Chapter 1

MAYA Sitting by my window in my lonely one-room apartment couldn't be any interesting for this coming holiday. I had nowhere to go and no one to spend Christmas with. My family lives abroad, I'm just here for college, the cost of traveling back would be quite high for a college student like me but I wasn't even planning on going back. I blinked my eyes, sighing as thoughts of a mate came through my mind. Christmas will mark my end of being eighteen and yet I couldn't stumble upon a mate. “Goddess. This is sad!” I moaned. About returning to my bed, my phone buzzed. Who's it? I peered through it and it was my best friend, Cheryl. My face brightened a bit, she is the closest person I have here in Vermont. Without her, my stay here would be gloomier. I tapped on the Accept button quickly. “Hello bunnie,” I chuckled. I loved calling her bunnie when I'm not calling her real name, she loves rabbits so much, loves using their emojis. “Yesssss,” she dragged, ending in a chuckle. “I have a request, can you spend this Christmas with my family and I?” Goooo! My wolf suddenly came up. I shrieked. “Is this really a coincidence?” I questioned myself. I was just thinking about this and now it's happening. She's inviting me over to the countryside. “Yessss!” I didn't wait to reply, I couldn't hide my excitement as I jumped up, squealing and dancing. “Wo*,” Cheryl's voice came up, stunned as I showed so much excitement. “It's three days until Christmas week. I'll be driving to pick you up the day after tomorrow. Get prepared.” I giggled, nodding. Christmas in the Province of Vermont was acclaimed as the most beautiful adventure to experience. Galis was where Cheryl lived with her mom and dad, she's the only child. A dream destination. So I arrived here with my luggage, Cheryl packed the car at the garage and we stepped out. Snow had already covered the ground and the sun was already up shining brightly on the snow-covered ground and tree leaves. Before us stood her parents, they were already there to welcome us with smiley faces. “It's the start of a bright day,” I said to Cheryl. “Uhmm–” “Yes, it is.” She uttered with a bright smile, then came over grabbing my luggage and walking ahead of me to introduce me to her parents. They were quite pleasant and welcomed me warmly. “Guess, you will add to this season's spark, homie?” Her dad said, laughing. “Of course,” her mom affirmed. “We were only three, now we have you and one left to complete a five, our cherished number for this Christmas.” “Really, one other will join us?” I got excited and curious which relative it would be. “Yes, my uncle.” Cheryl replied. “Wo*!” “Wishing you don't fall for him when he arrives, he's arriving today.” I narrowed my eyes, giving her a witty look. “I don't fall for older men,” I chuckled. “You may be shocked.” She turned around, walking out of the room with a witty smile. “Let's get us what to eat.” She said. We later settled in the dining room having our breakfast when the doorbell rang. I elbowed Cheryl. “It must be her uncle,” her mom volunteered, rising up to go answer but Cheryl stopped her. “Mom, don't worry. I'll go.” Saying this, she sprang up immediately. I kept on eating, composed to meet this new relative of hers. Cheryl opened the door. My heart instantly froze as I looked up to see a tall, muscular, slim young man with short spiky hair. His face turned and the first person his eyes landed up turned out to be me. My fork fell off as my eyes came in contact with his sea-blue eyes. I jerked back, pulling in a deep breath. I caught Cheryl grinning from behind him. I told you! She seemed to say from her look. I shook my head to make the tension go away but I was rescued by Cheryl's mom as she stood up to greet him. “Little bro, welcome back. You've been in the city all through the year.” Woww, so he's her brother. I thought he's gonna be her dad's brother or something. Until Cheryl returned to sit beside me, I never noticed. My eyes kept on following this gorgeous man who looked like the prince charming from my favorite Japanese Anime series. Beauty was an understatement for him. From Cheryl's mom to dad, he exchanged pleasantries with them. Cheryl rose up, elbowing me as he walked towards us. I stumbled almost falling on his chest if not for the fact that he grabbed my arms to support me. Goosebumps instantly popped up, my blood boiled. Cheryl chuckled, pulling over her hands to suppress the laughter. She wasn't even helping matters. My cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “Uncle, this is–” “Donovan,” he said. “Be informal for once.” His smile captured me, his voice was really gentle and deep. “This is my shy best friend,” she chuckled. I hit her, narrowing my eyes. Cheryl's uncle, Donovan, as he introduced himself as chuckled. “Woww, nice meeting you.” She pulled Cheryl and myself into a light hug that sent sparks flying inside of me. “Let me go in to shower and pack into my room, I'll be back to join you guys.” My mind suddenly shifted to imagining him in the bathroom naked. No! No!! No!!! Away with the dirty thoughts. I couldn't afford misbehaving any further, my body was starting to shake as my wolf really got excited. Really glad I put on hoodies and joggers that really covered me, her parents would have surely noticed. “Has he been here before? I heard him talking about his room like he knows it already.” “Yes–” Cheryl took a sip of her drink. “Maya baby,” she casually said. “The room opposite yours is his room. We have only two guest rooms here. In the future, we'll think of expanding.” “What?” I gasped, cocking my head. Cheryl's parents paused eating, giving a curious look. I chuckled, quickly thinking of what to say to cover up the awkwardness. “I mean from the outside, this seems like a very big house. I didn't know there were only two rooms.” I forced my voice into sounding amused. Donovan returned thirty minutes later in a sleeveless white jersey and a pair of black trousers with tiny droplets of water trailing down from his hair, down his body. He must have been too eager to join us without drying his hair well. When he sat to join us, my eating mode changed, I was picking up on my food. “Hurry up, Maya.” Cheryl pressured. Her plate likewise that of her parents was almost empty now, only Donovan who joined late. “We are going outside on a trip around the countryside. You may join us later.” She said with sarcasm. “You slow eater.” Her catching fun of me has always been an enjoyable part of our friendship until today where I watched her leaving me behind with Donovan. “He can bring you along when you're done,” Cheryl's mom said, patting my shoulders. Why can't they wait for us? “Sorry,” Cheryl's dad cleared his throat. “We are supposed to meet with our friends who are back from Christmas in the next thirty minutes before the trip begins.” “We don't have to disappoint–” I cut him short. “Don't worry, I will come later.” This slipped off my mouth without thinking. “I will bring her along.” Donovan’s voice came up, my eyes flared up. His tone was protective, I glared at him, his eyes were warm like a big bro. “Uhmm–” They nodded and left. Now I was alone with him and my pace even got slower. When I realized, he was already done with his meal. I sprang up, carrying my plates. “Where are you–” “I'm not eating again,” I grunted. “Why?” He looked at my plate and there was still much, then the food was really delicious, worse still, I was so hungry. I barely ate before arriving here and I'd planned to consume everything before he arrived, seizing my senses. “You still have a lot in there to finish or should I help you finish it?” He leaned, giving an amusing sneer. A blush was forced out. I could not suppress it. My eyes lingered on him and I sat back. “Were you nervous?” He asked. I grinned nervously, looking to my side, then back to him. “Maybe!” I snapped, only to regret it. “Why?” He tilted his head, frowning at me. I glared at him for a pretty long time, then said nothing. I chuckled nervously then began to pick on my food again. His hand slid forth, dropping on my left shoulder. I jerked up, feeling uneasy. Donovan dropped it immediately. “Because I'm a stranger–” he suggested. “Or because I'm attractive?” A light laughter rang through his lips and his face fell. Wait! How did he know? I paused eating, staring deeply at him. “I'm a professor of Psychology at Vermont Research University.” He nodded his head thrice, this time with a serious face. “So I can see it.” “But you have to see me as a big bro, something like that.” He urged and kept on eating. “You have to eat your food, lest I'll finish it for you.” I chuckled. The big bro mode was activated and he began relating with me like a bro and I was his sister but I wanted more than that, only if I would get the chance because my wolf is seriously beating. Rather than just sitting here after we were done eating and resting for a while, I thought it would be nice knowing much more about him. Most importantly if he already had a mate. My desire to start a conversation began with a shy smile. I knew what he was going to say next. “What's it?” “I just wanted to know a little about you?” “A little?” He sneered. “Come on, you can get to know as much as possible. I'm like a family being that you're Cheryl's bestie, already looking like a sister.” He rushed over his words. I blushed. “Where do you live, in the city?” My first question came through already sounding lame. But he nodded. “Woww.” I pushed through the next question. “So how's your family doing over there, I mean your parents and probably siblings? Why didn't you spend your Christmas with them or you love the countryside?” I didn't let him respond when I added my story so as not to look so awkward. “As for me, I live abroad here alone for college. I live in the city alone,” I repeated. “But I love the countryside and Cheryl happened to invite me.” “Woww, that's actually great.” He grinned. “My parents and siblings are in another state. I just love the countryside and wanted somewhere to cool off my mind.” He huffed at this point, feeling frustrated. “But my daughter is with her mom in the city.” “Urrghhh–” I gasped.