Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter Twenty-Five

Paige had been acting weird around me all morning. She was unusually quiet. The last time she had been quiet was right after Troy had claimed her and even then she could still talk freely with me. We stepped out of the car in the school parking lot with Valerie and Mark trailing behind us. I reached for her hand and clasped it with mine. Her neck snapped over to look at me and then down to our joined hands. We had held hands before so I didn't know what her problem was.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. What about you? Are you okay?" she responded quickly.

"I'm fine."

"Okay," she let out a deep breath.

We stopped at our lockers to grab our things. I could feel the heat of Mark's body as he stood behind me.

"Delta Mark, you don't have to stand so close. Nothing's going to happen to me." I spoke but I wasn't sure that he heard me. Either that or he ignored me because I could still feel him behind me. He felt closer and I worried he was going to press himself up against me. "Delta Mark," I called and looked over my shoulder. He was so close that I didn't have enough space to turn around.

"Delta Mark," Valerie called his name and moved up to grab his arm. That act jolted him out of whatever trance he was in and he apologized and quickly stepped several feet away. Valerie stared at me for a minute. "Are you okay, Luna?"

"Yeah. He was just too close," I breathed. She stared at me for a second longer before she stepped back. I closed my locker and grabbed Paige's hand. I turned to her in shock when she moaned.

Her cheeks turned red and she looked away from me. "Sorry."

I leaned in a sniffed her. "You're not in heat," I stated.

"No." She frantically shook her head. "Can you just forget that happened and let's go to class?"

"Sure." I didn't want her to feel embarrassed so I led her to our first class. English with Mrs. Zev. When we stepped into the classroom Mrs. Zev's eyes lingered on me as we walked to our desks. Before I sat down Candace sent me a smile. It wasn't a smirk or a smile that meant she had some secret. It was a genuine sweet smile. I looked at her shocked and took my seat.

What was that about? I asked Imara, but I didn't get a response.

"Luna, it's good to have you in class today," Mrs. Zev said with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

I didn't say anything, just returned her smile with an awkward one. I was in her class the day before and I gave no indication that I wouldn't be returning.

Throughout the class, I caught several glances from my classmates. Paige focused on what Mrs. Zev was teaching. That is when she was teaching and not staring at me. Mrs. Zev gave me the creeps with her constant staring. I was happy when the class finally ended. I reached for Paige's hand but she pulled away from me.

"Don't," she said in a whisper.

Her rejection made my heart drop. I think you should go home. She mind-linked me.

Why? I linked back.

I think your heat is starting. She walked away and left the classroom. I followed after her and made it to our next class well before the bell rang.

"I don't feel any different," I whispered to her.

"Remember when you could tell that my heat was about to start?" she asked. I just looked at her. "I'm telling you, you have to go home," she said the last part on a growl.

I wanted to ask her why she was growling, but someone walked over to my desk and stood in front of me. I looked up to find Trisha smiling down at me. Her eyes darkened and I could smell the lust rolling off of her.

"Hi, Luna." Her voice had a seductive lilt to it.

"Hey, Trisha. What's up?" I asked her confused by the scent rolling off of her.

"I just wanted to tell you, you look really pretty today and you smell really nice." She leaned across my desk trying to get closer to me while I leaned back to get away.

"Move along bitch!" Candace pushed her away. Trisha growled at her and Candace bared her teeth at her. My hands were resting on the desk and Candace grabbed one of my hands and stroked her thumb across the back of it.

"Uh, Candace. What are you doing?"

"Don't worry baby. I'll take care of her."

"Baby?" I gaped and looked around. "The fuck?" I turned to Paige and her eyes were already on me, but they were yellow. She closed her eyes and took in a big inhale before she released a shuddering breath and opened her eyes to pierce me with her gaze. I looked away as Candace pulled me out of my seat and pushed Trisha away as she tried to grab me. Candace wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to her chest. Her lips were on mine before I could think about everything that was going on. At the same time, a sharp pain hit my middle and I could feel wetness pool between my legs.

I registered Candance's hands on me and I tried to push her away. Growls erupted around the room and the door was forcefully yanked open. I couldn't seem to pry Candace off of me, but she was soon ripped from me. I opened my eyes to find Paige growling at her. She grabbed my hand and pulled me from the room. Valerie came to me and stopped in her tracks.

"Damn," she whispered. "You smell really good."

"We need to get her out of here," Paige said, her voice filled with command.

"Right," Valerie snapped out of it. She moved out of the room. Mark moved to approach me and growled low.

"Delta Mark, if you can't control yourself you need to stay behind," Paige ordered.

"I'm sorry Beta," he mumbled. He looked at me with lust in his eyes and I found myself reaching for him even though I knew that he wasn't the one that I wanted. I needed Kai.

Paige pulled me away from him and a whine left my lips.

"I need Kai," I groaned.

"I know. We need to get you home," Paige said.

I couldn't think of anything at the moment and relied on Paige to pull me from the school and to the car. She sat in the back with me and made sure that Mark was in the front. Every time he would turn back to look at me she would growl at him. She had rejected my hand earlier but she held onto it during the entire car ride. Valerie didn't say anything as she drove the car back to the pack house, but I could hear her grinding her teeth together.

I didn't know what was going on. Paige had a strange reaction to me. Trisha had come on to me and Candace had flat-out kissed me. It was all so strange to me and while my mind was being muddled with heat, I was still a little aware of what was going on. Aware enough to know that none of them were my mate, and they weren't who I needed. If my mind had been muddled enough Candace's kiss might have done something for me or I would have jumped Mark. I wanted his help but I wanted him to get me Kai. I needed Kai. I needed my mate.

We arrived at the pack house and Paige helped me out of the car.

"Get her upstairs. We'll stay down here," Valerie said at the bottom of the stairs. Paige led me up the stairs and Mark whined because Valerie wouldn't allow him to follow us.

When we got to the Beta floor Paige stopped. "Head up." I looked at her questioningly. "I'll come and check on you, but I need a minute. Go. I want to hear the door close behind you so I know you made it up there."

I whined at being left alone, but I turned and dragged my body up the stairs to the apartment and let myself in. I felt so hot, I was wet, and my body was cramping, but I made it upstairs and to the bedroom. All I wanted was to rip my clothes off and to have Kai with me. I wish that he was close enough for me to link him.