Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
Asher's POV
                          


                          
     Me and my wolf have never been happier than in this moment. I look down at Kaia's head resting on top of my chest. How is it possible for someone to look so beautiful in the morning? And it's not even the mate bond making me feel this way, it's just Kaia. Thinking back to last night, I just can't help but smile. She was so beautiful and so responsive to my touch. I know that she felt the sparks and that she felt when half of our mating bond was complete. We'll be fully mated once I mark her, but I'm not in any rush to complete it right now. I'm already dreading the day when that happens. How do you tell a human that you're a werewolf? Actually, no. How do you tell someone as stubborn as Kaia Jones that everything she thinks isn't real, actually is? Yeah, that's going to be a tricky one.
                          
     I look back down and run my knuckles down her cheek to her jaw, observing in awe at her natural beauty. "You know it's rude to stare at people." I jumped at the sound of her voice before she cracked one eye open and smiled.
                          
     I scoff, "I was not looking. In fact, I just woke up so maybe you were the one looking at me," feigning innocence. She rolls her eyes before cracking a big smile that immediately warmed my heart. 
                          
     "Sureeeee." She drags out the word before leaning in and giving me a kiss. "Shit, what time is it? I gotta be at school." She gets out of bed in a hurry, giving me a full view of her body. "Hey! Eyes up here Mr. Casanova," she says while acting mad.
                          
     I raise a brow, "Mr. Casanova? That's what you call me in that pretty little messed up head of yours?" I laugh as she throws a pillow at my face and gives me the middle finger. 
                          
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     "Hey, Hayden's birthday is coming up in two days and we're throwing a small party. Are you going?" I looked at Kaia as we sat down in chemistry. 
                          
     "Well, I wasn't invited so I guess no," she said as her thigh touched mine underneath the table.
                          
     I laughed, "Okay. Let me rephrase that. I'm inviting you to Hayden's birthday party, are you coming?" I looked at her with hopeful, pleading eyes.
                          
     "I don't know. I'll have to look at my very busy schedule," she said as she looked down at her non-existent watch. "Damn. It looks like I might be booked, but I'll see if I can make it." She smiled teasingly at me. 
                          
     I looked at her with a sexy smirk while trailing a finger from her knee up to the lower region of her thigh. "Well, I would love it if you would come." I put more emphasis on the last word.
                          
     I saw her pupils dilate with lust while she bit her lip. "Okay, I'll make some room Mr. Casanova." Both our eyes snapped up to the front of the classroom as the bell rang. Well. Way to go, ruining the moment we just had. 
                          
     I noticed Ivy walking in staring in our direction. I was expecting to see a look of pure hatred towards Kaia and me as we were sitting together. I mean, with the little stunt she pulled on her in gym class. That's not what surprised me though. Instead, she looked ONLY at Kaia and I saw her face heat up. With embarrassment? I don't think so but I honestly can't tell. It's almost like she had an intense blush but I shook that thought away. I turned back towards the front of the class with my hand on Kaia's thigh, making my wolf purr with happiness. 
                          
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Hayden's POV 
                          


                          
     "What if she says no? What if I invite her and she flat out rejects me, dude?" I asked, turning towards Asher. 
                          
     "Calm down Hayden. She's not going to say no, plus Kaia's coming, so Mia will probably just come with her," he reassured me like he always does. He cleared his throat, looking at me seriously. I knew what he was going to say just by the look on his face. "Hey...what are you going to do...if, you know...Mia isn't your mate?" He's been asking me this question for the past year leading up to my 18th birthday.  
                          
     "I'll reject my mate for her." He opened his mouth but I cut him off. "I'm telling you, man, Mia is it for me. I couldn't imagine being without her."
                          
     He smiled, "Well, technically, you have to be with her first in order to be without her."
                          
     I scoffed and said teasingly, "Yeah, tell me that when you tell your mate you turn into a furry on a full moon." He glared at me. "Hey, what? Who knows, she might like it 'ruff'," I gave him a wink and a smirk. SMACK. "Oww, come on man. It was just a joke!" Asher laughed after he gave me a punch to the arm.
                          
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     Deep breath in. Deep breath out. "Come on, Hayden. You can do this. Anybody would be lucky to have you. Hell, if you asked me, I'd say yes in a heartbeat," I said, giving myself a pep talk while walking to Mia's locker at school. I spotted her light pink hair from across the hall, making my heart skip a beat. Well, here goes nothing. 
                          
     "Hey, Mia," I looked at her, giving my best smile and hoping I don't look like Pennywise the clown. 
                          
     She turned her head and looked at me with her big, brown eyes. I swear, I could look at them all day. "Hey, Hayden," she said in a shy voice which is kind of unusual for her normal attitude. 
                          
     It kind of threw me off, making me more nervous to ask the question. "Umm, so listen..I'm having a birthday party tomorrow..and I was wondering...do you maybe want to come?" I looked at her fidgeting nervously. 
                          
     She blushed a little at my question. "Uh, yeah. I'd love to come actually," she smiled, her beautiful smile. There was just no way she wasn't my mate. I don't know how, but I just knew. I've always felt drawn to her and not just because of her looks, but her aura. Something was just different about her than other girls, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. 
                          
     I smiled brightly at her biting my lip, unable to hold in my happiness. You would have thought that I had just won a cruise to the Bahamas by the look on my face. "Great, well I'll see you around yeah?" She smiled, making her blush deepen and nodded.
                          
     I walked away a little bit before doing a fist bump in the air and a mini victory dance. It would have been embarrassing if I had done that right there at her locker, I thought before glancing over my shoulder. My eyes meet Mia's who is only two people behind me. My cheeks inflame with embarrassment while she laughs, biting her tongue, "You do realize that we have the next class together right?" Oh, god. Why do I do this to myself? 

                          


                          
So we get to see Hayden's POV in this chapter. I hope you guys don't mind since it's not about Kaia and Asher. I will be writing in other character's POVs as well in later chapters.
                          
The next chapter is...well, let's just say we find out some interesting things...