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Word Count: 2225

~Thea

The house this girl lives in is nice. Much nicer than mine back at home.

It dwarfs the other houses in the neighbourhood, standing tall against the sinking sun. Her wealth is obvious, I can't help but think, as Jasper lets me in through her front gate first.

I watch as Jasper knocks on the door, and we wait. My backpack, full of clothes useless for this winter like weather is slung over my shoulder, making me feel more and more like a homeless person. I suppose that is what I am right now.

The door swings open after I few moments of shivering on my part. Apparently the cold doesn't affect Jasper too drastically...Lucky, because this snow is doing things to me.

The girl who answers strikes me straight away. Mainly, it is her stark contrast to a Love Pack member, like her ancestors never stepped a single foot out of the Pack to even be in the presence of someone foreign.

Her eyes are like a glacier, although it is almost like calling the water in a swimming pool blue. Perhaps at first glance you may think so, but it is what's behind it that gives it that colour. Something untouchable, something pure.

"Hi! You two must be my new stayers!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Her Love Pack accent is thick, the words she pronounces fluidly in a way that almost sounds like magic. 

"We are," Jasper says in a cheerful, approachable voice I haven't heard him use before. The first impression between us and this girl is essential. "Jasper and Thea."

She thrust her hand out to Jasper first to shake, and then me. "My name is Aria."

I knew it meant love. How typical.

She invites us inside, with a single glance at the one bag I hold, and I can tell if she is wondering if I brought anything else. Jasper doesn't have anything with him, and he just shrugs when I ask him about it.

The inside is slightly different to the neat, tidy outdoor area. It isn't messy or anything, but the clutter had me fidgeting uneasily. It's mainly books. Everywhere. They are stacked against the wall in a way that could be considered dangerous.

But ultimately, it looks so domestic, and so normal, I feel quite content with it. Luca, my murderous boyfriend won't find me here.

"I was just cooking dinner," Aria says, leading us through the living room, where she told me to leave my bag for the moment, and then into the kitchen. It smells like chicken, and I can't help the instant stab of hunger that assaults my stomach.

"You don't have to cook for us," Jasper tells her, his voice warm and soothing.

I am surprised this Love Pack member isn't reacting more to Jasper. Even I can see his friendliness might be perceived as something more...Instead she slips an oven mitt over her hand, and checks the oven.

"I don't mind. I love cooking," she tells us. Aria's dark long brown hair is shoved up into a messy bun, that looks like it suits her perfectly.

I glance at Jasper, but he isn't looking at me. He is looking out the window, at the snow as it falls. The sky is darkening out there, and by the look that crosses his face, I think he wants to be anywhere but here.

"So where did you two come from? You both are very attractive. Maybe it's because you're foreign, and new. I like new," Aria says, her words so quick, I almost don't catch them.

This time, Jasper catches my gaze, and I see the dance of amusement there.

"Devotion Pack," Jasper tells her, as she sets a roasting dish on the bench. She grins wildly, showing prominent dimples on either side of her face.

"Oh how exciting! I heard no one goes there because of some myth about some dead wolves of something? Ghost wolves...? I don't know, but whatever it is, you must be brave to live among them."

I had to lower my gaze to stop my cheeks from flushing. They tend to do that when I am in an uncomfortable situation.

Dinner was just as uncomfortable, although it was easy to fade into the back of Aria and Jasper's minds, as they chatted like old friends. Both seem very charismatic and conversation flowed like it was second nature. I felt very out of place.

After offering to help Aria clean up, which she refused, I wandered upstairs to shower. Jasper stayed downstairs with her, and I wonder what lies he will tell her to cover up our situation.

I couldn't help but cry, as I lean my back against the shower wall, letting the stream of water hit me. The magic is starting to wear off, and although I have accepted what has happened, it doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

My own boyfriend...My own father and best friend. They all betrayed me. They even wanted me dead.

I dry myself slowly, dressing in loose pants and a shirt. I don't feel pretty, as I brush my hair back, but I don't think I care anymore. If I was with Luca in this mood, we might have cuddled. But instead I am stuck in a house with a half dead Alpha and a Love Pack girl.

I was towel drying my hair to the best of my abilities when I hear someone knock on the door. It's Aria.

"I brought you extra blankets," she said, handing me a pile. Not that I am not grateful for her hospitality, but she seems to be quite overzealous with her treatment. I mean, anyone would think I Jasper and I are royalty.

"Which room is mine?" I ask her.

She smiles. "Down the hall, with your boyfriend."

I have to fight to keep my expression straight. This is his rouse and now I am going to be forced to commit to it. Despite being a Love Pack member, she doesn't seem bothered by the fact that we have declared ourselves as mates of something.

"Thank you Aria, you are very kind."

Jasper was sitting on the double bed in the room we are apparently renting. A double bed. I am being forced to sleep in the same bed, right next to the Alpha of Devotion, who also happens to be a Phantom Wolf...Great.

I near jumped for his neck.

"Have I ever told you I hate you?" I question, closing the door behind me as I watch Jasper pull his shoes off. Jasper only chuckles.

"It was the only thing I could come up with."

I sigh. For an Alpha, he isn't really very good at planning things. Unless this is all an elaborate plan that could lead to something very bad happening to me.

Jasper shakes his head, standing again.

I hate having to admire him. It is almost as if my eyes are naturally drawn to him at all times. Any unmated girl has to admit that he is handsome, with those sharp eyes and mussed hair. Sometimes...

My thoughts were cut off by Jasper chuckling. "So you're admitting you're attracted to me?"

"Stop reading my mind," I snap, as he takes a step closer. I try my best to stand up tall, not letting him even consider me being afraid of him. Jasper just smiles in amusement, taking obvious enjoyment out of my frustration.

"Perhaps I will teach you later how to keep me out of your thoughts," he pronounces, making me sigh in relief.

Not having to worry about Jasper infiltrating personal thoughts will be a relief. Or maybe he could just decide to keep himself out, but by the way he winks coyly at me, I know that isn't an option.

"Well, I'll have the right side I guess," I say, going to sit on the edge of the bed. Rather than make this more awkward than it already is, I decide to just not argue and go along with it.

Jasper joins on the other side and I keep my back turned as he undresses. How he managed to get clothes here without bringing a bag is beyond me, but something tells me his magical abilities had something to do with it. Who knew conjuring fabric was an option...

"Just let me know if you are feeling homesick," Jasper murmurs from behind me. I am still perched on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to finish changing.

But what could he possibly do to make me feel any better? Console me? Although that idea might seem slightly appealing, I push it away, and take his talking as my cue to turn back around, sitting back properly on the bed.

He is dressed in loose black pants, but his shirt is missing from existence. And holy...

I knew he could see that I was blatantly staring, but I can't help myself. A chest smooth, with abdominal muscles almost carved by a Greek God. The personification of perfect. I have never seen anything like it in my life, and I don't think I can breathe.

When my eyes drag back up to Jasper's, his gaze is dark, predatory.

"I...I'm sorry," I stutter, sounding like a complete and utter fool. But he doesn't seem to listen. He is concentrating on something else...Me.

"Why did you ever chose him?" Jasper asks, his voice a gentle whisper. "Why a boyfriend, over a mate?"

I frowned. That is what he wants to bring up, right now? My mind is hardly comprehending very much that makes any sense. Never in my life would I have ever expected to be in the presence of an Alpha, let alone one like this...

"I don't think I will ever find my mate," I mutter truthfully. It is something I have thought of many times. But recently I had accepted the idea of having to mate with Luca, so I wouldn't spend my life alone.

"Fate works in mysterious ways...." Jasper tells me, his voice almost whimsically soft. It is enchanting, captivating, like the drug like magic he used on me.

"I think we should go to sleep," I say, glancing at the bed. It seems to break the spell between us...Whatever it was.

I clamber into bed, trying to keep as far to the edge of the bed to avoid any awkward touching during the night. We haven't had any skin on skin contact, and I want to keep it that way. He saved my life...he is not mine, and I am not his play thing. Or whatever my sly mind conjured up moments ago.

Jasper does the same, cloaking the room in darkness as he joins me in bed, turning the light off.

The bed sinks slightly as he gets into bed, making this all the more real. My back is turned to him, my eyes shut to tightly I see colours dancing in my vision. I just want this tension between us to disappear.

"We are safe now," I hear him say. My eyes open, but it doesn't make much difference.

"We are," I reply, and it is as if those words give me the satisfaction to finally fall asleep.

I don't know how much sleep I got before I was stirred from my slumber. From the bleariness of sleep, I tilted my head back enough to see Jasper standing at the window. Moonlight doused his skin, making it glow magically.

He is dressed from head to toe in a black suit. He looks handsome, from what I can see. I know he can read my mind right now, but it is as if he isn't he looks distracted, as he pulls black latex gloves over his hands.

I could have said something, but I want to watch him. Whatever that is on his mind is distracting him enough to not realise I am awake sparks my incessant curiosity.

And it only increases as I watch him slide the window open very slowly, and clamber out. Is he going to scale the building?

But then he jumps. And vanishes.

I am out of bed in a second, throwing the bed sheets back as I clamber toward the door. Looking out the window, I see Jasper has reappeared on the sidewalk down below, and is strolling off into the night.

And I can think of only one thing. I need to follow him.

💙••💙

Want more and don't want to wait!? More of Jasper is available now on Radish! I just published the first mature scene of the book!

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Hey guys! I hope you all liked that introduction to Malik's mate!

She doesn't have much of a part in this book, however you will see Malik later in the story.

The next chapter is one of my favourites. I was in a real writing mood and I felt like it was so easy to write. Plus, I love writing scenes about the snow :p

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~Midika 💜🐼