Claimed By Two Rivals

Genevieve's POV

"Come on, Gen, we're going to be late on our first day," Mum yelled from the living room.

"Just give me a minute. I'm almost ready," I replied as I zipped up my blue skirt. Sunnyville High School had a strict uniform policy. All students, old or new, were required to wear a blue skirt, a white shirt, and a blue blazer. There was a store in the city where new students could get their uniforms. I picked up my backpack, brushed my hair, and pinned some strands behind my ear with some colored pins.

"Gen!" Mum called out again. I dropped the hairbrush and hurried out of the room.

"Here I am," I announced, picking up my packed lunch from the table and grabbing an apple to snack on the way. Mum was also starting her first day of work at a publishing firm, which explained her crisp and clean ironed black suit.

"What took you so long? Do you want us to get called out on our first day?" she asked as we got into the car and fastened our seat belts.

"Of course not. I just had trouble finding some of my stuff," I replied. Being called out on my first day was something I wanted to avoid until I graduated. I wanted to be as invisible as possible to everyone.

"I told you to find all your stuff yesterday. Did you find it? What were you looking for?" she asked as we drove out of the driveway.

"Relax, Mum. I found everything," I assured her. She sighed, and I turned up the volume of the music. She glanced at me, and I smiled. We both sang along loudly, slightly off-key, but it didn't matter because we were happy and together.

"Okay, Gen, have fun at school. Bye. I love you," she said as she dropped me off.

"Love you too, Mum. Go get them," I replied. She laughed, waved at me, and drove away. I took a deep breath and my eyes widened at the magnificent sight before me. New Dawn High School was nothing compared to Sunnyville High School. I walked through the open iron gate in awe, joining the other students. The school exuded grandeur and natural light amidst the green scenery. It had a commanding presence, and the expensive building cast a spellbinding charm on all who beheld it. The pictures did no justice to the beauty of the delicate glass walls. Now I understood why kids were crazy about this school. Who wouldn't be? It even had a bubbling fountain.

The sleek glass doors were held open for us. I muttered a thank you to the guards, while the other students walked in without looking back. The guards stood with serious expressions, and I hurriedly entered. Students and parents were waiting in beautifully designed seating areas. I didn't need to visit any office. My mum had already taken care of everything, including my locker keys. That's how serious she was about me starting school. I scrolled through the school map on my phone, trying to arrange my schedule and figure out my classes for the day. This school was enormous. I just hoped I wouldn't get lost.

I passed the seating area and saw more students walking around. Some were making out on the school premises, some formed dancing groups, and others chattered non-stop. The hallway buzzed with activity. I noticed a girl walking past me, and I glanced at her uniform. I had complained to Mum that my skirt was a bit short, but the skirts I saw here were even shorter. I could see some of their butt cheeks. I observed their attire when someone bumped into me, and I almost fell.

The girl who bumped into me while running was panting heavily.

"Guys, raging beast, and deadly snake are having at it in the hallways where the lockers are," she announced quickly before running off.

Raging beast? Deadly snake? What were they talking about? I wondered. The students hurriedly got up and rushed toward the hallway where the lockers were located. That's exactly where I needed to go - my locker. I followed them in a hurry. They could save me the trouble of reading a map.

They abruptly stopped in front of the numerous lockers.

"It's the first week of school, and I almost forgot how handsome they both are," a girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes dreamily sighed. I walked past them, finding myself standing in front of nearly the entire school, all of whom were staring at two incredibly attractive boys.

One of them was glaring at the other. He was approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, with dark brown shoulder-length hair tied in a small ponytail, cold gray eyes, and full pink lips curled into a cold smirk. He hadn't buttoned up his shirt, revealing his muscular and toned abs. The other boy stood at about 6 feet 2 inches, with short black hair, smooth creamy skin, thick eyebrows, piercing green eyes, and heart-shaped lips. He seemed bored or disinterested.

I was instantly drawn to both of them. The hallway faded into the background as an unspoken connection filled the air. My cheeks tingle, growing warm. It felt like I had known them my whole life. But could this be the mate bond? If so, did I have two mates? I widened my eyes in surprise. This couldn't be happening to me. As I gazed at both of them and the situation we were in, I knew I was in deep trouble.

The slamming of a locker snapped me out of my thoughts. The boy with the ponytail forcefully shut the other boy's locker with a loud bang.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, Owen," he growled. So, the green-eyed boy's name was Owen. Owen opened his locker again, quietly taking out his books. The other boy snatched the books from his hands and threw them away before slamming the locker shut, narrowly missing Owen's hands. Gasps echoed through the hallway as the other students watched. The hallway became more crowded as students continued to arrive, eager to witness the commotion. Why were they fighting, and, most importantly, why in front of my locker? I wouldn't exactly call it a fight, as both parties needed to be involved for it to be considered one. It seemed more like someone trying to provoke a fight while the other person appeared completely disinterested.

Owen stared at his books, his face expressionless. He glanced at the crowd with his piercing green eyes.

"I think we should get out of here before this situation escalates," a boy whispered, and the students began to flee from the hallway. Why were they running? I wondered. I couldn't leave without retrieving my belongings from my locker, which they were blocking.

Owen moved to another locker and picked up the same book that the boy with the ponytail had thrown away. The boy scoffed.

"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. He approached Owen, and the bell rang, signaling the start of class. These two were going to make me late on the first day. I couldn't allow that. With a sigh, I walked closer to them. Owen had moved away from my locker, so I positioned myself behind him and began to enter the combination. They both glanced at me.

"Don't mind me. I'm just trying to get my..." I trailed off as I looked up at them, and the words fizzled in my mouth. I gulped, feeling my breath become heavier as I nervously glanced at them. The boy with the ponytail positioned himself behind me, trapping me between them.

"Who are you? Are you new? I'm positive I've never seen you before," he asked. Owen stared at me with a blank expression. Looking around, I realized I was alone with them in the hallway. How did my first day of school turn into this?

"Mr. Dawson, Mr. Hunter, both of you need to report to the principal's office immediately," a voice boomed loudly from the speakers. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I quickly slipped away toward my classroom. I could sense their intense gazes on my retreating figure. With a deep sigh, I wiped my clammy hands and entered the classroom. I quietly occupied the seat with my name on it. Thank goodness I managed to escape. I hope I never encounter them again.

All I wanted was to lead a peaceful school life where nobody even noticed my existence. The teacher walked in, and the chatter subsided.

"We have a new student joining us today. Let's give Miss Gonzales a warm welcome. Miss Gonzales, why don't you come up and introduce yourself?" he announced, and everyone turned their attention towards me. The students all stared at me closely and waited for me to stand. So much for being invisible. Why were none of my wishes coming true?

Owen's POV

I stared blankly at the principal, who was starting to get pissed off because I wouldn't utter a word. However, she couldn't complain, or she risked losing her job or worse, losing all the donations. My father owned this school and the entire pack, so she had to do everything possible to please me. My mind drifted from her to a certain auburn-haired girl.

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Dawson. It was just the normal protocol so that other students don't start to act out," she said anxiously. I could see beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Can I leave now?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Leave? Of course, you can. It's not like you are being punished or anything," she said, laughing loudly. I stared at her without even a smile. When she saw my expression, her smile faltered abruptly. She cleared her throat awkwardly. I picked up my bag and stood up.

"I apologize once again for the trouble. My regards to your father," she called out after me as I walked towards the door. I stopped. Something felt odd; it was strangely too quiet. I was supposed to be hearing growls, curses, and yelling, but I heard nothing. I pushed the door open and stepped back. Immediately, as the door opened, a bucket of water was thrown inside. I quickly stepped out of the way, and the water splashed all over the principal's office, desk, and clothes. I kind of expected something like that to happen.

"Mr. Hunter, come in right now," the principal called out, still in shock. Her clothes were drenched, but I couldn't care less. I hung my bag on my shoulders before stepping out. I met with the raging face of Nolan. I ignored him and headed towards class. He went in and shut the door with a bang. I could hear his voice from a long distance.

"Mr. Hunter, please calm down," the principal pleaded.

"Don't tell me to calm down. Why did you call him in before me? It clearly shows you chose to believe his side of the story. I'm going to call my lawyers. I will sue you and this school! I won't spare any of you!" he ranted loudly. I shook my head and headed toward my history class. The class became eerily quiet the moment I walked in. I walked towards my seat without looking at anyone. My eyes met with a pair of warm brown ones, and she stilled when she saw me. The sunlight streaming through the window cast a soft glow around her. She shined brightly.

She slowly walked towards me, her wavy auburn hair dancing with each step, her lips pink and inviting, her brown eyes sparkling brightly. Our eyes locked briefly in a fleeting moment of connection. It felt like there was a magnetic field around us, drawing us closer. I felt a certain warmth emanating from her presence, a comfort I had never felt before. I understood exactly what was going on. She was my mate. That was the only explanation for this attraction. I was never the type to get attracted to a girl easily, no matter how pretty or intelligent she was.

Yet, I felt attracted to this pretty stranger I had never met before. Our eyes conveyed our thoughts, and I could tell she felt the exact same way. The teacher cleared her throat, snapping us out of our thoughts. I had completely forgotten she was even here.

"What..." the teacher started, but Nolan kicked the door open and stormed in angrily. He walked towards me but stopped when he saw her also standing there. His whole demeanor changed for a while.

"You, scram," he ordered while still staring at me. The boy sitting next to him swiftly scrambled to his feet and hurriedly moved to another seat.

"Mr. Dawson, Mr. Hunter, it's nice of you to join us. Please take your seats," the teacher said. I walked towards my seat, and as I passed by, the students fearfully made way for me, while Nolan also sat in his seat.

"Miss Gonzales, do you want to introduce yourself?" the teacher asked her. She shook her head in a negative response.

"Alright then, please take this seat instead. There must have been a mix-up," the teacher said, pointing to a seat in the front row. She quietly sat there as the teacher continued with the lesson. My gaze absentmindedly drifted towards Genevieve. Her name tag, placed in front of her uniform, caught my attention. Each student had one, and Genevieve did. That name resonated continuously in my mind like echoing bells.

"According to the history of..." someone loudly popped their gum, interrupting the teacher. She paused but then continued speaking.

"What I was saying was..." the gum popping persisted, and I already knew who was responsible.

"Boringggg," Nolan rudely commented, causing the students to burst into laughter. The teacher glanced around awkwardly but didn't say anything. When the bell rang, Nolan was the first to grab his bag and leave the classroom, and the rest followed.

"Students, don't forget to submit your assignments on time. They will be part of your assessment," she reminded. I also grabbed my bag and headed out. The students immediately scattered upon seeing me approach. Some ran away, while others cowered. They whispered about me, thinking I wasn't listening, but I heard every word. I chose to ignore them.

"Did you see what happened this morning?" one student asked another.

"I didn't have a chance to. I arrived late, but I heard Deadly Snake and Raging Beast had another fight," the other whispered excitedly.

"Of course. I have a video of the fight. They both still look so handsome," she replied. As they noticed me approaching, they quickly turned toward their lockers. I continued walking towards the cafeteria, immediately I stepped in, and the chatter died down, leaving only whispers. I found an empty table and sat down. As soon as I sat, everyone at the table and row vacated their seats. The head chef, responsible for the kitchen and meals, approached me promptly.

"Good morning, sir. What would you like to have today?" he asked politely. I scrolled through my phone and showed him a picture of what I wanted.

"That's not on the menu," he started, and I stared at him.

"But we'll make sure to prepare it for you right away. It'll only take a few minutes," he said before leaving. I continued scrolling through my phone absentmindedly and unintentionally accessed Genevieve's social media page. Immediately, I turned off my phone, wondering what I was doing. The head chef returned soon after, bringing all the food I had ordered.

I stared at the food without any interest. I had lost my appetite and no longer desired food.

"I've lost my appetite," I told him, picking up my bag. He looked at me in shock.

"You should at least try the food, sir. You won't regret it," he insisted. The already quiet cafeteria became even much quieter as everyone eagerly awaited my response. I turned around and left, disappointing everyone. I wanted to go to the library and get some rest away from everyone before the next class started. While scrolling through my phone, I accidentally bumped into someone.

"What the hell?" she cursed, falling to the floor and rubbing her forehead. She must have bumped it on my shoulder. I was about to walk away from the clumsy girl. It wasn't my fault if she couldn't see where she was going. Until I noticed it was Genevieve.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" I asked, my eyes widening in surprise. The question came out naturally, even though I rarely spoke unless necessary. It took some people a whole year to hear what my voice sounded like, and for others, even longer. I only ever spoke to my family, except for today, which was a first. I spoke to a stranger. But she's no stranger. She's your mate, Genevieve. A voice countered. It could just be a coincidence; nothing was certain.

"I'm okay. Thank you for asking," she replied, getting up on her feet and using my hand for support. I snatched my hand back in shock, realizing I had offered a helping hand without even realizing it. I stared at her, and the electric atmosphere between us was undeniable. She broke eye contact first, picking up her books.

"Thank you again, Owen," she said before rushing off. Hearing my name roll off her tongue felt like fresh honey from a beehive. It stirred something inside me, something I couldn't explain or make sense of, no matter how hard I tried. I continued on my way, but then I felt something under my shoes. I bent down and picked it up. It was one of Genevieve's colored hairpins. I held it tightly in my enclosed fists, watching Genevieve's retreating back.

Nolan's POV

I entered the cafeteria, wearing my headphones. As I walked in, students either hurriedly left or sat silently, focusing on their meals. The head chef approached me, looking anxious.

"Mr. Hunter, we didn't know you had arrived," he stuttered nervously.

I took off my blaring headphones. "What did you say?" I asked.

"Boss, he said he didn't..."

I interrupted the nosy boy beside me by stepping on his feet with my hard-soled boots. His mouth widened, possibly in a scream, but one glare silenced him. He tightly gripped his mouth, wincing in pain.

"I never asked you to speak," I muttered coldly, increasing the pressure on his feet.

"Sorry, boss. It won't happen again," he pleaded, veins bulging. I turned to the frightened chef, raising an eyebrow.

He gulped. "I was saying that I didn't know you had arrived, otherwise I would have come sooner."

"Now that you know?" I inquired.

"I will get your food immediately," he replied, rushing off. I wiped my fingers on the table and noticed a speck of dust.

"Wipe this table thoroughly," I ordered. When no one replied or obeyed, I turned around angrily.

"Boss, he's holding your bag, and your feet are on mine. I can't move," groaned the student whose feet I had forgotten I was stepping on. The other one was holding my bag and school supplies.

"Wipe this table thoroughly, or I'll use you to wipe it," I repeated the order threateningly. He reluctantly moved over and wiped it with his white sleeve. Soon, the chef and his servers returned with my meals. I removed my foot from the student's feet, and he let out a shaky breath of relief. The chef and his servers stood before me, heads bowed. I picked up my spoon and took a spoonful from the plate. I stared at the soup before dropping the spoon angrily.

"This soup tastes different. What did you do to it?" I asked the chef furiously.

He gulped, shaking his head in denial. "I... I didn't do anything to it. You didn't even taste it," he replied.

"Are you arguing with me?" I asked with disbelief in my voice.

"No, never. I would never dare, Mr. Hunter," he hurriedly answered.

"Then make me something else or are you tired of your job?" I yelled in anger.

"Please forgive us, Mr. Hunter. I will make a new one suitable to your liking immediately," he pleaded.

"Hi, may I sit here?" Someone interrupted my discussion with the chef. I glanced at a student who had already pulled out a chair and sat in front of me. I furrowed my brows, observing his appearance. He was definitely new; only a newbie would have the audacity to do what he just did. He clearly didn't know me, but he was about to. I leaned back in my chair, and the other students in the cafeteria watched us curiously.

"What are you still waiting for?" I asked the chef, not shifting my gaze from the newbie. They all quickly scurried away.

"You're new, aren't you?" I asked him.

He smiled widely, adjusting his glasses. "Yes, I am. I just transferred schools because my dad got a new job here," he replied.

"You obviously don't know me," I remarked.

"I don't know anyone. I really hope we can be friends," he responded with a smile.

Friends? I scoffed. Today was about to get interesting.

"Hmmmm," I hummed, picking up a bottle of salt from the table and sprinkling it all over the soup, the cafeteria fell into a hushed silence. I handed the soup to him.

"Drink it up," I commanded firmly.

"What? I can't possibly drink that, man. It looks disgusting, and I'm allergic to garlic. I can even smell the garlic from here," he said, making a disgusted face.

"You should never argue with the boss," the student behind me warned. I nodded in agreement. I had forgotten their names; I simply knew them as the students who followed me wherever I went. The newcomer glanced around the cafeteria and noticed people staring at him with pitiful gazes. He nervously looked back at me, realizing he was in trouble.

"Mr. Hunter, we prepared a new broth for you," the chef said as his servers placed it before me.

"Raging beast!" the newcomer exclaimed in shock. He quickly covered his mouth with his hands after realizing what he just blurted out. "I am so sorry for the disrespect. I never knew it was you, but drinking this soup could really kill me," he pleaded. I stared at him unfazed. When he saw that I wouldn't budge or change my mind, he picked up the plate with shaky hands and drank the entire contents. He immediately took his pills from his bag and swallowed them, panting slightly. I took the hot steaming broth in front of me and spilled it on his face. He whimpered like a wounded dog, and the entire cafeteria gasped in horror.

"Never ever think of sitting next to me again or speaking to me, or else I'll make sure your life truly ends," I threatened. He nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, ragi... I meant thank you sir for sparing me," he stuttered fearfully. He hurriedly ran away. I walked out of the cafeteria with the other two students hot on my trail. The students I came across in the hallway all screamed and ran away. I caught sight of someone I definitely did not want to see: Owen. Instantly, anger bubbled up within me, and I wanted to storm over and do what I had failed to do earlier-punch that arrogant look off his face mercilessly. But before I could do that, I noticed someone else who didn't run when everyone else was fleeing. The hallway was now completely empty, even though it was lunchtime, except for her.

"Boss, do you want us to take care of that girl for you?" the student holding my bag asked. I did not respond; instead, I stared at her. I had noticed her earlier when she came between Owen and me. I walked and stood in front of her with my hands in my pockets. She stared at me curiously, and my heart fluttered with nervous anticipation as I met her gaze. I could immediately tell she was my mate; I knew the very moment I set my eyes on her. Leaning against a locker, I maintained my gaze, unyielding.

"Where did you transfer from? Who are your parents? Where do they work? Do you have any other siblings? Do you know what your hierarchy is in the werewolf chain? I can see your name is Genevieve from your name tag, but who are you?" I inquired curiously. I already knew my own hierarchy; after all, I was an Alpha's son.

I needed to know my mate if this mate bond thing was going to work. She looked at me confusingly.

"Is this an interview or something?" she asked in her sweet, cute voice. Sweet? Cute? Was I finally losing my mind? Most importantly, she didn't shiver or feel scared like the others. I had grown accustomed to being feared and avoided by everyone, but instead, she was asking me questions, which was one of the things I hated the most. Surprisingly, I wasn't angry with her at all.

"Do you not know who I am?" I inquired, my tone strangely gentle. She shook her head in the negative. My anger subsided immediately, replaced by a sense of curiosity. I knew she was likely my mate, but why did her presence affect me so profoundly? Her warmth, scent, and innocence managed to penetrate the cold layers I had constructed around myself.

"I'm Nolan," I introduced myself for the first time, feeling a bit odd. I had never bothered to introduce myself before. Most people already knew who I was, except for this girl.

"Okay?" she responded with a questioning look. She was probably wondering why I had asked all those questions earlier. As students passed by and caught sight of me, they quickly retreated. She glanced at them before returning her gaze to me.

"You're standing in front of my locker," I informed her. Suddenly, the bell signaling the end of the lunch break rang.

"Sorry about that. I never intended to," she apologized before walking away towards her next class.

"Boss, are you okay?" the student holding my bag asked. I coldly glared at him, and he promptly shut his mouth. I glanced in the direction Genevieve was heading. She was cute and pretty like a little kitten. I smirked coldly.

I think I like this little kitten, and I am intrigued by her. I had thought I was going to have another boring and uneventful school year, but now I believe I have found someone interesting-someone I can play with and have a bit of fun. I was beginning to feel bored at having to repeat the same thing every day.

"See you soon, little kitten," I mumbled before walking away, the hallway filled with running and frightened students.