The Alpha's Eternal Ache

CHAPTER FOUR

EDWARD

​‘Why did I do that? What does it matter to me if another guy touches her?’ The questions burned like hot coals in my mind as I strode toward the classroom. ‘Why did I even say it? I should have walked away and left the silence between us.’ I cursed my own stupidity, my boots thudding heavy and rhythmically against the linoleum.

​"I don't like you. And even if I did, you're not the one meant for me." My own words played on a loop, mocking me. No matter how hard I tried to shove them into the dark corners of my mind, they kept surfacing, cold and sharp.

​I pulled out my phone, fixing my eyes on the glowing screen to drown out the hallway noise. I scrolled aimlessly, looking for anything to kill the image of Chloe’s flushed face. I had a mountain of unread messages, but I left them; they were unread for a reason.

​Then, a few feet from the classroom door, the air changed.

​She was tall—at least six feet of striking presence. A redhead with a sharp, elegant nose and long, slender legs that moved with a graceful confidence. Her hair was a vibrant shock of crimson that bounced with every stride. My pace slowed. My mind went blank, my lips parting slightly as I took her in.

​The scent hit me—the unmistakable, earthy musk of a werewolf. My heart hammered against my ribs. Another one. I felt a pull, a magnetic curiosity sparked by her sheer physical power. Is she...? Could she be my mate?

'She is not our mate!’ The voice was a jagged blade of ice in my mind. Ed, my wolf, had finally decided to speak. He usually stayed quiet, a cold and independent shadow that only emerged when blood was involved, but now he was growling.

​I froze. I could go a week without a word from him, and I preferred it that way. But today, he was snarling. I focused on the vibration of his voice.

​If she isn't the one, then who the hell is? I demanded.

​‘Her.’ The word was a flat, singular pulse. Ed, speak normally for once. You can’t just drop one-word riddles. Look around—every other girl here is a mundane. A human.

​‘Her.’ "For goodness' sake!" I blurted out. Frustration boiled over, and I didn't realize I was pacing in tight circles until my elbow slammed into something solid. My hand had been buried in my hair, and as I jerked my arm down, my elbow connected with a sharp thud.

​I turned, the apology dying in my throat. Chloe was standing there, her hand clamped over her jaw, her eyes watering from the impact.

​The silence stretched between us as I looked at her, the very person I’d been trying to erase from my head. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were that close," I finally managed, my voice rough. "But what were you doing standing right behind me?"

​Chloe shot me a look that could have scorched paint. "What were you doing standing in the middle of the hallway like a statue?" she retorted, her hand still shielding her face.

​"You left the car two minutes ago. I didn't expect you to be right here. And who are you cursing at? You're not on a phone, and there’s no one else here." She glanced toward a group of girls giggling nearby. "Unless you're cursing at your fan club? I’ve noticed they have remarkably bad taste in men."

​I felt a sudden, involuntary chuckle bubble up in my chest. I didn't realize it had reached my lips until Chloe’s expression shifted to disgust.

​"Are you enjoying the audience? Or are you actually tired of them following you like flies?" She tilted her head, a sly glint in her blue eyes. "If it's the latter, I can help you."

​"Help me?" I repeated, my brow furrowing. Then I saw the way she was still cradling her jaw. The guilt returned, sharper than before. "Are you okay?"

​I didn't wait for her to answer. I reached out, my hand covering hers where it rested against her skin. "Let me see," I muttered.

​She slowly lowered her hand. A small, red swell was already beginning to bloom on her jawline. I hissed through my teeth, an internal snarl echoing Ed’s mood. I should have been more careful.

​"I'm fine. Don't look so guilty," she said, her voice dropping to a softer, teasing pitch. "I shouldn't have been hovering. But it’s nice to see you actually feel an emotion for once."

​"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked again. My voice sounded different to my own ears—softer, more urgent. Why was I still holding her hand? Why was I leaning in?

​"Ed, I’m fine. Really."

​She used the name. My wolf’s name. The short form of mine. The two letters rolled off her tongue, and I watched the way her lip curved into a small, genuine smile.

​"So, should I help you?" she asked, nodding toward the girls.

​"Do whatever you want to them," I said, folding my arms to hide the way my hands were shaking. I wanted to see what she would do. I watched her walk toward them, but she stopped, turned, and marched back to me with a determined stride.

​"What?" I asked, an amused grin tugging at my mouth.

​Without a word, she grabbed my forearm. I felt the heat of her grip through my jacket. She was small, but she pulled with a surprising amount of force. I didn't resist; I let her lead me like a tethered pup.

​She stopped in front of the group and let go of my hand. "Hello, ladies," she said, her voice bright and authoritative. "I'm here on behalf of my brother. He's a bit shy, so don't let the muscles fool you. But he asked me to tell you he’s not interested. He already has a girlfriend, and honestly, he thinks the way you stare is a little creepy."

​I stared at her, a wide, genuine smile breaking across my face. Shy? The Alpha of Emberheart, a shy guy? The lie was so ridiculous I couldn't help but find it brilliant.

​Before the girls could respond, the school bell shrieked through the hall. They scattered like startled birds, leaving us alone in the sudden quiet of the corridor.

​"Simple, right?" she said, folding her arms over her chest.

​I couldn't take my eyes off her. She didn't look away, either. She looked into my eyes with that same intensity she’d had the first day we met. I could feel her admiring the brown depths of my irises, and for once, I didn't want to look away.

​"What are you two doing in the blasted hallway? Move!" A teacher barked from a nearby doorway. The spell broke.

​As we stepped into the classroom, my eyes landed on the redhead again. In the fluorescent light, I could see the light dusting of freckles across her nose.

​Ed, are you sure? I asked inwardly. Look at her. You might be more out of touch than you think. Maybe you’ve lost the scent.

​‘I said our mate is her, not her!’ he roared.

​My blood turned to ice. He’d said ‘her’ when Chloe was behind me. And now, Chloe was standing right next to the redhead. My mind recoiled. Chloe is human. A bloody mundane. She can’t be.

​‘You like her,’ Ed countered, his voice sounding like a smirk. ‘If not, tell me why you bared your teeth at that boy in the parking lot. Tell me why you’re still staring at her instead of sitting down.’

​I did that because she's my stepsister.

​‘And you touched her just because she’s your stepsister, too?’

​I had no answer for him. I walked to my seat in silence.