Hiding From My Mate

Chapter 17

Drake

I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. I had bags under my eyes and I felt so tired. I even didn't bother to comb my hair today and I was pretty sure I looked like a mess. It was lunch time but I didn't have any appetite to eat anything too. I sat on our table ignoring the looks others giving me as my friends brought their lunch.

Roy passed me a juice bottle but I kept in my hands not opening it. I could feel the stares my friends giving me. But I ignored them too as I didn't want to speak what was on my mind. But I knew I wasn't going to get away with it when Roy put his fork down turning to face me.

"Okay, speak up! What's wrong with YOU! today?" I cringed at his question but he continued "Yesterday it was Ian and you're acting weird today. What the hell is going on?" He exasperated.

"I told you I couldn't get any sleep last night" I answered him tiredly.

"We can see that Drake. What kept you awake last night? That's what we want to know" Ian joined in.

I was getting irritated by the second. And I really didn't want to talk about yesterday, specially about the sparks I felt with Elly.

"Is it about Elly or Josh?"

I looked at Claire who sat down beside Roy, with her food tray. Where was she? I didn't even realise she wasn't here until now.

"Everything's okay with Biyanka?" Roy asked her. She nodded her head sighing.

"That stupid girl! She regrets of rejecting Josh now. But what can we do? He already has Elly as his mate" she shrugged.

I rubbed my face before running a hand through my hair. Not 'Elly' again.

"Why is she crying? I mean she rejected him. He accepted it. End of the story. No feelings attached" Mike commented.

"That's the weirdest thing. She said it hurts to see him with Elly and she still feels the pull towards him. Biyanka asked me why is she feeling this way when she rejected him long time ago" Claire started to fill her mouth with food. "Don't you feel that way towards someone Drake?" she paused, "except Elly"

Others laughed while my face heated up with embarrassment. I groaned "No!"

"So what kept you awake last night, Drake?" Roy asked in a mocking tone. He wasn't going to give up. Was he? I sighed.

"I felt sparks with.....someone yesterday" Others gasped in surprised. "But only for a second. So I am not sure if I really felt it or imagined it" I quickly added.

"Is that someone is Elly?" Claire asked. I nodded my head.

"Why are guys talking about my best friend?" I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Lisa there standing near our table. I forgot she was coming to join us. Could this get any worse? I was feeling awkward already.

"I'm sorry I was late. We had a quiz today" She smiled and pecked Ian on his cheek.

"You can trust her. She is the Beta female. She knows how to keep secrets" Ian assured.

"So what's this about Elly?" She looked at our faces waiting, to hear an answer. "Com'on, Roy is her brother. And you trust him not me" She pouted.

"No, It's just Elly's name is keep coming up whenever we talk about Drake's mate. That's why?" Claire finally said.

"Oh!" Lisa quirked her eyebrows and looked at me. "But she has Josh now!" She gave me a faint smile. "Even if Elly was your mate I can totally understand her. After what happened with all of you.." She pointed her finger at others. "And specially you!" And she pointed it towards me. "do you think she would want to be your Luna and your mate? I know I would hate that" she shrugged.

"How was she supposed to say anything? Should she say, 'Hi, I'm your mate and this pack's Luna. You guys bullied me for the same reason, remember?' "she clenched her hands. "I would rather get myself rejected than sticking with you guys" she finished.

It took me some time to sink in what she said. My eyes widened. Could it be...?

"Oh My God!" Claire laughed. "This can't be true, right?" She asked us nervously, "I mean sure Drake's mate wanted her to be rejected too. And she wouldn't give you any reason and doesn't like to meet unless you promise. And she is from our pack too. And she said she is smart..." Claire looked at us shocked. "No! Way!"

"Shit!" Roy muttered, "that explains why you can't control your emotions around her, Drake"

"But...but Josh is her mate. So h...how?" Lisa stuttered.

"They could be pretending... Remember? she found Josh as her mate when we were in the clearing. So Elly didn't turn into her wolf and she was there too, in the hospital that day" Claire said.

"Oh Elly! Poor girl. She was so excited to meet her mate. I always wondered how Josh smelled her scent with that perfumes she is using. Now I can see why, they are not mates" Lisa murmured.

"What did you say? Perfumes!?" I growled.

Lisa jumped back and Ian glared at me.

"Yes, perfumes. I gifted her one for her birthday" she gulped.

I felt like an idiot. Why didn't I think about it before. Even my father hated the smell of perfumes since it messed with our senses. That was why nobody used perfumes around him or in the pack house. I needed to find Elly. Now!