His Human Mate

The Bonfire

"Us?" Rayla questioned with a frown, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Avri seemed amused by her reaction, his lips curling into a playful smirk. "Yes, isn’t it about huntresses who hunt wolves?"

Rayla let out an "ah," realizing he was joking about the book. She giggled, the sound light and carefree. "So, you’re a wolf?"

"Dang, the right word is werewolf," he corrected her with a grin.

She nodded, her laughter bubbling up again. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

He laughed, a warm, genuine sound that made her feel at ease. "It’s a shame that I’m late for my classes. You’re so fun to be around, Rayla. I’ll see you around."

She bid him goodbye and made her way to her seat, another giggle escaping her lips. The encounter left her feeling oddly lighthearted, a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of her first day.

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As Avri walked out of the library, he was suddenly dragged into the alleyway, an arm harshly pressed against his throat, pinning him against the wall. He looked up at his attacker, his eyes narrowing. "Get your f*****g hands off me, Asher," he growled.

Asher pressed harder, his voice a low snarl. "Are you out of your f*****g mind, huh? Exposing us to her? We don’t reveal ourselves to humans, you b***h!" He spat in Avri’s face, his anger palpable.

Avri tried to push him off, but Asher was far stronger. "Like you f*****g care about the pack," Avri retorted, his voice dripping with disdain. "You don’t even shift, you f*****g coward. Stop being such a dickhead and face your responsibilities!"

Asher raised his fist to strike, but suddenly, Nick appeared in the alleyway, along with two other werewolves, pulling them apart. "Can you two stop getting on each other’s throats every f*****g five seconds?" Nick snapped, his voice sharp with frustration. "The Alpha is not f*****g happy about this constant infighting, and he won’t let it slide this time."

Asher wrenched his arm free from Miles’ grasp, glaring at Avri. "Stay the f**k away from that girl," he snarled, before storming off.

Nick turned back to Avri, shaking his head. "Stop pissing him off, man. What the f**k is wrong with you?"

Avri scoffed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "He’s not your Alpha yet, and you’re running around to lick his shoe at every chance. That’s sus, though, Nicky. Are you gay? Cheating on your mate already?"

Nick bit his tongue, glaring at Avri. He didn’t want to punch him, but the look in his eyes could have killed him. He just sighed, "That’s how friends are, Avri. Get that through your f*****g thick skull. And stay away from that girl. She’s his mate. Next time, it won’t be him. It’ll be his wolf ripping you to pieces."

With that, he nodded at his friends and left, giving Avri a final, hard shove on the shoulder.

Avri watched him go, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Interesting," he murmured to himself.

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Rayla threw herself onto her bed with a huff, exhaustion washing over her. Her first day had been a whirlwind of new faces, confusing schedules, and the constant murmur of unfamiliar voices. But despite the initial chaos, she was oddly excited. This new chapter, this new life, felt exhilarating.

As her eyelids began to feel heavy, the dorm room door burst open, slamming against the wall with a deafening bang that made Rayla jolt awake with a gasp.

"Stay the f**k away from me, Nick, or I’m going to snap your head a million times so it won’t heal anymore!" Scarlet screamed, her voice laced with fury.

Nick stood frozen in the doorway, attempting to calm her down. "I told you she fell on me! I didn’t f*****g hug her!"

Scarlet ignored him, slamming the door shut in his face with enough force to shake the entire room. She turned around to see Rayla staring at her with a mixture of shock and confusion.

"Men are assholes," Scarlet declared, rolling her eyes.

Then, to Rayla’s surprise, Scarlet jumped onto her bed and hugged her legs tightly, resting her head in her lap. "I need cuddles," she whispered, "That ass doesn’t love me anymore."

Unexpectedly, Rayla didn’t push her off. She found herself running a hand over Scarlet’s hair, a strange comfort settling over her. "It must be a misunderstanding," she said softly.

Scarlet sighed, "I know. Just... her scent on him. It’s making me nauseous."

Rayla chuckled, "Wow, her perfume must be awful."

Scarlet tensed, the words slipping out before she could stop them. She quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, are you ready for the bonfire?"

Rayla whined, "I’m exhausted. I was thinking of skipping it and FaceTiming Zack. He should be finishing his training soon."

Scarlet, however, was already pulling herself up. "No way! You can’t spend your night here cooped up in this room. Besides," she added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "you never know how much fun you’ll miss there."

Rayla groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Fine, but I’m only going for an hour."

Scarlet grinned. "Deal."

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"Help me with the outfit then," Scarlet declared, opening the wardrobe overflowing with clothes. "I wanna make Nick jealous as hell."

Rayla laughed, "Okay, what do you have in mind?"

A cascade of dresses tumbled out of the wardrobe, scattering across the floor like colorful confetti. As Scarlet presented each option, a deeper shade of red crept up Rayla’s neck. Scarlet’s wardrobe was... daring, to say the least. Mini-skirts so short they barely covered anything, off-the-shoulder crop tops, and even a sheer dress that made Rayla gasp.

"What?" Scarlet shrugged, seemingly oblivious to Rayla’s discomfort. "I’m comfortable in my own skin. Besides," she winked, "a little bit of skin never hurt anyone."

Rayla, despite her initial shock, couldn’t help but admire Scarlet’s confidence. Eventually, they settled on a dress that, while still revealing, wasn’t quite as… provocative as some of the other options.

While Scarlet meticulously applied her makeup, Rayla sat on the bed, brushing her hair.

"Aren’t you going to get ready?" Scarlet asked, glancing at Rayla’s casual jeans and sweater.

Rayla looked at her outfit, then back at Scarlet. "What do you mean? I’m ready. I even brushed my hair."

Scarlet arched an eyebrow. "You’re going to a bonfire in jeans and a sweater? Rayla, this is a social event. You need to make an entrance."

"No," Rayla said, taking a step back, a flicker of apprehension in her eyes. "I’m not wearing any of your dresses."

Scarlet rolled her eyes, "Don’t worry, I have a decent one. Mom bought it for my birthday, and I’d never wear it. Take a look."

Scarlet fumbled around in her drawer, pulling out a maroon dress. It wasn’t as tight or as short as the others; it just grazed her knees. The problem was, it was strapless. Not a deep V-neck, thankfully, but it still showed a lot of skin, more than Rayla was comfortable with.

"God, the dress is amazing. I love it," Rayla admitted, "But no, I can’t. I’m not comfortable in something so… revealing."

"Come on, it’s not that bad," Scarlet whined, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "We still have time to style your hair if you want."

Rayla sighed. "It’s just a bonfire, Scarlet. The dress is so… wow for that."

"It’s not just a bonfire," Scarlet insisted, "It’s just the name, believe me. It’s more than you ever imagine. You’ll be surprised how people on this campus love to show off."

Rayla felt a pang of apprehension. All she could picture were the campfires she used to have with Zack and her friends back home, simple gatherings around a crackling fire. But Scarlet spoke with such confidence, and the dress, despite its revealing nature, was undeniably elegant.

Finally, she nodded. "Fine."

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Scarlet began to style Rayla’s hair. Rayla’s hair was a beautiful, thick cascade of waves, and with a little effort, Scarlet transformed it into a work of art.

Then, with a few deft touches of makeup to highlight Rayla’s stunning hazel-green eyes, and a lip gloss that perfectly complemented the maroon dress, Scarlet declared them ready.

Rayla, looking in the mirror, was surprised by how different she looked. She felt… confident. A little nervous, certainly, but also confident.

Maybe this bonfire wouldn’t be so bad after all.

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It didn’t take them long to reach the bonfire. Rayla had envisioned a simple gathering in the woods, a crackling fire, and maybe a few guitars. She was wrong.

Instead of a rustic setting, they found themselves in a clearing, the trees forming a natural amphitheater. The ground was meticulously landscaped, paved pathways winding through the woods, and the area was illuminated by strings of fairy lights, creating a magical atmosphere, with the classic bonfire in the middle. A fountain overflowing with punch and tables laden with gourmet snacks lined the perimeter, and to Rayla’s astonishment, the students were dressed as if they were attending a high-society gala. Expensive dresses shimmered, and jewelry glinted in the firelight. It was a far cry from the simple bonfire she had imagined.

Nick, sitting by the fire with his friends, choked on his drink when he saw them. "Damnit, man, look," he muttered, slapping Asher on the back.

Asher, his eyes narrowed, followed Nick’s gaze. His face hardened, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. "You have to be f*****g kidding me," he hissed.

"Ladies," Nick clapped, approaching them with a charming smile. "You both look stunning."

"I’m still mad at you, so f**k off," Scarlet hissed through gritted teeth.

"Baby, please," Nick pleaded, his voice softening. His arms snaked around Scarlet’s waist, pulling her close, and a sweet smile bloomed on her face despite her earlier anger.

Rayla found herself awkwardly standing by, watching as they kissed passionately, their connection intense and unapologetic.

"It’s rude to stare at people when they’re kissing, you know," Asher remarked, his voice dry.

Rayla immediately shot back, "Oh, yeah? Said the one I found in my room at 7 in the morning without any reason."

Asher rolled his eyes and said, "Get over it, nerd. I’m used to staying in this room alone before you even showed up."

Rayla crossed her arms and with a raised eyebrow, she said, "I’m here now, so better shoo, bad boy."

Asher couldn’t help but chuckle at her choice of words. That made Rayla huff and leave him, heading towards the drinks. She angrily grabbed a cup and gulped it down in one go, then coughed hard after the fiery liquid stung her throat.

"Woah, easy there," a voice startled her. A guy, tall and broad-shouldered, appeared beside her, holding out a bottle of water. "What the heck was that? Is that alcohol?" Rayla asked, her voice hoarse from coughing.

"Hell duhh, it’s a college party," he grinned, taking a long swig from his own bottle.

The cold water cooled her throat, and Rayla managed a grateful smile. "Thanks, um…" she trailed off, realizing she didn’t know his name.

"It’s Dan," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Please, do not ever call me Daniel. I will hate on you and your next three generations."

Rayla laughed, the alcohol, a novelty to her system, already beginning to loosen her inhibitions. The conversation flowed easily, Dan charming and witty. She barely noticed the figure lurking in the periphery, his gaze fixed on them with an intensity that made the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

"Go get your girl," Scarlet said, appearing beside him with Nick close behind.

"She’s not…" Asher began, but Nick cut him off with a warning look. "Stop f*****g lying, your eyes are shooting daggers at the guy."

Asher was about to argue, but the sight that met his eyes made his wolf growl deep in his chest, a primal rage igniting within him. Dan was leaning closer to Rayla, his voice a low murmur, their faces inches apart. The intimacy of their exchange, the way Dan’s eyes lingered on Rayla’s lips, sent a surge of possessive fury through Asher. He slammed his empty cup down on the table, skipping straight to her.

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