Mercedes' POV
Still with my mind on our great adventure in bed last night, I get out of my Bugatti.
The striking red color immediately attracts all the attention of the students in the parking lot and at the school building. And suddenly I've got some enemies, the gossip machine has picked up speed after Zane gave me this impressive gift last week. On the Facebook Fan Page of the school, I am called all kinds of names, some students I thought were my friends are now posting all kinds of hate speech. My name is a hot topic, the comments are piling up every second. I’m called a gold digger, material girl, greedy and more of that nonsense people like to say about others. One thing's for sure, I'm the star of the school just because my mate highly values my love.
But I really don't care at all.
It was Zane who claimed me as his mate and not the other way around. In addition, a ten-year-old girl cannot be accused of materialism. I mean, the people who kidnapped me and took me to the Midnight Moon borders and left me behind without food or water still haven't been found. So don't blame anything on me when my mate is crazy about me and thinks I'm worth an expensive gift. Anyone who has a problem with that should try to solve it on their own.
Clarita rushes forward to meet me.
I haven't seen her since my big birthday bash. “Mercedes! Wow, let me take a good look at your car. There were pictures in the school WhatsApp group chat, but it looks so much nicer in reality,” she exclaims, walking admiringly around my new addition. “Remember, I'm your bestie and I have to test drive first,” she reminds me.
While chatting, we walk into the school grounds. Eyes are fixed on me, I make no effort to use my advanced were-hearing to listen to their shit. “There's a lot of noise about the expensive gift Zane gave you. But I think they're just jealous of you, Mercedes," Clarita begins. "I hope you don't mind."
Speaking of poisonous snakes!
"Why would I? My mate thought I was worthy of a Bugatti, so he gifted me one. He spends his money how he sees fit”, I answered indifferently. The school bell rings, and we hurry to the classroom. As usual, Clarita sits next to me and we focus on our math lessons for the two hours. When the bell rings again, it is lunch break and we rush to the canteen. A queue has already formed at the register, we're just joining.
“What are you having for lunch today, Mercedes? Lasagna is on the menu today, but it's expensive again," my girlfriend sighs. “I'm doing it low budget today. Salad". I grin and shut up.
“If you like the Lasagna, no problem, Mercedes. Just put it on my account”, I suddenly hear behind us. When I turn around, I see no one but Glary, the Alpha's son, watching us closely. He looks at me with interest, waiting for my answer.
“I'll pass your offering on to Clarita. She was the one who couldn’t afford the Lasagna. Still thanks for the offer”, I say dryly. I turn to Clarita. “Look, there's your savior. Today we still have lasagna for you”. She goes crazy with happiness, now that it comes to the account of the rich Alpha, she can go for a large bowl. Glary sniffs disgruntled. “No problem if you take one too, Mercedes. I can afford two more.”
Irritated, I take the black card from my back pocket and show it between two fingers. “Don't worry about my food, Alpha, I’m covered. My mate doesn't keep me short”, I let him know coquettishly. An indignant whisper from the other students in line behind me arises, but I pay no attention to it. I didn't ask anyone to pay for my lunch, Glary probably is such an attention seeker. In recent years he has never worried about my budget, so I wonder why his sudden interest in me.
When I have my Lasagna and salad on a tray, I walk with Clarita to our place on a bench at the back of the room. “Thank you, Mercedes. But I don't know if Glary likes what you did. He has a very evil nature and no one in the pack has ever denied him anything,” she told me.
She has barely finished speaking when I see two legs sliding next to me on the bench. Surprised, I look up and stare into Glary's face, again. His aura makes me uncomfortable. I look around the room, but there isn't a free chair anywhere to move to. So, I'm stuck with him here. "Do you mind if I sit next to you today, Mercedes?" he asks rhetorically. "I've wanted to talk to you for a while, but you're rarely alone."
Third red flag and that within a week.
First, the blunder on my birthday. Asking me to dance while in my mate's arms is a terrible mistake. As an Alpha, he should have known that this would be a severe blow to my mate if I had consented. Was he challenging Zane? Offering to pay for my food is also a subtle humiliation of my mate. And then kidding that I'm never alone, that's three stitches under the belt. And now his presence so close to me bothers me quite a bit. Although I am not yet officially mated, everyone knows Zane is my fated. He has been a regular guest in this pack for six years now, it has not escaped anyone's attention that we are together. What is Glary planning on?
"Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" I ask briefly, not quite rude. “Well, you know I'll be taking the pack from my dad in a few years. And your father is his Beta now,” he begins, taking a bite of his greasy burger. “When my father retires, you will be next in line for the Beta position. But we are unknown to each other. Which is strange, actually," he adds.
“Well, what I mean is we need to get to know each other better now. The Alpha and Beta operate as a strong team and are aligned. We still have to build that up,” he suggests. Goodness, Glary isn't a bad guy, I think, it's just the red flags that make me wary of him. I'm starting to feel like he's after Zane.
“And how do you think we should go about that?” I ask him. Satisfied, he turns to me. “What about coming to the packhouse more often to become acquainted with my family?” he suggests. “Let's start with you using all the dinners with us.”
Frankly saying, I don't see the point of this.
I'll be out of Silver Moon in two years, getting to know the Alpha family is pointless. But I also don't want to make enemies, if I bluntly reject Glary again, he might consider it an insult to his family. The man is already so full of himself, having the Alpha family against me would be stupid. Perhaps I can clarify to Alpha Ahri that Glary should look for another candidate, I am not aspiring for the position. In addition, Zane is on a business trip for two weeks, by which time I must have made my point to the Alpha family.
“Okay,” I agree. “I have yet to think about the Beta position, but I'm collaborating on the dinners. But I have a condition. We are not friends yet, the relationship is work-oriented. I would appreciate you not sitting next to me.”...