MATE: The Alpha's Forbidden Claim

EPISODE 8: THE RUMOR MILL TURNS

By Thursday morning, the whispers at school had evolved into something far more sinister. It wasn’t just “the new girl lives with Kaelen” anymore. Now it was “I saw them arguing by the lockers”, “they look at each other weird at dinner”, and the worst one of all — “I bet there’s something going on between them. Step-siblings or not, it’s definitely not innocent.”

Lila heard it everywhere — in the hallways between classes, in the restroom when she thought she was alone, even from students she had never spoken to before. It made her skin crawl with discomfort. She felt judged, gossiped about, as if her entire life had become public entertainment for people who didn’t even know her name. Why did it matter so much to them? Why couldn’t they just let her exist in peace?

“Why does everyone care so much?” she vented to Mia during their mid-morning break, dropping her forehead onto her folded arms on the cafeteria table. “I’m not trying to be part of their drama. I just want to go to class, do my homework, make a couple of friends, and get through this year without losing my mind. Is that really too much to ask?”

Mia sighed sympathetically, stirring her iced tea with a straw. “I know it’s unfair, and I wish I could tell you it’ll all blow over soon, but… people are obsessed with mystery. You’re the unknown variable here — the one thing that doesn’t fit into their perfect little picture. And Kaelen? He’s the unattainable prize. Everyone wants to be the one who finally gets his attention. And here you are — living in his house, eating breakfast with him every morning — and you’re acting like it’s no big deal. It drives them crazy because they can’t figure out what your secret is.”

Just then, Sasha walked past their table, slowing her steps deliberately so everyone nearby could hear her voice carry clearly across the room. “Careful, new girl. Some things are off-limits. Even if they’re sleeping down the hall from you. Wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt playing games they don’t understand.”

Several people snickered. Lila’s fingers curled into fists under the table, her face burning hot with humiliation and anger. Every instinct told her to stand up and tell Sasha exactly where she could go — but she knew that was exactly what Sasha wanted. A fight. Confirmation that Lila was the kind of girl who caused trouble. So she took a deep breath, counted slowly to ten, and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the tabletop until Sasha had walked away.

But inside, something hardened. She wasn’t going to hide away like she was guilty of something. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She was a guest in this house, a student at this school, and she didn’t owe anyone an explanation for how she chose to live her life. If people wanted to make up stories, that was their problem — not hers. She lifted her head, squared her shoulders, and met Mia’s worried gaze with a determined look. “Let them talk. I know the truth. That’s all that matters.”