Married To His Father Mate To His Son

Strange feeling

Arielle’s POV

The school looked almost like the pack itself, shrouded behind walls that reminded me of an abandoned mansion, yet I knew nothing about this place was abandoned.

Blackhill’s building was old, yet stunning. It represented a pause between the past and the present, and it made me think of how similar we were, the building and I. I was still stuck in the past, yet expected to function in the present.

And my living in the Valor Claws Pack would determine how well I could do it.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled at the collar of my freshly laundered and pressed white cotton shirt, before moving into the building. While the outside looked quiet, with vines growing on the building, the same couldn’t be said of the inside.

It was sprawling with students coming out of every corner, their chatter carrying into the air like teenagers excited about a party.

Was there a party?

I thought I heard something like that, but before I had time to think about it, someone came around from the corner and appeared before me, making me halt abruptly.

“You are Arielle Warren.” It was a man easily towering above me. He was dressed in a dark blue three-piece suit made out of wool, and for a minute, I wondered if he wasn’t hot, because the sun was definitely scorching out there.

“And I don’t know who you are.” I kept my tone light, with my eyes friendly.

“Of course, you don’t,” he gushed, stretching a hand out and taking the lead, while I followed closely behind. “I am Landon, a lecturer here as well. I hear you will be coming in to take Philosophy classes.”

“If I get it,” I replied, turning into another hallway after him.

“You will,” he said with full certainty. “You are going to be the Luna of the Valor Claws Pack. Even the university cannot resist you.”

"You know." I couldn't stop my thoughts from spiraling out.

“Everyone knows, Miss Warren.” Landon nodded at me politely just as we got to a door. He pushed it open, revealing a large space. It looked like a conference room, with a huge glass table in the middle, and chairs all around it.

But only four of those chairs were occupied. When I got to the middle of the room, I looked towards the door for the one familiar face I knew, but Landon was already walking out, closing the door behind him.

I guessed I was alone in here, but I knew I could handle it. It was just like he said. I was going to be the Luna of the pack, and even though it made me sick to my bones, I had to make the best of it.

The interview started immediately, with respectful eyes throwing questions at me. Or was that fear I saw in them? I had no way of knowing because they barely looked at me for too long before their eyes fell back to their screens.

After a round of questions, it was finally over. They looked up at me, and I smiled, not knowing what else to do.

“There is a welcome party for the students happening tonight,” one of the professors muttered, his hands clasped on the table. “It is tradition that the new lecturer act as chaperone for the kids so they don’t do anything foolish.”

I saw the other part coming even before the professor’s lips parted again.

“Of course, if you cannot do it because of the Pack’s…”

"I can," I replied a little too fast, then did a double-take and tried again, this time with more calm. "It will be a pleasure acting as a chaperone for the students tonight. I believe it is going to be a great way for me to get to see some of them outside the classroom."

“Great then,” he said, before rising to his feet, along with the rest of them. I did the same too, nodding as they all filed out.

“Snap!” I muttered to myself suddenly, my voice echoing in the empty conference room. I’d forgotten to ask them where the party was taking place, but then again, they seemed in such a hurry that stopping them would have been weird.

Did they have another meeting to get to?

Grabbing my purse, I sauntered out of the conference room and headed out of the school building. It was almost 4 pm and if I was to return to the school on time ready for the party, I needed to take my leave right now.

Luckily for me, I met Landon by the door, waiting.

“That was fast,” he muttered, falling in step beside me. “I remembered when I was interviewed a year ago. I was in that conference room for two good hours, answering questions I knew nothing about.”

“I’m sorry about that,” I muttered.

"I guess that's what happens when you are to become the Luna. Things get done really fast."

“Landon, I…”

“It’s fine," he chuckled awkwardly. "The welcome party starts at 7 pm, just in case you were wondering."

He turned around abruptly and disappeared in the middle of the throng of students. I stood on my toes, trying to search for him, to ask what course he took so it didn’t look like I knew nothing about him.

But suddenly, I felt a shoulder bump into me, making me stagger a little. I reacted fast before I could land on the ground, stretching my hand out to hold the person who had rocked me on my heels.

When I was finally balanced on the ground, I risked a glance in his direction. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that, because it suddenly felt like all the air inside of me had been knocked out.

My lips parted on their own accord. I couldn’t stop staring at his dark eyes, at how they seemed to envelop the room, yet leave it empty. The chatter in the hallway slowly dissolved into nothing, until it was just the both of us, staring at each other.

And then, I did the one thing I knew how to do best. I turned around and ran.