Ciro P.O.V
Attempting to come out of the pond I had fallen into, I could barely make out the figure standing in front of me. My drenched hair clung to my face, obscuring my vision. But I did notice him kneeling, securing a leash onto the dog before straightening up.
"Would you like a hand, Ciro?" A soft but firm voice carried over the rippling water.
I had to fight the mental eye-roll that threatened to slip out. I recognized that voice instantly; it was Kenan Soren of Class A12.
Ignoring his offer, I braced myself and tried to climb out on my own, only to slip right back in with a graceless splash.
A deep chuckle rumbled from above. "My hand is growing tired, Ciro," Kenan mused, voice tinged with amusement.
I hope it falls off.
His pale yet defined hand remained extended above me, unmoving, as if he knew I would eventually cave. And as much as it hurt my ego, I took his offer not because I wanted to, but because I had to. His grip was firm, his pull strong. Within seconds, I was back on solid ground, albeit soaking wet and shivering.
The morning air was cruel. With the sun barely up, the cold wrapped around me like an unwelcome embrace.
Kenan studied me for a moment before breaking the silence. "I'm really sorry about what happened."
Are you really?
"I wasn't aware you could apologize," I shot back sarcastically, wringing out my sleeves.
"I can," he admitted smoothly, "but I'm apologizing on Polo's behalf."
Speaking of the dog, the culprit behind my misfortune was now obediently sitting at Kenan's side .
"Since when were pets allowed on campus?" I asked, suppressing a shiver.
"They're not but Polo is an exception."
I narrowed my eyes at the now perfectly composed dog. "I wasn't aware there were exceptions."
The cold was starting to seep into my bones. I turned, ready to leave and salvage what was left of my morning, but before I could take a step, a firm hand landed on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
Personal space? No?
"I'll escort you back to your dorm," Kenan stated matter-of-factly.
Oh, what a gentleman.
"Be my guest," I muttered through chattering teeth.
Before I could take another step, something warm and heavy settled over my shoulders. Kenan had draped his jacket around me, the lingering scent of his cologne mixing with faint traces of his pheromones.
The warmth barely did enough to stop my shivering, but it was better than nothing.
The silence stretched, and I hated silence. "So, why were you chasing polo at six in the morning?"
Kenan glanced at me, then let out an unexpected chuckle. "Isn't it obvious he somehow escaped."
I felt my right eye twitch.
It didn't take long to reach my dorm. I hurriedly parted ways with Kenan. I wasn't about to be late for my first class of the semester. Realizing I needed a quick bath, my steps quickened.
When I walked back into my room, I was greeted by a half-awake Jacob, who was rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up. Upon entering, Jacob looked up, did a double take, then let out a laugh.
"Geez, what happened to you? You look like a wet mop!"
And I smell like one too.
Rolling my eyes, I responded, "I fell into the pond because of a dog."
"A dog? On campus?"
Nodding, I continued. "And the dog was being chased by his owner, and to my surprise, it was Kenan."
"The class A12 president? How is that allowed?"
"He said there were exceptions."
Finishing our brief discussion, I quickly made my way to the shower. My uniform was already on my bed from this morning.
Wanting to avoid being late for class, which would start in ten minutes, I quickened my pace in the hallway. Just as I reached for the door, another hand beat me to it. Looking up, I once again came face to face with him.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my tone clearly annoyed.
"What else, Ciro?" he replied, his voice laced with amusement.
Oh, right. I forgot that I would be sharing classes between A12 and O12 classes for this year since it's our last semester.
It was a mandatory course set by the university. A class designed to bridge the gap between alphas and omegas who didn't have a mate. It was only taught and implemented for seniors or the graduate class of the year.
An unannounced matching system.
Entering the classroom, I took my usual seat in the first row, greeting those who passed by. Soon after, the professor entered, followed by the dean.
With raised eyebrows, I watched.
What are they up to?
The dean spoke first. "Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here."
Of course, we are.
"With the concern and urgency of some of your parents and the university, we've decided to address an issue that has been affecting society specifically, the decreasing number of alphas and omegas."
"Since this is your final year in university, we want to ensure that you're prepared for the real world. With that in mind, we're implementing a new project in this class. A project designed to help with the pairing of alphas and omegas. In hopes that some of you might even become future pairs."
I let out a sigh. Are they trying to set us back by a hundred years?How is this preparing us for the real world?
"Of course, this project will now make up fifty percent of your grade for this class."
Now, that piqued my interest. As someone who strived for academic success, my earlier doubts faded.
"This project will last for nine weeks, and alphas and omegas will have to complete tasks together. And I know you're wondering how the pairs will be decided."
The professor pulled out a box.
"The omegas will be the ones to choose. So it really is up to fate to pair you guys."
Are they using psychology on us?
"The class president of O12 will be the first to pick."
Taken out of my judging thoughts, I sighed and stood up, making my way towards the box. With all eyes on me, I reached inside, giving it a good shake before pulling out a folded piece of paper.
I opened it. Read it again. Then again.
"Is something wrong, Ciro?" the professor asked, concerned in his voice.
Shaking my head, I took a breath and forced the words out.
"Kenan Soren."
A moment of silence.
Then, laughter.
Some classmates chuckled, others whispered among themselves.
Jacob? Laughing. Of course.
Kenan, on the other hand, remained quiet at first. His jaw tensed, his fingers tapped rhythmically against the desk. Then, he exhaled sharply and leaned back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"It's nice to see that the class presidents are paired together, right everyone?" the dean added, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
Some nodded, amused. Everyone knew of the unspoken tension between them.
"Alright, Ciro, you can find yourself next to your alpha."
Your alpha? How nauseating.
Reluctantly, I made my way to the third row and sat beside Kenan. He was already staring at me.
"If you hated it that much, you should have shaken the box more," he murmured.
Rolling my eyes, I turned slightly, catching Jacob still laughing at me.
Visible disgust was written all over my face. It was hard to control.