Chapter 18

In the morning Jayden still felt like shit. After he dropped Mandy at her home he was driving pointlessly for half an hour. He didn't sleep well. Yesterday's happenings were still rolling in his mind. Fuck, why was it so hurtful? His Alpha urged him to protect his Mate first in the restaurant, when he saw her cut finger and then when Tom insulted her. He didn't react. She was close enough for him to smell the other Alphas pheromones on her. She was practically showered in them. Someone was scent marking his Mate. Just like that, she simply switched from him to another one. As the situation escalated on the street he was waiting for her to ask for his assistance, but no she didn't budge, she was holding her ground not willing his help. It got him so angry that he had to leave. Tom was an asshole, but except for blabbering offensive words there will be nothing more. He wasn't the "wife – beater" kind.

As Jayden was driving to school he saw Noah waving at him. Jayden stopped.

"Wanna lift?" he asked.

"Yeah man, my car just broke down. Thanks" Noah got inside and Jayden started the engine.

"Yesterday it was crazy shit, you know. I've never seen Tom so worked up. He actually hit that girl." Noah shook his head still in disbelief.

"What?!" Jayden almost lost control over the car.

"Man watch out!" Noah scolded him.

"Sorry, tell me what happened?"

"Well I must admit the girl got guts. Tom hit her, it was happening so fast that I couldn't react. She landed on the ground with blood on her face and then smiled as if nothing happened and her smile, I still got shivers. Man, I'm telling you. She didn't cry, I couldn't smell any sour pheromones coming from her. This Omega even talked back to him. She is either crazy or possesses an amazing control over herself."

"Why didn't you stop him?" Jayden's face was pale.

"We did, I mean Daisy was so in distress that I had to interfere too and we left." Noah sighted.

"What happened with Opal?" Jayden was tense.

"I don't know, we left her there." Noah shrugged.

Jayden parked his car and along with Noah hurried to school. His Alpha felt an urge to meet Opal. He left her. He left her and another Alpfha hurt his Mate. No matter how he felt about Opal, no Alpha should attack an Omega. His feeling was a swirl of many different emotions, anger, helplessness, worry and huge sense of guilt. He saw her entering the math classroom. He could see her bruised cheek and broken lip. People were whispering, pointing at her giving each other signals behind Opal's back.

It was an impulse and Jayden followed her. She was sitting at her desk next to the window in the back row. She was pulling out her books when she noticed him. Her dark eyes looked at him and Jayden couldn't utter a single word.

"As you see the show got more interesting after you left, but I guess that blond girl was more satisfying." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Jayden felt a sudden wave of anger. The more, he could still sense the foreign pheromones on her. They were fresh.

"As if you had any right to judge me." Jayden could feel his veins popping out.

"Right, I don't. There is nothing between us." Her voice was so calm. She wasn't affected by breaking their bond. What was he hoping for? What an idiot he was. She was so cold hearted.

"Please take your seat – the teacher barged in – take out your books. I'll check your attendance first."

Jayden left the classroom feeling gazes on his back.

It took Opal the whole lesson to calm down. She managed to keep her cool. She didn't cry when Jayden just left. Looking back at their short relationship he left her just after their first and at the same time the last night they were together. There was no bond, she could only be happy that he didn't mark her. That was his only decent act. Math lesson finished and Opal went straight to the headmaster's office.

"How can I help you?" the secretary Miss Buns was flipping through a pile of documents barely looking at Opal.

"I need to talk to the school's headmaster." she stated calmly.

"Just a moment, you are?"

"Opal Wood."

Miss Buns made a short call and Opal was asked to step into the headmaster's office.

Mr Ward was a middle aged Beta with receding hair and rather big nose with a pair of thick glasses.

"Opal, take a seat. What brings you here?" He pointed to a chair opposite his desk looking suspiciously at her face.

"Sir, I'm in the last year and almost passed all the exams, only history left and these exams are due next week. I was about to move out after graduation but because of some personal matter I needed to do it quicker than I thought. With two and a half months still left, would it be possible for me to graduate faster?" She was tense. She hated asking anyone for favors, she hated the feeling of being dependent on someone's good or bad will. She looked at Mr Ward and then lowered her gaze.

"I see. - Mr Ward hummed and put the pen he was holding in his hand aside – What happened to your face?"

"Nothing of significance sir." She hated that kind of questions. Why ask if you really don't care. It's not the first time she is at school with a bruised face.

The headmaster nodded and sighed heavily.

"You never complain, nor inform if someone bullies you."

"No need to bother about it sir, you know my status here. I never asked for help or complained, but this matter is really important to me." It was so hard to admit that she cared for something, but she knew she had to convince him somehow.

"I'll see what I can do, I will talk with the teachers if all your exams are passed, you will receive your graduation papers earlier."

"Thank you sir." Opal smiled, feeling her swollen lip cracking again. Fuck it, it will heal till tomorrow.

She left the office feeling lighter. It will all turn for the better. She will start again in a new place soon. All this shit will be left behind and forgotten. Jayden too.