What was that?

Jayden attacking Skylar in the middle of the cafeteria in front of the entire student body? Why? He didn't say anything that was insulting!

In fact, it wasn't even an insult at all. He only told the truth, but even if he lied, there would still be no reason for that kind of violent reaction for him to do that. I abhor violence of any kind.

It's not Skylar's fault that my mother refused to approve of Jayden. It's not like he bad mouthed him to her or anything like that.

I am dumbfounded that this happened. Jayden has always been a caring, gentle soul, that always treated me with respect and attention. How in the world did he get violent all of a sudden? *gasp*

I understand he was frustrated, I am too. But that is not an insurmountable hurdle. He can still win my mother over. Though now that he displayed this kind of behavior, it's going to be that much more difficult. *sigh*

It's Tuesday here in Colorado, the third of November, Jayden has been sanctioned with a penalty of suspension for two weeks from Ravenwood.

Skylar is healing after this morning's brawl in the cafeteria, but he has been seen by the school nurse and is attending classes normally. The hardest blow he took was when he fell from the chair with Jayden's assault on him.

I still cannot believe I am saying these words. I am aghast to have witnessed their fight earlier this morning. Dumbfounded that it happened in the first place. Utterly gobsmacked that Jayden would attack anybody for no reason at all.

This is not like the time when the two of them fought during combat practice - a special elective for those who wish to be a warrior, Beta, or Alpha of their packs. Back then, Jayden thought that Skylar had taken advantage of my heat. I understood his motivation clearly and where he was coming from. But that was then, this is now.

Ironically, I had half a mind to pull a 'Skylar' and go back to Boulder during the week just to talk to my mom and convince her that Jayden and I belonged together. I am NOT happy with her decision of refusal to approve of him, citing unresolved feelings for Skylar.

Who has unresolved feelings for Skylar? Why? Just because he keeps repeating over and over that he loves me? If that was the case, nobody would ever have their heart broken. All it would take for them to be happy with their loved ones is to profess their love and that would be it.

No, ladies and gentlemen. That is not how the world works.

Lots of people fall in love, but most of the time, their love is unrequited. It's a sad fact that this happens, but it does. And Skylar saying that he loves me does not equate to me loving him back. It does not work that way.

It's like watching "THE BOYFRIEND" on Netflix. Lots of boys expressed their affection for one guy or another, but unfortunately, only one couple survived by the end. It happens. As it happened to me too back in high school. I fell for the straight jock, the most cliché of all times for queer people, but the closest I got to him was when I kissed his girlfriend on a dare. Don't ask me why it was a girl, it was at a party, and we were playing truth or dare.

But my point is that nothing I have done so far would elicit any kind of reaction from Skylar like he is having about me. I did not lead him on, I did not promise him anything. I did not kiss him or anything of an intimate nature. Unless you count hugs, which I don't.

Skylar, for his part in the equation, also did nothing to deserve being hit. Not that I think anyone deserves to be attacked, but there are circumstances so extreme that elicit an emotional response. This was not one of those situations.

His saying that I shouldn't travel to Georgia when Jayden wasn't approved to be my prospect is nothing that should provoke such a strong reaction. Skylar suffered the exact same thing with his father and did not punch anyone, to the best of my knowledge. Certainly not any student here.

He cried a lot but never assaulted anyone. Now, I am not a psychologist like my mother, but if a boy who is used to getting everything he wants and is confronted with a loss like that can cope with dignity, I fail to see why Jayden couldn't do the same.

For Goddess' sake, it's not like my mother couldn't be convinced otherwise. It's only November! I am sure Jayden and I could work together to persuade her that we love each other. It's not that difficult because we are.

But now he ruined any chances I had to convince my mother to approve of him. At least for now, anyway. After classes were over for the day, I took a long shower in the Gamma House male locker room and when I was inside my dorm room, I FaceTime my mother.

I am not keeping this a secret from her, even if my heart is bleeding from not being with Jay at the moment. I was not even permitted to see him before he was shipped back to Georgia. Nobody was except for his grandfather, of course. I am sure he ripped him a new one for his actions that were embarrassing the Lockwood name.

I am not a saint with no sins. I am flawed to a fault and I understand we are humans in our core, not animals. I don't pretend to know the ways of humankind, but I do know that Skylar did not provoke Jayden sufficiently for that kind of response from him.

It's not like he caught us cheating on him or something like that. Goddess forbids!

Anyway, I don't want to write an essay on how one could justify violence. I simply detest it. That was not the Jayden I fell in love with and it was troubling my heart that he would do something like that. I am deeply distraught by this, I cannot deny it. It put such a damper on my mood that I walked to the cafeteria to have dinner silent as a mouse.

Seth and I have been shaky lately because of the rivalry between his brother and Jayden. I understand his loyalty to his twin brother, so I try my best not to judge him for his passionate defense of Skylar. If I had a brother, I am sure I would feel the same in his shoes.

It is so weird to walk into any room here at Ravenwood and not see or sense Jayden's scent. Though it is impossible to scent Jayden in such a crowded room with 160 werewolves, I can scent him if he is close enough to me.

I stood in the food line with my head lowered until one blond Alpha approached me, feeling bad for the situation.

"I am so sorry that this happened. You have to know, I would never have said anything if I thought he would go off on me like he did. I have been clear about my feelings for you from the start, but I have never done anything that would set him against me in such a violent way." Skylar told me, feeling bad. He sounded remorseful, though had no blame.

His hair was still wet from an earlier shower, he was wearing a shirt with a gray sweater covering his body from the chill temperature. His black jeans perfectly matched his outfit, color coordinating with his sneakers. He looked saddened for me, but oh so handsome. His beautiful green eyes were looking at me with such tenderness that I almost lost my breath. He has a way of looking at me that takes my breath away sometimes.

"It wasn't your fault, Sky. I am not mad at you at all, I know you are innocent of any wrongdoing. For a guy with your power and money, you have been playing this game with your heart other than your wallet, despite the gifts you've given me." I reassured him that this wasn't on him at all.

"If you were a person who could be bought, I would never have fallen in love with you in the first place. It's the things about you that I don't find in other people that attracted me to you. I wish I could kiss you right now." He declared himself to me, poetically.

Oh boy. Why does he have to be so goddamn perfect!?

"Thank you for your kindness towards me. It does not go unnoticed." I batted my eyes as his pheromones were enchanting me at this close proximity. Instinctively, I inhaled his sweet scent that dominated my nostrils.

He walked back to his food line and we continued to wait until it was our turn to serve ourselves. Seth looked at me with a perplexed expression on his face.

"I don't recognize this person who stands a few feet from me. Skylar's idea of romance used to be using our company's helicopter to fly to Dallas to impress some girl he wanted to bang by the end of the weekend. Then on Monday, he was already moving on to the next target. This person who talks to you as if you were his mate, I never knew." He stated, utterly aghast by his brother's behavior.

I was jaw dropped at that very specific memory. Wow! I didn't know what to say, so I remained quiet. Skylar, on the other hand, was not amused by his brother's oversharing. He glared daggers at Seth for telling me that, but I never expected any different.

Although I never met anyone that rich before in high school, I understand that growing up rich, handsome, and a Stronghold afforded him all the privileges one could have. But I am sure I would be shocked if I ever heard his number one day. I mean, the number of people he had sex with. I think I prefer never to ask. At least, in his case.

It's Wednesday morning. Once again, students are crowding the cafeteria for breakfast. I slept terribly last night because there was a lot on my mind after what happened to Jayden (and Skylar). No wet dreams for me last night. *blush*

As I mentioned earlier, I talked to my mom a lot about what happened. Though she was shocked to hear the facts as they were presented to her, she assured me that this did not disqualify Jayden in her eyes. Human behavior can be explained in many different ways and judging a person for their worst mistake is not always productive.

She told me that her refusal to approve of him was never about his quality as a partner, but my alleged feelings for Skylar that my mother thinks I am harboring. In the end, she promised to keep an open mind about him. That is all I could ever ask from her.

"Have you talked to him?" Seth was curious as we ate breakfast at the Omega section.

"Yes. He was mortified by his behavior and apologized to me a thousand times." I replied in a somber tone, looking at my roommate sitting across from me at the table.

"It's not you who he should apologize to." Seth pointed out, rather salty.

"I told him that already, rest assured." I glared at him for that comment. I know he is struggling because it's his brother, but I am not casting stones on anybody. I am not happy about it either, evidently.

"Where are you going next Friday? Are you still going to Georgia?" Seth asked me, intrigued to know.

"I don't think I should, to be honest. Not because I lost interest in being prospected by him, but I feel like he should take this time to do some soul searching. I think that once he realizes why he is fighting for me in the first place, he will emerge better and stronger than ever. Then, nothing will stop us." I declared with a hopeful smile.

"Except for your mother." He took a jab at me with a mischievous grin.

"If Frederick Stronghold could be persuaded to accept me as his son's prospect, Jayden can convince my mother that he is better for me. Not that he is the problem, to be honest. I think I should do soul searching as well, and find it in my heart that Jayden is the one for me. He has always been the one for me." I declared, boldly. I know that Skylar can hear me, but I am being transparent as I always have been throughout this whole process.

"I know I am being annoying lately, but don't you think your mother has a point? You will never convince her that Jayden is the one unless you resolve your feelings for my brother. Come to Texas with us this weekend. I promise you we can return you to Boulder before Thanksgiving. That is not a problem." Seth suggested to me, ever so humbly.

"I don't think I should lead your brother on. I don't want him to think that this means I want him as my prospect." I refuted his invitation, as politely as I could.

"He is already in love with you! Going to Texas or not wouldn't change that. He will still be in love with you in December when we return to Ravenwood. I am far from being an expert like your mother, but the longer you deny there's a chance you feel something for my brother, the longer your mother will take to be convinced Jay is the one for you." Seth spoke, wisely.

I kept staring at him in awe, mouth agape, completely shaken by his theory. Is he making any sense or he is just trying to be a good wingman for his brother? I am not particularly convinced one way or the other. Nevertheless, he certainly gave me something to think about.

Skylar or Jayden, who is it going to be?

Do I really have feelings for the blonde Alpha?

I do not think so, to be honest. I could just be dreaming of him because I am a virgin and he is hot. But that is not a good enough reason. Well, I have two more days to find out.

https://youtu.be/OMaycNcPsHI

A|N: Did you fall off that minor cliffhanger?

Sorry, my darlings. I gotta do what I gotta do.

The 60th is going to be epic! I can't hardly wait for you guys to read it.

To quote the song:

"There's never been so much at stake."

OFF: Not the only song from the "Cruel Intentions" soundtrack I want to use in my books. I LOVED that film. You know what they say: 'what you can't have, you can't resist'.

Do you want to read the next 6 chapters RIGHT now?

My PATREON account is ready for you. I promise you are not going to believe the stuff I have in store for you.

https://www.patreon.com/LeonardoMontero

Join me on Patreon and read first what everybody else will only find out later, including juicy stuff you'll only read there. *blush*

Next is "The Heart Wants What it Wants".

Love,

Léo.