*Twelve years later*

"So we could work on the assignment at my place?" Liam suggested to Sophia.

"Of course," Sophia smiled, blushing furiously when he winked at her. Liam was so cute and the funny part was that he wasn't a douche like the other boys out there - like a certain person, to be specific.

"We have refreshment and you don't have to be uncomfortable, my mom's around - though she doesn't poke her nose into uninvited business - but you're safe with me, that's all I'm trying to say," He said in detail.

"I never said I'm uncomfortable," Sophia chuckled, nervously.

"I'm just saying you could relax around me, I'm not going to hurt you," Liam told her, looking deep into her eyes.

Sophia forgot how to breathe for a while, she was not going to lie about the fact she's been crushing on Liam for a while now.

"Sure, I believe you," she simpered, tucking her hair behind her ear. A blush crept up to her neck, making her wonder if he could see how flustered she was.

"Alright, see you after school," Liam said breathlessly, pushed away from her locker, and left after a long stare. Even a blind man could sense the attraction between both.

Sophia leaned against her locker, a dreamy look in her eyes with her hand pressed on her chest. Her heart was beating wild, was this the sign of being in love?

It has been a month since Sophia and her family moved into Little Town, so she started Little Town Highschool since it was the closest and only academically acclaimed public school around. Unlike the fear she wouldn't be accepted, Sophia was surprised at the amount of popularity she garnered in such a short while - seems lady luck was on her side.

With a smile on her lips, Sophia turned around only to bump into someone leaning against the locker beside her. A frown appeared on her face when she found out that it was no other than her one and only nemesis - Arthur Ashton Nicolli aka Asher junior, the principal's son.

"Hi beautiful," Arthur smiled, revealing the dimples in his cheeks and his pearly white teeth.

"Oh please," She scoffed, turning her back to him as she opened her locker to get her textbooks.

"How was your night? Did you sleep well?" he asked, expecting an answer.

Sophia shut her locker and faced him with her books secured in her arms, irritation apparent in her brows, "Did you hit your head somewhere?"

"Who knows? Perhaps, on your bed's headboard last night?" He flirted with her.

Sophia's chest heaved, why won't this asshole leave her alone? She disliked Ashton, he was a bully and a total douche - opposite of Liam and not just because they started on the wrong foot - he was just not her type of guy.

It was more irritating that he was handsome, like god-level handsome. He was the complete definition of Adonis - Sophia was positively sure Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty had a hand in his creature. He obviously worked out a lot, thanks to his firm muscled body frame, moreover, he was on the football team and captain at that. Ashton possessed a rare exotic beauty - which seems to be a common trait with people of this town - but the most striking feature was his eyes - they were so greenish and memorizing. If it wasn't the fact that he wasn't so bad for her, Sophia wouldn't mind dating him. What was she even talking about? She must be crazy! Ashton was a no-no for her - end of discussion.

"Look Mr. Bully, I'm in no mood for your games this -"

"Ashton,"

"What?" she blinked

"Say my name,"

Sophia gulped, staring at him like he was an alien, " You must have gone crazy... "

She was still saying when Asher pushed her back against the locker, the book in her arm was the only thing keeping their body from being pressed together.

"Say my name,"

Sophia glanced up into his eyes, she regretted it.

His green eyes were darker than usual with specks of gold which made her heart beat fast for some strange reason. Her eyes trailed down to rest on his lips, she swallowed - an action he captured.

Ashton stared at the girl she held captive, he had not meant to be rough but the wolf in him was getting impatient. He could no longer sit around and watch her flirt with other men while he's ignored - cast away.

He had known Sophia was his mate the moment she stepped into the school ground. The bond was created instantly and his wolf side he had suppressed over the years roused from its slumber. It was more irritating that she was a human and humans don't feel the bond as much as the supernatural do. But the attraction was there and she was strongly fighting against it.

It was not his fault that she had a bad first impression of him. The first day Sophie had gotten to school before Ashton could even get to meet her, a disgusting vampire beat him to it.

The creature had used the excuse of showing her around the school to try to get cozy with Sophia but Ashton knew his true intention. Vampires were predatory creatures and though they were given more freedom than the old council did, the idea of a new blood who hasn't been accepted fascinated them - the vampire wanted a taste of her untainted blood.

The thought of that disgusting creature sinking his dirty fangs into her neck had boiled Ashton's blood to the extent his wolf took control and before he knew it, he was slamming his fist into the creature's face.

Thanks to that, ever since that day, Sophia had seen him as nothing but a bully, gangster, and nuisance. And the fact his father Asher was the principal didn't help matter; Sophia claimed he was abusing his father's power. Ashton had tried to make it up to her but it seems his actions just deepen the misunderstanding and make things worse.

Sophia tried to wriggle out of the cage he trapped her with his arms, but all she did was cause the books to fall, bringing them closer, her body tingled from the contact.

The students in the hallway looked straight ahead, none dated to interrupt nor stare. Everyone feared Ashton, he wasn't a bully but a terror. His mood swings were erratic and anyone could be on the receiving end of it.

"Say my name," He growled softly, his hand coming to wrap around her waist.

Sophia was supposed to feel disgusted at being touched by him. She detested Ashton and she couldn't understand why he usually picks on her - for Christ's sake, she hated him! But not now....now kind of felt alright.

"A-Ashton," she said, shakily. Not out of fear but due to the fact she was strangely turned on.

"Again," Ashton whispered into her ears, nipping at her earlobe, she went beet red

"Ashton," she said this time, firmer.

His eyes darkened further which left her confused, this wasn't the first time she had noticed the weird color changes - not only him too. Sophia could swear the students here were experimenting with some techy contact lens - that was the only reasonable explanation she could come up for that.

Ashton saw the way she looked at him, she tried hard to hide her attraction for him. The girl would definitely freak out if he told her that he could smell her arousal. The only thing keeping him from taking her right there and then was the fact he would not let those peeps watch them as they go at it plus the strong control he had over his wolf.

Davi, his wolf was clawing at him, trying to be out - evidenced by the golden speck in his eyes - but he wouldn't give him the pleasure. His wolf was more aggressive than the others - fueled by his demon side.

Ashton lowered his head and pecked her on the cheek to her utmost surprise, watching with interest how her eyes widened to the size of a full moon. He was highly tempted to kiss her lips, to taste her nectar, and explore if she was as sweet as he imagined.

However, Ashton knew his limit, he would never stop once he started and he didn't trust his strength with her - he could crush her when lost in the passion, humans were so fragile.

Ashton bent and picked her textbooks from the floor, handing them to the frozen girl, rousing her in the process. He smirked and said to her, " Make sure to think about me. I got my eyes on you,"

He moved aside and watched with amusement as she scurried away from him as quick as her legs could carry her. It pleased him to know that he could affect her this much, which means there was room for their relationship to be amended.

And speaking of amendment.

There was a dark glint in Ashton's eyes as he went in search of that relationship wrecker - he dared to try to convert his mate. Someone's death was near.

Looking like the king of Hell, Ashton went in search of that boy called Liam, tracking him with the help of his scent he had picked on earlier and bumped into him at the alcove of the bay window.

"Liam," He placed a hand in his shoulder with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hey man," Liam answered, oblivious to the danger lurking. He looked a bit nervous since he and Arthur were not talking pals even though they were on the same football team.

Suddenly, Ashton pushed him roughly against the wall, "Listen to me..." he began to compel him, " You would go to Sophia and cancel your assignment date and never speak to her again, understood?"

He nodded.

"Good," Aston added, "You should know that I would kill you if I ever see you talk to her ever again,"

He nodded under the compulsion.

"Now go," He commanded.

Liam left.

Ashton would have given him one or two blows but the asshole wasn't supernatural and didn't have the ability to heal. He was in no mood to get into trouble with his currently absent father, Asher, or for his currently present mother Lia, to chew his ear off for hurting a human.

"You do know that move is low, even for someone like you, Ashton," Someone said from behind.