Chapter 11: Chapter 11

HARLAN

~I’d rather been hung up by my toenails than know she was alone with him.~ Everything about the situation burned my blood, and as I scanned the bookshelves of the library in search of a solution, my wolf mourned.

Not being able to focus really made it hard at finding something to help the situation. It wasn’t something you could go ~Google~ being it was the history of werewolves, so the old fashion way was my best shot. Unless I knew someone personally, that went through it, which I didn’t.

My family was dead, and Savannah or Dax hadn’t texted and mentioned a way to win my mate. ~They would tell me, wouldn’t they?~ I stopped and stared at the history section, the array of books about the war between lycans and werewolves.

None of them seemed to scream ~’let me tell you a love story~,’ so I walked passed them, bumping into someone behind me. “I’m sorry,” I said, turning to see a petite girl with large black rimmed glasses, messy brown hair and a giant sweater.

She was the stereotypical bookworm. The one you saw on ole 80s movies.

“It’s okay,” she said, waving me off. “I’m fine.”

I slid past her but stopped. I felt out of place asking a stranger for something so personal, but I didn’t care what anyone thought about my drive to win Ever. “Do you have a second?”

She glanced over her glasses at me. “Depends, you coming on to me?”

I laughed, unable to help it. “Nope.”

She smirked. “Then proceed,” she said.

Suddenly embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my neck. “Do you know anyone, or of any books, were someone has two mates?”

She stalled for a moment, keeping her eyes on sliding her book back into place, before looking up at me. “Are you the lycan that’s mated to the Allaire Girl?”

~Damn, everyone knew.~

“Lucky me.”

“I haven’t found my mate yet, but that sucks. Um, well, I don’t think you’re going to find anything in the library about it. But,” she said, bending down to grab her bag, “if you have a few minutes, I could bring you to one of my professors. Professor Sitton is older, has been here awhile, and may have a better idea about it than me.”

“I’ll take it. Can you take me now?”

She motioned toward the staircase. She took the ~no talking~ seriously, and led me down the curved staircase, and toward the front door. Once we were out, she took a sharp turn, and guided me around the library.

“So,” she said, hiking her bag up her shoulder. “You grew up in a hybrid kingdom?”

“Yeah. I did.”

“Sounds cool,” she admitted. “You grew up with Everlee then?”

“Yup.”

She cringed. “Must suck to find your mate, and then get here and the soon to be ~alpha king~ claim her,” she said, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled. “Not a fan of the alpha king?”

She smiled. “Actually, he’s only ever been nice to me; however, I don’t understand why all the she-wolves fawn over him like he’s superior to other wolves. It’s annoying. But he actually carried me to my dorm when I twisted my ankle once. I wish I had an awful story about him for your sake, but sadly, I don’t.”

I shrugged. “It is what it is, I guess. It’s not his fault. However, even though I know that, I can’t help but want to rip his head off. Then I have to just let her spend time alone with him,” I groaned, sliding my palm down my face. “Sorry, I’ll stop.”

She looked up at me. “It’s fine. I’m sure it’s tough.”

“I’m Harlan, by the way,” I said.

“Nat.”

I followed Nat toward the journalism building, and up to a small second story. An office sat in the corner, wedged between a classroom and a water fountain. She knocked three times, and a gravelly voice answered.

She shoved it open.

“Hey Professor Sitton.”

“Natalie, nice to see you. What brings you in?” he asked.

I poked my head around the corner of the door and into the chaos he called an office. In his defense, it was small, and he didn’t have much room, but there were stacks of papers, folders, and books everywhere.

Natalie turned to look at me. “This is Harlan.”

Professor Sitton had red wiry hair, balding in certain spots, and a kind smile. “Did you find your mate?”

Natalie blushed. “No. However, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about. I’m sure you’ve heard since the rumor mill has been churning, but this is Harlan, the lycan that’s mated to Everlee Allaire.”

Professor Sitton blinked twice.

“I forgot. You only come out of your office to teach. Well, it turns out his mate, Everlee, is also mated to Rage Hunt. The soon-to-be alpha king.”

He leaned back in his chair, tapping the end of his pen against his mouth. “Really now. ~Interesting~.”

Leaning against the doorframe, I asked, “Is it interesting? Because it’s pretty sucky to me.”

He chuckled and leaned forward. “I can imagine.”

“Have you ever heard of that?” Nat asked, running her fingers along his bookshelf.

“A long time ago, my mother told me a story about it. It was a rare occurrence. Some thought it was a blessing from the goddess, and others thought it to be a curse. Tell me,” he said. “What do you know about your parents?”

“My dad was the lycan king, and Everlee’s parents’ killed him. He was a dirty bastard.”

He nodded. “Everlee is a hybrid?”

“Yup,” Natalie said, still searching his bookshelf.

“Interesting. An alpha mate, and a lycan king mate. One for both. It’s a choice she’ll have to make, because we all know two dominant wolves aren’t going to share,” he said with a chuckle.

“What about the story?” I asked.

He thought about it. “It was an old fairytale. I may still have it. Hold on.”

He got up, in overlarge clothes, a sweater vest and penny loafers. He bent down beneath his desk and pulled out a large plastic box packed to the brim.

Rummaging through the box, he began to pull out things and sit them on his desk. Once he hit the bottom, he grinned. “~Ah-ha~!” he shouted, running his fingertips over the black and white checkered children’s bedtime story book.

I sighed so he couldn’t hear.

~This dude is giving me a children’s fairytale book? Cheese on a flipping cracker.~

“My mother was human,” he said softly. “She was raised by wolves and survived my birth. My father found his mate later in life, and left,” he said, looking up at me. “She was an excellent mother and read to me often. It was one thing I brought with me into my adult life. Her love for reading.”

I took the book, looking at the worn yellow pages, and the age of the hard cover. “Thank you,” I said even though I wasn’t sure if any of it would help.

Natalie squealed and snagged a book from the top shelf. “Why didn’t you tell me that this came in?”

Professor Sitton chuckled. “I read it, and just forgot. Take it. It’s a wild ending.”

Natalie grinned ear to ear and shoved the book down into her book bag. “Thanks for all of your help. I’ll bring this back when I finish,” she said, looking over at me. “Are you ready?”

I nodded. “Thank you, Professor Sitton. It was nice to meet you.”

He sat down and furrowed his brow. “Harlan, I know you’re in a difficult position, but don’t let the bad come out in the midst of this battle.”

Brushing him off to being a little looney, I nodded. “Sure thing.”

Nat and I walked out of the journalism building, and I stopped on the sidewalk. “Thank you for taking me here.” I glanced at the book. “I’m not really sure how much help a fairytale will be, but maybe I’m wrong.”

She smiled. “He’s a good guy, just a little silly at times. I’d love to know how it turns out after you read it. If you have any luck with it.”

I pulled out my phone and handed it to her. “You can put in your number. I’ll text you if I find anything.”

She typed in her number and handed it back. “Awesome. I hope everything works out for you.”

“Me too. Thanks.”

Nat waved and walked the opposite way toward her dorm, and I started back toward my apartment. In the distance, I noticed some wolf staring at me. I didn’t recognize him, but I didn’t make it a habit to try to make friends often.

There were plenty of wolves and lycans from our pack to talk to around campus. I felt him watching me clear across the courtyard, but I figured it had to do with my scene dealing with Rage the other night.

I ignored it.

I dug my phone from my pocket and sent Everlee a text message to meet me for supper later. I knew she had plans with Bryiar, and I tried not to think about what she was doing with Rage, but I wanted to see her.

I prayed she didn’t smell like him.

~Did he kiss her?~ My wolf asked.

~I don’t know. I don’t care.~

~Liar. You know you care.~

~Stop talking about it.~

~Whatever,~ he mumbled.

I stalked toward my apartment, unlocked the door, and walked toward my room. The storybook was old, the pages frail and yellowed. ~What were the chances of a storybook giving me anything?~

I sat down on my bed, opened the first page, and read over the title: ~The Little Wolf.~ The creepy font gave me a shiver. I turned the page and looked at the prologue.

~Once upon a time, a small little wolf wasn’t so small anymore, but she felt small between them. She didn’t realize one path would lead to destruction, and the other the same. The two beasts surrounding her would rip her apart in the midst of a war too big for her shoulders.~

~One beast held rage. The other wrath. Neither of them willing to walk away, neither of them willing to lose the little wolf.~

~Too bad for the wolf.~

~She doesn’t know what’s coming.~

My fingers grew numb, dropping the page, and shoving the book away from me.

~It’s just a book,~ my wolf said, feeling my despair.

~You’re right,~ I said softly, scrubbing my palm down my face. I got up and walked toward my refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

Maybe I’d finish it later. It was a fairytale; maybe it had a good ending. It wasn’t linked to Everlee or our situation.

It was fiction.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Everlee: ~I left my phone in my dorm room to charge. Can I meet you at the cafeteria in an hour or so?~

Me: ~Sure. I’ll see you then.~

~Ask her about Rage,~ my wolf pushed.

~No. I’m not asking her about him. If she wants to tell me anything, she can, but I won’t ask.~

I didn’t want to know. I tossed my empty water bottle when someone knocked on my door. I walked over and opened it to see no one. A small white envelope sat on my worn doormat, and I picked it up before shutting and locking my door.

I’d been in that apartment for three years, and no one ever left me any notes. I opened it up and stared at the small print.

~Don’t worry. We’ll make it easy for you.~

I dropped my hand and swung the door open wide, walking out onto the concrete porch. I stared at the parking spaces and empty lot to my left.

~Who in the hell left this? Make what easy for me?~

I folded the note and tore it into two pieces, letting the pieces drift in the wind, hoping whoever watched me knew that I wasn’t scared and didn’t give a rat’s ass about any half-hearted threats.

If Rage did this, it was sad and pathetic.

If not, I had no idea who cared enough about my future to care about my mate.

Either way, I wasn’t backing down.

It wasn’t in my nature. I may not claim my father, but royalty ~was~ in my blood.

***