CHAPTER 3

The class was two hours long and I was starving when I came out of it. Since there were no classes for the next hour, Emily and I decided to head to the college cafeteria to grab a bite. We both got club sandwiches and some juice, and then sat down with Evelyn and Clara.

"Clara, why were you late this morning?" I asked her as I took a bite of my sandwich while she munched on some cheese fries. "Don't even ask," she replied, still munching away. Evelyn chuckled and I could tell she already knew what had happened. My curiosity was piqued. "What happened?" I asked again, pushing her to tell me.

"I got in an accident," she sighed.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. Don't know about the wolf I almost killed," she replied casually. "Wait, what?" I almost yelled, a bit too loud. A couple of people at the table next to us gave us a look but then turned back to their lunch. "What do you mean 'the wolf you almost killed'?" I whispered-shouted.

"I mean I was driving and it came out of nowhere. Right in the middle of the road. Honestly, it was too big to be a wolf but I don't know what else it could have been. Anyway, I swerved and braked so hard I thought I was going to die," she shuddered.

If Clara was sure about what she saw, she might have hit a werewolf. They are much bigger than normal wolves. Luckily, she didn't know that. So, I brushed it off.

"Is the car okay?"

"Oh man, the front is trashed. I'm so scared of telling my dad," she said.

"Don't worry, it's gonna be alright. It wasn't your fault," I tried to console her. Clara usually stays at the dorms but sometimes visits her parents since they live close by. She borrows the family car to come to college and her brother usually comes over to take it back. Since she had now destroyed it, she was obviously going to be in trouble.

I finished my sandwich and excused myself to go return a book to the library. Jade was being very fidgety and that was very unlike her. I wondered what was up with her today. I thought she just needed to go for a run but apparently that wasn't the case. And now I just hoped that everything was okay with her. Her fidgeting was making me anxious so I took out my phone to distract myself and decided to check my email. I was so engrossed in it that I accidentally bumped into someone and fell on my butt.

"Ouch!" I yelled out as I hit the floor. Looking up, I saw a really tall guy wearing a black suit. I had never seen him here before so I didn't know who he was. He turned around and...I have no idea who he is. He turns around and looks down at me as I stumble and fall. His dark hair is pushed back, with a few strands reaching down to his high cheekbones, hanging in front of his face. He has a chiseled jawline and his muscles are practically bursting out of his shirt. I hear him mumble a "what the heck" as he turns around to look at me.

Oh great! I was so busy checking out a pointless email, which was most likely spam, that I didn't even see this huge hunk blocking my way. I quickly grab my bag and the book I was supposed to return, both of which had fallen on the floor with me, and stand up to look at this handsome stranger.

Wow, he sure is good looking. Even Jade, who is usually too cool to bother with what's going on in my life, seems to agree with me.

While I'm busy admiring this hunk, I notice his eyes twinkle for a second and then immediately get cold. He is not happy that I bumped into him, even though I think falling on my butt in a hallway full of people is punishment enough. I better apologise.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I was just so distracted by my phone. I didn't see you. I mean, not like I could have, you're like, huge. I hope I didn't hurt you," I chuckle nervously, "I mean, not like I could even if I tried, look at you!"

Oh no, I'm rambling now and can't seem to stop.

"I was just in a hurry and didn't realise someone was in the way. If it makes you feel any better, I did fall down in front of everyone."

His look of anger is now changed into confusion and I don't think he's listening to what I'm saying anymore.

"Alright, I'm just gonna go now. Have a nice day! Blessed be thy fruit," Wait, what? What does that even mean?

I quickly walk away, my face heating up from embarrassment. As I pass by him I realise, he smells amazing. Damn it, guys shouldn't be allowed to smell so good. Men and their dumb colognes. I can feel his gaze boring holes in my head as I walk away and I try to get out of his field of vision as fast as I can. Oh dear God, that was horrible. I hope he doesn't remember the stuff I said even though I'm probably going to think about this encounter for years. Why must the embarrassing events always haunt us?

After returning the book, I go to my last class of the day. I don't share this class with the rest of my usual gang. I spot Alfred, who is Clara’s boyfriend. Alfred is pretty chill and I really enjoy hanging out with him. He and I share a mutual love of Game of Thrones."Hey!" He yelled as I made my way to sit next to him. "Woah! What happened to you?" He asked me as I sat down to finally gather my bearings. "What do you mean?" I asked him. "Matilda, you're all red," he replied. "Oh man, don't even ask! I bumped into this super hot guy and then while I was trying to apologize I'm pretty sure I pointed out how tall and strong he was and then I said 'blessed be thy fruit'," I put my head in my hands trying to hide my face.

Alfred was laughing at me at this point. "You need to stop watching the handmaid's tale," he said in between laughter. "Oh my God, that's where it's from! I'm such an idiot." Class started and everything got quiet, the only voice in the room now belonging to the professor.

"Matilda, you have to find him again," Alfred said. "Find who again?" I asked him. He gave me a questioning look. "You just asked me to find him again," I said while making air quotes around 'him'. "Bump into one hot guy and you completely lose your mind," Alfred rolled his eyes. "Did poor Matilda get a concussion from hitting a strong man?" He said in a baby's voice. "Whatever," I rolled my eyes at him and went back to listening to the lecture.

Suddenly, I heard a voice in my head. "Matilda, come on, we have to hurry before he leaves!" it said. "Hey, who the fu-" I exclaimed as I turned back to see who was talking to me but trailed off as I noticed the angry faces because I was disturbing them in the middle of class for no reason. Am I hearing things? What is happening? Did I actually get a concussion? No, that makes no sense.

"Matilda, it's me you dummy!" the voice said again. So I was hearing things. I'll just ignore it and it will go away. 'MATILDA!" it shouted. "Hello, who is this?" Great, I'm talking back now. I'm officially nuts. "It's me, Jade," the voice said. "You can talk?" I asked. "It would seem so," it replied. "How come you've never done it before?" I questioned. "I don't know," it answered. "All the other wolves can talk. I just always thought you couldn't talk because I'm half human," I said. "Maybe. I certainly didn't think I was capable. Until today," it said. "What's different today?" I asked. "The stranger you bumped into. You must find him again," it said.

But why? I asked her but she was gone again. Once class was over, Alfred and I went to meet the rest of the gang. Evelyn had already left. Gosh, that girl never spends an extra second in college. Clara was busy asking Alfred to help her with her car before her brother came to get it and find out. I said my goodbyes to everyone to head home. As I exited the college building, I spotted the hot stranger standing next to a car in the parking lot with Louis grant. Wait, is he a werewolf? I truly find the most dangerous people to piss off.

I watched them both as I walked by and it looked like they were having an argument. Suddenly, the stranger snapped his head and looked at me. Oh great, he has now caught me staring at him. But I couldn't look away. We looked at each other for a few seconds and I could feel Jade coming back again. 'Mate,' she whispered and howled in excitement. I quickly turned on my heels and walked away as fast as I could. What the fuck?