Everything has changed.
I spent the three day weekend with Skylar who had asked to accompany me back home to Boulder - at first, he wanted me to stay back in Ravenwood with him but everyone else was going away for the extended weekend and I already had plans with my family.
To my complete surprise, Skylar was an angel throughout the entire trip.
He was on board with all my suggestions, answered all my mother's questions and even survived my slutty cousin who was all but ovulating that he was there at my grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. He was humble, attentive, and respectful.
He was everything you could possibly want in a guest. He even offered to do the dishes when we had our meals with my mother in our house. It was such a 180 degree turn that by the end of the weekend, my mom was sold on him.
I was sold on him. It was as if the Skylar I had known all along was a front, and I finally had the chance to get to know the real boy from Texas whose pack is named after his ancestor. It is the only pack that carries the Alpha's last name and the most famous in America, especially in the South.
I expected him to try to get funny with me, to try to persuade me to get with him in some capacity but he never did. He did not even ask for a kiss, just flirted a lot. And I do mean A LOT.
I can see why he is so popular among the girls. He is not only devilishly handsome but also a total flirt who tells jokes and convinces you that the attraction you are feeling is coming exclusively from you, not him. I don't mean that in any sort of predatory way, he just has a way of enchanting you and leaving you asking for his attention, his love.
At some point, by the end of Saturday night, I could be persuaded to kiss him but he never asked me to. He is that good. He told me he was all about radical consent and I didn't quite understand that until now.
You have to be fully aware of what is happening. You can not be inebriated, intoxicated, or have consumed anything that could impair your power of consent. If that is in play, then you have to be able to deny his advance if you wish and be in a condition to do so. No backseat loving if you can not get out of the car and say no. He is always very respectful.
Of course, the more of a gentleman the guy proves to be the more I want to jump his bones. But I am not in that place yet, nor would I ever do that before a contract was signed. With anyone, much less a boy I can not have. Again.
But my point here is that I am in complete awe of him. He is not the boy I thought he was. Not at all.
It's Sunday. November 3rd. We were having dinner at the cafeteria after the mandatory assembly with Headmaster Lockwood earlier, who seemed to have made a targeted speech towards his grandson if I heard correctly. Though why is he saying that after we have been off for almost a month I don't quite understand.
It's not like Jayden has been putting up much of a fight... O.o
When Skylar started gushing about his time with me in Boulder, I was getting redder by the second in front of his twin brother - who always eats with me in the Omega section - and once he said the words 'slept together', he gasped in shock.
Immediately I explained to him that Skylar meant actually sleep and not sex. As if...
And then he said this to Jayden:
"News flash, buddy. He is not yours anymore. He is mine. He is the reason why I came to this academy. To find someone exactly like him."
Seth gasped again, wide-eyed.
"What happened between the two of you? He is never possessive about anyone!" He was staring at me in utter shock.
"I have no idea. First, he told me that he broke up with Victoria because of me. Then he asked to go with me to Boulder for the weekend and I couldn't say no to him. But once we got in his car, he was a completely different person." I answered, honestly.
"He was nice, attentive, humble, it was like he was another person altogether. Even my mother loved him! Hell! My grandmother was just about to ditch her mate of forty two years to steal Skylar from me after he gifted her a bottle of perfume 'Chanel N°5'!" I snickered.
"Steal him from you?" He stared at me with a peculiar expression on his face.
"You know what I mean... He was every bit of the man he should be after being raised by your parents and being your brother. For the first time ever, I saw a glimpse of the Alpha he could be to your pack. I am genuinely in awe of him. I have no choice except to sing his praises. He deserved it." I declared, completely baffled by this myself.
At the Alpha section, Skylar was listening to our conversation and floating in the air as I praised him unlike never before. Even the other Alphas were utterly shocked by this. Not to mention Jayden, who is in shambles right now. Fortunately, I do not have direct eye contact with him from the position we are both sitting in, in different parts of the cafeteria.
"Wow. Who is this boy and what did he do to my brother?" Seth was perplexed by this.
"I know, right? He didn't even complain when I told him we were going to do mountain climbing." I spoke, humorously.
"What?" Seth gasped again, jaw dropped.
"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. I'll take you there when we go to Boulder." I assured him, seeing that he is not the adventurous type.
"I hate to break it to you, but none of that changes the fact that my father will never approve of you as his prospect." He told me with a somber tone and furrowed eyebrows.
"My mother has already raised that point. Trust me, I am not going in blindly. But you don't see anybody else vying to be with me. I have to take a chance." I stated, not so confidently. At this point, Jayden gets up from the table and leaves the cafeteria, visibly distraught.
He does so in silence, but everyone knows what is happening and the circumstances in which we broke up. At this point, almost one month later, there is nothing for me to say on the matter. Except that I am hurting too. I did not suddenly forget all about him. I wish it was that easy...
After dinner, we went back to our dorm rooms and rested for the night. Around eleven p.m., I hopped into the shower - it was the best hour to find the locker room empty - and washed myself of this heavy day. Skylar managed to populate my mind like I imagined he would, but Jayden's reaction was weighing heavily on me.
I know we did not get the ending we originally wanted, but we can't always get what we want in life. Sometimes you are stuck with the disappointment of never meeting your own father. Or the regret of ever meeting him after all. It's life.
When I stepped out of the shower stall, the vapor still clouding my senses, I saw a handsome boy in front of me. It is not unusual to find other students here, but he does not belong to the Gamma house. He is neither Gamma nor Omega like me.
"Hi. I wanted to ask you something, so I figured this place was only fitting." Jayden greeted me with an object in his hand purposefully hidden from me. He was wearing fresh clothes as if he had just stepped out of the shower, but I saw no towel or other clothes around the place. I gather he did not take a shower here like the last time.
"Hi there. You almost scared me with your presence. I wasn't expecting to find you here." I said, repositioning the towel on my waist. I did not want to flash him here... or at all.
"I am sorry for ambushing you, I just needed to speak privately to you. I hope you can understand." He said, apologetic. He was wearing a tight-fitting white and black shirt that was hugging his torso wonderfully. His pants could be pajamas, but I am not sure.
"Sure. Ask away." I might as well give him the floor if he came all the way here to talk to me. I wanted to start getting dressed soon and didn't want to do that with him here.
Jayden raised his hand to show me what was in his right hand. A small black box that I can only assume was for jewelry. Is he giving me a gift right here? Why did it have to be now?
"I asked my dad for this, I hope it's alright. This ring has been worn by every Alpha's mate of my pack for more than a century. It has been improved over the years with golden baths and encrusted diamonds, but it's basically still the same ring." He opened the box to reveal the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my life; white gold with encrusted diamonds.
I gasped in shock at the revelation. What the hell is he doing with this here?
"Jacob Anderson Broderick, I know we had a bump on the road recently, but I cannot imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?" He proposed to me and I almost passed out from the shock. He even took a knee before he did. *swoons*
I am completely hypnotized by the ring. Oh my goodness. Did he just say he asked his father for that? What? Really? *gasp*
JAYDEN
Friday. November first.
I arrived in Georgia with my grandfather whom I have yet to share a word with since his birthday. For him, I am just being a brat. But for me, I was blindsided without even a chance to present Jake to my parents and fight for our happiness.
I don't know what he thought he was doing... I mean, I know why he did it. But I am not okay with it. I shall never be okay with him stopping me from being happy with the boy I wanted. I followed his rules, I selected one of his students. It's not my fault it was the "wrong one".
My parents greeted me as we entered the pack house, but I barely exchanged a couple of words with them. At this point, we have been estranged from each other for nearly a month. It's bad.
Honestly, I have always loved and respected my mother. She is a woman in a man's position and was reminded of that constantly. Of course, after more than a decade of being Alpha of the pack, she is a well respected leader.
Growing up, she always had my back. We got along great and she has always been my ally, but lately we barely talk. It's not that I lost my love for her, I just can't get on board with her disapproving of Jake without even giving him a fair chance.
It's not as if he had come here and disrespected my parents or shot his mouth for some reason. He never had the chance to be introduced to her and I cannot get past that. I will never. She sent me to Ravenwood to select whoever I wanted to for my partner and now she is going back on her word. That is unforgivable.
Again, I moped around in my bedroom upstairs in the Alpha wing of the manor until it was time for dinner. Not that I am much hungry anyway. All I can think of is Skylar being with Jake in Boulder, doing the trip I was supposed to go on.
On Saturday morning after breakfast, my father asked to enter my room to talk.
"Son, this situation can not go on. You are my son. I can't stand to see you like this. I don't like seeing us estranged from each other. What do I have to do to fix this?" He started, sitting on a chair across from my bed where I was sitting.
"Dad, you know what I want. I want to be with the boy I love. I am not asking for the Moon here. All I want is to be given the same chance you and mom had. She and Grandpa can't change the rules after the game has already begun. You told me to select a partner from Ravenwood, so I did. There is only Jake for me and I will not change my mind with time. The only reason I even come to that classist academy is to see him, even in passing." I ranted, pissed off at the situation.
My father is taken aback by my confession, but he can not be exactly surprised. I have never made any secret of my feelings for Jake. Not to him or my family. My father breathed out a sigh and addressed me with his eyes laser focused on me.
"Son, I hear you. I know the situation sucks. But you know the rules. Your mother's word stands. There is nothing I can do about that." He repeated what I already knew.
"Dad, I am tired of waiting for other people to decide my life. I am not trying to be disrespectful to her, but I am done. As we speak, there is already another boy coveting Jake. He will not be available much longer, then I'll lose him forever and I won't prospect anyone. Is that what you want?" I cried out, revolted at this idea.
I do not think Skylar and Jake have any future together, to be perfectly honest, but I am not taking any chances.
"I will try to speak to your mother about it one more time. I am sorry for this situation. The last thing I want is to see my son suffering." He looked pained at me, sympathizing with my situation.
"Thanks, dad. I don't think she will change her mind at this point, but I appreciate you." I told him, feeling disheartened.
"Keep in mind that she has nothing to go on except for her father's words and they carry a lot of weight." He cautioned me, which again I already knew.
"I know, dad. But you should know that I am not going to stand idle watching the love of my life escape my grasp. I am an adult and should be allowed to make my own choices. If Mom can't see that, I feel bad for her, but I will do what's best for me. It's 2024. I don't need her permission to get married." I announced, irritated. Dad gasped in shock.
"Did you just say you want to get married? She will see it as a betrayal and cut you from the succession of the pack!" He was gobsmacked to hear this, utterly baffled.
"That is her choice and I will respect that. But I would rather lose Alpha than lose Jake. I am sorry." I told him, though I am not sorry at all. In fact, I got the idea from Skylar yesterday. If I can't sign a contract under Ravenwood's guidance, I'll sign one of my own.
"Don't make any rash decisions, son. Sleep on it." He advised me, before getting up from the chair.
"I have slept on it, dad. It's the only recourse I have left. I refuse to not have a chance to be with the one I love." I spoke, sounding determined. My dad hugged me before he left my room.
On Sunday, he pulled me aside and spoke privately in his bedroom when my mother wasn't there. He told me that if Jacob was the boy that I loved, then he would not stand in the way of my happiness. He handed me his wedding ring and told me to do it right. Like the Alphas of my family have done in the past. He told me that whatever my decision was, he would always support me. He kissed me on the forehead and told me he loved me.
A|N: BOOM!
1. I bet you didn't see that coming, did you?
2. I told you Jayden was not out of the picture.
3. It is going to take a little while for me to post a new chapter. You are going to wait until Tuesday.
4. This is not the first Spanish language song that I wanted to include in this book, but oh well...
5. It's about to go down!
6. Now let's see about the outcome. #TeamJayden
OFF: I don't repeat songs as you all know, but I liked this rendition of the song from "The Greatest Showman". It was just a nice plus for the chapter that is all about the ring. Honestly, it is such a poetic song about fighting for love that I thought it perfect for this chapter.
Next is "It's On".
Love,
Léo.