin, his hazel eyes, his ruffled hair, his perfect oval face, they all made my heart thud loudly.

“Who the fuck are you?” I repeated in an agitated tone.

He just rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, gave me a sideways grin but did not reply.

Huffing, I turned and started to walk away.

“I don’t like to answer to people who do not have the decency to answer me first,” the boy spoke as he fell in steps with me.

I halted in my steps. “What?” his words confused.

“I asked you first, didn’t I? If you are always so fast, well, you ignored me,” he just shrugged.

“I –” I was feeling very confused but I just answered him. “I am actually faster. The field is not level so I am running much slower. I don’t want to bother mom and dad by getting hurt here,” I spoke as I pointed around.

“You are faster than this in your human form?” he asked with great surprise.

I just shrugged and continued to walk.

“I am Nash, by the way,” he replied. “And you are?” and I halted at his name. 

“You do not look like a Nash,” I spoke as I studied his face. He was clearly Indian by his looks and accent.

‘His amazing godly looks,’ Faye sighed in my head and I shushed her.

“What do I look like then to you?” Nash asked with the most flirtatious grin on his face.

I stopped dead at his look. Can someone look so handsome and yet to annoying at the same time. A part of me wanted to touch the crease on his face that was forming with his smile, but another part of me, the one that wanted to resist him, wanted to smack that grin from his face.

“I think you look like someone,” I started with a deadly grip on my emotions, “someone who disrespects his heritage by disowning or feeling ashamed of who he truly is, and wants to pretend and fit into a society to which he clearly does not belong to! And for that someone, I really do not have the time of day!”