3| Worst Nightmare.

VIOLET

My parents picked me up from my dorm room and drove me to the hall where the birthday party was being held—the very last place I wanted to be.

“Violet, darling. How is your first day at school so far?” my mother asked on our way, looking at me expectantly.

“Good,” I simply replied.

She raised her brow. “And your roommate?”

“She’s perfect,” I told her, looking away and peering through the window, hoping she’d drop the conversation. I wasn’t interested in small talk at the moment. I still hated that I had to come to this school and was being forced to attend the birthday party of that boy!

“I trust you’ll blend in perfectly,” Father added.

“Sure.”

We arrived at the venue, and they positioned me between them as we entered. The hall was so huge, filled with overdressed students and their equally overdressed parents, all wearing the same plastic smiles as they mingled. I hated going to functions like this, and I specifically hated being at this particular one.

As we ventured further into the hall, my eyes caught sight of someone, and I froze. The ever-arrogant Alpha prince. My gaze shifted to the girl standing next to him, registering the position the two of them were in. His arms were curled around her shoulders, pulling her in tightly. A strange feeling settled in my chest, and I had the sudden urge to rush over and yank his arm away from her. I closed my eyes, shaking that feeling off. What was wrong with me?

The next time I opened my eyes, he was standing in front of me, gripping my arm and attempting to drag me away.

I quickly caught my arm, glaring at him. “What do you think you are doing?” I hissed.

His expression faltered, confusion clouding his features. “You don’t feel—” He stopped mid-sentence, sighing as though realizing something.

Without another word, he grabbed my wrist and started pulling me with him again. I tried to wrest my hand free, but I couldn’t. He was just too strong.

“Leave me alone!” I yelled.

“What do you think you’re doing?” My father’s voice boomed as he stormed over, yanking Axel’s grip from my arm.

Axel’s eyes glowed red as he turned to look at my father, staring at him intently without saying a word. I knew immediately that he was controlling his mind.

“Yes. You can leave with her.” My father’s face suddenly relaxed, and that was the scariest thing I had ever seen. Axel Northwood really had psychic abilities. Dangerous.

“Axel Northwood!” The commanding voice of the school’s principal, Alpha Richard, cut through the tension as he stepped between us, his expression a mix of authority and anger. “What did we say about using your psychic abilities on school premises?”

Axel’s jaw tightened as he focused on the principal, clearly trying to control him. But the principal merely shook his head, unaffected. “You know that won’t work. I have since learned how to block you out of my mind. You are suspended from playing lacrosse for one week!”

“What?!” Axel exclaimed, genuine despair saturating his features. “You can’t do that. I can’t stay away from playing for one whole week.”

“If you can’t, then you’d better stop breaking the rules!” the principal stated firmly. “Now, apologize to the Alpha King.”

Axel turned to look at my father, reluctantly muttering, “I’m sorry.”

But Father wasn’t even paying attention to him. I trailed his line of sight to see him exchanging heated glares with the Northern Alpha King, none other than Axel’s father. The two of them had a terrible history and were sworn enemies.

Many years ago, before I was born, my father had kidnapped the Northern Luna Queen, a.k.a. the Mother Wolf. He’d intended to keep her for himself and sire a powerful heir. But fortunately for her and unfortunately for him, the Northern Alpha King rescued his Luna, not without having a near-death fight with my father. And according to witnesses, my father had been defeated, and the humiliation had fueled his rage ever since. So, yes, they had a tragic past.

I wondered why my father wanted to be here for Axel’s birthday party, though.

Slowly, the two Alpha Kings moved toward each other, their gazes holding a promise of death. Silence reigned, the room burning with tension.

“Alpha Kings.” The principal stepped between them, darting his gaze between the two of them, saving the day. “We have children present.”

Immediately, the two of them snapped out of it, but the promise of death remained in their eyes. After an intense moment of exchanging glares, the Northern King growled, “It is not over.”

With that, he turned away and walked back to his Luna, holding her in his arms to ease his tension. A bond my parents never shared.

I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I thought they were going to tear each other apart right here and right now. I mean, they would’ve if the principal hadn’t intervened.

Music suddenly echoed through the room, breaking the tension as the crowd began to disperse. A hand grabbed mine, and before I knew it, Axel was pulling me toward the dance floor. Not wanting to cause another scene, I quietly followed him.

“Dance with me,” he said, grinning as if the events of the past few minutes hadn’t happened.

Sighing, I nodded in agreement. “Fine. Only because I don’t want to draw any more attention.”

Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me closer, whispering into my ear, “When is your birthday?”

Heat rushed to the pit of my stomach, all the nerves in my body surprisingly dancing at his touch. “What? How is that your business?”

“It’s my business because...” He leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he nuzzled the crook of my neck. “…you’re my mate. And since I can’t play lacrosse because of you, you’ll have to keep me entertained whenever I’m bored. All through the week.”

My eyes widened in shock as I pushed him away.

“What?” I managed to choke out, staring at him in disbelief. “Mate?”

This couldn’t be happening. My worst nightmare.