THE NEXT DAY
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
The next lesson came faster than I expected, and the moment I stepped into the training field, my eyes instantly found Villiam. He was already standing next to Damon, the horse I never thought I'd see tamed by anyone. And yet, there they were side by side, with Damon standing still, calm as if he'd been trained for years.
It didn't make sense. Damon was a wild, untameable beast. Yet, here he was, gently nudging Villiam with his head, licking his shoulder as if they were best friends. I tried to push the thoughts aside as I joined the group, but my focus kept darting back to them. Villiam hadn't even broken a sweat yet. He didn't need to.. Damon was just... with him, no questions asked.
The other students were in shock, too. Whispering. Then came the sound of giggles. I turned toward the noise source and saw a group of Omega girls from our class leaning against the training fence. They whispered to each other, their eyes darting toward Villiam, their attention fixated on him. And it hit me.
They were talking about him. And... they were talking about how he looked. His new uniform, the way it fit his frame, the way he carried himself.
"Did you see Villiam? He looks different, don't you think?" One of the girls whispered, eyes glinting. "I mean, look at him. He's glowing today."
Another girl nodded, giving a slight giggle.
"I heard he's been working with Damon, the horse that no one could get under control. He's got to be amazing... maybe an Alpha, you think?"She asked.
I clenched my fists. The jealousy was rising in me again. Why did they have to talk about him like that? I could feel my wolf pacing inside, pushing against my control. It wasn't just the fact that they were talking about him, it was the way they were looking at him. One of them, a girl with curly brown hair, threw a glance in my direction.
"Well, what do you think, Xavier?" She giggled, tossing her hair back as if trying to pull me into their conversation.
I stiffened, the words not coming out as quickly as I wanted. I didn't want to engage, didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing how flustered I was. I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks, the frustration growing.
"I think Villiam is... focused today." I finally muttered, not even looking at them. I turned my back and walked toward the others, trying to ignore the looks they were throwing at me.
"He's got this new vibe, you know?" One of the other girls said. "I just feel like he could be... someone."
I fought to calm myself, to push the jealousy down. It wasn't their fault, right? It wasn't Villiam's fault either. I just didn't understand why they were all so drawn to him. Why did I feel like this? Why was I so... possessive? The sound of Damon's hooves distracted me from my thoughts. Villiam was leading the horse through some basic exercises. It was almost like Damon was a different creature under his hand. He followed every movement, every command from Villiam as though he trusted him implicitly.
I couldn't help but stare. The students around me were watching too, some even muttering in disbelief. Damon was following every step Villiam took. It was insane. A horse like Damon, that no one else could control, was now willingly obeying Villiam.
"Look at him." One of the boys muttered, eyes wide. "How does he do it? No one's ever gotten that horse to listen before."
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to focus on the lesson. But I couldn't help the frustration boiling inside me. The Omega girls continued to whisper amongst themselves, more and more eager to get Villiam's attention. I hated the way they giggled. The way they smiled at him.
"Focus, Xavier," I muttered to myself. "Focus on the lesson."
But I couldn't. I kept glancing back toward Villiam, toward Damon. Every time I looked, Damon was closer to him, more relaxed. It felt... intimate. And it made my stomach twist.
"Xavier." Laura's voice suddenly broke through my thoughts. She was standing beside me, her eyes trained on the scene in front of us.
"What." I snapped, turning toward her more sharply than I intended.
She raised an eyebrow, not backing away from my tone. "You're acting like a jealous pup."She said.
"What are you talking about?" I growled, my wolf stirring uneasily.
"I'm saying it's obvious." She gave me a pointed look. "You're jealous. You think the other girls are looking at him, but the truth is, you're the obsessed one. You don't know how to handle it."
I scowled, but I couldn't argue with her.
"I'm not obsessed." I muttered, looking away.
"You're acting like you are." Laura said, her voice softening slightly. "I can see it, Xavier. The way you look at him, the way you watch every move. You're falling for him. And trust me, you're not the only one."
My heart skipped a beat at her words. I looked back toward Villiam, who was calmly walking Damon through some more exercises. The way Damon responded to him it was like they were meant to be together. My wolf growled, unsettled.
"Does it bother you that they're all fawning over him?" Laura continued. "Does it bother you that you feel this way and you're not sure what to do with it?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I watched as Villiam led Damon back to the stable, his head held high, the students still watching him in awe. My heart twisted again, but I didn't know what to say.
"No." I muttered under my breath. "It doesn't bother me."
But the truth was, it did.
"Academy festival is going to be soon. I want everyone in your best shape."The teacher said.
"Yes, sir."Everyone said.
I was sure that in the festival I would be able to show results from my training and maybe get attention for myself and not only the new kid who became the center of everyone's attention.