บททั้งหมดของ Marked for Ruin: The Alphas’ Rejected Mate: บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

ELLALyla spent more time talking to Quincy than me at lunch, and I was actually happy about it.It was like watching a kid get a new shiny toy they wanted to play with all day, and it also meant I could retain my quiet time and just watch everything happening around me.To be fair, she was a better host than I was. When she learned he was a new transfer student, she started explaining how things worked in the school beyond his class schedule.She told him about the cliques, the people he needed to avoid or be wary of; which was funny, because she was always talking about inclusion for everyone, but she was right.That group of people who hung around school selling drugs and never graduating were definitely ones to stay away from.Except, of course, if that was your crowd, then they’d be great allies.Still, they had their advantages, and she urged him to learn how to use that to his benefit. I was zoning in and out throughout the conversation and tried to focus on finishing my food.

ELLAWhen we arrived at the school, the body had been removed from the gate and the blood cleaned up, but I could still smell the stench in the air, and the feeling of dread that I had been walking around with seemed to triple in intensity.I swallowed and tried to ignore it as I walked to the field with the others. Soon after, the tryouts began, and we had to sit through a couple of mediocre performances before it was Quincy’s turn.Once he stepped on the field, I knew he would give the twins a run for their position as team leads, but his composure told me something else—something I had been suspecting for a long time.His moves, his speed, the way he caught the ball and threw it back made Lyla and me pass knowing looks between each other.Unlike the twins, he wasn’t showing any restriction in using his power. The only thing he didn’t do was turn into wolf form, but everything else was enough to confirm everything I needed to know.He was a werewolf—and if I was delusional enough, h

ELLAUnderneath that pride was something else—I couldn’t quite put a finger on it or give it a name, but I felt it.It ran deeper than anything I’d experienced in a long time, and it made me question my decisions.It was a strange blend of fear, pride, and a wave of uncertainty. This was the first time I was leaving home—or anything I remotely called that—and while it felt like adventure was waiting for me ahead, the thought of being alone in a new place terrified me.I didn’t know what to do with all these emotions. This was unfamiliar territory, and as usual, I had no map, no guide, no one to show me how to move forward.I turned to Quincy and watched him for a while. He had fallen asleep a few minutes after the bus left the station. I figured he must’ve been tired from the errands he mentioned earlier and hadn’t had a chance to rest before we set out.I needed to sleep too—or at least find some way to relax—but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was

ELLAWe had gotten food and found a cheap motel to spend the night. It wasn’t a terrible spot to sleep in, and I was grateful for that. Quincy had initially wanted a room with twin beds, but those options had been taken, so we had to settle for the one which was available.I wondered if it would feel a little awkward lying next to him and reminded myself that it was only for a few hours. To be fair, it was still bright outside, which meant I could walk around the town and familiarize myself with the place while shaking off whatever weird feeling I would have regarding being in the same room with him.“I’m going to the pub and take a walk around, want to come?” he asked as soon as we had gotten into the room. He set the bags on the couch, which was positioned in the corner of the room, and shifted his gaze to me.I thought about it for a few seconds, then shook my head. He had slept the entire drive here and had enough energy to move around.I had stayed awake throughout the journey, a

ELLA“There isn’t a manual for how love works, I know that. I also know it doesn’t just happen; there has to be some sort of… I don’t know, something has to spark those emotions between the two people involved… I… What I can’t wrap my head around is how quickly this happened,” I said finally, and he chuckled.“I’m no expert on the matter either, but I think neither of us has a hold on something as powerful as love or when it would spring up; it just happens and…” he responded and started to reach for my hand but stopped.I was happy he didn’t go through with it. I was still in shock, and our bodies touching was the last thing I needed at this point. I wondered what to do with this piece of information—this was the first time someone had ever declared their feelings for me, and it was also the first time it was unrequited from my end.I barely knew him to pinpoint anything that would make me attracted to him; perhaps it was the shock or the need to logically critique what he was saying