Another chapter of Ari's mounting frustration and jealousy towards Mila. A reminder that beneath the luxury and privilege, there are often turbulent emotions and conflicts.
GABEThe moment I came outside, I knew something was wrong. Ari was smiling, which was never good, and Tyler was using his Alpha command. My thoughts immediately went to Mila, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw it was her. Her hair was wet and disheveled, and she was coughing violently, as if she couldn’t breathe. Tyler was walking away from the pool, holding her steady as she clung to him. I put two and two together and realized she was in the pool. THE POOL!!!Ever since the boating accident with her parents, Mila has been deathly afraid of water. Even the smell of it freaked her out. It was something we were going to work on this summer but never got around to it. Dammit! I could hit myself for not doing it sooner. I wasn’t sure what happened to get her in the pool, but I knew it was Tyler’s fault somehow, and now he had the nerve to be holding her. A pang of jealousy shot through me, and I rushed behind them as they entered the house. I ran in front of Tyler to stop him as he
MILA - Senior Year“Hi, I’m the new and improved Mila Davis, and I’m the perfect candidate for the Aliz Women in Arts Scholarship because my designs are the future,” I said, looking in the mirror.Summer was long gone, and senior year was starting off great. My portfolio was complete, and my essay was edited so many times I’d lost count. Everyone seemed to be as stressed as I was with finishing the first quarter on top. Even the Mora girls were more focused on their studies than bullying, which was an extra bonus for me. Luckily, I finished everything over the summer. Since Gabe was gone for the whole month of August, I had ample time to design and make clothes. Nanna Gertie was a big help, allowing me to use her sewing room and materials. It was great to have someone to talk to and genuinely connect with. With the scholarship showcase deadline coming up right before winter break, I needed all that time to plan and beef up my portfolio. I figured this scholarship was a done deal, and
GABEI sat across from Mila in one of her favorite Korean barbeque restaurants. Mila, radiant and smiling, and so fucking beautiful, talked about her meeting with my mom. Though at the moment, I couldn’t focus on what she was saying. Ever since the interaction with Ari, there was a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. I picked at my food, barely tasting it. I could only nod every once and a while, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation with Ari.When Mila walked into my mom’s office, Ari stepped close enough for my wolf, Spencer, to scent her. She smelled of lilac and cherry blossoms, and it was driving Spencer crazy.“Mate,” Spencer growled in the back of my mind. I tried to ignore him but then Ari whispered into my ear.“I bet your wolf is going just as crazy as mine,” she said, her breath warm against the side of my face. For a moment, I wanted to grab her and take her across the desk. Instead, I took a step back, covering my nose for a moment.“I told you before
MILADid he just say he loves me? My eyes widened in shock as I processed his words. He loved me, and that erased every bad thing that has happened to me until now. Wasn’t that funny how that happened? My mind raced; a mix of disbelief and excitement swirled inside me.“Gabe… you said… I mean, you mean it?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.Gabe nodded. “I do. I know it's abrupt, but I had to tell you. I’ve been nervous about it all day but now, I felt like I was going to burst if I didn’t tell you.”So maybe this was what was plaguing him all night. This confession.“But what about the mate thing, and your parents, and the fact I might not have a wolf? How can I be worthy of–”“Stop,” he said, placing a finger over my lips. “It doesn’t matter. All I know right now is that I love you, Mila Amelie Davis.”My heart pounded in my chest as a smile slowly spread across my face.“Good,” I admitted, my cheeks burning from the blush, “because I love you too, Gabriel Isaac Aliz. I
GABEDammit! I could barely sleep, thinking about Mila. I was supposed to tell her the truth about my mate, and instead, I said I love her. I mean, that was the truth, but still, I needed to tell her about Ari. Knowing Ari, I was sure she would tell Mila just to hurt her. God, why was I mated to her?“Because deep down she is perfect for us,” Spencer said. “The longer we deny this, the harder it becomes to resist.”“There had to be a mistake,” I countered. “She’s pure evil Spence.”Spencer was quiet for a moment, which I’ve learned was a good thing. We got well-acquainted when I first got him, and he was actually very intuitive. He thought through just about everything and wasn’t afraid to question me if we ever disagreed on things. The only thing that tripped him up was Serena. There was no thought in what he did that day. Everything was on instinct, and I couldn’t blame him. There was something magnetic about the mate’s pull that was hard to get out of. He mated and marked Serena th
MILAI just stood there frozen, letting him kiss me, and oh my god! It felt… so good. I didn’t even know what to do with myself. It was like for my entire life I’ve been waiting for someone to kiss me like this. And his scent. His scent was like dark chocolate and amber wood. A good “fuck in a bottle” kind of scent. Everything happened so fast, but in the moment, it felt like a lifetime and the way he held me as if I was something precious. Just like Gabe… GABE! I pushed Tyler away.His eyes were burning bright gold, and I watched as his chest rose and fell with each breath. I backed away from him, and he followed, so I held up my hands to stop him from moving.“You… you shouldn’t be here,” I said with a shaky breath. “Gabe–”“Don’t!” he growled, punching the wall. I jumped back. His eyes were back to his usual brown. “Don’t say his name in front of me.”I nodded slowly as he closed the distance between us. “It’s crazy how much I've been thinking about you lately,” he said, with his
MILA Sophomore Year“Hi! I’m Mila Davis. I am a strong, beautiful, black girl and I don't need…” I looked down at the text message from my friend, Gabe, who hasn’t been to school all week. Affirmation for the day he texted. I cleared my throat and looked back into the mirror. “...and I don’t need validation from anyone but myself.”Don’t get me wrong. I think I was pretty cute. Frizzy afro that I have given up on taming, pleasantly plump cheeks that grandies loved to pinched and small freckles that I think added a little flair to my face. Framing my face were thick, rounded glasses that magnified my light brown eyes, and honestly made me look smart. Who didn’t want to look smart? I took pride in dark brown skin, not a single blemish in sight. Well aside from the vitiligo in certain spots, but those spots were in places that only my beloved would be able to see. Still, despite societal stereotypes, I was determined to be seen. Just maybe after I graduate highschool.I took a deep brea
MILA“Hi, I’m Mila Davis. Welcome to Grand Mountain High.” I turned to my classmate, Jenna. “How was that? Too preppy?”“Does it matter?” Jenna sighed heavily at my concern. “No one cares about high school. They’re all the same and everyone is just trying to survive long enough to graduate.”I brushed it off, knowing the importance of a first impression. I continued to fix my unruly curly afro in the mirror, frowning when the hair tie popped out of my hand. I walked to retrieve it from the floor.“I know Jenna, but I’m part of the student council, and things like this matter when you need references for college. Besides, if I do this, it could get me closer to getting the Aliz Women in Arts Scholarship. They only give it to one student a year, and it's going to be mine before I graduate.”“Slow down, Mila,” Jenna urged. “You’re a sophomore. College is so far away and besides I think everyone should take the first year off to decide if they really need unnecessary debt.”“I can’t afford