"I thought I made it clear that I'm done talking to you," I said, pushing Chase into his locker the first time I saw at school. I continued stomping off without looking back. I heard him follow me though. "F*ck you. Leave me alone."

"Wait. Alicia, I'm sorry! But what did I do now?" Chase called after me. I turned on my heels and pointed to him.

"I just called you on your six month bullshit yesterday and you think sending me a text message apology is gonna change that and change my mind?" I asked him.

"What text message?" he asked in a louder voice with his dimples concaving at every syllable. I clicked on my phone and pulled up the message and showed it to his face. His brown eyes scanned the screen. "I never sent that."

"Yeah. Right," I said, doubtfully as I walked away. He grabbed my hand and spun me around.

"I didn't send that text," he insisted.

"It doesn't matter if you did or not," I informed. If he did, he was lying to me yet again. If he didn't, that meant he had no intention of even trying to fix anything with me in the first place. He grabbed my hand before I could manage to walk away from him again. I was forced to face him.

"I did not send you that text. And if I did, it would be—"

"It doesn't matter," I interrupted. "You made it clear that you don't want me, so why the hell are you trying to pick up the pieces to act like it'll mean something if I forgive you? You should've used one of those chances I shouldn't have given you."

***

"Alicia..." Wes said in a warning tone as he caught up with me before lunch. Jasmine took this time to steer away from me in the hall. She had supported me no matter what happened between me and the guys, but I was just now seeing it was actually affecting her too. She had followed me yesterday after I left causing Eli to chase her and reveal that she was disappointed in him because he knew Chase was my mate this whole time and let this all happen. I obviously didn't want her and Eli affected by this too so I forgave him in order for her to do the same because I was really directing everything towards Chase anyways.

"Hello. How's your day been?" I asked with fake cheer in my voice.

"Rather nerve wrecking actually," he informed, "wanna know why?"

"Not particularly, but I do hope your day goes smoothly sooner rather than later," I smiled innocently. I walked a bit faster and dropped my smile as I walked ahead of him, hoping he wouldn't press the topic bound to come up. And just as I knew it, he did his infamous move by grabbing my waist and placing me between him and the wall. Only now his hands didn't linger on me like they once did.

"Alicia," he said in the same tone as earlier.

"Hello. How's your day been—hmm. I could've sworn we just went through this," I recalled, flashing a convincing smile as I tried to walk past him, but his grip tightened and then kept me there with hard set blue eyes. I stood my ground.

"You know what I'm gonna say," he started.

"Actually, I don't. And I don't really want to, either," I denied. "Unless it involves the words 'let's go to lunch.'"

"I'll take you off campus to get lunch if you hear me out," he compromised. I pulled up my phone and clicked a few buttons.

"Okay. And when can you do that? I'm open around...Friday? Sound good?" I asked. He gave me a confused look of stupidity.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Oh. When you're gonna take me out to lunch," I clarified with a friendly smile. "It's the only day to fit in my schedule."

"Schedule? What the hell else do you have to do? It's lunch," he asked.

"Oh. I'm booked. These guys are just so persistent on asking me out since it's a new year and I'm officially ex-communicated with all of you guys," I exaggerated even though I didn't have every day booked. I didn't even have guys lined up to ask me out other than to study or make conversation in the halls. Wes knew this too and that's why he narrowed his eyes before smirking.

"This is to get at him, isn't it?" he asked. I titled my head.

"Whatever do you mean, Wes?" I asked in an innocent voice.

"You know who I'm talking about," he insisted. I gave him a raised eyebrow and a smirk. I took this time to break out of his grasp and walk towards the cafeteria. "You think I would believe that and then let it get back to him to make him jealous. You're acting really childish right now, Alicia."

I turned on my heels.

"You're lecturing me about being childish?" I wondered with narrowed eyes. He stayed quiet so I turned to walk and go to the cafeteria breathing in and out.

"When you find out that he kills himself because you never gave him a chance, you'll regret being this selfish," I heard him mutter. I immediately thought back to when I saw Chase pounding his head on the bricks outside. I couldn't force it out of my mind, but I didn't want him to know that

"No, selfish is agreeing to date his mate for 'protection,' when really you just wanting him to watch us fall in love and throw off our bond months later," I insulted. As soon as I said it, guilt pierced through my heart much stronger than the growl that ripped through Wes. I knew that his emotions were the real reason why we got and stayed together because back then, he wouldn't just help Chase out of his free will. It was his choice to date me as much as it was Chase's choice to suggest it. But it was cruel of me to throw his feelings for me in his face as if it was a tool intentionally used against Chase. Wes fell for me of his own accord because he was happy and wanted to officially move on from the pain April's absence caused—not as revenge for what Chase and April did. The guilt stung so much because I actually did still care about Wes and I was lashing out at him in place of Chase. I deserved the pain and crippling disappointment at myself because I didn't really mean what I said. It wasn't selfish to want to love someone.

I stood there, still shocked at myself for saying that. After a moment of taking it in, he strode over to me with his long legs and grabbed my arm.

"I know you don't mean that," he whispered. "But this isn't the time or place to accuse me of that, okay? We both know the truth behind it and it's not the case."I never thought I would actually consider the fact that Wes Knight had been a man to completely understand me, but I was glad he did. He still managed to see my true character and intentions even when it was being covered by hurt and anger—and somehow even when I attacked him, he didn't unleash the same level of wrath I had seen him unveil onto others to defend himself. "I love you. I truly did and I truly do," he promised. "Meaning I love you enough to want the best for you and pretending like you don't want Chase's explanation isn't the best thing. It's not good for any of us."

"And what if I think it's the best for me?" I mumbled.

"Then you're wrong and I'm right like usual," he assured and managed to get a playful eye roll out of me for his insertion of an arrogant joke. Suddenly, he took me in a hug around my shoulders and I wrapped my arms around his torso. "Don't immediately accuse him if you're not gonna hear him out."

"I'm not accusing him of anything I don't know," I denied, pulling away from him. "I have a right to blame him for shit if it's what he did. He told me to my face that he didn't want be with me and acted as if he was never mated to me in the first place, yet hid it behind this whole Alpha thing like he's playing both sides. It's completely ridiculous and annoying."

"It's difficult for him," Wes plainly said.

"No. It's really not," I disagreed with him. "He can either accept us mating or not. You don't get to choose both."

"Yes, you do," he contradicted. "He's an example of that."

I scoffed and crossed my arms. My eyes gained water, but I held it back.

"It's not an easy thing to do," Wes assured with a hand on my cheek, stroking my warm skin with his thumb as he gazed into my boring eyes. I looked away from him. "He's trying."

"Trying to what? Break my heart and stomp on the pieces? Check."

"He's acting like that because he has a lot of shit to deal with other than you," Wes excused. "He's compelled to be there and make you happy and truly be your mate, but he's trying to repel from all that as much as he can without officially rejecting the bond so that you're safe—so everyone's safe. Not to mention all the baggage he has from handling all this stuff about being Alpha in the first place."

It seems as though his repulsion is working considering all that's happened...

"You know, he hasn't phased since August?" Wes mentioned. My face twisted.

"Why the hell would I know that and why would I care?"

"He hasn't fully phased since he met you," Wes clarified. "That's the extent he's willing to go to make sure he won't hurt you."

"That's stupid," I commented.

"I agree," Wes said. He started to back up, "because one of these days, he's going to snap from all the pressure and it's gonna be you that ends up getting hurt in the end."

***

By Wednesday, the whole Chase problem was solved when we each decided on ignoring each other. He went so far as to hang out with people who weren't Wes or Eli as if he didn't want to share friends with me...even though I hadn't talked to them much either.

"Wanna hang out this weekend?" Jasmine asked me as we walked out of school on Friday.

"Sure," I answered.

"Oh cool. Because Carina wanted us to—"

"Never mind," I interrupted.

"What?" Jasmine asked.

"I can't hang out this weekend."

"What? But you just said you wanted to. Why not?!" she rambled.

"Carina...Chase...conflict," I reminded. She nodded.

"Well if you ever change your mind...you can call me," she accepted cheerfully before skipping away. Suddenly, my hair was ruffled into my face.

"And what will you be doing this weekend?" Wes' voice chimed as he beamed a smile as we now walked beside me.

"Absolutely nothing," I answered.

"Loner," he commented.

"Loser," I retorted. He laughed once.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I think I'm gonna go cliff diving," he revealed with an unsure expression.

"What? No date with April?" I mocked.

"Full moon's on Sunday," he reminded.

"Aw. As if you care," I teased, lightly pushing him. He and April had been good from my understanding. When she got back, she had to deal with a few issues, but then they started out slowly and then built up their relationship. It was difficult with April having an enforced curfew and stricter eye from her parents, but Wes Knight was definitely a boy who needed to learn boundaries anyways.

"I care," scoffed and I gave him a look because he was not one to bend to the moon's powers so easily. He cared in a sense that he knew to control himself better, but milked the convenient week-long excused absence Billy got to force once a month with everything he could. "Okay fine, I conditionally care."

"Are you gonna surprise me and show up to school for once?"

"Yeah," he groaned. I was surprised. "But you know I don't want to. I'm being forced."

"Forced?"

"Alpha's orders," he shrugged. "He's being a hypocrite—the man can't even come to school himself yet he forces everyone else to. He's blaming it on how he has to do the paperwork and train the younger wolves, but really it's because he's being hostile towards me and you and Eli. I don't know how the hell he's even getting anything done with Kayla being there all the time..."

I focused on the actual importance of that sentence. Chase was back with Kayla. While I instantly became annoyed, I had a feeling it was because Chase knew I couldn't stand her and knew this stupid bond elevated my jealousy over the situation even more.

"Alicia?" Wes asked like I had tuned out whatever else he said.

"What?"

"Do you think I should go down and help him?" Wes asked as if it wasn't the first time he inquired those very words.

"Um yeah sure. Whatever," I answered. I was only thinking about how I was really starting to loathe Kayla. All I could see was her stupid perfect face and her stupid perfect body and her stupid perfect obsession with my mate—

"Alicia? Yes?" Wes asked after I apparently tuned out again.

"Uh...yeah."

"Wait. Really?" he asked.

"Really what?"

"You 're gonna help me," he clarified.

"What? No. I meant no," I answered. Wes' phone beeped so he took it out and looked down to it. He texted something and then slid it back into his pocket.

"Well I think you should come back to the house with me and help or at least make sure I'm not bored out of my mind," Wes suggested. I gave him a weird look. He stopped me by lightly touching my forearm and I looked up at him. "He's not gonna be there. Come hang out with me as I work."

"Fine," I rolled my eyes. I stopped walking again. "What work do you have to do?"

"Bills...excuse letters...probably stuff like that," he shrugged as if it was no big deal. This was coming from the boy who didn't even do his school work.

"Okay. Sounds like work...I'll join," I decided. "But no meetings, correct?"

"Correct," he answered. "We'll probably have the house to ourselves."

"What house to yourselves?" Zoey's voice asked from behind. We turned to see Zoey linked to Micah by intertwined hands.

"I thought you two broke up," Micah said.

"We did," Wes and I said at the same time. Both of them narrowed their eyes at us in a suggestive fashion.

"Unlike some couples, we know what breakups are and don't get back together at the drop of a hat," I muttered. Wes turned to me with a hand over his heart.

"I'm hurt," he scoffed. I shoved him. "I'm kidding."

"Of course you are," Micah smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well I mean..." he trailed off since Wes was glaring and towering over him. Micah turned to Zoey in fear of Wes. "Um...let's go, babe."

"I'll see you at home?" Zoey asked.

"Maybe, maybe not," I shrugged. She gave me a look before walking off with Micah.

"So you're planning on spending the night?" Wes asked, intrigued as we walked out of school.

"Well—" That'd be weird for us to be the only ones in that huge house and then spend the night. "I mean April wouldn't want that and it'd be weird anyways."

"I got it," he said with a smirk. "Because we're exes."

"Yeah..."

"Well April said she doesn't mind you and me being together," he informed.

"Wait what?"

"April knows I'll always love you. As long as we don't have sex, she doesn't care what we do—but of course I wouldn't do any of that because we're broken up and I respect her—but pretty much only because I respect her not just because we're broken up," he rambled.

"Right..." I laughed nervously.

We continued on our way to the pack's house and I tried to act like Wes wasn't being completely weird. Maybe it was just the rising full moon affecting him.