Kelvin's POV
I was engrossed in my phone, planning a special surprise for my mom and big sister's birthday in two days. I wanted to book Dynamic, my sister's favorite boy band, for a VIP performance, and I was also reaching out to my mom's childhood friends to surprise her with a big celebration.
Aunt Laurence, her best friend, was included in the plans since I had overheard her sharing memories with my sister about the good old days.
Just then, I inhaled a sweet, familiar scent that left me breathless.
It was strong and recognizable—my mate's scent. I fought to keep my cool, longing to look at her beautiful face, but I needed to finish what I was doing. However, I couldn't resist. When I finally looked up, I was mesmerized by her beauty. I couldn't help but stare, my eyes fixed on her as she presented in class.
It was my lucky day—I could stare at her for hours, and it would seem like I was just listening to her presentation.
She had a heart-shaped face, and her tawny eyes shone like golden sunlight, framed by thick, long lashes—even behind her glasses. Their warm invitation was irresistible, drawing me in with a beauty that was impossible to ignore.
Her nose was a perfect balance to her other features—straight and slender. Her fair skin had a flawless sun-kissed glow. She was the very definition of beauty.
Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, the long strands reaching her bust. It was styled in a butterfly cut that suited her perfectly.
Her features were refined yet not sharp, giving her an approachable and endearing quality that made her instantly likable. She had curves in all the right places. I loved how she spoke so confidently and intelligently. I didn't even realize she was done with her presentation until the whole class erupted in applause. I quickly joined them.
Then Mr. Charles praised her, "Great job, Kiara," and she smiled at him.
God, she had a beautiful smile—one that brightened her entire face, showing off a perfect set of white teeth and dimples on both cheeks.
But I had to shake off the feeling. I knew I couldn't love her. I mustn't.
I needed to control myself. My pack would never accept a human as my mate, and neither would my father. I had worked too hard to get to where I was today, and I couldn't ruin it. I needed to become Alpha so I could protect my mom, my sister, and the entire pack.
I remembered the first time I met her—I knew she was my mate instantly.
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Flashback
I was walking through the hallways, scanning the golden nameplates on each classroom door. A150—that was my class.
The chattering of students was overwhelming, and I hated the way their eyes followed my every move. It was nerve-racking. But I didn't care much about it—my only focus was finding my class, which seemed frustratingly difficult.
Then, in the blink of an eye, someone bumped into me.
My gaze dropped to the floor—it... it was a girl.
Her books were scattered everywhere, and she scrambled to gather them into a stack. Her hands trembled slightly, giving her away—she was embarrassed. Probably the shy type.
And it hurt my ego that I had made her shrink in that position.
That intoxicating scent was coming from her—the scent of strawberries and vanilla.
It left me breathless.
My lips parted as I took in the beauty of her face. Good lord, she was breathtaking.
She was the perfect kind of girl I could have ever dreamed of. Her very being embodied perfection from head to toe.
She stared at me, her face turning a deep shade of red.
"I… I'm so sorry," she stammered, her embarrassment evident.
Despite knowing she was my mate, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
She was human.
As the future Alpha of my pack, I knew my father and the rest of my people would never accept a human.
I needed to stay away from her—to avoid falling in love.
My goal was to become Alpha and protect my mom, my sister, and the entire pack.
I couldn't let all my years of hard work go to waste.
I just looked at her in disgust, my heart burning with frustration, and walked away.
Why?
Why had the Moon Goddess chosen a human as my mate?
My heart ached as I walked away, but I knew I couldn't afford to develop feelings for her.
I needed to stay away and maintain control.
Despite my resolve, I could hear my wolf growling inside me, urging, "Mate, go back! Mate!"
I ignored it.
I focused on finding my class.
When I finally found A150, I entered with as much confidence as I could muster, forcing thoughts of her out of my mind.
As I stepped inside, the usual chatter of students filled the room. But the moment I walked in, everything went quiet.
All eyes were on me.
I could hear soft murmurs.
A blonde girl with hazel eyes winked at me, making me cringe.
I hated attention. I was extremely antisocial, and I hoped this would all be over quickly.
I walked up to the teacher, who was standing at the front of the room.
She greeted me with a warm smile.
"You must be our new student, right?" she asked.
"Yes, that's me," I replied.
"Class, this is Kelvin, your new classmate. I hope you all make him feel welcome," she announced.
I forced a polite smile and waved.
She then directed me to my seat—at the back of the class, beside the window.
As I sat down, I tried to push her out of my mind—the girl from the hallway.
But her beautiful face kept replaying in my head.
I needed to stay strong.
I needed to focus.
But then, the scent of strawberries and vanilla filled my nostrils again.
And there she was—my mate.
The scent I had detected earlier was unmistakable.
As soon as she stepped into the classroom, her eyes locked onto mine.
I couldn't believe it.
My mate was right here—in my class.
She looked at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity before walking to her seat.
Throughout the lesson, I kept stealing glances at her.
She was deeply focused on taking notes, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows.
I noticed things about her that I already loved—
The way she bit the end of her pencil when lost in thought.
The sound of her laughter—charming and soft.
The way her entire face lit up when she smiled.
I caught her sneaking glances at me, too.
And I loved how she looked away shyly the moment our eyes met.
She was cute.
Everything about her was cute.