Read story Alpha Female | COMPLETED - 23| Girlfriend

23| Girlfriend

This chapter is dedicated to @marrichxtt for adding this book to their reading list. Thank so you so much, you made my day!❤❤

-:Cecelia's POV:-

I was happy to be going back to school. I had needed to get out. The same old being cooped up within four walls wasn't sitting well with me. Especially since yesterday afternoon because I had narked up two Alpha males.

Not that they didn't deserve it.

Julian had laughed idiotically when I told him the situation. I'd scowled at him like he'd lost a screw. Ha, like that affected him. If anything, he laughed harder. I don't even know why I was surprised.

"Julian," I cried, galled. He was very amused. Such a loyal friend.

"W-wow!" He chaffed between laughs, "I can't b-believe you said th-that to them!"

"Julian Gavin Curtis!" I snapped in exasperation. "Get your fucking act together!"

"Ooo Lia," he laughed. "You're hilarious."

I huffed. He knew I couldn't do anything so he was explicitly annoying me. I threw my pillow at him.

"Ouch, that hurt," he taunted, grinning.

"Shut up and let's go," I rolled my eyes. It was early on Monday morning. I was up early and so was Julian. He was supposed to help train the kids but Aaron was already there so he decided he could irritate me.

"Where?" He asked.

"On a run," I deadpanned. "Where else would we go at six-thirty in the morning, Jules?"

"Nope," he outrightly refused.

"Why?" I demanded, pulling him up. Or at least, trying to.

"Because you need to rest," he said.

"Again with that crap again, Julian?" I looked at him, agitated.

"Cecel-"

"Oh, don't you start with me," I snapped. "You were fine with going on a run yesterday. You and I both know why I suddenly can't. I won't take this crap. I'm going whether you join me or not. And I say this for both school and the run."

He sighed deeply, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"Fine," he finally forced out, getting up. We went downstairs and out the back door. The same path I used to take every day, all the way to the stream. Not a single word was exchanged between us.

"Jules, I can't let a stupid prankster dictate my life," I told him, trying to ease the tension between us. I ignored how I was feeling a little out of breath.

"I know," he said curtly.

"Then why are we having this disagreement?" I asked.

"This is serious, Lia." He began gravely. "It almost cost you your life."

"The way I see it, hiding under a rock and not living my life the way I did before is the way I'll be giving them power over me," I said. "And I'd rather die than let that happen. Things keep on happening, Julian. All around you some or the other misfortune is hitting people. It's just how life is. That doesn't mean that you stop living. That doesn't mean that time comes to a standstill. The world still goes on, and so should you. The prank wasn't the best, I agree. But it's over now and I'm alright. It's time for things to go back to normal."

He looked at me stoically. I stared right back. It was important to me for him to understand.

"Is this about the bullying, Lia?" He asked me. I broke my gaze away.

"No," I said.

"Don't give me these lies."

I huffed.

"Fine, it is. So what?" I glared at him.

"Cecelia, that was in the past." He tried to convince me.

"Smart people learn from their past mistakes," I stated.

"But is it really worth it? I mean-"

"What are you hiding?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Nothing." He said quickly. Too quickly.

"Who's lying now?" I scoffed.

"I'm not lying," he protested.

"Julian," I said flatly.

"It's nothing, Cecelia."

"Quit lying!" I exclaimed.

"What is going on?" I asked again when he didn't answer.

"Cecelia, you're just being paranoid," he chuckled. It was forced. He was lying again.

"You're a terrible liar. And I hate you right now for lying to me." I started our journey back without waiting for him. He followed me immediately.

"I know," he said quietly.

"So you admit that you're lying to me?" I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"No," he exhaled.

Stubborn as a mule.

"I hate you," I reasserted. He chuckled.

It took us longer than usual to get back from the run. My body was finding it hard to cope.

We parted ways at the Packhouse. I ran up and showered while he went away for a small meeting. The muscle aches were back. Even a few days of inactivity are enough to mess you up. But lucky for me, I liked that burn. It made me feel like I did something. It used to make me feel a sense of accomplishment.

I dressed in clothes that hid my body in them almost completely. Again I left my hair open and pulled them on one side to hide my jaw. It was getting colder and though it didn't bother me, I wanted to hide my bruises from yesterday's training. Sera wasn't back to her full strength, I guessed.

I grabbed my bag and rushed downstairs. Noel and Hayden were angels and told us what was happening in school every day. As a result, Ashton and I were caught with most of the work.

I ate my usual breakfast, except mom made it for me that day. I ate quickly and kept a conversation up at all times. I knew what she was there for and I didn't want to discuss it.

I was going to school. Period.

I washed my dishes, kissed my mom's cheek, and hurried out. I was heading to my car when I was stopped in surprise to see Ashton's truck parked beside my BMW.

I walked up to it and the passenger seat door opened, Ashton gesturing me to get in. Noel and Hayden were seated in the back.

"What are you doing here?" I cut to the chase.

"A very good morning to you too, Ce," he grinned.

"Ashton," I said impassively.

"What? I'm here to pick my girlfriend up for school," he said innocently.

"Girlfriend?" I asked challengingly, crossing my hands over my chest.

"Mate, girlfriend, wife . . . same thing." He said casually.

"And I think at this point moron, stupid and Ashton are the same thing as well," I retorted. Noel and Hayden burst out laughing.

"Who pissed your cereal this morning?" Ashton grumbled.

"I had pancakes," I riposted, finally getting in. I buckled up and he started driving.

"How are you guys?" I asked them.

"Great."

"Fine, what about you?"

"Alive," I replied before I could stop myself. Heavy silence.

"Too soon?" I asked sheepishly.

"Haha, yeah," Noel chuckled awkwardly.

"Chill," I waved him off. "It's alright."

Silence again.

"Are you guys normally this quiet every day?" I asked them.

"Not really," Noel said.

"What's stopping you today then?" I questioned.

"Umm . . . " He looked flustered and at a loss for words.

"Gosh you're adorable," I chuckled. Ashton growled loudly.

"He's not," he said.

"But he is," I laughed, turning around to catch an amused Hayden and a scared Noel. That made me laugh harder.

"He's gay!" Ashton protested desperately.

"So?" I shrugged, "Doesn't make him any less adorable to me."

He opened and closed his mouth like a fish. Hayden chuckled and Noel involuntarily broke into a smile. The silence that followed wasn't awkward anymore.

Ashton pulled into the school parking lot and Hayden and Noel hurried out before the truck actually came to a halt. I looked at Ashton expectantly.

"Yes?" I asked him with a smile.

"You're sitting with me for lunch," he said.

"I don't have lunch in the cafeteria," I told him.

"Now you do . . . please?" He added noticing my expression.

"I don't like it there," I resisted.

"Xavier is restless and doesn't want you out of his sight," he pleaded. "Please."

"Okay," I said, giving in.

****************************

The number of stares we got that day, Goddess forbid. We were the hot topic of gossip not just amongst pack members but also amongst humans. I couldn't even blame them.

Ashton was hell-bent on PDA and that was a complete one-eighty from the last time we were in school. The most we'd been had been civil. Now he was kissing my cheek and the top of my head randomly. He'd walk with me to classes and stand near my locker when I was exchanging my books. He'd wrap an arm around my shoulder when we'd walk in the hallways.

People were beyond confused.

And people like Mathilda were angry.

I heard she was after Ashton from Hayden. He told me she had had a crush on him for a long time but since he was mostly with Bree, she never had the chance. And when Bree and Ash stopped their unofficial relationship thing, I coincidentally came around and ended up being his mate. She was pissed.

I was yet to meet Bree, but Ashton had promised to introduce us at lunch. She had different classes. The only classes we did share were History and Dance. Not the best classes to interact. We did exchange smiles, though. She seemed nice now that her hostility towards the Crescent Moons had evaporated.

Currently, Ash and I were walking to lunch. Again, he had me pressed to his side, his hand over my shoulder. We stood in line and got our lunches after a five-minute debate about who would pay for my lunch, which he won much to my displeasure. We sat down at the table when I remembered I forgot my water. Ashton offered to get it for me but I stubbornly refused. Bree was yet to arrive so I excused myself from the boys as I made my way to get my water.

I was on my way back when things started going downhill.

Mathilda blocked my way as she stood towering over me in her heels. A few of her friends standing with her. I suppressed a groan. I stepped left, she changed her path with me. I stepped right, she mirrored me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, irritated.

"Aren't you just peachy?" She smiled sweetly, speaking lowly. She wanted to converse, that was evident. What was also obvious was that she wanted to have a private conversation in a cafeteria full of spectators.

I swear I'll never understand these bitches.

"What do you want?" I snapped. Half the werewolves were watching the drama unfold. Obviously. They thrived on this kind of stuff. I saw Ashton getting up but I shook my head at him reassuringly. He reluctantly slid back into to seat, not taking his eyes off of me.

"What do you want?" I asked Mathilda again.

"You can't be our Luna," she hissed in a low voice.

"Oh?" I crossed my hands over my chest, staring at her. I matched her volume. In the noisy cafeteria, our whispers would be lost even to our kind.

"You Crescent Moons are worthless. You cannot be our Luna. Stop seducing Ashton," she continued.

"You're funny," I let out a humorless chuckle.

"I mean it," she sneered. "You don't have what it takes to be a Luna."

"And let me guess, you do? Because you and your friends believe that you're beautiful, strong, and a Silver Moon. Not to mention, you all think you deserve Ashton and I don't?" I listed.

"At least you're not completely dumb," she smirked.

"Sweetie, guess what," I smiled patronizingly, "I'm his mate, so all of that doesn't really matter. Take your jealous talk to someone who cares. Or better yet, why don't you talk to Ashton himself?"

"You-"

"Uh hun," I shook my head, "Take it up with Ashton." Her eyes glazed over along with one of her friends'.

"Fine," she suddenly smiled and I was instantly wary. She walked forward and just as she was passing me, she 'missed her balance' and her food tray crashed all over me and my clothes.

"Oops?" She giggled.

*******************************

A/N:-

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