Nicholas’s POV
It felt like I had been doused with cold water when I saw different pictures of me taken from different angles on my screen. Someone had been taking pictures of me when I wasn’t watching.
My heart rate quickened as I scrolled through each image, seeing that they were taken on my way to school, on my way back, and even when I was in class.
There was even one taken of me standing in front of the mansion.
Someone was following me. Stalking me and taking my pictures. Could it be the masked person I’ve been seeing recently? What did he want from me?
My hands shook as the phone fell from my hand to the bed and I let out a shaky breath, running my hand through my hair in panic.
I picked up the phone again, ready to ask what they wanted from me when another message from the anonymous sender got in and I let out a panicked sound.
"I know what you are."
That was all it said. Five words that were enough to ruin my entire life and put me in jeopardy.
Not only did I have an unknown stalker that had my number, but he also knew my identity. I was screwed. What I still couldn’t understand was what he wanted from me.
I wanted to ask him what he wanted. But fear got the best of me and I chose to block him instead. I made sure to delete the number completely before burying my face in the pillow.
I couldn’t even cry. But I was terrified. Very terrified.
I was panicking badly and there was nothing I could do.
I finally managed to drag myself out of bed, looking around with paranoia moving through me. What if I was being watched right now?
What if...?
I had to shake that thought off my head. This mansion was surrounded by guards, so no random stalker would be able to walk in and infiltrate my room. Right...?
After freshening up, I made my way down the stairs with shaky legs, hoping to see one of the brothers so I could ask for their help.
But to my surprise, the dining room was empty.
"Great. The day I need you guys is the day you disappear." I hissed inwardly as I made my way to Elijah’s room.
After knocking about ten times, the door finally opened and a sleepy Elijah stepped out, looking at me in confusion.
"Nick?" He called out in surprise as his eyes widened and he even touched my face. "Oh my goodness, you’re not mad at me anymore."
"Aren’t you coming to class?" I asked softly, shifting from one foot to the other. "I need you to walk with me to school."
"Shit, I overslept." He said immediately, his face still looking at me in surprise. "Come in. I’ll take a bath quickly and we can leave together."
"Hm." I hummed softly as I walked in, settling on his bed and for a moment, he stood there, staring at me.
"I still can’t believe you’re actually asking me to walk you to school willingly." He stated, an amazed look on his face and I scoffed.
"If you’re going to talk about it, I’ll just leave on my own." I said with a roll of my eyes and he immediately shook his head.
"No, no, I’m just... I know I was wrong yesterday. We were all wrong. Alphas can be quite blockheaded sometimes. I just didn’t expect you to forgive me so easily." He muttered and I huffed in feigned annoyance as I looked away.
"Whatever. Just take a bath quickly or we’ll be late, blockhead." I replied with a small smile on my lips and he snickered as he gave me a mock salute.
He indeed was the sweetest of the four.
I waited for him to be done and eventually laid on the bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. My mind kept wandering back to the stalker and I began to think of ways to get rid of them.
Should I inform the police? Tell my mom? Or even my stepdad?
But I already deleted the evidence I had.
"What an idiot!" I hissed to myself, slapping my forehead with my palm.
How was I supposed to tell anyone about it now?
"Are you okay? Why did you hit yourself so hard?" Elijah was by my side in a second, water dripping from his sexy body and hair, and for a moment, I was mesmerized.
I couldn’t look away.
"I... uhm..." I stuttered as I finally forced myself to look away, clearing my throat. "I’m fine. I just thought of something."
"Don’t hit yourself so hard anymore." He whispered, gently rubbing my forehead and my heart skipped in my chest.
If he kept this up... I might just fall in love with him.
"Y-you should get dressed quickly! You’re soaking me with water." I said hurriedly as I managed to push him off me and he chuckled softly.
"Why? You’re flustered just by seeing my body?" He asked with a teasing smile on his face as he dried his hair and I gulped.
He was fucking hot, there was no denying that.
"Don’t get ahead of yourself, blockhead." I whispered as I turned away and his soft chuckle made something in my stomach flip.
He finally got dressed after teasing me some more and then we left the house without breakfast. Not that I was hungry anyway, I was too nervous to eat anything.
As we walked, I couldn’t help myself. I kept looking around to see if I was being followed or to see if anyone was following me. Elijah noticed and looked at me with raised brows.
"Are you okay? You keep looking around like you’re looking for something or someone." He pointed out and I let out a nervous smile as I shook my head immediately.
"I was just looking around. It’s nothing serious." I lied, and he looked like he didn’t believe me, but he nodded anyway.
I tried to stop being paranoid but I found myself looking around anyway. I couldn’t help myself.
When we finally arrived at school, I glanced around for signs of the masked stalker but found nothing. Elijah had already walked in, and I was about to follow him when I saw something out of the corner of my eye.
It was him.
Without thinking, I ran toward the direction I just saw him run through but when I got there, it was empty. My heart was pounding harshly as I looked around but there was no sign of him.
"Damn it!" I kicked a stone in frustration as I looked around again. I knew I wouldn’t find him anyway so I walked back to the university.
Elijah wasn’t trying to impose on me today and I felt extremely grateful for that.
The first class went by smoothly with Elijah in a different class than mine and this time, I was able to concentrate and take notes.
When the class ended, I made my way out and just as I turned down a corner, I bumped into someone, making me stumble back as notes flew into the air.
I immediately regained myself and gasped when I saw that the person I had bumped into had fallen and his notes were all scattered everywhere.
"Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry." I whispered as I extended a hand to him. He adjusted his glasses as he looked up at me, then at my hand before taking it.
I managed to pull him up before helping him assemble his notes and then handed them to him.
"I’m so sorry, again." I muttered as I helped him brush his clothes and he nodded in response.
"It’s fine. I’m used to it." He replied before extending his hand for a shake. "I’m Jayden."
"Oh, I’m Nicholas. Nice to meet you." I replied with a small smile, noticing how timid he looked.
I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was an omega just like me.
"Would you mind showing me around? It’s my first day here and I keep getting shoved around by other alphas. You’re like me, you should be able to help me, right?" He said softly and my eyes widened as I looked at him in surprise.
"W-what are you talking about?" I asked shakily, unable to help myself and he looked at me with raised brows as he adjusted his glasses.
"Well, you’re an omega like me. Omegas are always able to distinguish each other." He muttered and I swallowed hard, rubbing the back of my neck.
"You don’t go around telling everyone your identity. You could be in danger." I whispered and he let out a sigh as he shook his head.
"Just because I look timid doesn’t mean I’m fragile. I can fight. I just like to keep my strengths hidden." Jayden muttered as we walked down the hallway. "And you? I’m guessing you’re hiding your identity. I can smell alpha pheromones around you."
I nodded in response, not knowing why I was trusting him so much but since he was just like me, there was no harm in making a new friend.
"Why do you hide your identity though?"