Chapter 3 Luncrest Day

Pearl bit her lips before nodding. Kaylee was right... Pearl was indeed ugly... maybe if she dyed her hair...

'No!' A voice in Pearl's mind opposed her, 'You can't! Your hair is beautiful as it is!'

"Now splash water on your face, these tears and snort are a bit unpresentable." Kaylee still had that beautiful smile on her face as she walked out of the bathroom.

Pearl was silent before wiping away the tears, regaining a bit of composure, and leaving the bathroom.

On the way, many mocking stares were thrown in Pearl's direction, and she kept her head lowered.

Reaching the classroom, she saw Aiden, who was typing on his laptop, and bit her lips.

The classroom was as big as an auditorium and had seats in semi-circular seats, with steps to climb so that students could choose their desired seats.

Opposite to the seats was a dias for the teachers to start the lectures, as well as a projector.

The bright light of the classroom seemed to have dimmed under his presence. Many of the girls were giggling while staring at the handsome and charming Alpha of the South who remained unaffected by the gaze thrown in his direction.

A flower unattainable and untainted by others. Even the basic task of sitting on the chair seemed to have become a work of art for others, if performed by Aiden.

Ignoring the growing longing in her heart, Pearl walked past him.

"Drack Ace... I will find you one day...." Aiden muttered in a small voice, but for an unknown reason, Pearl heard him.

Her heart skipped a beat, a hint of panic crept into her eyes, as if... as if that name was something she had heard a lot of time.

As if under a spell, she turned her gaze to the laptop in Aiden's.

Dark Ace? Dark Ace... she knows... she knows who that person was...

Pearl had an inexplicable feeling; however, before she could dwell on it, a sharp pain registered in her mind, followed by a mocking voice,

"Make a way, pathetic wolfless werewolf."

Pearl bit her lips hard to suppress the groan, and glanced at the pink-haired woman with plump lips, pale skin, and cat-like eyes. She was Camila.

Maya's best friend.

"Put away your delusion. Maya and Aiden are the end game. After all, Maya is the Alpha King's beloved daughter, pureblood royal werewolf."

Pearl didn't fight back. She scrambled away from Camila and sat in the backseat.

She folded her hands and closed her eyes as she slept. Her intelligence wasn't great... it was below average. The contents of the lectures were too unfamthomable for her.

Ms. Lara, on entering the room, started her lectures without much introduction.

"Tomorrow is Luncrest Day. The mating ceremony you have all been waiting for. The most fortunate ones will find their soulmates, and the unfortunate ones will either steal someone else's or wait for new admissions to find their mates among them."

Her voice reverberated in the entire classroom as the students attentively listened to Lara's words, as if she were spewing gold.

"Just as I have highlighted the importance of it before, I will repeat it once more. Luncrest Day is the boon the goddess has bestowed upon all the werewolves. Mates who form a bond on this day are said to be destined mates."

Someone from the crowd suddenly raised his hand, attracting Ms. Lara's attention, and she calmly motioned him to say his query.

"Miss, what if my mate rejects me?" The person who asked this question was a young man with slightly wavy blonde hair, though he tried his best to school his face into a neutral expression, the nervousness in his voice betrayed him.

"Sunny has some self-awareness." Someone from the crowd commented, drawing laughter.

Ms. Lara looked displeased and commanded,

"Silence."

At her words, the laughter died, giving Lara the chance to ask and look at Sunny, as she answered,

"If you get rejected by your mate, half of your mate bond will be broken. While the other half will be broken on the next Luncrest Day if you and your mate don't perform the mating ceremony."

Her words stunned all the students. They had general knowledge of rejection, and hence it came to them as a surprise that even after rejection, they would have one chance to win the heart of their mate.

Ms. Lara ignored the astounded expression on the students' faces and informed,

"Earlier school was planning to add this information in the textbooks, but since the case study had just been finished two days ago, the information can only be passed verbally."

Pearl, hearing those words, felt her heart skipping a beat. A half rejection? What a strange term.

"The case study took place on a couple who had rejected each other out of hate on Luncrest Day, but eventually they got together and completed the mating ceremony before Luncrest Day, in a surprising turn of events, they formed a mating bond." Ms. Lara continued.

She babbled on some topics; however, by then, the students were thunderstruck.

The day passed in a blur for Pearl, who hardly paid any attention to her surroundings. When everyone left, Pearl quietly checked, and once she was sure that her bullies had left too, she slipped out of the classroom.

As she rushed toward the entrance, a hand held the back of her collar and yanked her back.

"Well... well, if it isn't our little mouse..."