008.

Stella's POV.

“Stella?” Aria's worried voice rang through the phone again. An imagery picture of her flicking with the sleeve of her sweatshirt invaded my mind and I smiled lightly.

“Aria, I promise I'll tell you later, okay?” I left the hallway for the elevator. “Say hi to family for me, hm?” With her promising to call later, we hung up. 

I pushed the door of my room open and went to change into my gym wear. I wouldn't have had my bath if I knew I'd be training later, but oh well… I guess showering again wasn't bad.

I seriously needed to punch something or preferably, someone. 

After changing into a spandex black shorts and tank top, I grabbed my water bottle, keypad, and exited the room. Somehow, I asked around and I found myself in an actual grand gym. It has literally all the equipment anyone could need. I gaped in astonishment.

When I began to get curious glances from people training, I closed my mouth and walked further inside the room. Standing at the connected center, my index finger tapped on my chin as I thought of the one to use first.

The treadmill called out to me, so I hopped on it. 

And for over an hour, that was what I did. Burned out my anger by exercising. By the time I was done with the treadmill, it was time for training. With a little help from the people lounging around, I made it to the ground.

But I came a little early.

With a frown on my face, I checked the time. It was after five. So, let me correct that, I came a little late. Owen told me 5, so I wondered why no one was here yet. I wasn't with my phone and I didn't even know anyone here enough to collect their number. 

If there was an emergency, the alarm would have rang through, right? 

Ah, whatever. I'd just occupy myself, then. With that, I began to run laps around the field as I admired the vast view before me. The sun shone golden yellow with specks of pink underneath it. 

The evening air sent waves of soft breeze my way, sending a quick shiver. At Grandiose Apex, we train in the morning or in the afternoon, mostly mornings. But never in the evening. I didn't see why training was fixed for the evening here.

Voices and footsteps reached my ears before the people did. A set of females strided it. I paused on my run and glanced at my wristwatch. It's 5:30. Oh. Was it shifted?? To answer my question, more people filed in, and soon, it became a little bit crowded.

Jeez, these people were more than we were back at home.

Curious glances made my way but I tried not to pay them any attention and played with a cobblestone laid on the floor with my canvas. A shadow appeared at my front. My eyebrows furrowed and I raised up my head.

An inadvertent glare made my face as I stared at the brunette before me. Numerous gasps rang through the crowd. Curiously, I followed everyone's gaze, ignoring the black devil at my front and stared at what made everyone gasp.

The eye roll building up in me got stuck when I saw why everyone gasped. Owen strutted in, a slightly oversized white tank top thrown over his torso and a black cargo shorts. 

No, that wasn't what captured my attention, I mean, it did, but this — authority oozed out of him as he walked further into the field, the evening breeze messed with his hair, sending them flying into his face. Owen ran his hand through them, trying to tame those strands with a narrowed look on his face.

I gulped, my hands fell limply by my side. His taut muscle twitches with every move he took, don't get me started on how long his legs were. The top on him didn't have to be tight to know he had over six packs, I —

Wait, what? 

I blinked a lot. Stella, what were you doing?? Were you really blatantly staring at him? 

‘Well, yeah. He's mate.’ My wolf butted in.

Jeez. 

I blocked the mental connection between us and puffed out a heavy breath out of my mouth. I could feel my face hot. Quickly averting my eyes from him, I tried to calm my flustered self.

I didn't know how my gaze found him again.

His eyes moved past the seas of people around, including those who tried to kiss up to him. One being Casey. I had no idea when she left my side for his’. His silver pools moved past me and I hated the sad feeling that warmed into my heart.

Here I thought he was looking for me.

“Should you not be training?” A voice I knew all too well dropped beside me, startling me.

I closed my eyes tightly in shock as my heart skipped a large beat. What the— “Owen?” I questioned, confused. When I looked at where he was before, the space was empty, but with an angry Casey burning glares into me. Then, back at him. “I thought..” I trailed off.

He chuckled. “I've been standing here for a minute now.”

Oh.

Neither of us said a word for the next five minutes, until I began to feel irritated. I turned to Owen who was observing his people fight. Feeling my gaze on him, he peered down at me. For a second, I forgot what I wanted to say as I got lost in his eyes.

Why were they so clear??

Specks and dusts of gray laid in them, somewhat forming this cobwebs look. Who knew the shape of cobwebs could turn out so beautifully?

“Either you leave my side or tell your people, Casey, especially, to stop drilling me with her eyes.” I played off my mushy feelings, smiling sweetly at him.

“Huh?” He stared, confused. “Oh,” he glanced around and cleared his throat. One of his hands played with the hairs at the back of his head.

My eyebrows shot up. Did I just make him flustered? I snorted, amusement bubbling in me. That's cute.

When I no longer felt the eyes of the people on me, I relaxed for a bit.

That was, until an ugly fellow parted his lips to speak.

“Hey, newbie!” He hollered loudly. A few glanced at me.

I watched the current set of people wrestling. But his big mouth just had to utter the words again, disrupting the match and grabbing everyone's attention.

Oh, I perfectly knew he was talking to me. But I also did remember my pathetic abuser of parents naming me Stella.

He should try again.

“Stella,” I felt the vibration of Owen's voice from beside me. “Not a newbie.”

I glanced up at him, surprised he spoke for me. But he paid me no mind and stepped forward, commanding the gazes of the crowd with him. Standing right at the center, also not too far from me, Owen began to speak.

“A few days ago, my younger brother ran into a major accident and was saved by a stranger who just happened to be there,” a few people checked me out. “She not only bested the warriors and my beta, she took charge with authority like a Luna.”

My heart race increased when his gaze connected with mine.

“Because that's what she is,” a tiny curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. “A Luna.”