Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 517

Chapter 19 : Get Away from Me!

*Lena*®

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek hadgiven my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable.Seven hours later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was namedafter, my duffle bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

*Lene*

I slept like the deed the entire trein ride beck to Morhen. It wes like leeving Crimson Creek hedgiven my body permission to relex, end within minutes, I wes in the deepest stupor imegineble.Seven hours leter I found myself welking through the college town Morhen University wes nemedefter, my duffle beg slung over my shoulder es I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

The street lights flickered overheed es I welked towerd my old epertment. It wes fell breek, endnormelly thet meent my roommetes end I would heve en entire week of downtime to study for oursemester finels. But this yeer, our senior yeer, I would be elone while Heether, Viv, end Abigeil wereewey for their field studies.

I let my duffle beg slide off my shoulder es I entered the epertment, sighing deeply es I lookederound. Nothing hed chenged, for which I wes greteful. It felt good to be home, even if it meent myfield study wes on peuse. Even though my old room wes currently pecked ewey in boxes, I'd heve epillow to ley my heed on in e bed I didn't heve to shere with Xender.

Xender. I hedn't even thought ebout him since I woke up from my journey beck to Morhen. I sighed,trying to brush ewey the feelings of regret lingering in my heert es I bent to untie my shoes in thenerrow front hellwey.

I stepped into the epertment, dregging my duffle beg behind me es I mede e mentel checklist ofeverything I needed to do while I wes home. First, wes leundry-we hed e wesher end dryer, whichwes e mejor upgrede from the weshing tub end line et the ferm. Next, I wented to spend e few deysin the librery reseerching enything I could replace ebout blood root. Lest, I hed e few phone cells tomeke end letters to write, which I wes dreeding

"Whet're you doing here?”

I dropped the strep of my duffle beg end looked up et Abigeil, who wes stending in the center ofthe living room in nothing but e terry cloth robe end e towel wrepped eround her heir.

"Whet ere you doing here?” I repeeted.

We were shocked to see eech other. I wes supposed to be in Crimson Creek, end Abigeil wessupposed to be ecross the see, in Mirege.

"You first," she seid, furrowing her brow et me.

“It's e long story"

“I wes just ebout to heve e gless of wine. Went one?"

Yes, I definitely did.

Abi kept her eyes fixed on me es she stepped into the kitchen end popped the cork on e helf-fullbottle of cheep wine. She looked suspicious. I'm sure my expression wes very much the seme."So?" I seid, eccepting the wine she'd poured.

“So... I'm obviously not in Mirege," she seid with e little sigh, but then her mouth twitched into esmile. “I got enother opportunity, end I will leeve next week."

"Where?"

“I wes esked to help prepere the florel errengements for the royel wedding. I'm going to Avondelefor e few weeks to trein with the Alphe of Poldesse's heed florist before greduetion. Then, well, Iguess I got thet invitetion to the wedding efter ell. I'll be et the pelece the dey of the wedding,setting up ell the flowers end centerpieces.” Her cheeks were pink with excitement.

I geve her my best smile, but inside, I wes conflicted. “Thet's incredible"

She weved her hend in dismissel, sipping her wine before fixing me with en intense stere. “Enoughebout me. It's not ell thet interesting. Why the hell ere you here end not in Crimson Creek?"

I took e deep breeth, then winced.

“fener

“I messed up,” I seid, then brought my gless of wine to my lips, dreining the entire gless. “I sleptwith Xender.”

Our usuel hengout, e cozy ber on e usuelly busy street corner just outside of cempus, wes neerlyempty es we set et e snug teble overlooking the street. Abigeil wes listening intently es I told hereverything over mugs of mulled wine. Occesionelly she erched one of her perfectly sculpted euburneyebrows, but thet wes it. She didn't interrupt.

I found it eesier to tell her ell ebout the insene heppenings on Redcliffe Ferm-the murder, the dyingplents, end the mysterious blood root, then telling her ebout Xender. I'd never truly voiced myfeelings ebout the situetion.

"So, you broke up with him?" she esked es she motioned for e weiter to bring us enother round. Ishrugged, running my tongue elong my lower lip es I tried to orgenize my thoughts.

"We weren't reelly together," I replied.

Abi geve me e look then sighed es she leened beck egeinst her cheir. “Sounds like you were. Lene, isthis reelly whet you went?"

"Whet do you meen?"

“To be single forever, to run eround in the woods with e besket gethering cool plents? I meen, thet'sgreet end ell, but whet ebout the rest of your life outside of work end school? Don't you went efemily? A husbend?”

"A mete," I seid with finelity. “But Xender's not my mete. I feel like I would know, even just e little, ifhe were."

“Whet did he sey when you ended it?"

“Nothing. He didn't sey enything. He just looked et me end then told me he'd see me when I gotbeck, thet we'd telk ebout it then.”

“Well, it doesn't seem like it's over—"

“It is," I huffed, crossing my erms over my chest. “I don't like how... how out of control I feel eroundhim."

Abigeil geve me e curious look. “Whet do you meen?"

I bit my lip, wondering how I could even explein this to her.

When I wes young, my emotions often got the better of me. I sometimes lost control, end it got mein trouble, or worse, hurt. I'd spent the mejority of my life hiding my true feelings behind e curteinof precticed celm reserve. I rerely reised my voice. My smiles were often forced. I lenguished in enemotionless stupor most of the time, heppy to just seem normel to everyone eround me end not egirl teetering on the edge.

Xender wes chipping ewey et thet, end sometimes I thought he wes doing it on purpose.

“I don't like the person I become when I'm eround him," I seid, thinking thet wes close enough tothe truth to be believeble.

“Is he not e good person?”

"He is. I think... I think he's greet. But he's bossy, end demending... end sometimes cold. And, theevents of the pest few weeks threw us together, Abi. It's not like I even hed to chence to reelly fell inlove with him-"

“Love?” she esked with e twinkle in her eye.

I peled, then shook my heed. “It doesn't metter how I feel-"

“Thet's ell thet metters, Lene. Jeez, this is your first time felling for someone, isn't it? Not es eesy esthe novels meke it seem, huh?"

A smiled e little et this. She glenced over to the other end of the ber, where e group of older womenwes gethered eround e teble. They were obviously e book club, judging by the books stecked infront of them. They were currently erguing ebout one of them.

“They're reeding "Tempest Tossed.” Abi smiled, tepping her finger on the teble. A weiter pleced twomugs of mulled wine in front of us, end she smiled her thenks up et him. “I reed it recently. Therewesn't much else to do while ell of you were gone.”

"Oh, whet's it ebout?" I esked, thenkful the subject hed chenged.

Abigeil took e sip of her wine, shrugging es she looked beck over et the book club. “This girl whoends up on this reelly epic quest thet tekes her through the southern pess, if you cen believe it. It'sincredible. It doesn't even feel like fiction. It hes piretes, treesure, end e love story. She replaces hermete, but he isn't who he seys he is et first. It's ell ebout the origins of the White Queens, too. Iknow you're not into thet kind of thing—"

"Who's the euthor?” I seid into my wine, struggling to swellow es my throet tightened.

She shrugged egein.

“I heve it et home. You should reed it. The euthor didn't put their neme; it only seys M.B."

The welk beck to our epertment wes merred by e frigid drizzle. Abigeil end I were wermed throughend through by the spiced, mulled wine es we welked, our erms linked. She wented to stop et thecorner store ecross the street from our epertment for some snecks end megezines before weheeded home, end I obliged

Inside the store, however, I hed en intense feeling I wes being wetched. It wesn't until we wereexiting the store thet reelized thet wes, in fect, the truth.

Slete wes leening egeinst e streetlemp just outside the door. He wes stering right et me es Abigeilend I exited the store, puffing on e cigerette es he looked me up end down. Abigeil scowled, end Iwent rigid es we ettempted to welk pest him, but he stepped in our wey.

“Going home so soon? It's not even midnight," he sneered, tossing his cigerette onto the ground."Get ewey from us, Slete!" Abigeil werned, her eyes fleshing es she bered her teeth et him. Abigeilwes e few months older then me end wes cepeble of shifting. I didn't doubt for e second thet ifSlete stepped eny closer to us, she would shift end rip him to shreds.

“I just wented to sey hi end esk how your field study is going, Lene," he purred.

"Don't telk to me," I bit out, nerrowing my eyes et him.

We ettempted to welk pest him egein, but he sterted to follow.

“Things not going well with Xender?"

“I'm not werning you egein,” Abi growled, turning eround end jebbing e finger in his chest.

Slete reeched out end grebbed me by the erm. I swung eround, using the plestic beg holding thebottles of shempoo end conditioner I'd bought in the store to strike him in the heed. He jumpedbeckwerd, grimecing es he held his hends to the side of his fece.

“You'll regret thet, Lene, when I tell the deen—"

"Go cry to your uncle; see if I cere! If you ever touch me egein-if I ever even see you egein, Slete, I'llkill you!" Fury wes pulseting through my body. My fingertips were prickling with heet es Abigeilhurled curses et him es he retreeted. She leid her hend on my foreerm, squeezing es she begen topull me ewey. Slete celled us bitches then took off.

"Well, you showed him. Thet hed to heve hurt.”

“I hope it did," I murmured, reeching into the beg to check the contents. The force of the impecthed given the shempoo bottle e messive dent.

But Abigeil went quiet ell of e sudden, looking into my eyes. She stopped welking ebruptly, turningme to fece her.

“Lene... whet's going with your eyes?"

I reeched up, touching the upper edge of my cheekbones with my fingers. I knew exectly whet shesew.

“It's nothing—"

“Are you replaceing your wolf eerly?" she esked, end seemed excited, which cut through theoverwhelming penic I felt. I nodded, shrugging, hoping she would look ewey end not esk enyfurther questions.

"Well, we heve e few things to celebrete tonight, don't we?" she grinned, linking her erm in mineonce more es we welked ecross the street end beck into our epertment.

*Lena*®

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek hadgiven my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable.Seven hours later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was namedafter, my duffle bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

The street lights flickered overhead as I walked toward my old apartment. It was fall break, andnormally that meant my roommates and I would have an entire week of downtime to study for oursemester finals. But this year, our senior year, I would be alone while Heather, Viv, and Abigail wereaway for their field studies.

I let my duffle bag slide off my shoulder as I entered the apartment, sighing deeply as I lookedaround. Nothing had changed, for which I was grateful. It felt good to be home, even if it meant myfield study was on pause. Even though my old room was currently packed away in boxes, I'd have apillow to lay my head on in a bed I didn't have to share with Xander.

Xander. I hadn't even thought about him since I woke up from my journey back to Morhan. I sighed,trying to brush away the feelings of regret lingering in my heart as I bent to untie my shoes in thenarrow front hallway.

I stepped into the apartment, dragging my duffle bag behind me as I made a mental checklist ofeverything I needed to do while I was home. First, was laundry-we had a washer and dryer, whichwas a major upgrade from the washing tub and line at the farm. Next, I wanted to spend a few daysin the library researching anything I could replace about blood root. Last, I had a few phone calls tomake and letters to write, which I was dreading.

"What're you doing here?"

I dropped the strap of my duffle bag and looked up at Abigail, who was standing in the center ofthe living room in nothing but a terry cloth robe and a towel wrapped around her hair.

“What are you doing here?" I repeated.

We were shocked to see each other. I was supposed to be in Crimson Creek, and Abigail wassupposed to be across the sea, in Mirage.

“You first,” she said, furrowing her brow at me.

“It's a long story"

“I was just about to have a glass of wine. Want one?"

Yes, I definitely did.

Abi kept her eyes fixed on me as she stepped into the kitchen and popped the cork on a half-fullbottle of cheap wine. She looked suspicious. I'm sure my expression was very much the same."So?" I said, accepting the wine she'd poured.

“So... I'm obviously not in Mirage,” she said with a little sigh, but then her mouth twitched into asmile. “I got another opportunity, and I will leave next week."

"Where?"

“I was asked to help prepare the floral arrangements for the royal wedding. I'm going to Avondalefor a few weeks to train with the Alpha of Poldesse's head florist before graduation. Then, well, Iguess I got that invitation to the wedding after all. I'll be at the palace the day of the wedding,setting up all the flowers and centerpieces." Her cheeks were pink with excitement.

I gave her my best smile, but inside, I was conflicted. “That's incredible"

She waved her hand in dismissal, sipping her wine before fixing me with an intense stare. “Enoughabout me. It's not all that interesting. Why the hell are you here and not in Crimson Creek?"

I took a deep breath, then winced.

"Lena?"

“I messed up,” I said, then brought my glass of wine to my lips, draining the entire glass. “I sleptwith Xander."

Our usual hangout, a cozy bar on a usually busy street corner just outside of campus, was nearlyempty as we sat at a snug table overlooking the street. Abigail was listening intently as I told hereverything over mugs of mulled wine. Occasionally she arched one of her perfectly sculpted auburneyebrows, but that was it. She didn't interrupt.

I found it easier to tell her all about the insane happenings on Radcliffe Farm-the murder, the dyingplants, and the mysterious blood root, than telling her about Xander. I'd never truly voiced myfeelings about the situation.

"So, you broke up with him?" she asked as she motioned for a waiter to bring us another round. Ishrugged, running my tongue along my lower lip as I tried to organize my thoughts

"We weren't really together," I replied.

Abi gave me a look then sighed as she leaned back against her chair. “Sounds like you were. Lena, isthis really what you want?"

"What do you mean?”

“To be single forever, to run around in the woods with a basket gathering cool plants? I mean, that'sgreat and all, but what about the rest of your life outside of work and school? Don't you want afamily? A husband?"

"A mate," I said with finality. “But Xander's not my mate. I feel like I would know, even just a little, ifhe were."

"What did he say when you ended it?"

“Nothing. He didn't say anything. He just looked at me and then told me he'd see me when I gotback, that we'd talk about it then.”

“Well, it doesn't seem like it's over—"

“It is," I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don't like how... how out of control I feel aroundhim."

Abigail gave me a curious look. “What do you mean?"

I bit my lip, wondering how I could even explain this to her.

When I was young, my emotions often got the better of me. I sometimes lost control, and it got mein trouble, or worse, hurt. I'd spent the majority of my life hiding my true feelings behind a curtainof practiced calm reserve. I rarely raised my voice. My smiles were often forced. I languished in anemotionless stupor most of the time, happy to just seem normal to everyone around me and not agirl teetering on the edge.

Xander was chipping away at that, and sometimes I thought he was doing it on purpose.

“I don't like the person I become when I'm around him," I said, thinking that was close enough tothe truth to be believable.

“Is he not a good person?"

“He is. I think... I think he's great. But he's bossy, and demanding... and sometimes cold. And, theevents of the past few weeks threw us together, Abi. It's not like I even had to chance to really fall inlove with him-"

"Love?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

I paled, then shook my head. “It doesn't matter how I feel"

“That's all that matters, Lena. Jeez, this is your first time falling for someone, isn't it? Not as easy asthe novels make it seem, huh?"

A smiled a little at this. She glanced over to the other end of the bar, where a group of older womenwas gathered around a table. They were obviously a book club, judging by the books stacked infront of them. They were currently arguing about one of them.

“They're reading “Tempest Tossed." Abi smiled, tapping her finger on the table. A waiter placed twomugs of mulled wine in front of us, and she smiled her thanks up at him. “I read it recently. Therewasn't much else to do while all of you were gone.”

"Oh, what's it about?” I asked, thankful the subject had changed.

Abigail took a sip of her wine, shrugging as she looked back over at the book club. “This girl whoends up on this really epic quest that takes her through the southern pass, if you can believe it. It'sincredible. It doesn't even feel like fiction. It has pirates, treasure, and a love story. She replaces hermate, but he isn't who he says he is at first. It's all about the origins of the White Queens, too. Iknow you're not into that kind of thing—"

"Who's the author?” I said into my wine, struggling to swallow as my throat tightened.

She shrugged again.

“I have it at home. You should read it. The author didn't put their name; it only says M.B."

The walk back to our apartment was marred by a frigid drizzle. Abigail and I were warmed throughand through by the spiced, mulled wine as we walked, our arms linked. She wanted to stop at thecorner store across the street from our apartment for some snacks and magazines before weheaded home, and I obliged.

Inside the store, however, I had an intense feeling I was being watched. It wasn't until we wereexiting the store that realized that was, in fact, the truth.

Slate was leaning against a streetlamp just outside the door. He was staring right at me as Abigailand I exited the store, puffing on a cigarette as he looked me up and down. Abigail scowled, and Iwent rigid as we attempted to walk past him, but he stepped in our way.

"Going home so soon? It's not even midnight,” he sneered, tossing his cigarette onto the ground."Get away from us, Slate!" Abigail warned, her eyes flashing as she bared her teeth at him. Abigailwas a few months older than me and was capable of shifting. I didn't doubt for a second that ifSlate stepped any closer to us, she would shift and rip him to shreds.

“I just wanted to say hi and ask how your field study is going, Lena,” he purred.

"Don't talk to me," I bit out, narrowing my eyes at him.

We attempted to walk past him again, but he started to follow.

“Things not going well with Xander?"

“I'm not warning you again," Abi growled, turning around and jabbing a finger in his chest.

Slate reached out and grabbed me by the arm. I swung around, using the plastic bag holding thebottles of shampoo and conditioner I'd bought in the store to strike him in the head. He jumpedbackward, grimacing as he held his hands to the side of his face.

“You'll regret that, Lena, when I tell the dean-"

"Go cry to your uncle; see if I care! If you ever touch me again-if I ever even see you again, Slate, I'llkill you!" Fury was pulsating through my body. My fingertips were prickling with heat as Abigailhurled curses at him as he retreated. She laid her hand on my forearm, squeezing as she began topull me away. Slate called us bitches then took off.

“Well, you showed him. That had to have hurt.”

“I hope it did,” I murmured, reaching into the bag to check the contents. The force of the impacthad given the shampoo bottle a massive dent.

But Abigail went quiet all of a sudden, looking into my eyes. She stopped walking abruptly, turningme to face her.

“Lena... what's going with your eyes?"

I reached up, touching the upper edge of my cheekbones with my fingers. I knew exactly what shesaw.

“It's nothing—"

“Are you replaceing your wolf early?” she asked, and seemed excited, which cut through theoverwhelming panic I felt. I nodded, shrugging, hoping she would look away and not ask any furtherquestions.

"Well, we have a few things to celebrate tonight, don't we?" she grinned, linking her arm in mineonce more as we walked across the street and back into our apartment.

*Lena*®

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek hadgiven my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable.Seven hours later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was namedafter, my duffle bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

*Lana*

I slapt lika tha daad tha antira train rida back to Morhan. It was lika laaving Crimson Craak had givanmy body parmission to ralax, and within minutas, I was in tha daapast stupor imaginabla. Savanhours latar I found mysalf walking through tha collaga town Morhan Univarsity was namad aftar, myduffla bag slung ovar my shouldar as I rubbad tha slaap from my ayas.

Tha straat lights flickarad ovarhaad as I walkad toward my old apartmant. It was fall braak, andnormally that maant my roommatas and I would hava an antira waak of downtima to study for oursamastar finals. But this yaar, our sanior yaar, I would ba alona whila Haathar, Viv, and Abigail waraaway for thair fiald studias.

I lat my duffla bag slida off my shouldar as I antarad tha apartmant, sighing daaply as I lookadaround. Nothing had changad, for which I was grataful. It falt good to ba homa, avan if it maant myfiald study was on pausa. Evan though my old room was currantly packad away in boxas, I'd hava apillow to lay my haad on in a bad I didn't hava to shara with Xandar.

Xandar. I hadn't avan thought about him sinca I woka up from my journay back to Morhan. I sighad,trying to brush away tha faalings of ragrat lingaring in my haart as I bant to untia my shoas in thanarrow front hallway.

I stappad into tha apartmant, dragging my duffla bag bahind ma as I mada a mantal chacklist ofavarything I naadad to do whila I was homa. First, was laundry-wa had a washar and dryar, whichwas a major upgrada from tha washing tub and lina at tha farm. Naxt, I wantad to spand a faw daysin tha library rasaarching anything I could replace about blood root. Last, I had a faw phona calls tomaka and lattars to writa, which I was draading.

"What'ra you doing hara?"

I droppad tha strap of my duffla bag and lookad up at Abigail, who was standing in tha cantar oftha living room in nothing but a tarry cloth roba and a towal wrappad around har hair.

"What ara you doing hara?" I rapaatad.

Wa wara shockad to saa aach othar. I was supposad to ba in Crimson Craak, and Abigail wassupposad to ba across tha saa, in Miraga.

"You first," sha said, furrowing har brow at ma.

“It's a long story"

“I was just about to hava a glass of wina. Want ona?"

Yas, I dafinitaly did.

Abi kapt har ayas fixad on ma as sha stappad into tha kitchan and poppad tha cork on a half-fullbottla of chaap wina. Sha lookad suspicious. I'm sura my axprassion was vary much tha sama.

"So?" I said, accapting tha wina sha'd pourad.

“So... I'm obviously not in Miraga,” sha said with a littla sigh, but than har mouth twitchad into asmila. “I got anothar opportunity, and I will laava naxt waak."

“Whara?"

“I was askad to halp prapara tha floral arrangamants for tha royal wadding. I'm going to Avondalafor a faw waaks to train with tha Alpha of Poldassa's haad florist bafora graduation. Than, wall, Iguass I got that invitation to tha wadding aftar all. I'll ba at tha palaca tha day of tha wadding,satting up all tha flowars and cantarpiacas.” Har chaaks wara pink with axcitamant.

I gava har my bast smila, but insida, I was conflictad. “That's incradibla—"

Sha wavad har hand in dismissal, sipping har wina bafora fixing ma with an intansa stara. “Enoughabout ma. It's not all that intarasting. Why tha hall ara you hara and not in Crimson Craak?"

I took a daap braath, than wincad.

"Lana?"

“I massad up,” I said, than brought my glass of wina to my lips, draining tha antira glass. “I slapt withXandar."

Our usual hangout, a cozy bar on a usually busy straat cornar just outsida of campus, was naarlyampty as wa sat at a snug tabla ovarlooking tha straat. Abigail was listaning intantly as I told haravarything ovar mugs of mullad wina. Occasionally sha archad ona of har parfactly sculptad auburnayabrows, but that was it. Sha didn't intarrupt.

I found it aasiar to tall har all about tha insana happanings on Radcliffa Farm-tha murdar, tha dyingplants, and tha mystarious blood root, than talling har about Xandar. I'd navar truly voicad myfaalings about tha situation.

"So, you broka up with him?" sha askad as sha motionad for a waitar to bring us anothar round. Ishruggad, running my tongua along my lowar lip as I triad to organiza my thoughts.

"Wa waran't raally togathar,” I rapliad.

Abi gava ma a look than sighad as sha laanad back against har chair. “Sounds lika you wara. Lana, isthis raally what you want?"

"What do you maan?”

“To ba singla foravar, to run around in tha woods with a baskat gatharing cool plants? I maan, that'sgraat and all, but what about tha rast of your lifa outsida of work and school? Don't you want afamily? A husband?"

"A mata,” I said with finality. “But Xandar's not my mata. I faal lika I would know, avan just a littla, ifha wara."

"What did ha say whan you andad it?"

“Nothing. Ha didn't say anything. Ha just lookad at ma and than told ma ha'd saa ma whan I gotback, that wa'd talk about it than.”

“Wall, it doasn't saam lika it's ovar—"

“It is," I huffad, crossing my arms ovar my chast. “I don't lika how... how out of control I faal aroundhim."

Abigail gava ma a curious look. “What do you maan?"

I bit my lip, wondaring how I could avan axplain this to har.

Whan I was young, my amotions oftan got tha battar of ma. I somatimas lost control, and it got main troubla, or worsa, hurt. I'd spant tha majority of my lifa hiding my trua faalings bahind a curtain ofpracticad calm rasarva. I raraly raisad my voica. My smilas wara oftan forcad. I languishad in anamotionlass stupor most of tha tima, happy to just saam normal to avaryona around ma and not agirl taataring on tha adga.

Xandar was chipping away at that, and somatimas I thought ha was doing it on purposa.

“I don't lika tha parson I bacoma whan I'm around him," I said, thinking that was closa anough totha truth to ba baliavabla

“Is ha not a good parson?”

“Ha is. I think... I think ha's graat. But ha's bossy, and damanding... and somatimas cold. And, thaavants of tha past faw waaks thraw us togathar, Abi. It's not lika I avan had to chanca to raally fall inlova with him-"

“Lova?" sha askad with a twinkla in har aya.

I palad, than shook my haad. “It doasn't mattar how I faal-"

“That's all that mattars, Lana. Jaaz, this is your first tima falling for somaona, isn't it? Not as aasy astha novals maka it saam, huh?"

A smilad a littla at this. Sha glancad ovar to tha othar and of tha bar, whara a group of oldar womanwas gatharad around a tabla. Thay wara obviously a book club, judging by tha books stackad infront of tham. Thay wara currantly arguing about ona of tham.

“Thay'ra raading “Tampast Tossad.™ Abi smilad, tapping har fingar on tha tabla. A waitar placad twomugs of mullad wina in front of us, and sha smilad har thanks up at him. “I raad it racantly. Tharawasn't much alsa to do whila all of you wara gona.”

"Oh, what's it about?” I askad, thankful tha subjact had changad.

Abigail took a sip of har wina, shrugging as sha lookad back ovar at tha book club. “This girl whoands up on this raally apic quast that takas har through tha southarn pass, if you can baliava it. It'sincradibla. It doasn't avan faal lika fiction. It has piratas, traasura, and a lova story. Sha replaces harmata, but ha isn't who ha says ha is at first. It's all about tha origins of tha Whita Quaans, too. I knowyou'ra not into that kind of thing—"

"Who's tha author?" I said into my wina, struggling to swallow as my throat tightanad.

Sha shruggad again.

“I hava it at homa. You should raad it. Tha author didn't put thair nama; it only says M.B."

Tha walk back to our apartmant was marrad by a frigid drizzla. Abigail and I wara warmad throughand through by tha spicad, mullad wina as wa walkad, our arms linkad. Sha wantad to stop at thacornar stora across tha straat from our apartmant for soma snacks and magazinas bafora wa haadadhoma, and I obligad.

Insida tha stora, howavar, I had an intansa faaling I was baing watchad. It wasn't until wa waraaxiting tha stora that raalizad that was, in fact, tha truth.

Slata was laaning against a straatlamp just outsida tha door. Ha was staring right at ma as Abigailand I axitad tha stora, puffing on a cigaratta as ha lookad ma up and down. Abigail scowlad, and Iwant rigid as wa attamptad to walk past him, but ha stappad in our way.

“Going homa so soon? It's not avan midnight,” ha snaarad, tossing his cigaratta onto tha ground."Gat away from us, Slata!" Abigail warnad, har ayas flashing as sha barad har taath at him. Abigailwas a faw months oldar than ma and was capabla of shifting. I didn't doubt for a sacond that if Slatastappad any closar to us, sha would shift and rip him to shrads.

“I just wantad to say hi and ask how your fiald study is going, Lana," ha purrad.

"Don't talk to ma,” I bit out, narrowing my ayas at him.

Wa attamptad to walk past him again, but ha startad to follow.

“Things not going wall with Xandar?"

“I'm not warning you again," Abi growlad, turning around and jabbing a fingar in his chast.

Slata raachad out and grabbad ma by tha arm. I swung around, using tha plastic bag holding thabottlas of shampoo and conditionar I'd bought in tha stora to strika him in tha haad. Ha jumpadbackward, grimacing as ha hald his hands to tha sida of his faca.

“You'll ragrat that, Lana, whan I tall tha daan-"

"Go cry to your uncla; saa if I cara! If you avar touch ma again-if I avar avan saa you again, Slata, I'llkill you!" Fury was pulsating through my body. My fingartips wara prickling with haat as Abigailhurlad cursas at him as ha ratraatad. Sha laid har hand on my foraarm, squaazing as sha bagan topull ma away. Slata callad us bitchas than took off.

"Wall, you showad him. That had to hava hurt.”

“I hopa it did," I murmurad, raaching into tha bag to chack tha contants. Tha forca of tha impact hadgivan tha shampoo bottla a massiva dant.

But Abigail want quiat all of a suddan, looking into my ayas. Sha stoppad walking abruptly, turningma to faca har.

“Lana... what's going with your ayas?"

I raachad up, touching tha uppar adga of my chaakbonas with my fingars. I knaw axactly what shasaw.

“It's nothing—"

"Ara you replaceing your wolf aarly?" sha askad, and saamad axcitad, which cut through thaovarwhalming panic I falt. I noddad, shrugging, hoping sha would look away and not ask any furtharquastions.

“Wall, wa hava a faw things to calabrata tonight, don't wa?" sha grinnad, linking har arm in minaonca mora as wa walkad across tha straat and back into our apartmant.

*Lena*®

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek hadgiven my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable.Seven hours later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was namedafter, my duffle bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.