Gym Chemistry

CLAIRE'S POV

"My back…"

I groaned as I sat up in bed, yawning and stretching. I flexed my neck, wincing at the ache from the fight with Skylar.

"I should have bitten her," I mumbled to myself, reaching for my phone. Just thinking about that fight again made me so annoyed. But what irritated me more was Zane barging in here to defend his precious girlfriend. 

Wasn't it enough that he rejected me? Then put me in this room to watch him and Skylar? Last night, I heard them having sex, just hours after Skylar tried to kill me. Was it celebratory intimacy? I didn't know but it hurt badly. 

Wasn't that enough punishment for one person? But no. Zane wanted to make sure that I was completely shattered by the time he finished with me.

And Skylar was even worse. Mother used to say a woman scorned is dangerous but a woman obsessed is unstoppable. 

If only….

I sighed, glancing at my phone screen. 

9:24 A.M. Saturday.

A weekend.

My first weekend here. I used to love weekends, but that was before I ended up in this hellhole. 

A small, sad smile crept onto my face as I thought of home. Today, I would have been playing with Lily and Kyle, my younger siblings. By noon, my best friend, Evelyn, would have come over. We would have been gossiping about boys and laughing about my old school.

I exhaled, feeling a heavy weight settle in my chest. Speaking of Evelyn, I hadn't received a single text from her, let alone a call. It was like she vanished the same day Father told me I would be coming to this school. 

Father had said other hunter families were being investigated, and because of that, communication was limited to avoid suspicions. 

But Evelyn was my best friend. 

A simple text would have been enough, or at least a response to the countless messages I had sent.

I sighed again and pushed myself off the bed. I needed to do something today, even if I hated this place. I thought hard about what I could do on a weekend that was slightly fun or even productive. 

"I could go to the gym," I muttered, considering the thought. After a moment of hesitation, I gave in. I would go to the gym and then the movie room later. 

I searched for my sports bra and leggings in my wardrobe. I found it and as I slipped the sports bra on, I gasped. It felt like it had shrunk, tightly squeezing my chest. 

My breasts were pressed into it, barely allowing me to breathe. I sighed, looking at myself in the mirror. I didn't gain weight, if anything, I lost weight. So why was this sports bra so damn tight? 

I exhaled, deciding to wear it like that because it was all I had. 

Ten minutes later, I was ready. I grabbed my phone and headed to the second floor where the gym was. 

When I got there, I pushed the door open and when I poked my head in, I immediately realized I had made a wrong choice and should have just stayed in my room. 

The gym was packed, and it seemed like everyone had decided to be here today. A quick glance told me that I would be very uncomfortable inside. But backing away would only make me a coward.

With small steps, I entered and without looking at anyone, my eyes searched for any available equipment. As usual, my presence attracted whispers and stares. I was used to it and decided not to pay any attention.

"What's she doing here?" I heard someone ask. 

"I don't know. I had no idea she's in this dorm." 

Of course I was in this dorm. Where else would I be? But I didn't say that out loud.

"She's got some nerve walking in here," someone added as I walked forward. 

Ignoring them, I headed to a vacant treadmill. I had never used it before but it was the only available spot. From the videos I've watched, it shouldn't be hard to use this stuff. 

I tried to configure it and in the process, he walked in.

He. Zane. My arch nemesis. 

I felt him the moment he opened the door. His scent hit my nose, and my wolf stirred within me, reminding me what he was capable of giving to me. 

A better life as a werewolf. I only came alive whenever he was around me but at the same time, he was like death to my soul. 

I shuddered, telling myself that no matter what happened in this gym, I would not glance at him. After what happened yesterday, I would pretend he did not exist. I would not act like my desperate wolf that couldn't get a grip on herself.

Focusing on my treadmill, I didn't even notice when Zane moved in front of me, standing just a few meters away, his gym clothes tight against his muscles.

I shouldn't have looked at him but I couldn't help it. The pull between us was undeniable. And, well… he is Zane Ravenscroft. 

I glanced around and noticed I wasn't the only one feeling this way. The girls nearby were practically swooning over him. It was like he was a magnet, drawing everyone in, even the guys. 

"Isn't he dreamy?" one girl asked, fluttering her lashes as she leaned toward her friends.

"And tragic," Her friend added, and I felt my stomach churn. How disgusting.

"Sometimes, I feel so sorry for him," Another chimed in. "Losing his father before he was born, then his mother years after. He must feel so lonely." 

Immediately she said that, they all turned to me with sharp glares, as if I was responsible for every bad thing that happened to Zane. 

I looked away.

"I wonder when he's going to find his mate," one of them said. "She will probably be close to perfection, just like him. Oh, I would give anything to be her."

I almost choked at that. Close to perfection? Well, Mother used to say I was perfect, though. Maybe that would count.

 I wondered how they would react if they found out I was his mate. They would seriously lose their minds because it was also shocking to me how ruthless the moon goddess could be. 

I turned to look at Zane, and my heart skipped a beat. He was on the bench press, and wow, those muscles were really bulging. I gulped, trying to shake myself out of it. He hated me, and I should hate him too for the way he treated me.

But my wolf…..she was responsible for all this confusion in my head. 

She was forcing me to look at him when I didn't want to. 

As I was still subtly staring at Zane so no one would notice, he suddenly stopped working out and rose from the bench press. I jolted, trying to act busy but he walked right in front of my treadmill. He stopped, his gaze fixed on me as I slowly looked up at him. 

"Go back to your room," he said, his expression cold as usual. "You're staring, and it's very uncomfortable."

"I can do whatever I want." I snapped. "And I wasn't staring at you." 

His eyes drifted and landed on my chest, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks. "Can you even breathe?"

I swallowed hard when he said that and I looked around, feeling embarrassed. "What are you talking about?"

He smirked, that annoying smile. "I know you're desperate to seduce me, but you should at least get some air for yourself."

Ugh, why did he always have to be like this? Why did he think everything was about him?

And seduce him? Excuse me but I wasn't that desperate. 

"I'm not trying to…," I started to say angrily but trailed off. "They shrunk. And besides, why are you staring at my chest?"

His eyes scanned the room before he answered. "You look painful to watch. You have no idea how to use anything in here, so go back to your room. I'm not interested in you fucking you."

Oh, sweet goddess! 

Did she mold this boy with only ego and fill his veins with arrogance instead of blood? 

I shot him a glare enough to melt him. I wasn't throwing myself at him in the slightest way. I came to this gym first and found this spot. My sports bra shrunk and it wasn't my fault. So why on earth did he think I want to fuck him?!

"I came here to work out." I told him, almost clenching my fist. "I didn't even notice you when you came in. So please stop the assumptions." 

"Okay." He answered casually. "Honesty was never a hunter's virtue in the first place." 

He turned away, but I couldn't just let it go. 

"Zane." I called. 

He turned back, his face tightening. "What did I say about calling my name?"

"I'm not a hunter." I said. "You can't keep hating me just because of my father. I know…"

"I don't just hate you because of that," He cut in, stepping closer and lowering his voice. "I hate you because you're an unworthy mate. So if this is your desperate attempt to get claimed and marked, I want you to know it will never ever happen."