THE IRRESISTIBLE FATE OF THE ALPHA'S MATE

Chapter 3 – Unspoken pull

Elena’s POV

It was Ruben—Cheryl’s boyfriend.

It was almost laughable how opposite they were. If Cheryl was fire and venom, Ruben was water and medicine. He had that easy smile, that calm presence that made people gravitate toward him. Teachers liked him, students respected him, and for reasons I could never quite explain, he always seemed to step in when I needed it most. The tension in my chest loosened the moment he spoke, as though he’d pulled me out from under crashing waves.

I let out a shaky breath, one I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, as I felt the anger I'd been holding in slipping away. For now, at least, I wouldn’t have to battle my temper or Cheryl’s cruelty.

Ruben had become my quiet refuge in this chaos, especially since Lucy—my only friend, was almost never around around on time. And even if she was, standing up to Cheryl wasn’t something she had the courage for. But Ruben— Ruben always found a way to stop things before they spiraled.

The crowd dispersed with his words, and Cheryl stormed off with Sarah and Stephanie, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. That scowl of defeat on her face sent a tiny flicker of satisfaction through me.

It wasn’t much, but in a world where power was always out of my hands, and I was constantly shoved into silence, even the smallest victory felt like armor, and air in my lungs, for once she didn't get the last word.

I forced my legs to move toward him. My heart was still pounding, but gratitude swelled in my chest. “Hi, Ruben. Thanks—for today. Well… For always.” Else I really don't know what'd have happened, I seem to get easily agitated recently. Probably I wouldn't have been able to keep my promise to Mom.

“It's nothing,” he said. His grin sheepish, lopsided and boyish in a way that seemed so natural to him, the one that makes girls go nuts. “You can always count on me”.

Something about those words tugged at me, and before I could stop myself, a small sigh escaped my lips. My brother used to say the exact same words to me. That thought burned a hole in my chest, and I quickly turned my face away, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall, before they could give me away.

Ruben noticed my expression shift. “What’s wrong?” His voice was gentle, patient, the kind you couldn’t lie to even if you wanted to.

I swallowed, forcing the lump in my throat down. “Nothing. Just… remembering someone who used to say that too. He’s not here anymore.”

His eyes softened instantly, full of sympathy I didn’t ask for but somehow needed. “I’m really sorry”.

I shook my head lightly, whispering, “It’s okay. I’ve learned to live without him… I guess.”

The corners of his lips tilted into that reassuring smile that always managed to disarm me. I found myself smiling back despite the ache inside. For a moment, standing there with him, I almost felt safe.

“Where are you headed?” he asked suddenly.

“My locker,” I replied, clutching the strap of my bag like a shield.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I figured. I meant after that. What’s your first class?”

“Oh.” I blinked. “Science.”

“Me too!” His eyes lit up, boyish excitement breaking through his usual calm. “Then we can go together, right?”

The offer made warmth bloom in my chest, but just as quickly, dread crept in. Walking with him would only paint a bigger target on my back. Cheryl’s fury already simmered, and adding fuel to it would be reckless. I forced a small smile. “No, it’s fine. You’ll be late if you wait for me. Besides… I don’t want to give Cheryl another reason to hate me.”

For a moment, disappointment flickered across his face. But he nodded anyway, letting it go. “Alright.”

I turned away, pretending not to notice the weight of his gaze still lingering on me. A part of me wanted to turn back, to accept his offer, but my legs carried me forward. It was safer this way.

****

Ruben’s POV

When Elena walked up to thank me, her voice was softer than I expected, almost guarded. I brushed it off with a grin, telling her it was nothing—but inside, I knew it wasn’t. Nothing about Elena ever felt like nothing.

There was something about her that drew me in every time, like gravity I couldn’t fight. Every time Cheryl cornered her, every time I caught her with her head lowered in the hallway, I felt that same pull to step in. I didn’t understand it, but it was impossible to ignore.

And when her eyes clouded with grief as she mentioned someone she’d lost, I finally understood why I always saw sadness hiding in them. My chest tightened at the thought of her carrying that pain alone.

I’d asked if we could walk to class together, hoping to ease her mood, maybe even make her laugh again. But she turned me down. I watched her walk away, her shoulders tense, her steps steady but heavy. Admiration stirred inside me—admiration and frustration. She was so strong in her silence, but why did it feel like she never let anyone close enough to help carry the weight?

Shaking the thought away, I made my way to science class. The usual buzz of students greeted me—hands waving, voices calling out greetings, but I barely registered any of it. My mind kept circling back to her as I reached for my seat.

When the door opened and Elena stepped in, the room shifted. Heads turned. Whispers rippled through the air. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor as if pretending not to notice, but I noticed. I noticed everything—the way her hands gripped her books, the way she made herself small, as though that would make the scrutiny fade. My jaw clenched. Why couldn’t they just leave her alone?

Catching her eyes across the room, I offered her a small smile. For a split second, surprise flickered across her face, but then her lips curved up—just barely, but enough. That tiny smile felt like pure heaven.

The teacher’s voice came in, cutting through the whispers and chatters, as lecture started.

His voice droned on, words slipping past me like water. My pen moved, but my thoughts stayed on Elena. I didn’t know what secret she guarded so fiercely or what storm she’d survived, but I wanted to, and I recently picked more interest in her, but why?... Maybe one day, she’d let me in and I'll have all the answers I sort for.

When the bell rang, the class erupted in chatter and scraping chairs again. I stood before my brain could second-guess me and walked over to her desk.

“Hey,” I said lightly, “want to grab lunch together?”

She froze, her teeth catching her bottom lip. “I… I don’t want people talking. It’ll just make things worse.”

I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “Then let them talk. It’s just two friends having lunch, which is proper. If anyone has a problem with it, I’ll handle it.” I assured her.

Her eyes searched mine, hesitant, torn. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, she nodded. “Okay. Lunch sounds good.”

As we walked out side by side, a rush of something familiar surged through me, could she be like me?... Maybe today wasn’t just about shielding her from Cheryl. Maybe it was the first step toward breaking the walls she kept around her heart.

And I was determined to try.