Claimed by Two Alphas

Chapter 6

The day drags on. I feel slightly queasy from the pill, and the dull ache in my head doesn't let me focus on my classes. It doesn't help that Briana and Laura keep smothering me with questions, asking for my attention and opinion on every little thing.

By the end of my second class, I am already pissed off and tired.

Of course, I don't let any of that show. The whole school is watching my every move and, as the future Alpha's mate, I need to present a perfect front. So I bear it all with a smile, my cheeks hurting from all the faking.

"Ellie! You can't do this to us!! We need details," Laura hooks our elbows together as we walk toward the English lit class.

On my other side, Briana nods fervently. "We vowed to tell each other everything! Now spill! How was it? Is he big? Did it hurt?"

I clench my jaw to keep the smile in place as the memory of my first time flashes through my mind. I might be a stupid girl who read too many romance novels in her life, but losing my virginity was definitely not how I expected it would be. The pain, the awkwardness...

It takes everything I have not to shudder.

"There's not enough time. And besides, there are too many ears around. I'll tell you during PE." They both squeal in excitement, and, this time, I can't help but wince.

Goddess, my head and my neck are killing me. I adjust the scarf to make sure the mark is covered and bite my lip at the pain. My skin there is still too sensitive.

I quickly shut down a betraying thought that markings are not supposed to hurt like this. This is just a mishap, nothing more. I wasn't ready. And that must mean my wolf wasn't ready, too.

Only eight months to go, and then everything will be fine.

***

The English lit teacher is by far my favorite. He is interesting, well-read, and has a sort of dry humor I can appreciate. In his early forties, he was tall and strong—as werewolves usually are—but he is also bald, making him less interesting for the female part of the student body.

He is strict as well, but I don't mind that. I love reading and can handle every assignment he throws at me. And currently, he is pissed at me for slacking.

"Miss Silverclaw," Mr. Wick's voice booms across the classroom. "Do you need anything? Shall I pause my lecture until your hangover passes?"

I immediately lift my head from the table, where I was resting my forehead against the cool surface. Damn it!

"Uh, no, sir. I am completely fine. I was just... checking something under the table."

"I see. Perhaps you were looking for some extra homework down there? Maybe a little essay about, let's say, the symbolism of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse and how the idea affected modern literature?

I groan internally. Mr. Wick is always creative with his punishments. I usually laugh at the poor souls who have to write these random essays, but this is the first time I am the one on the receiving end of the sympathy laughter.

Shit.

"Alright. Enough!" Everyone turns away from me to Mr Wick. "Now that Miss Silverclaw has decided to cut her nap short, we can move on with the lecture."

I spend every ounce of energy I have pretending to follow the rest of the lecture.

***

Whoever decided to include PE in the werewolf school curriculum was, plainly and simply, an i***t. Not only do we not need the extra physical activity—it is in our nature to be outdoorsy and active, but we are also very competitive. In other words, every game turns into a s*******r, with Alphas, Betas, and Gamas doing everything short of murdering their opponents to win and Omegas hiding in the background, trying not to breathe too loudly.

Luckily, our gym teacher, Mrs. Finley, understands this very well. So, she either has us running laps or going through the specially-made obstacle course outside. And today, she has us all jogging around the empty football field while she drank coffee, soaking up the spring sun.

"Uh, I envy her," Laura complains on our second lap.

"It could be worse," Briana replies. "She could've made us go through that awful obstacle course again. My nails wouldn't survive that."

She lifts her freshly manicured pink nails for us to see, and we spend a minute complimenting her.

I don't mind the running or the obstacle course. Since I quit my training, I have appreciated any physical activity I could get.

"Okay. Enough stalling. Spill it, Ellie," Laura turns to me, a wicked smile on her lips.

Fuck. Here goes nothing.

"It was magical," I lie, a story fabricating itself in my mind with ease. "First, he took me to a romantic dinner, and then we went to our spot. He had everything already set up for us there."

"Aww," Briana says a bit breathlessly. We were now on our fourth lap, and all the running was getting to her.

"E, you lucky girl! What happened then? C'mon, tell us the juicy stuff!" Laura complains again, and I need to stop myself from punching her.

"We made out, and then he asked me if I was ready to take things further. You know what a gentleman he is," I continue, skirting the edges of truth. "And I said yes."

"Oh, my goddess!" Laura squeals in delight.

"The s*x was great. Darius was very gentle and passionate. It was everything I ever dreamed of," I flat out lie, making sure my face had the dreamy look a person in love would have. "And, yes, Briana, he was big. Like huge. I was afraid it wouldn't fit."

They both start jumping up and down, laughing hysterically.

"Shhh, tone it down! Mrs Finley is watching us!" I push them both toward the water station for a brief pause.

"Did it hurt?" Briana whispers so a group of girls standing nearby doesn't overhear us.

Straight away, I get the urge to lie, but I stop myself before words leave my lips. One day soon, they will also lose their virginity, and I don't want to raise their hopes. So, instead, I opt for a half-truth.

"Yes, it did in the beginning. But Darius was very mindful of that. He held me until the pain subsided, and then when he started moving again, it was already better." I start drinking water just so I don't have to look at my friends.

In reality, it hurt a lot. And Darius kept going. Even after I asked him to stop.

"Oh, wow! You are so lucky! I wish I had a mate like that!" Laura looks at me with awe and a great deal of envy in her green eyes.

She was a beautiful Gama with curly black hair and luscious curves. We were friends forever, and yet, I never showed weakness in front of her. My instincts warned me not to.

I smiled broadly at her. "You will," I tell her reassuringly, and we start running laps again.

***

Later, as I take my time in the gym shower, I wonder why I lied to my best friends. We were besties since childhood and told each other everything.

Well, almost.

I was always careful to keep this perfect image in front of them, especially since Darius and I became a thing. Although my friends were always supportive, I knew we were more like Mean Girls—one incident away from stabbing each other's backs.

For some reason, today, this truth made me feel more alone than ever.