Anna

Matt and I are in the middle of the 9th game. He has not been able to win even a single round. Someone knocks on the front door, but we do not pay too much attention to it. Another pack member opens the door. Soon, a human girl steps into the room and walks straight up to Caleb. She straddles him, pushing me against Samuel, and gives Caleb a passionate kiss. Of course he returns the kiss, his hands roaming all her backside. 

He slides one hand under her dress grasping her inner thigh and up. 

I gag and I lose that round. "And I am the one who sends missed signals..." I say underneath my breath. 

He stiffens and breaks the kiss. He turns to tell me something, but the girl grabs his face and crashes her lips on his again. 

I lose the following round again and give the controller to Samuel. He and Matt give me sympathetic looks. 

"Maybe love does knock on your door," I whisper into Samuel's ear. He snorts and gives me a soft smile before patting my shoulder. 

I return the smile and the first round of their game begins. The two boys are focused on the game, and Caleb is busy breaking my heart. I hold back my tears. Larentia is whimpering in my head, but this pain feels all mine. After just one game the boys stand up from their seats. 

"Let's go get something to eat," says Samuel. He offers me his hand, which I take. 

"Caleb said that we should get a pepperoni pizza," says Matt. 

I turn to watch Caleb, his lips still glued to the girl's lips and laugh out loud. "Oh my gosh, that is so pathetic." 

We walk out of the living room and I keep laughing, but soon my laughing becomes crying. I bite my trembling lower lip. Matt pulls me into a hug and rubs my back before getting into the driver's seat. Samuel tells me to sit in the back seat with him. We drive in silence for a while and I calm down.

Samuel breaks the silence. "He is your mate, isn't he?" 

I notice Matt is looking at me from the rear-view mirror. "I do not know what you are talking about," I say. 

Samuel pats my head. "It is obvious," says Matt. 

"At least for us who are always with him. The way you two react to each other tells everything." 

I sigh and turn to look at the trees and lampposts passing outside the car window. 

"We are on your side," says Samuel. 

I turn to him and arch my eyebrow. 

"I know I am his Beta and everything, but he is being an asshole." 

Matt and I chuckle. 

"He indeed is," I say. 

"Smile Ms. Amores," says Matt. "You are too beautiful to be mopping around because of some dumb teenager." 

I laugh. "I cannot believe you guys are the ones comforting me right now. I am probably the worst teacher ever." 

"Oh, C'mon," says Samuel. "You are the best Math teacher that our school has ever seen."

 I smile broadly. "You mean it?" 

He snickers. "Yes, I mean it."

"We are here," announces Matt. We step out of the car and walk into the pizza place. The guys opened the two front doors for me. I giggle and thank them.  We order for three large pepperoni and beef pizzas for us and one large pizza to take home to Caleb. The guys and I dine in. 

"So, how did you end up in a small town with a teenager as your mate?" asks Matt while he takes a big bite of a slice of pizza. 

I shrug. "I am pretty sure it is karma," I say taking a piece of my own slice. 

"Karma?" asks Samuel cocking his head to the side. 

"Yes, Karma," I say. "I did some bad things to people who cared about me when I was younger." I look down at my plate. 

"Please, do share," says Matt. 

"No, way." I chuckle. 

"What about we interchange Intel," says Samuel winking.

 "Intel? Are you serious?" I smile. 

"Yes," says Samuel. "I will even begin because I am nice. Matt over here turned eighteen last month and magically stopped chasing after girls and decided to keep himself pure until he finds his mate." 

Matt blushes. "Hey, you were supposed to say something about yourself! Not about me." He glares at Samuel. 

I cover my mouth with one hand and look at Matt, my eyebrows probably really high on my forehead. "That is so cute." I squeal. "Your mate is such a lucky girl. Oh my gosh. I cannot deal with the cuteness." 

He blushes harder and looks away. 

I turn to Samuel. "What about you?" I ask taking a sip of my diet coke. 

"I am not eighteen yet. My birthday is a month and a half before Caleb's. I am not really excited about finding my mate. I have gotten a reputation. I feel that she is not going to want someone like me. She will probably reject me. I would not blame her." He scratches the back of his neck. 

Oh, my! How can these precious creatures be best friends with someone like Caleb? 

"You are too cute. Just take a look at your friend Caleb, and do not be like him. She'll love you, I promise."

He beams at me. "Do you really think so?"

Matt snickers and Samuel clears his throat. "I mean, that is cool." 

I give them both knowing looks. "Really guys? Are you seriously teasing each other with something you both want?" 

They shrug and continue eating. 

"What about Chris?" I ask. 

The two guys choke and laugh out loud. I stare at them expectantly. 

"That guy is probably worse than Caleb," says Matt. "Caleb at least have good intentions sometimes. Chris acts like he cares but in reality that guy does not care about anyone but himself." 

Samuel nods. "I think he might be a psychopath," Samuel says. "I would not  trust him with my life."

"He cannot be that bad," I say. 

Both guys give me weird looks. 

"He turned eighteen one month ago and rejected his mate after sleeping with her," says Matt. 

"Oh..." I say. 

"Yes, oh..." says Samuel. "The guy is evil. We only hang out with him because he is the third in command. Except for Caleb. I think they have a weird bromance going on." 

"Okay..." I am not sure how to respond to that. "I guess it is my turn. I will spare you the details. Three years ago, I cheated on my fiance with his best friend. He left me without uttering a single word." 

Matt snorts his drink. Disgusting. Samuel just stares at me like waiting for me to say that it is a bad joke. I shrug. 

"So you are not the good girl type as we thought," says Samuel. 

"I can be good if it is for my mate." I take another sip of my drink. 

"But you know what they say," says Matt. "Can't keep a bad girl down." 

I laugh sarcastically. "Gossip girl much? It goes both ways, darling."   

We continue eating our food so fast that we do not have time to keep talking. 

"Let's go," says Matt standing up once we finish our drinks. 

We go pick up Caleb's pizza from the counter and walk to the car. The whole way back the guys and I gossip about my students. Real mature. I know. The guys are actually nicer than I thought. I will give them that. I could probably be friends with Caleb like this if it wasn't for the stupid mate bond. We arrive and I sigh loudly. 

"Do not be sad Anna," says Samuel rubbing my back. 

"We are your allies, Anna," says Matt as he parks at the pack house. I beam at them.

"It is Ms. Amores for you two," I say as we walk to the front door. 

They snort and we all laugh as we step into the packhouse and walk to the living room. 

"Really?" asks Samuel. "After our heartfelt talk, you still are going to be like this?"

I stick out my tongue to him and he flickers my forehead. 

"You break my heart with your coldness," says Matt. I hit him on the back with my open palm and he pulls me into a side hug. A loud growl interrupts us. 

There it is Caleb playing video games by himself, his hair is wet and he smells like soap. His neck is covered with hickeys and his lips swollen. 

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Well, hello to you too," I say. I turn back to Samuel. "OK, you can call me Anna, but only outside of school." 

His expression brightens. He looks like a kid who just got extra dessert. 

"What about me?" asks Matt. 

I look at his pouting face. "Okay. You too." 

He throws Caleb's pizza to the coffee table and hugs me. Caleb growls again but we all ignore him. I pat Matt's back awkwardly. I am not much of a huger, only with my family and Elena, which is like family as well. I would probably hug Xander, though. Shoot, Xander. I told him I was going to call him after the date. Matt lets go off me and we go sit on the sofas. This time Samuel seats between me and Caleb.

Matt takes the other controller. 

"Since when are you and our teacher besties?" asks Caleb frowning. 

Samuel shrugs. "She is pretty cool, man." 

Matt easily wins the first round against Caleb. 

"Yes, she is one of us now," says Matt, putting his hand up for a high five. 

I chortle and high five him. Caleb growls, once again, and we all stare at him in amusement this time. A pinkish shade spreads across his cheeks. Before he can say anything a high pitched voice calls him. 

"Baby, is the food here?" asks the girl-whose-name-I-do-not-know. She is now wearing one of Caleb's T-shirts. Classy as fuck. Caleb huffs and rolls his eyes. 

The girl walks to sit on his lap, takes a slice of pizza and begins eating it. Caleb does his best to ignore the girl and try to play, but Matt beats him again. I take my cell phone out of my purse. Thirty text messages and ten missed calls from Xander. How intense.

7:00 pm 'Hey, love. How was the date?'

7:02 pm 'Anna. Are you busy?'

7:05 pm 'Heeey. Beauty. Wanna talk to me?'

7:10 pm 'Beautiful! I love it when you play hard to get.'

I roll my eyes and chuckle lightly. I keep scrolling down the text messages. When I reach the last one I begin typing. 

9:30 pm 'Hey, babe.' 

He immediately calls me and I answer with a goofy grin on my face. 

'Anna, my love. You finally answer me. I was so worried. Were you busy cheating on me with your date? I my gosh why didn't you at least text me to know you were OK.' He practically shouted. 

Everyone in the room turns to look at me and I shrug.  

'Stop being so dramatic. I thought you were busy. I just forgot to check my phone, sorry.' I giggle. 

'I was working, but I told you that I am never busy when it comes to you. You are the light in my dark life' he says. 

I roll my eyes. I briefly glance to Caleb, whose jaw is clenched. He keeps losing against Matt. 

'Cut the crap, Xander.' I chuckle throwing my head back and hugging my legs. 

'OK. I was in a meeting and it was so boring. And my significant other was not answering me.' 

I can tell he is pouting. Samuel signals my phone and mutes to me "who is that?" I mute back to him, "just a friend." He tilts his head toward Caleb signaling to check him out. 

The girl is still on his lap devouring all of his pizza and he is red from anger. A sardonic smile spreads across my face as we lock eyes. He frowns once again. I put my index finger on my forehead signaling him to relax but he just scoffs. 

'Oh, now I am your significant other? I get all these crazy titles. Let me tell you that there is someone claiming me as his fiancee already. You care to share?' I joke my eyes still locked with Caleb's. I quickly stand up from the couch.

'Wait. Who?' asks Xander. 

I feel various sets of eyes on me as I leave the room. 

'My supposed ex-fiance. He is telling everyone we never broke it off, which is technically true. I mean I do carry my engagement ring in a necklace at all times.' I fidget with the beautiful golden ring hanging around my neck as I walk up the stairs, to my room. I am so done with Caleb's drama. I am sure the guys could hear what I said, though. 

'You are so no over your ex,' says Xander. 'It is actually sad.' 

'And you are being mean again.' 

He chuckles. 'Sorry, love. Anyway. The reason I am calling you is to tell you that I finally freed up my schedule. I will be in your town next weekend.' 

I smile stupidly. 'Oh really? That is so great.'  Midway up the stairs, I realize that I forgot my purse in the living room and go back to get it.  

Caleb is playing against Samuel now. His eyes drift to me as I step back into the room but I avert my gaze. Even if he does not smell like another girl right now, I am so angry. He even has hickeys around the area where he is supposed to be marked.

'Yes. The thing is, could I stay at your apartment?' Xander asks. 

'What? I live in a studio. Where are you going to sleep?' I walk around the back of the couch and take my purse from the end table. 

'In your bed with you? Duh. I will just be there for a weekend. I want to spend as much time with you as possible.'

I sigh. 'OK. You can stay with me.' I mute goodnight to the boys. 

Matt stands up and walks up to me. He gives me a small hug. Samuel pauses the game. 

'Really? That was easier than I thought,' says Xander. 'Excuse me, Alp--' Someone talks to Xander. I hear some rustling and something crashing and a shattering. A door is slammed again. Everyone including myself jumps a little. 

"What the f..." says Caleb. 

'Do I even want to know?' I ask Xander. 

'Just annoying people, being annoying as usual,' he says nonchalantly. 

'I do not know why I even ask.' I shake my head and Samuel gives me a small goodnight hug. 'What was the guy going to say anyway? It sounded like he was going to say Alpha or something like that?' I ask. 

'Sorry love. Duty calls. I'll call you tomorrow. Wear something sexy. Bye.' He hangs up without giving me time to answer. 

"Well, that is not suspicious at all." I sigh. Caleb is standing in front of me, about to hug me. I put my cellphone in my pocket with one hand and stop him with the other. 

"Do not even dare touch me. You stink." 

He arches an eyebrow and pouts. The guys are roaring with laughter and the girl on the couch is glaring daggers at me. I turn away from him and go to upstairs and to my room. I think I hear him whimper but I do not look back. I just want to go get some sleep. 

A/N: Three chapters in a day. I did not think I would make it. I will probably be busy this coming week. *sighs*