It's hard.

I wish I could say that time heals all wounds, but apparently, that saying is only valid for humans. I am still hurting since the breakup with Jayden, though it's been a month.

The days of October are coming to a close while November promises yet another mixer for the students of Ravenwood. The Harvest Ball - as in you should take this time to spread your wings and fly, find yourself a prospect before the clock runs out on you.

Because unlike last time, this mixer is only for the students who haven't presented a prospecting partner to their parents. If you or your prospect have met at least one set of parents, then you are off the hook. If they were approved, obviously.

Don't get me started on parental approval of prospecting partners... *glare*

It's why most of the students want to get that over with this Halloween weekend. Because it's the last opportunity to do so before the 'Harvest Ball' next week. Tick, tock...

A good portion of Ravenwood pupils already have a prospecting partner in negotiations or even more advanced than that, but they need to lock it down with the hometown visit or it's a bust.

Things happen very formally around here. The goal is to secure the much talked about marital contract. Who said romance was dead?

Oh right, I did.

I have no prospect, nobody taking an interest in me, nothing except for front row seats to Seth's dilemma. Which one of his hot boys is he going to introduce to his parents?

How difficult it must be to be so filthy rich that every single queer Alpha wants you. *eye roll*

Anyway, it's not like Jayden is doing much better than me. Despite his grandfather's continuous encouragement, he refuses to go after anybody else here. It would be annoying [for Headmaster Lockwood] if it wasn't so darn romantic. *swoon*

"Have you decided who you are going to take back to your parents? It's your last chance before the next school mixer!" I asked Seth while we sat down for lunch on Halloween.

"I have, but I should tell him before I tell you. It's crowded here." He replied, cryptically. The students are all buzzing about the upcoming weekend. It is going to be a crucial time.

"Good for you." I don't like it but I agree with him. He should tell that boy first, whoever he is. It's just too bad about the others. Maybe I will get his sloppy seconds after all... I cannot believe I just thought of that... What is wrong with me? I don't want anybody else other than Jayden!

"I am sure you will get someone eventually." He tried to sympathize with me, though our situations are very different, clearly.

"Yeah, maybe one of your rejects." I muttered under my breath, annoyed to even consider that.

"Don't think like that, Jake. I am not so sure you and him are over. Maybe he can convince his mother this weekend?" Seth tried to encourage me, seeing that I was in a foul mood. I have been moping around since the breakup. I couldn't help it.

"He had almost an entire month to convince her if that was possible, Seth! I love you, but don't bring it up anymore! It's too painful!" I reprimanded him, though it was not him that I was angry with.

Seth pity stared at me as we ate. Meanwhile, at the Alpha section of Ravenwood's cafeteria...

"Are you excited to introduce Victoria to your parents? After their approval, it will get that much easier to secure your match." Kyle, one of the Alphas, asked Skylar as they ate lunch across from each other.

"I am. She is so perfect for me, it's astonishing really!" He replied, enthusiastically.

"Good for you man. Maybe we can carpool on the private jet." He spoke, sounding excited. Skylar furrowed his eyebrows in a pity stare.

"About that, I don't think you are gonna make the cut, bro. I am sorry." He took pity on him, but his tone was too condescending for my taste. Kyle gasped as he heard this.

"Why would you say that? It makes sense it's gonna be me, I am from New Mexico! My pack is the closest to yours out of all the other candidates here!" He argued, sounding saddened at the prospect of rejection. I feel you, Kyle.

"I know, but have you seen the way he looks at Sean?" Skylar countered, referring to the foreign exchange student from England.

"But he is from another country! Why would Seth want to live so far away from his family?" Kyle questioned him, baffled that he was hearing this right now.

"Maybe that's exciting for my brother. Who knows? All I am saying is don't get your hopes up! You should start looking for a backup plan right about now." He advised him, again a tad condescending for my taste.

"Maybe I should go after his roommate. He does have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen." Kyle looked devastated. I know he is talking about me, but I would really rather he wasn't. This is embarrassing to be witnessed in front of Seth. And everybody else.

"Yeah, he is not for you. He will never go for you, don't waste your time." Skylar tried to talk him out of it. Wait...

"Just the other day you said we would make the most beautiful babies ever?!" He gasped in shock at his rebuttal. What the fuck is wrong with these Alphas? We are not meat, you know? You are not discussing horses or cattle... *grunts in annoyance*

"This... right here, this is why you are probably not taking anybody back to your parents! Because you are talking about people like they didn't have a choice, as if they were possessions. Jake is the most wonderful boy in this whole damn school and you should be so lucky if he even glanced your way!" Jayden interjected, angered by this line of conversation.

"He is right. Jacob is not a last resort Omega. Anybody here would be lucky to be presenting him to their parents." Skylar agreed, which was even more disturbing to me.

"You make it impossible to be your friend, Sky!" Kyle resented him, pissed off about this.

"I've been told that, so I am sorry for misspeaking. Don't lose hope yet, it's still possible that Seth will not go for Sean. Though I highly doubt it." He tried to make amends, but that was not working. Kyle left the table abruptly, cursing Skylar under his breath.

Back at the Omega section...

"Wow. I hope you pick your guy soon. You're already causing rifts." I told Seth, equal parts embarrassed about being mentioned in that conversation and worried for him.

"Do you want him for you?" He winked at me with a mischievous grin. He was talking about Kyle, of course.

"Tempting, but no I don't. Even if we would make the most beautiful babies, the only person I want to make babies with is Jayden." I replied, mildly awkward that this was even an argument.

"Oh, I can totally see that. Your eyes and Jayden's beautiful skin tone? Your baby would clean up when he attended Ravenwood." Seth conjectured in a humorous tone.

"He wouldn't have to attend Ravenwood because his parents would have already broken the curse." I declared, boldly.

"Wow. Bold statement. Who do you think I could break the curse with?" He questioned me, point blank.

I was wide-eyed at being put on the hot seat like that. I did not think he would ask my opinion, I thought his mind was set by now.

"Well, to be honest, I don't like any of your suitors nor do I think you'll break the curse with them. The only guy who I thought was decent is Sean." I replied as honestly as I could, not that this was earning me many favors among the Alphas in contention for Seth's heart.

"Somehow, I figured you'd say that. But he will never be approved by my father." He spoke in a grim tone.

"Your father only cares about your happiness. Try him. You shouldn't forfeit the game before you pick up the bat." I encouraged him in the same tender way he has been there for me. At least, I have a friend for the ups and downs. Seth keeps me afloat when I think I am going to drown in loneliness and misery.

SKYLAR

I am trapped.

So far, I have succeeded in what I was sent here to the Ravenwood Academy to achieve.

I have selected a wonderful girl as a candidate to be my future Luna. She is beautiful, comes from an excellent pack, and belongs to an old werewolf bloodline. She is everything that I could ever hope for in a prospecting partner. I should feel happy to be taking her to introduce to my parents.

But why do I feel so trapped?

I feel like I am taking the wrong person to present before my parents. I cannot shake this harrowing sensation that she is not the one for me. But I have no reason to think like that. Victoria is a perfect candidate and a lovely girl. We have had great conversations, and amazing sex so far, I can not find one single fault in her. She is everything that I was brought here to find.

But why do I feel like I can't breathe?

The closer I get to introducing her to my parents, the more suffocated I feel.

I am not afraid of commitment, my parents have been together for twenty years. Do they have issues? Yes, what married couples don't? But I was raised to find a partner and make my life. It's the way of the Alphas.

If we still had mates, I would have already been mated by now. I am 18 years old. It's the proper age my people find their partners, I am okay with that. It's not like I am a virginal teenager... not to say there is anything wrong with waiting for your partner to have sex.

My point is, why do I feel so uneasy?

She is it for me, so what is wrong with me?

I don't know, honestly. Well, there is one minor issue. Nothing much, really. It's just a nuisance, something might be bothering me just a smidge.

I started to notice lately that a certain Omega has been popping up in my mind more often than I would've liked him to. I don't know what kind of spell he cast on me, but being so confrontational as he is, I am feeling conflicted about it.

Why do I even care about him? What did he do to keep flooding my brain like that?

I have no idea, but now that I am hours away from locking it down with Victoria, it's been daunting for me. I had such a good ride here so far. Aside from the time when people thought I took advantage of his heat, I have been doing great in this academy.

No, I am not going to talk about my recent stint in detention when I was forced to clean the cafeteria. It happened. That's it. I don't want to dwell on my off days.

It's Halloween. The last day of October. That means two things for the students.

First, there will be a costume party later. It's not the official mixer we are going to have next week, it's just a good old fashioned party to blow off some steam before we take our prospects to meet our parents. For those of us who haven't done that already, like me.

For others, it'll just be a chance to drink and relax for once since we have been here.

Second, tomorrow there will be no classes. We can take this time to travel back to our packs and do what we are supposed to do. This is why tonight's party is even more special because we don't have to worry about classes tomorrow morning.

Since we are through with high school anyway, Ravenwood doesn't need to be such a stickler about the education part of its component. They do teach us a lot, but we have time until April to learn what we need, and to lead fulfilling lives out in the real world.

The school is buzzing about the upcoming extended weekend and the party. It's all everybody talks about. Except for the students who don't have anyone to take home to their parents. Like my roommate Jayden or his former prospect Jacob.

Seth took the time to talk to every single one of his prospects, thanking them for their interest in him, but he had made up his mind. And the winner is...

Not going to be decided by him. My father has to approve his candidate. And that should be a tall order if you ask me.

By dinner time, Kyle was moping at the table because he was rejected by my brother. I tried to warn him earlier, but maybe I could have been more tactful. Who knows?

"I am sorry Seth didn't go with you. If it makes you feel any better, I was rooting for you." I tried to be a good friend, but I failed epically.

"So you don't want Jay to claim him anymore?" He asked me point blank.

"No, I still do. But you are a close second." I told him and he flipped me off.

"What does Sean have that I don't?" Kyle whined, inconsolably.

"My guess is he has a way of talking to Seth like he is interested in him, not what his money can do for him. We privileged Strongholds value that type of thing. That's why I was so envious of Jayden, he found a unicorn." I admitted, catching my roommate's attention.

"Unicorn?" He frowned at me, puzzled.

"Someone who liked you for you, not what you could bring to the table. I told him that back in Texas when I apologized to him." I explained, revealing something in the process.

"You apologized to him? What for?!" Kyle gasped in shock. Jayden too as he learned that.

"For thinking he wasn't worthy of being with Jayden. I was wrong." I admitted, vulnerably.

"You were right. They aren't together anymore!" Kyle refuted my argument. Jayden glared at him for that.

"But they should be! Why should Jay forsake the one he loves just because of conventions? Who cares about his last name? It's not even Anderson! Or what pack he came from? I know we were sent here to find the most advantageous match that we could make, but that shouldn't trample love. Jayden should be allowed to be with whoever he wants to be." I ranted, emotional at the realization.

"His last name isn't Anderson? What are you talking about?" Jayden was confused by this piece of information.

"Not the point of my speech, Jay. Who cares about where he comes from? Or if he has money or not? I already have plenty of money! My pack is the most powerful wolf pack in the country! Why the hell would we need more alliances anyway?" I was pissed off.

"I shouldn't have come here with the mindset of finding the most advantageous match I could find! I should have been sent here to find someone who loved me for who I am. Why can't I have that? Why shouldn't I have what Jayden had?" It was a lightbulb moment that came at me like a hurricane.

"I shouldn't have gone after someone who I think my parents would approve of. I should have gone after someone who loved me for who I am inside. This whole system is fucked up!" I am irritated, mostly at myself, but at the situation as a whole.

"You are not making any sense, dude! Are you okay?" Kyle asked me, looking troubled.

"No, I am not okay. I went about this wrong. My brother was right all along. We shouldn't find someone more advantageous for our packs, we oughta be searching for a person to complete us. Someone who will call you on your bullshit and keep it real, always!" I replied as a million thoughts rushed through my mind right now.

I am so confused about all this, but I know what I want to do. I just don't know how I am going to accomplish what I want. What I so clearly need. This is so screwed up!

"Where do I find such a person?" Kyle asked me in a joking tone.

"Sorry, but you can't have him! If anybody is going to get what he wants in this academy, it's gonna be me!" I declared, boldly. Not that this made much sense to anyone who was listening to my rambling.

https://youtu.be/GQMlWwIXg3M

A|N: BOOM!

How do you like me now?

The shit is going to hit the fan and it's going to be epic!

You can hardly wait!

Next is "You're The One that I Want". It's about to go down!

Dedicated to my dear @PinkCookieLove my editor who I love. I hope she gets well soon, I miss her.

Love,

Léo.