"She just met her crush, that's why she's blushing so hard."
I see the jealousy in his eyes, and I chuckle. They fit together. I hope Noah wins. I glance down at my watch and remember lunch. They only have fifteen minutes—but that's enough time to talk about her crush. I pull them towards the cafeteria and blurt out,
"We don't have time—lunch will be over soon. You both have fifteen minutes before the next class!"
Again, from the corner of my eye, I see a grin. His hunter's eyes send fear through me. I look away, terrified, but I mask it. Alphas are crazy, but why do I feel like he's more than that? The way his wavy mullet haircut frames his face so perfectly. His narrow eyes could send me to hell. The way he keeps his hands in his pockets only makes his vibe even creepier. The black ears were my weak point—sharp, pointed, and freshly pierced, a silver ring gleaming around the tip. Ignore it, Bella.
We walk to the cafeteria quickly. The smell of delicious food shakes my soul. We find an empty table and sit down. I let out a soft sigh as I relax—I'm emotionally drained from Knox. I hate the way he looks at me.
After we order and get our food, we open small conversations, yet Mia stays still, deep in thought. I lean closer to Noah.
"Is she still thinking about him? He must be captivating then," I whisper carefully, not wanting Mia to hear.
A dark scent of flowers—hibiscus—washes over me. I cover my nose with a nearby napkin, not wanting to get affected. I turn to Noah, shocked. He's fuming. His orange tail, tipped with white, stiffens in tension or danger. Anger.
"He's just a f***er, nothing more than a mama's boy," Noah whispers back, almost snapping. His hand clenches into a fist. The spoon in his other hand bends. I retreat a bit, not wanting to get punched. This is the first time I've heard him curse.
"Why do you seem so annoyed then?"
I hate my chatty mouth—I always fall into trouble because of it. At my question, he quickly goes back to normal and mutters weakly,
"Me? No. No… I'm just… You know."
From his eyes, I could tell that wasn't true. I get the urge to tease him even more. I nudge his shoulder and whisper teasingly,
"Know what, HM?"
He gets flustered, stumbling over his words as he tries to get out of it. Then he becomes honest.
"I… I'm just afraid of her choice."
I snicker and say lowly, my eyes connecting with his green ones.
"Yeah, keep it up."
Noah's eyes widen in surprise. Panic consumes him entirely. His voice comes out desperate and scared, as if he fears our friendship will crumble because of me.
"No, believe me!"
I guess I'm still keen on making him suffer more—just as a joke. I chuckle. When we go quiet, Mia suddenly pops her balloon. I want to test him even more, so I lean closer to Mia across the table.
"So? How was he?"
Mia seems to drift back into her daydream and says something she shouldn't have—until she realizes.
"Oh my god, he's pric—wait… what?!"
"Good morning, yeah, go on."
She shoots a glare at Noah, absolutely blaming him for the slip. He raises his arms in surrender.
"Bella, did I do something?" he asks, looking at me with a plea for help clear in his eyes.
"Oh no, no, you didn't do anything. You're just like me—a victim."
I go along with his plan to act dumb. I think he sees me as a backup. We both flinch when Mia suddenly snaps at us.
"Stop acting!"
We freeze, staring at her with wide, panicked eyes. I swear I can feel a drop of sweat rolling down my forehead. I quickly come up with an excuse.
"It was Noah!"
I blurt out without thinking. His eyes snap to me, disbelief written all over his face. He retorts, defending himself.
"It was her! How could you, Bella?!"
He's still looking at me in disbelief. I look away, feeling a slight pang of guilt—but I don't care, I have to save myself first. Then Mia states a fact, unfortunately true for Noah.
"Bella wasn't with us when that happened, idiot!"
Mia blushes at the memory while Noah looks away. Both of them avoid my eyes. I look at them, curiosity burning in me, and ask teasingly,
"So what happened, HM?"
They both stay silent, clearly avoiding me. But I'm too curious to back down. Their silence makes me furious, though all my anger and annoyance are friendly.
"So you're just going to hide everything? You know that's not fair!"
I say, annoyed, and pout. Even when they try to apologize, I don't give up and won't forgive them until they answer me. I know it's not really my place to demand an answer—but I can't help it. I'm a very curious person, after all.
Mia's POV:
As we push through the crowd, I can barely breathe. My only focus is getting to the cafeteria, but somewhere along the way, we lose Bella in the sea of people. I turn to Noah, fear twisting in my chest. Bella may be twenty-five, but I can't help worrying about her safety.
"Oh my god, we lost Bella! What do we do?"
Noah just gives me a calm look, as if this is nothing unusual, and replies with a shrug,
"It's okay. We'll find her at the cafeteria."
His nonchalance only makes my anxiety spike. Frustration bubbles out of me, and my hands start moving fast—wild gestures, my only way to show just how panicked I feel. I try to convince him that Bella might not make it, that she could be lost forever. My mind is spinning with worst-case scenarios, and Noah, of course, only chuckles at my frantic behavior. I can't say I hated it.
But then—suddenly—my hand collides with someone's chest. I spin around, already ready to apologize, but I freeze. Time slows. The world turns to stone. My lips tremble, my voice breaking as I stutter. I'm certain I'm as red as a tomato.
"A…Arron! I am…so sorry!"
Of all people, I had to run into him. Arron—the boy I'd dreamed of forever. His golden-orange tail, tipped with a darker tuft, flicks with both impatience and pride. His lion ears are rounded and sit high on his head, twitching with every subtle sound. With golden hair that seemed to sparkle under the lights, and a heritage greater than any, he belonged to the lions' dynasty, the Leontar family. An untouchable family.
The Leontar's were whispered about like legends beneath the carnival lights—wealthy beyond measure, rich not only in gold but in power. Their name ran through politics like a golden thread, weaving deals, commanding loyalty, bending fate itself to their will. Their roots stretched deep into ancient bloodlines, fortunes built on spectacle and cunning. They rose above the crowd like beast royalty. To the people, they were dazzling, untouchable—a dynasty whose roar carried further than any other.
But in the end I was a fool...
Noah's POV:
If it weren't for Mia, I would have ripped his head from his shoulders. I can't help but growl under my breath whenever she brings him up—could it be that I'm in love? Impossible. Mia's just a… friend. Still, I feel my possessive instinct stir. My tail becomes a banner of warning, bristling until every hair stands on end, swelling into a fearsome plume and held stiff and high—for her. I've always loved that smile she gives him; I want her to look at me that way. I sigh and shove my tail down into my hoodie to hide the heat rising under my skin. I loathe his face—he's a playboy and a cheater, only setting traps for Mia.
"Mia! Don't worry, it's alright if it was you~"
Arron says in that smug, practiced voice of his. Such a Romeo. He winks and rubs the back of his head; Mia melts into a red, trembling puddle. My eyes narrow as I plant myself behind her and glare. I stay there partly to guard her—if I were in her place, I would've punched him years ago. What a smug.
Sensing my stare, his eyes flick to me for a beat—smirking—then slide back to Mia. I can see the sick little plans in his expression. Mia flits around him like a bee, oblivious. I will never let her get hurt, but I can't tell her who to love. So what do I do?
Anger bubbles under my ribs, and I dig my nails into my palms, jaw clenched.
Mia: "Arron… can I have your number?"
she asks, voice sultry. I've always known she was confident, but not like this. If I could kidnap her and keep her safe, I'd do it without a second thought. I give her a warning look; she avoids my gaze.
Arron: "Yeah, why not, sweetheart?"
he says, and my stomach drops. Pet names already? What the hell. When they finish their lovey-dovey exchange, Mia turns to me, eyes wide and shining.
"Did you just see what he did?" she breathes, delighted.
I roll my eyes but keep my tone flat—careful not to hurt her feelings.
Noah: "What?"
Mia: "He called me 'sweetheart'!"
Noah: "Oh, really? Wow — good for you~"
I keep my focus on her while my tail twitches angrily inside my hoodie, a suppressed storm. For now, I'll hold back. I'll only act when I know for sure.
Bella's POV:
I stare at them, shock and disbelief in my voice.
"So… that's what happened?"
What kind of fiction was this? To be clear, it's a love triangle. Noah likes Mia, Mia likes Arron. Wow. Nice. Part of me feels a strange thrill, but another part senses something off.
"I'm happy for you, Mia,"
I say, giving her all the encouragement I can. After all, I have no say in what happens next—for now. Noah shoots me a bombastic side-eye. I discreetly avoid his gaze, keeping my composure. Glancing at my watch, I realize my university schedule is finished for the day.
"Okay, guys, it was really fun meeting you today, but I should get going. My classes are done."
I high-five them both and wave goodbye, grabbing my bag and stepping away. From a distance, I can hear them calling their goodbyes back. Around us, people are still eating or studying on their devices, oblivious to the small drama that just unfolded.
Thinking about the day, I realize I've learned a lot about Noah and Mia. I want to see them together, truly, but an uneasy feeling gnaws at me. There's tension brewing between Arron and Noah—something tells me this isn't over.