Aston

Chapter 2

Aston knew he was being harsh, but as he dismissed his final class of the day he couldn't help but laugh at the ruckus he'd caused. Thirteen students had been cut already, one of them ending up at the deans office balling her eyes out. But he knew it was for the best. The ones who had been cut disrespected him, or tried to flirt with him in front of the whole class. One even demanded that he be passed because he was too good to be 'in a stupid class like this.'

He knew those spots would be filled by tomorrow. Most of the students didn't even like English, they just wanted to try and get in his pants. But since he laid eyes on that girl, he couldn't help but think about her. He glanced at the clock, 2:56. He heard the running of footsteps down the hall, and he recognized the scent from this morning. He'd found out her name was Amelia by process of elimination.

He looked at the door, waiting for her arrival. When she came, she looked disheveled. He wanted so desperately to brush back the hair from her face, but he resisted.

"Close the door behind you." He said, she did. She handed the essay to him, letting him skim it over.

"So what are you?" He asked, tossing the paper onto the desk. She gasped, eyes wide.

"W-what do you mean?" She stammered, hiding her face in her hair.

"Oh come now," he said. "I can practically smell it on you a mile away." He rolled his eyes. She still looked confused.

"S-smell what?" She asked. He growled, it was already a long day. She stood up, ready to escape out the door. Instantly he was on her, blocking her escape. Her scent was intoxicating, he was inches from her. She parted her lips in a gasp, and he brought his ear next to hers.

"I know you're like me." He growled in her ear, grinning as she shivered beneath him.

"Y-you're?" She started. "You're a..."

"Yes love..." Aston growled playfully. "Did you feel the connection?" He smiled. He could tell that she was turned on. His eyes locked with hers, he could feel the desire building up, but he'd have to contain himself. Only the alpha could confirm that it was okay for two people to mate, and since his own loves death the pack hadn't dared to come to him. She nodded beneath him.

"I didn't think there were others here..." she whispered. "It's been just me for years..."

"So... do you accept?" Aston asked. She nodded, he felt like his heart was going to fly out of his chest.

"Good," he growled. She turned her head away in embarrassment, but he took the opportunity. He let his mouth fall to her shoulder, and he bit down.

She was alone, it's all she'd ever known since her pack left. 'Weak,' they called her, leaving her for the humans to pick up. They found her a new foster family, one that loved her. But she knew when she met him everything would change. She needed to be in a pack. She needed the protection that being alone couldn't give her. She was 8 when they left, now at 23 she finally had enough to go to the college on a scholarship, where she met him.

He thought he rejected her at first, it's why she cried. But then he told her to come back later, she felt the connection. She knew he hadn't rejected her. No one could understand why some found love, and why some died alone, but she was thankful when he bit her. It meant that he didn't want anyone to take her away from him.

He took her to his pack, she was nervous to say the least. It had been forever since she saw others like her. She hoped they too wouldn't see her as a weakling.

As she walked through that door she noticed the familiar scent of him everywhere.

Is he the Alpha? She wondered.

She saw the others, they all greeted him merely, smiling as they saw who he brought with him. They all congratulated him when they saw his mark. She didn't like the feeling of all attention on her, but when he held her hand she felt stronger. She knew he couldn't be the alpha, he didn't smell like one.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked her. He knew something was off.

"I was just wondering why you marked me already," she said, smiling. "Aren't we supposed to wait for the alpha to accept around everyone?" He instantly frowned, sighing.

"The alpha isn't at his best right now," he said. "He recently lost his mate, and I didn't want him to do something... stupid." She furrowed her brows, slightly concerned. She knew pack members never spoke about their alpha like that.

"You should be alpha." A young man said next to him.

"Hush Red," Aston said. "Such talk is treason." He warned.

"But he's right." Another man said. Quickly other members nodded in agreement.

"I've never heard people talking about their alpha like that, especially not an entire pack." She said. They all looked at each other, wondering if it was best to tell her. Aston grabbed her hand, and led her into a separate room, telling the others they'd be back soon.

The room was modest, a dining room table stood proud in the middle. He sat her down in a chair, and closed the sliding doors on both sides of the room. Laughing and merriment echoed through from the other side. Astor sat down next to her.

"Since you're a part of this pack now, you need to know." He sighed, gulping. "We all come from Missouri, we lived there with many other creatures for about ten years. But then... you remember hearing about the Bagnal Dam break a few years ago?" She nodded.

"It was a small story here, but I remember reading about it. Over 600 people died." She bit her lip, he nodded.

"Well, it wasn't an accident." He said. "The details aren't important now, but we all knew when it was going to break. The alpha, he put his mate downstream in the flood zone. He lost her. Ever since, he's neglected his alpha duties, he's turned on his own pack, and I've had to take his place. But I'm still his beta. When someone in the pack makes even the smallest mistake, I've been the one taking the hit for them. And I'm worried, that now that I've found you, he's going to try and take you from me." He explained.

Amelia gasped, "w-why would he do that?" She asked. Denying the bond, was like denying the fact that they could shift into wolves. Aston shook his head.

"I don't know," he said. "But I'm ready to fight." She looked down in her lap, nervously. He grabbed her face in his hands, and stared into her eyes. "Hey, I'm not gonna let him take you from me."

"I-I just have never heard of an Alpha being so cruel." She whispered.

"He stopped being our Alpha when his mate died." He said, shivering. He sighed, grabbing her hand, and leading her back into the main room. Everyone was now deathly silent, circling a stone faced man with a murderous look on his face, and he was staring right at Aston.