Alpha's Forbidden Desire

TWO – ORA

TWO

ORA

Today is a special day in Blood Moon District…or so they all say. School is closing extra early and everyone is expected to be at the square for the coronation of Cole Anderson St.Pierre as King Alpha.

It has been exactly eight hundred and four years since the m******e of the Sacred Fourth Quarter Witches by King Logan St.Pierre.

Today, Cole, one of the few royal, pure blooded alpha werewolves of the Blood Moon clan will be crowned future leader of the District and the witch hunters.

The witch hunters are a group of mercenaries that were chosen hundreds of years ago to track and and eliminate any sacred witch that escaped the m******e in 1215.

Today by dusk, Cole will be crowned their leader, officially making me his prey, and everyone knows it is a very dangerous thing to be hunted by Cole Anderson.

It is my last class for the day but I cannot seem to concentrate. My head is all fuzzy and cloudy, and my heart isn't beating right. As a trained witch, I know this may be a sign of bad news. Something horrible might happen today, I can feel it.

I hide my twitching fingers beneath the heavy material of my hoodie and try to calm my thundering heartbeat with breathing exercises.

I am currently surrounded by human hating, and witch loathing werewolves.

If I start shooting sparks from my fingers due to anxiety, I could be spotted and killed on the spot.

I drown out the boring monotone of Mrs. Peterson, our Geometry teacher.

I should be used to the stares by now, to the snickers and hateful looks. But being in a room full of hateful, aggressive wolves and werewitches has never worked out well for me.

"...yes, miss Devereaux. I would love you to answer the question."

My head snaps up when I hear my name.

Question? What question?

Shit! I must have zoned out again. Get a grip of yourself, Ora.

I shuffle slowly to my feet, trying not to cower at the thirty five pairs of wolf and werewitch eyes that instantly zero in on me. I can literally fell the powerful waves of disgust that emanate from those eyes.

In Blood Moon High, anyone who doesn't have were blood flowing in their veins is a social outcast, the enemy…a f*****g leper.

Sadly, I am one of those unfortunate people…atleast it is important for them to believe I am.

Fingers trembling, I twist and turn the stalk of the single golden rose flower I plucked from outside earlier, while Mrs. Peterson gives me a disapproving shake of the head. I know she is disappointed in me. Hell, I'm disappointed in myself.

My grades are falling. My concentration span is at a zero percent. My self confidence isn't doing too well off either.

Seventeen years. Seventeen damned years and I still haven't fully accepted the fact that in my hands lie the power to kill and to give life, to m**m and to make whole. My body stores the ultimate powers of the universe.

The dark, frightened, unsure part of my mind that still believes I am just a normal, lowly human still manages to win everytime.

"Uh…I did not hear you, Mrs. Peterson. Can you take the question again, please?"

The entire class erupts in a chorus of painful jabs and name calling. I lower my head, taking shield behind my thick, dark curls.

Mrs Peterson raises a brow at the class and they fall silent. She shifts her attention to me once more.

"Miss Devereaux, I would greatly appreciate if you paid better attention in class. Your grades are already dropping as it is."

She gives me a stern look over the rims of her half moon glasses and I flush crimson.

Of course I know why my grades are failing.

Him. He's the reason. He always has been.

I do not know what changed all those years ago. I always knew he would accept the position sometime in future, but I had been hoping to tell him my secret…perhaps get him to change his mind. Then everything came crashing down.

Right now, even though the entire class' attention is focused on me, even though everyone is looking in my direction, his head is bent over a textbook, once again pretending like I do not exist.

I shut my eyes and will the pain away.

One day, I promise myself. One day I will find out what f*****g went wrong. I will find out why the one person who was the best thing to ever happen to be in this entire f****d up town suddenly started acting like I was nothing more than the dirt on the sole of his shoes.

Ever since I found out that he was indeed accepted the position as future head of the witch hunters, I have been training extra hard, and it's paying off. Now, I know how to perform almost every single magic spell on the witches' chronicle from memory. It's an achievement, I guess. Tell that to my puny self esteem.

"She has probably been dreaming of guys that have never been, and will never be in her league. Wake up from your stupid dreams, little human. They will never come true."

I look up at the pure venom in that high pitched voice and my eyes clash with the bright blue ones of Valeria Rodriguez.

Popular, rich, privileged and sexy as hell, she is everything I will never be…everything I do not want to be. Valeria is the Queen B of Blood Moon High, and all the other students bow at her footstool. Except him, of course.

And of course, the Wolf Goddess just had to make her one of the few pureblooded werewolves of Blood Moon District.

She hates me with a capital H.

And me?

I really try to do all I can to avoid her, and that just makes her even angrier. No one ignores Valeria Rodriguez. She sticks her all American good looks in your face until she is all you notice.

She narrows her eyes at me.

"It's better to forget about it, pipsqueak. Somethings are just way above you.

"I told you, Val. I do not need you to fight my battles for me."

A defeaning hush falls over the entire class as that achingly familiar, smooth baritone pierces the air.

Him.

Cole Anderson St.Pierre

Although just nineteen years old and the youngest ever to be crowned future King Alpha, his name alone is powerful enough to send shivers down the spines of every single person in Blood Moon High, staff or student.

Even Valeria shuts up whenever he has something to say, and Valeria Rodriguez never shuts up for anyone. He rarely speaks, but when he does, the lethal power that practically oozes out of him can be felt for miles.

My heart thunders against my chest when I hear a chair scrape against the tiled floor. The blood whooshing in my ear almost drown out the heavy thuds of his designer boots. He walks all the way to the furthest seat at the darkest corner of the class…my seat.

Then he just stands there.

Even just a few short feet away, I can already feel my body's reaction to him. My breath sharpens and goosebumps cover my skin. I clench and unclench my fingers at my sides to stop their violent trembling.

When he still hasn't left, I shut my eyes and count to ten in my head. What on Earth does he want with me all of a sudden? Cole Anderson hasn't uttered a single word to me since the sixth grade.

All the way until high school, he has avoided me like the proverbial leper.

He practically behaves like I do not exist.

He makes it so obvious that he hates me and all I he thinks I represent – a weak, lowly human female. A f*****g outcast. Someone who doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as him.

But right now, he towers over me. Silent and still as a statue. My clenched palms turn sweaty.

I was just getting used to being invisible to him. Even though it hurt sometimes, like whenever he crosses over to the other side of the hallway to avoid coming in contact with me.

Okay, scratch that. It hurt every time.

But being invisible meant I could freely live the life of my imaginations. It meant I could finally live with this gnawing hurt in my heart.

A hurt that was caused by no other person but this strange, intense, mind reeling alpha male before me.

"Look at me."

Just three simple words and my mind goes numb.

I stand frozen, unable to move. What on Earth does he want with me?

He takes a step towards me and I take one back, barely swallowing a gasp of surprise. My pulse hammers against my throat. I don't know why, but they tend to do that whenever Cole is in the vicinity. Just hearing his voice from across a room sends shockwaves of electricity through me. And if that isn't weird enough, I can sense him.

I have not come up with a viable explanation for that yet, but whenever he is close by, all my senses go on overdrive. That way, I can tell he is around without even seeing him physically.

A hand shoots out and grasps my chin, and I jump with a startled squeak.

The fingers around my chin do not loosen. Instead the tighten around me, sending tremors coursing through my body.

The fingers tilt my chin higher, and higher, until my eyes are level with his. I freeze when those beautiful green orbs come into view. He holds my stare with such nerve wracking intensity, my body sings with shock.

He leans in closer and I swallow in fear. His eyes narrow at me. Golden flecks burn within the green depths. s**t, he's angry.

"Are you afraid of me?"

I stare at him, wide eyed. My chin is almost hurting now.

"Answer me!" He growls and I jump.

"N…n. I...I mean yes."

He stares at me for a moment, like he doesn't know how he feels about my response. Then the anger dissipates, his eyes growing stone cold once again.

"Is what Valeria said true? Do you still dream about me, Sunbeam?"

My mouth drops open in shock at the little term of endearment. He called me that alot while we were younger.

He always said I was the only ray of sunshine in his dark world. I never understood it. I never really understood him, but the heir to the throne of King Alpha had been willing to be my bestfriend at a time when no one gave a s**t about me, so I kinda overlooked alot of things.

I was so stupid.

I accepted him despite the darkness and secrets that swam in his eyes. Because even then, I kept a secret that could single handedly ruin Blood Moon District.

Mrs Peterson clears her throat.

"Cole. Do return to your seat. I wasn't done talking to Ora."

Cole acts like he doesn't hear her. His fingers move slightly against my face and I shiver.

Then as if he's been struck, his face hardens and he steps back quickly, taking the delicious warmth of his touch with him.

The golden flecks in his eyes disappear, returning them to their former cold, shuttered green.

Suddenly, I want more.

Despite being painfully aware of the fact that Cole will one day lead the group that hunts for and destroys my kind, my body yearns for his touch. My eyes greedily take in his perfectly chiseled face and muscular forearms. I want more.

I want him.

I forget my anger, and years of pent up hurt and frustration. I forget all the pain he's caused me in the past six years. I only want him.

"Are you talking to me now?" I whisper.

I seem to have lost my ability to speak because my voice sounds all breathy and unsure.

Cole merely stares at me. For a moment, I think he wouldn't answer. Then he speaks up and that sensual baritone washes over me.

"No."

Ouch.

That single world is like a bullet through my heart. It completely extinguishes the little ray of hope that began burning inside of me.

I refuse to give up. I give him my brightest smile, trying to stop the tears that sting my eyes from pouring forth.

"But you just spoke to me. That definitely counts for something. Right?"

Cole takes another step back.

Gone is that shuttered, unfeeling look. Right now, his eyes narrow on my face like he's trying to figure me out. He's probably wondering why I'm smiling like a deranged, old lady. I don't care.

He opens his mouth to speak but he's interrupted by five foot seven of blonde, annoying female. She bounds up to us like a cat in heat, her claws unsheathed.

Shit! s**t! s**t!

For a moment, I forgot that Cole and Valeria are dating…or so she says. Cole has never confirmed her claims, but the fact that he hasn't denied it either still sends a hurtful pang through my heart.

So much for my little ray of hope.

She comes to a halt beside Cole and drapes an arm around him, giving him a pouty, puppy dog look.

Okay, I'm officially disgusted.

They look like the perfect power couple. She, all blonde haired, blue eyed, thin as a match stick, and so f*****g perfect. And he, all insanely handsome features and god-like physique. I feel so inadequate standing before them.

"Baby" Valeria purrs. "Is this disgusting little creature giving you any trouble?"

Cole's eyes do not leave my face.

Valeria is draped all over him like a f*****g vine, but the scorching heat in his eyes burn for me. It almost sets my face aflame.

"No. She's not." He says quietly.

Valeria shoots daggers at me with her eyes. Could this day get any worse?

Then she snaps her perfectly manicured fingers and levels a gaze as me.

"Oh, I've just remembered. I am throwing a party to celebrate my baby's coronation down at the Silver Spoon shack tonight. Be there."

Shocked, I stare at her dumbly for a moment. Her Cheshire grin is filled with so much malice, I wonder how she hasn't choked from it by now.

Why the f**k would I get an invite to an all wolves party?

For the first time in the most agonizing five minutes of my life, Cole finally shifts his attention from me. His angry gaze lands on Valeria.

"What did you just say?"

His body is stiff with rage. Why does he hate being around me so much? I would'nt even attend his stupid party anyways.

"Do not worry, baby. I have plans. Trust me."

"I'm not coming." I blurt.

I feel both their gazes on me in a split second.

"What?" Valeria asks

"I said, I'm not…"

I do not get the chance to complete my sentence. Valeria shoots out an arm with lightning wolf speed and grabs my arm, squeezing it until the pain is almost unbearable.

My face scrunches in pain and I struggle against her grip.

"You will be there." She says harshly.

Tears spring in my eyes.

"Valeria" I whisper. "You're hurting me."

My eyes jump to Cole and I see him staring at Valeria's hand on my arm with deadly intensity. His eyes is almost black now and his body is tense, ready to attack.

Attack who? Me? Valeria?

He shoots me a glare, his eyes brimming with disgust. I feel my heart sink to the bottom of my shoes.

"You do not want to be there?" He growls. "I do not even need someone like you at my party…or around me. You do not deserve to be there. People like you wait outside while I feed you scraps from my table.

You do not want to be there? Well, I don't even want you there. Infact, make sure you're twenty miles away from the Silver Spoon tonight." His eyes narrow.

"Hide at home where you belong, little human."

His words send a painful jab through my chest. I stand there, frozen in place and mentally willing my tears to stay in check.

Then he turns swiftly and stalks past a widemouthed Mrs. Peterson and out of the class.

Leaving me fighting my tears, drowning in hurt, and wallowing in the class' vainful laughter.

But why on Earth is he angry that I am not attending his party anyways?