Zayn King

Penelope's POV

I stood in front of the mirror with two dresses and wondered which one to choose. Mia sighed and finally said, "You can look at these dresses for an hour and they won't be cheaper, but the store is closing."

"I know Mia, but this cheaper dress is too revealing, too low on the chest." I put the halter dress to my right on my chest, which barely covered my nipples, and as long as I moved a little bit bigger, it would probably move down, and I would be totally naked by then.

Mia gave an eye roll. "You're overstating things. It's at least 2 inches above your nipples. Trust me, it won't make you naked. Best of all, this dress is $100 cheaper."

I let out a sigh. Mia was right. The price of this dress was very attractive, even though the other dress was more in line with my expectations. I mean, 2 inches less cloth saved $100, and obviously any smart person can choose wisely.

"It won't expose my tits, will it?" I looked in the mirror, worried.

Mia waved her hand. "Don't worry, we're only going to the dance tomorrow, not the hurdles."

Doubtfully, I swapped out my $100-too-expensive outfit and walked with Mia to the checkout counter. I'd been observing Mia these past few days, and she didn't seem out of the ordinary, at least not like she gave me away.

"Tomorrow," Mia asked casually as she handed me the clothes the clerk had packed. "Will your stepbrother be here tomorrow?"

"What?" I inquired. "You mean Austin?"

"Yes. Isn't Emma going to the ball, too? He loves her so much; surely he'll take her to the Hotel Versailles?"

I suddenly recalled Austin's humiliating question in my ear and became irritated. I coldly replied, "I don't know."

Apparently, Mia was surprised by my abrupt lack of interest. She gave me a questioning glance but ultimately remained silent. She turned her head away.

I packed my clothing into the bottom of my bag and rolled them up before going home. Then I threw the packing bag into the trash can nearby. I opened the back door, as usual, and there was darkness in the room.

No one was at home.

Perhaps because of the guilty conscience, I walked lightly, like a robber sneaking up stairs.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ah! ! !"

The sound of a huge leap startled me, and as I turned around, I saw Austin, who I didn't know when, standing behind me.

Damn it! Why him again?

"Where were you tonight?" Austin asked.

"I'm. . . I'm working part-time," I whispered back, automatically hiding the purchase stuff.

"Why are you so late?"

"I. . ." As I was trying to come up with an excuse, I became aware that Austin knew what time I was supposed to be home. The realization made me feel like I was missing something, but I couldn't catch it.

"There were a lot of people at the restaurant, so I worked overtime," I said, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

Austin stared at me suspiciously, my heart pounding.

Would he know I'm lying? What if he went through my bag? Could I still go to the prom tomorrow?

I clutched the straps of my backpack. Just as I was about to give in and tell him the truth, Austin said, "I have to go out tonight. I won't be back until tomorrow night."

I nodded, not knowing why he was telling me this. Obviously Austin wasn't going to explain it to me, so he just walked away.

I sighed at his back, feeling as though I had just escaped from the clutches of death.

All night long, my mind churned with thoughts of prom, Zayn, Scott and Mia, and finally Austin's deadpan eyes as I drifted off to sleep.

In my dream, I went back to the first time I saw Austin.

In fact, just knowing Austin, he was very gentle to me, but I did not know from when; he never smiled at me. It could be when I found out I didn't have wolves, or it could be later, like after I started puberty.

By the time I fully woke up, it was already 2 pm. I got up, showered, waxed, went to Mia's home, begged her to help do my makeup and hair, then put on new clothes and set off together for the hotel. Yes, actually I didn't have any decent makeup, and I couldn't do it, so I had to ask Mia for help.

It was 5 P. M. When Mia saw me, we hurriedly packed up and were out the door at 7 P. M. By the time I got to the hotel, I was still clinging to the suit jacket Mia had lent me.

"Come on, Penelope. Take off your coat, or you're wasting your money on this dress!" Mia, visibly excited, pointed to the crowd in front of her and screamed, "My god, Penelope, look! Harper's Here!"

Her exclamation attracted the attention of the crowd, so I swiftly covered her lips with my palm and muttered, "Keep it down!"

Mia clutched my hand, and I looked down to find a blonde woman who was more radiant than the stars standing in the center of the crowd in a golden pageant.

Harper Willis, a member of the same pack as Zayn, the Night Shade Pack, was rumored to be Zayn's Luna. Harper and I couldn't be more different. If I was the most transparent NPC in school, Harper was the born heroine. She was versatile, lively, and cheerful, not only academically excellent but also having a beautiful and powerful gray wolf.

I looked at Harper and then down at my patently ill-fitting coat, which, after some struggle, I quietly took it off.

Well done, Penelope. I encouraged myself.

The prom hadn't officially started yet, and I didn't want to follow Mia around, so I went to a remote corner by myself. After all, I didn't want to run into Emma in a place like this.

"Hey, do you have a partner tonight?"

I turned around to see my classmate Henry standing behind me. "My partner is not feeling well, so she won't come today. I wonder if I could invite you to be my partner? I mean...you're very beautiful."

Oh my...This was the first time in my life that a man had ever invited me. All I could do like an adult was just to be silly mute.

"Oh, my name is Henry Carter." Henry thought I didn't want to, he explained. "I'm in Class Three. Which class are you in?"

God! He didn't recognize me!

For a minute, this realization made me anxious, and I was at a loss for words. Just as I was struggling with how to say no to him, there was a stir in the crowd.

"Zayn King Is Here!" Someone yelled.

I spun around in time to see a man at the door with features as flawless as those of old Greek sculptures. He was tall and straight, wearing a black suit, and although he didn't appear to be smiling, the girls in the room still screamed at him. Simultaneously, a heady, woodsy scent reminiscent of Terre d'Hermès enveloped me. The smell was so strong that I nearly fell on Henry, feeling my body overheat like a broken phone in an instant.

After looking through the crowd, the man at the entrance appeared to sense something and eventually locked me in.

We looked at each other and muttered a word at the same time.

Mate.