Chapter 3 03

Chapter 03

Hearing my name being called, I immediately looked in the direction of where my friends and I sit in the canteen. Chloe was stood up, her eyes shining brightly from the grin she was giving me.

"Away with the fairies today?" she teased as I approached, receiving an eye roll in reply.

She laughed, giving me a further grin before passing me my lunch. She had owed me from when she forgot her lunch the other day. I told her not to worry about it, but Chloe didn't listen anyway. She always paid back in some form or another, no matter how small the favor.

"Thanks," I muttered as I unwrapped my sandwich, the sweet aroma of tuna filling the air. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew it was better to eat now rather than let my energy dip later when I would need it the most.

Within a few minutes, our friends arrived, and the spaces on the table quickly filled up. Chase and Dylan took their usual spots, with Reed and Chloe sitting across from me, their laughter cutting through the din of the busy canteen. The atmosphere was alive, as always, but today I felt detached. The chatter around me swirled, but I was too tired to share much. My body felt heavy, my mind constantly racing with thoughts of the pack and the endless responsibilities I had to juggle.

I stuck with listening to their discussions instead of joining in. Every now and then, I gave a small laugh at one of their jokes or a quick nod when someone asked for my opinion. Chloe and Chase's usual bickering was a welcome distraction, though. It was funny how their arguments over the simplest things-like what movie to watch-always seemed to turn into something more, something absurdly cute.

"I swear, you'd think the fate of the world depended on it," I muttered under my breath as I watched them argue. Chase instantly lost the battle, as usual. In his own words, the easiest way to a mate's heart was to agree with whatever they wanted, especially if she was female.

He received a scoff from me, earning a smack on the back of the head from Chloe. The sound echoed through the room, and the way his face contorted into an exaggerated pout made me laugh.

"You never learn," Chloe said, half-amused, half-annoyed.

"Well, I like living," Chase replied, grinning widely at his mate. The playful exchange was typical of them, but it was a bit of lightness I needed today.

Dylan and Reed chuckled from across the table. Dylan, who was always teasing me, looked at me with an almost knowing gaze. He leaned back in his seat, clearly amused at how comfortable I had become in my group of friends.

Chase didn't stop smiling as Chloe continued to poke fun at him, but his attention drifted briefly. The conversation moved on, but my mind lingered on something else entirely. I could feel someone's gaze on me, a subtle weight that settled over me, drawing my attention. I turned slightly, my eyes landing on Dylan.

He smiled at me, a teasing smirk curling at the corners of his lips. His expression spoke volumes, and I knew exactly what he was about to say.

"Staring at Reed, are we?" he teased, his voice drifting into my mind through the pack mind link. His words were clear, even as his smirk deepened.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide the smile that tugged at my lips. "Oh, shut up," I replied, speaking back into the link, keeping my tone light. "You know how I feel about finding my mate." It was an ongoing joke between us, one that he always seemed to poke at. Dylan never let it go. But I didn't mind. He was my friend, and I trusted him.

"Yeah, I know, Lar," he said, his voice softer now, as though he sensed my unease. "But that doesn't mean you're not allowed to look." He was still smirking, but there was a hint of seriousness behind his words. "You ever thought about it, though? Reed's not bad looking. You could do worse."

I shook my head, though a faint blush colored my cheeks. "He's not my mate," I said firmly, the words coming out almost automatically. It wasn't that I didn't find Reed attractive-he was. His strong jawline, his confident posture, the way he carried himself-it all drew attention, including mine. But that didn't matter. None of it mattered. I only wanted one person, and I was holding out for him.

Dylan was quiet for a moment, the usual teasing edge missing from his voice when he spoke again. "Yeah, I get it," he said softly. "But just make sure you're not closing yourself off too much, okay? You deserve happiness too, Lar."

His words were like a weight on my chest, but not in a bad way. More like a reminder, something I had been pushing away without realizing. I didn't want a relationship with anyone other than my mate. It had always been that way. But sometimes, the loneliness crept in, no matter how hard I fought it.

The table fell into a lull as the others continued eating, but the conversation between Dylan and I lingered. I focused on my food, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts. Chase and Chloe were in the middle of another heated argument about the movie for tonight, and I let their voices fill the space around me as I shifted slightly in my seat. The tension in my shoulders didn't quite ease, though.

Dylan's gaze was still on me, and I could feel his concern. The more I thought about his words, the more I realized how true they were. I had been shutting people out lately, focused solely on the pack's needs. But I couldn't deny that the idea of a mate, the idea of someone being there just for me, was starting to make my heart ache more than it ever had before.

Chloe suddenly swatted Chase's arm, breaking the tension in my mind. "I swear, Chase, you're impossible," she said, laughing, before turning to Reed and continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened. Chase, rubbing his arm where she hit him, just grinned like the puppy he was. But it was enough to pull me out of my thoughts.

The clatter of plates and trays, the chatter of friends, and the familiar, comforting buzz of the canteen around me made everything seem so... normal. I could be okay. But as I glanced up at Reed once more, I felt that same pull in my chest, the one that reminded me that even though I had my friends, the pack, and responsibilities, there was still something missing. Something I couldn't quite place.

A sudden shift in the air around us made me pause. I wasn't sure if it was the atmosphere or the feeling of someone watching me again, but I had the sense that something-or someone-was coming. I didn't know what it was yet, but it was as if the world around me had suddenly gone a shade colder.

Dylan seemed to notice it too. He straightened, his eyes scanning the room with a wariness that mirrored mine. His voice entered my mind again, low and serious. "Keep your guard up, Lar. Something feels off."

Before I could respond, the canteen door creaked open, and a chill ran down my spine.