Notice Me

by Lili Lam

We stood there staring at one another in astonishment until the warning bell sounded, causing me to remember we needed to get to homeroom. Clearing my throat awkwardly, I turned my back on Axel and began walking. "This way to homeroom." I croaked silently.

  What the hell was that and what am I going to do now? How am I going to explain this to Tristan? There are two things I am absolutely positive of. One, being the new guy Axel Fisher is without a doubt a wolf and two, there's some sort of weird connection between us. As for what type of connection, that's the part I need to figure out.

  I could tell right off the bat the shocks aren't half as strong as they are when I touch Tristan, but they’re definitely there. There's no denying that. The sound of his feet shuffling closely behind notified me that he was indeed following me to homeroom. He hasn't said anything since I snatched my hand away from his.

  Just as we both walked into the classroom, the final bell sounded. Tristan was already in his seat looking extremely uncomfortable that I had yet to arrive. As soon as he saw me, his whole stature seemed at ease seeing that I was unharmed. His eyes narrowed in confusion once he saw Axel walk in closely behind me.

  ’Please don't think the worse’, I pleaded over and over again in my mind. I just hope he isn't angry with me for conveniently waltzing in at the same exact Moment the hot new guy did. All the girls in homeroom practically foamed at the mouth once they got a gander at Axel. He just made his way to an empty seat towards the back of the room without so much as a glance at anyone.

  Can you say uncomfortable, how about awkward? That's the vibes I was getting off of Tristan's watchful eye as he focused on me the entire fifteen minutes of homeroom.

  Why was he staring at me so strangely? Did he know something was up between the new guy and me?

  As soon as the bell rang, he stood up and walked over to Axel. Oh god, he's going over there to confront him! He's going to start a fight. Rushing over towards them in the back of the room, I could hear Tristan speaking quietly. "Don't hesitate to ask any of us guys if you need anything, alright Axel?"

  What the heck is going on? How do they even know each other? The way Tristan is speaking to him is almost as if they already met. Axel nodded and gave Tristan a thankful smile. "Thanks for all the hospitality. I really am sorry about the other day." Sorry about the other day, what happened the other day?

  "It's not a problem." Tristan said reassuring him it really wasn't a big deal. "There's nothing to apologize for, simple misunderstanding. Don't worry about it." As if Tristan could sense me standing a few steps away, he whipped around and slung his arm around my waist pulling me closer.

  "Hey." He said placing a kiss on my forehead. "I want you to meet Axel. Axel this is Lise."

  I gave a small smile to both of them before answering, "I know, we already met. Principal White asked me to show him around."

  A look of understanding flashed across Tristan's face. "Designated tour guide?" He laughed shaking his head in disbelief as he waved his hand in a c'mon gesture for Axel to follow us.

  We were walking down the hallway towards my next class. Tristan had his arm draped around my shoulder and Axel was walking along the right side of him. "Only you'd get singled out for something like that." Tristan winked with a smirk. "Make sure you give me a double scoop of mashed potatoes at lunch today ok?"

  Haha, hardy har har. See what I get for telling him my horror stories. He thinks he's cute making jokes! This caused Axel to break out into a grin also; wow must be nice to laugh at my expense. I can't help being such a great student that teacher's seek me out for all types of favors.

  "Don't worry, Gabe's going to take over and show Axel around." Tristan reassured me as Gabe came walking down the hallway towards us. "They have a lot of the same classes together."

  This little tidbit of news was relieving to hear. "Do you two know each other from somewhere?" I inquired looking between the two of them. Curious to know why they seemed like long lost friends.

  "Something like that." Tristan responded glancing over at Axel then back at me. "You two got a brief glimpse of one another in the woods the other day."

  We got a glimpse of one another in the woods the other day? All I remember seeing in the woods the other day were two wolves. Whoa, one of them was Axel? I wondered which one? And if so why did it look like he was ready to attack us? What did we do to him that made him feel the need to lunge at Tristan?

  Axel nodded appreciatively. "You've got a great set of lungs." He complimented with a chuckle, "Nice to see you up close. I only caught the back of your head as you ran the opposite way."

  Giving Axel a pointed look, I narrowed my eyes at him and scoffed. Great, now I have another first class comedian to add to the bunch. Otherwise known as Tristan's friends. The rest of the morning passed by rather uneventful, that is until lunchtime rolled around. Seems like Tristan and I being a couple was old news.

  Axel's the hot commodity around here now; everyone wanted a piece of him. In a way I was rather grateful, now they can all back off Tristan. But as you know, there are still always a few girls that still want what they can't have. So the glares were still thrown in my direction.

  "What time's Anya coming over?" Tristan asked softly, leaning over to whisper into my ear. His closeness made me nervous. He was sitting next to me eating his slice of pizza. At the mention of Anya's name, Luke's head snapped up and he gave me the cheekiest smile. Somebody's happy.

  The guys seemed to instantly make friends with Axel; he was sitting on the opposite end of the bench in between Gabe and Max. Jewel and her followers were seated across from them giggling away. Here and there I'd notice her looking at Tristan out the corner of her eye to see if he was paying her any mind, but of course he wasn't.

  I didn't think she'd give up on him that easily. She's probably got something up her sleeve to try and make him jealous or something. "She said around six." I answered stabbing a forkful of salad and moving it around on my plate. Losing my appetite all of a sudden. "Why what's up?"

  "We're all going to the beach tonight. I want you to come." The intentness of his gray eyes bore into mine, making me feel like the only girl in the room. "Of course Luke wants Anya there too. Stop playing with your food and eat." He ordered glancing down at my full plate of salad. "I'll take you to the library if you finish all of it." At this I couldn't help but laugh, was he seriously using bribery to force me to eat my lunch? I felt like such a child, but did as I was told.

  Breathing out a sigh of relief as school let out, you would think I endured an entire week instead of two measly days. We were sitting in the Navigator headed home, I noticed Tristan was being awfully quiet as he mindlessly clenched his fingers opened and closed against mine.

  "What is it?" I asked staring over at him with worry. I wasn't used to seeing him look so bothered. "Is something bothering you?"

  There's so much more I need to tell you." He blinked his eyes bringing them back into focus and bit down sexily onto his bottom lip. "Something Axel told me, but I don't want to scare you off."

  Oh lord, what else now? Did Axel tell him about the sparks and if so, what could he possibly tell me that'd scare me off? I already accepted the fact that I'm the mate to the future leader of a pack of wolves. What else is there left?

  Tristan parked up in his driveway and turned to face me. "You're not Luna of the pack yet, but you will be when we complete the process and I become Alpha." Ok, I don't even know what a Luna is or what process we'll be completing, but I'm sure he'll fill me in on it when the time comes like he has with everything else. Or maybe I'll just google it in my spare time.

  "Don't worry it won't be for another few years, but in the mean time I'll have to start taking an active role in things." Tristan began. "You'll see what I mean when I bring you to your first meeting next week."

  First meeting? What meeting is he bringing me to? Why is he always announcing things instead of asking me for my input? Yea, yea, shake your head in shame at me. I enjoy a good romance or mystery
novel over vampires or werewolves so smack me if I don't know what it entails to be the mate of an Alpha. He let out a huge sigh and looked at me with such a sad expression. I wanted to kiss away his sorrows.

  "Being Luna of the pack is kind of like being the First Lady." My eyes widened at his comparison. How is that even possible? Do I look like I could amount to the likes of Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama? "There's a lot of responsibilities that come with being a Luna and with that also some dangers." He winced a little as he said that. Almost like it caused him physical pain just thinking about it.

  What does he mean dangers? I'm a stinking human, what can I protect myself against? Uhh nothing, unless I take some lessons at the local shooting range. "So naturally with every Luna, comes what we call a protector." Tristan's eyes turned a dark cloudy gray as he ran his fingertips over the side of my face leaving a trail of fire. "Like a personal body guard."

  Isn't that what Tristan is to me? He acts like my very own personal bodyguard the way he shields me from any and all types of danger. It's rather sexy if I don't say so myself. "Yes, I'm your mate and I'll give my dying breath to assure your safety. But being Alpha means I can't always be by your side when I'd like to. Hence, the protector."

  What is this guy a mind reader? It's freaky how he can sense what I'm thinking sometimes without me having to say a word. "Axel told me what happened when he shook your hand this morning." Tristan confessed with a knowing look. Uh-oh, he doesn't look too excited about me not telling him first.

  "As much as I would've liked your protector to be Max, Gabe, Sam or even Jordan, I guess we'll have to settle for it being Axel." Aww, do I sense a tad bit of jealousy in his tone of voice?

  I just stared at him with a dumbfounded look, "So those shocks mean that Axel's my protector?" I asked idiotically still not having a clue what was being told to me.

  "Yes, sweetheart." Tristan answered giving me a crooked smile. He knows I'm completely lost with all this stuff so he can't expect me to understand any of it. "He'll watch over you when I can't. It won't be often, but as a precaution."

  Ugh! Great, there will be even more eyes watching over my every move. Exactly who signed me up for this sort of fate? I'm a plane Jane teenager not somebody famous. "I want you to know Axel's family's been through a lot. Rogues attacked their old pack and everyone was killed. His family are the only survivors, that's why they moved here to join our pack." Tristan explained slowly, I guess it was in hopes that I'd follow along with his story.

  For someone who is so smart, I felt awfully dumb at the Moment. I know the definition of a rogue is an uncontrolled animal that lives apart from its group or herd. Do I get points for knowing that much? I still didn’t comprehend the need to tell me all of this?

  "I'm telling you all this for two reasons. One, so you don't wonder why he's constantly around you all the time. Secondly, so you wouldn't be freaking out about the shocks thinking you have two mates."

  "Hmm, think you know me so well do you?" I asked with a sly grin. Sad to say it he hit it right on the money. Letting out a sigh filled with relief and happiness, I figured I needed to start paying more attention to everything Tristan tells me. I get so caught up in ogling him the majority of the time that I don't listen. Not listening is what's going to get me in trouble when I need to know something.

  "I know you well enough." Tristan said huskily, he reached over and pulled me across the console onto his lap. He began planting open-mouthed loud kisses all over my face and down to my neck tickling me like crazy. A loud blaring noise sounded, causing us to separate and glance over to my driveway. Anya was staring at us as she annoyingly held down her horn.

  She made a funny face, which consisted of pushing her nose up to resemble a pig and sticking out her tongue. Whoa six o' clock already? Time just seems to fly by when I'm spending time with Tristan. "Oops, gotta go get ready for the beach." I said trying to wriggle out of his lap.

  Before I could move an inch he pulled me back and kissed me so passionately it made my toes curl. "Be back here in a hour." Tristan ordered looking into my eyes and kissing me softly once more.

  Chapter 14: Gathering