Chapter Six    ~The Secret Meeting~

Gwen

7:30 pm.

Just as I had anticipated. The knee got better. But I limped while walking. I pull out a white shirt, a pair of jeans, and a hoodie from my closet. It might get chilly tonight so I need to dress for the weather.

"Where are you off to? Isn't your knee sprained?" Lionel asked. He lowered his head to observe me. He had the remote control in his hands. His favourite TV show playing when I came into the sitting room.

I lied to him. "To see Leo."

Lionel continued to stare at me suspiciously. "But he was here this afternoon."

"He forgot his study notes here. I want to give them back to —"

He cuts me off. "Whatever. It's not like you are useful in this house anyway."

I paid him no attention.

"When mom and dad get home. Tell them I went to see Leo."

I didn't wait for him to answer. I slipped out of the house and headed in the direction of the children's pack.

It was a busy night. The street was bustling with so many activities. San Francisco was even more beautiful at night. I loved how tonight smells. Earthy and fruity.

Just as I had suspected, the night was a bit chilly and windy combined with the fruity smell coming from the fruit shop by my right. A great mix that calmed my nerves.

I saw no one in the park. It was empty. I grabbed my phone to check the time. 8:05 pm.

Had he left? But waiting for five minutes shouldn't make him leave already.

"You are late." His voice makes my spine stiffen with fear.

He must have crept up behind me. I didn't even hear him coming. I slowly turn around to face him. "I am sorry. It's —"

"Enough," he said. "I didn't ask for an explanation."

I kept my mouth shut on his demand.

"Are you here alone?" He looks around as if to confirm by himself. He was wearing a grey hoodie with matching sweatpants. His beautiful eyes flickered beneath the light.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Good. Come with me."

I refused to move an inch. I couldn't follow him nor could I ask him where he was taking me to.

"Are you deaf?" He stands still. "I said come with me."

Surprisingly, I summoned the courage to ask. "Are you going to hurt me?"

He chuckled. "I've better things to do than hurting a weakling like you. Don't waste any more of my time."

Not like I believed him but he sounded believable. I dragged after him.

He brought us to a small booth in the park. I could feel his eyes observing my every move. "What happened to your legs?"

I was surprised he asked. Jasper never cares. He made fun of people when he pleased. Unfortunately, I was one of those people.

"I sprained my knee," I simply said. I didn't want to explain further before he shut me up again.

"Is that why you didn't come to school today?"

I nod. "Yes"

"Sit down."

"Huh."

"You heard me. Sit!" He beckoned with his head in the direction of the chair.

I sat and clasped my hands together. Maybe I should have listened to Leo. This meeting was getting awkward by the minute.

Jasper didn't sit. He stood staring at me. He placed his hands in his pockets. "Now let's begin."

****

"You must be wondering why I called you here, right?"

I nodded.

"I am a guy who doesn't like to beat about the bush. I will go straight to the point."

He spoke confidently. Regardless of Jasper's immoral ways. I have always admired how he spoke. He had high self-esteem which I lacked.

Among his friends in school, he stood out when it came to being book-smart and street-smart.

I have secretly admired him for years. If I could be half as good as him without the trouble-making part though, I would gladly thank the Moon goddess.

"We are the only two rejected werewolves at the last Luna Covergence and coincidentally we are from the same park. I come here with a proposition that will help us both, at least before the next Lunar Convergence," He said, then paused as if to make me assimilate what he had just said.

I narrowed my eyes. Proposition. What was Jasper playing at this time?

"What proposition?" I asked.

"To forge a fake mate bond," he blurted out without hesitation.

"What?!" I almost fell from the chair I was sitting on. I stutter out of shock. "You…are…joking right?"

"No. I meant what I said."

"But we can't do that. You know the rules. The punishment for committing such is grave."

I had to remind him. The punishment is serious because faking a mate bond is not only a crime but one was also lying against the Moon goddess. It's like telling everyone she paired two people when that isn't the case.

"The last time I checked I am soon-to-be Alpha, not you," he said. "So yes I know the rules better than you do. Stop lecturing me!" This time he yelled. I cowered leaning closely to the wall of the booth.

"Now what I want from you is for you to act as my mate for the next four months. It's as simple as ABC. I won't be surprised if it ain't that simple to you. A slug-like you will find it hard."

I am not surprised Jasper is trying to bully me into breaking the rules with him. I was not going to allow myself to get severely punished because of him. It is a taboo to lie about a mate bond and here he is trying to do worse by faking it.

"I am sorry. I can't." I muttered.

He jerked his head back and shuffled back a step. "You can't? Or you won't?"

"I can't. It's against the rules set by the pack community. If we are caught we would be punished or worse exiled."

"Let me worry about that. And who is going to find out? Unless you go around blabbing about it."

I rose to leave. I was scared of Jasper but I was more scared of the pack community.

"I need to go home now. I am sorry I can't do as you ask?"

"Don't you want to live without being humiliated and persecuted? I saw what happened to you at the school cafeteria yesterday."

I shut my eyes. Of course, I want to leave like everyone else. But not like this. Not by faking a mate bond!

"I don't care about such things anymore," I said, walking away from him.

"I give you two days."

I stopped without turning around. I didn't want to look at him. "For what?"

"To think about it" He catches up to me and blocks my path. "Or else." He smirked.

I knew what that smirk meant. He was going to force me even if I didn't want to do it.