Love Interest

"Hey, Gabe." I freeze at the voice that called me. I was currently sitting in class, in my usual seat and I was avoiding him.

I could smell Harry outside the room despite my objections. He wanted to protect me. He needed to. After the revelation last night, I couldn't trust anyone other than my pack.

"The Clemming Pack?" I think my eyeballs have exited my sockets because of the shock that came to me.

"Yes. Rowan Clemming. Why? Do you know someone with that name?" Elder Faeris questioned. I shook my head furiously.

"No. I was just shocked." I replied. They seemed to already know about it and they looked at me concerned how I was taking the information.

I didn't speak anything after dinner and went upstairs to my room and washed up. I had just laid in my bed when I heard knocks on my door.

"Come in." I sang. The door opened to reveal the two Murdow brothers. I let them sit at the foot of my bed seeing the look on their faces.

"Okay. Spill." Heros uttered first as he settled comfortably.

"I saw the way you looked at me at the table, Heros. I don't think I need to tell you what you already know." I spoke at him. I didn't want to sound threatening but maybe it came out a little bit scary.

"It's better if it comes from you. And my brother doesn't know." He smiled at me. I rolled my eyes knowing I couldn't get out of this situation.

"You've already read my mind. You already know so why should I tell another person?"

"I can also read my brother's mind and I can tell how desperately he wants to be included in this narrative." He retorted. I groaned in response. This was too much weight for me.

"Listen. I know why you hid that from the others. But me and my brother are your protectors. If you don't tell him, I'm still gonna have to tell him eventually." Heros continued. I knew that I couldn't get out of this now.

I sighed. "Fine. About the Clemming Pack." I looked at Harry, the whole time he was quiet as if asking for me to talk. "I know someone."

"What?" Harry yelped, face switching to show anger. "Why didn't you tell the elders?" He made an action to stand up but I stopped him.

"Calm down. I didn't want to trigger the others and let them be afraid. Besides, they already dedicated to practice for a future fight. I don't want them to fear."

"Well, they should fear." He yelled frustratedly. I know he's the most concerned out of all because of how he protected the pack before me but I know what I'm doing. I seem to.

"I didn't because I wasn't sure, okay? I didn't smell a wolf in him. You have probably never sensed he's a wolf, too, so maybe he just has the same last name but is not a part of it." I defended.

"How would I know if I smell a wolf in him, I don't know him."

"It's Reez!" I blurted. That made him stop. Now that I said it out loud, I couldn't even believe it myself. "He's a Clemming."

"I knew it." He gritted his teeth. "I knew there was something fishy about that bastard."

"Hey, don't call him that!" I yelled angrily. I was also having trouble containing my wolf because the other half of it was basically telling me to tackle Harry but the other half knew better.

"Okay. You're not going to school tomorrow." Harry declared.

"What?"

"It's dangerous out there. Especially that Reez is close to you."

"No. I have tests tomorrow. And again, Reez doesn't smell like a wolf and maybe it is indeed a misunderstanding and he's not part of it." I debated.

"I don't care. It's better that you're safe here in the house. We will go there tomorrow and check on him." Harry demanded.

"No. I will go to school and that's final." I spoke with my Alpha sense on. I could see Harry fuming but he has no choice but to obey me because I can here his wolf cowering, so was Heros.

"Fine. But Heros is coming with us tomorrow. He'll be helpful if he reads his thoughts." Harry proposed after dropping the thought of restraining me. I agreed immediately, knowing it was a better idea than to have me cramped up here. Besides, I'm the Alpha. I may not know my power yet but I know my wolf will attack whoever hurts my family.

"Sure. Now can you please go?"

"Yeah. Thank you, Alpha." Heros stood up quickly and dragged his brother out of the room. Sometimes I don't like how Harry still thinks he can dominate me even though it's obvious that he's under me. But I also like that he truly cares about me.

Now, I'm sitting in the room. Wearing a thick hoodie hoping Reez won't talk to me. Harry was directly outside the room while Heros was probably going around the campus. I haven't told anyone else yet so Ivan, Lance, and Traxter were in their respective classes.

Avoiding Reez would probably not end well since the moment he walked through the door, my nose could pick up his scent and I wanted to be invisible at the moment. He also seemed to familiarize my seat because he was already making his way towards me and greeted me. It seemed rude to not turn around and greet him back but I was busy formulating excuses in my mind.

"Gabe." I flinched at the sight of him in my face. Like literally in my face. He jumped to the front of my desk and propped his elbows on top of it. "Did you not hear me? I was calling you for ages."

"I'm sorry, I have a cold." I said and fake coughed. Good thing I was wearing a mask and that made it seem believable.

He gasped and raised his hand to check on my forehead. I flinched again at his touch and backed my head away. It's not that I don't trust him, it's just that it's better to be safe just like Harry said

"Oh. You're not hot though. Aweee. Get well soon, Gabe." He ruffled my head which was covered in the hoodie and left the room since this was not his class. I followed my eyes on him to confirm something and yep, everyone was staring at me by how Reez did all that stuff with me.

The other classes rolled by quickly and the test were surprisingly easy thanks to the notes Reez gave me. Which was a pain to ask for because I was so paranoid.

I was staring at my phone for a long time last night as I contemplated sending him a message asking for the notes. I kept on thinking maybe his phone is tapped and somebody else could see everything in his phone. Although I still don't fully believe that Reez was a part of them, and I hoped that was true, I still need to be mindful. Not only would I suffer if I do something wrong, but my whole pack suffers.

Lunch was what I dreaded the most. I was sure Reez would eat with us and I don't think I could constrain the brothers.

"Who's this?" Reez demanded when he neared our table. The three of us were already here discussing about the possibility that Reez might be one of them. But Harry, himself, confirmed he didn't smell wolf even if Reez passed by him when he was guarding the room and he was exiting.

"I'm Heros, pleasure to meet you." Heros extended his arm, like what he did to me when we first met.

Reez shook his hand hesitantly, "Reez."

"Like the chocolate." Heros smiled. Reez only ignored him and sat beside me. As usual I could hear Harry growl. The brothers continued eating across us but I know they were silently observing us. I could tell Heros was also doing his job.

"Hey. Do you have something to do tomorrow? Come to my house later." The three of us whipped our head simultaneously at him with wide eyes. He couldn't see the brothers' shocked faces too because he was facing me.

"Umm. I don't think I can-"

"Why? The tests are done today so we don't have anything tomorrow. Come on, Gabe." He shook me. I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying because I was again busy thinking of an excuse.

"My dad wouldn't agree." I tried to reason. That was the most I could think of.

"So what. You snuck out last time, you could do it again." Now the brothers have turned their attention to me. Probably in disbelief that I did that.

"Please, Gabe." He pleaded me. Something inside me stirred and I felt like I wanted to give in. My wolf wanted to submit.

I looked at the brothers pleading for help and I could see Heros panicking.

"He has something with us later." He told him. I could see he didn't believe it as Reez narrowed his eyes at them.

"What thing?"

"Just dinner out."

"Can I come?" How to get out of this situation? I couldn't even think of something. My head was completely blank.

"It's a family thing. Our families know each other." Heros lied.

"Is that why you weren't killed by him?" Reez pointed at Harry.

"YES!" I said too enthusiastically. "I mean, yes. We met when Harry was dragging me and they noticed me and we figured out our parents were friends."

"Oh. Maybe next time then." Phew. I finally got it off my back.

"Sure." I lied. I felt guilty and inside me, my wolf felt bad about lying to him. But that was needed.

Lunch passed by with Reez talking the whole way and me responding halfheartedly. My mind was all over the place that I can't seem to concentrate. Luckily, the bell rang before I could suffocate with all the mixed emotions stirring inside me.

"Lucky you I was here." Heros exclaimed with a smile. We still haven't left the table.

"Well what did you get?" Harry asked him.

"I don't know. He wasn't thinking about anything else. All he had was trivial thoughts. Maybe he isn't really a part of them."

"No. He's a part of them, I just know it. You better hurry up with training that telepathic skill of yours to read memories." Harry shouted at his brother.

"That's not how it works but I'm working on it." Heros argued back while he slumped in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wait. Why do you insist that Reez is part of them?" I asked Harry who was really pushing it.

"Because he is and something is-"

"Because he's jealous." Heros interrupted him. Harry turned his head to him while gritting his teeth and signalled with his eyes that he's in big trouble.

"What?"

"I read your thoughts earlier, and your wolf's too. You almost gave in to him pleading."

"I know. That's what's weird. I don't understand."

"It's called Love Interest." Heros smiled. I dared not to look at Harry because I could feel his anger radiating everywhere. What is wrong with this guy?

"What's that?"

"You probably read a few books about wolves, I could read your mind from my room to yours." I glared at Heros.

"Why would you do that?"

"I don't know. I read everyone's mind before I sleep. Now tell me, why do you read made up stories about wolves and not just ask us?"

"Why do you care? I just thought that I would, leave me alone." I snarled at him.

"Well anyway. You've read about how wolves have a mate that is their fated partner? Well, that doesn't exist. I mean it does but it's not as easy as that. What is real are Love Interests. Basically they are your probable mates. And you almost succumbing to him was your wolf, begging you to take Reez." He explained.

"What? So he's my mate?" I questioned. My eyes wide and my heart beating painfully fast.

"Love Interest." He corrected me. "And that leads me to my next point. You don't only have one." He said before turning his gaze to his brother with a knowing look.

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