Chapter 14: Chapter 14

RAGE

“Dude, where is your head today?” Derek asked from my doorway.

I knew where my head was, and it wasn’t in the alpha fraternity at the moment, or the Field Day Games coming up in a few hours. I hadn’t been able to focus or get my mind off Everlee the entire night.

Being an alpha king in the making meant I was stronger than other wolves, but he felt so weak when she was around. I tied my sneakers, ignoring Derek’s constant stare. “Do you have somewhere to be?” I asked, standing up to grab a T-shirt from my drawer.

Derek sighed. “Are you still pissed about yesterday, bro? Look, I’m not questioning your wolf, or your authority, I just want you to land your girl, that’s all.”

I grabbed my notebook from my desk and turned to look at him. “We’ve already had this conversation. I’m not low blowing the dude to win her. So, stop it.”

Derek nodded. “Field Day starts after lunch. We’re meeting by the courtyard. There is a new fraternity entering this year.”

“Yeah?” I asked, snagging a red bull from my mini fridge. “Who?”

“The lycans.”

The name didn’t upset me as it did many other wolves. The rivalry between wolves and lycans went back many years, but I never cared. I’d met plenty of decent lycans over the years, and considering Everlee was a hybrid, I didn’t give two cents about it. “So what?” I said.

Derek pushed from the doorframe. “Don’t you think it’s conspicuous that as soon as Harlan gets here, there is a lycan fraternity competing with us?”

I narrowed my gaze to slits. “Seriously Derek, you’re grasping at straws. This dude has been here for three years. He isn’t new to the university, and he hasn’t caused any trouble.”

Derek shrugged. “Whatever you think, Rage. I’m going to class. I’ll see you at lunch.”

Rage waited until he was out of hearing range before sighing. Derek was drowning him in idiotic theories and bad ideas lately. Rage locked his dorm room and walked across campus to his first class.

It was his final year at Werewolf University, and he had his last alpha studies class. Most of the guys there were dorm mates, with the exception of a few that were transfers. I sat down in the middle of the classroom and leaned back in my chair.

Our professor, Professor Sitton, strolled in, holding a bag full of books, and carrying a mug of coffee. He was older, with red hair, and frankly, a little odd, but nice enough. He started scribbling on the board, and I followed along with my notes.

“We’re talking about the different situations that give our luna authority over our packs today,” he said, turning sharply with his hands behind his back. “Who can think of one?”

I tapped my pen against my notebook, knowing that Everlee would make a good luna. She was strong, levelheaded.

“If we’re ill, or out of town?” one of the alphas answered.

Professor Sitton nodded and pointed at him. “Yes, what else?”

“If it involves she-wolves,” I suggested.

Professor Sitton stared at me for a long moment, making me squirm, but he nodded. “Yes, Rage. That’s a good one.”

One of the alphas snickered in the corner. “Rage won’t have to worry about that if the lycan wins his mate.”

My wolf paced a hole right into my stomach, and I felt myself growing irate. Before I could stop myself, I stood up, and my chair flew back several feet, hitting the alpha sitting behind me. “You want to say that to my face?” I asked, trying to make my way across the room, but someone wrapped their arms around my chest.

“Rage,” Professor Sitton said. “Calm down and take a seat.”

My wolf wanted to rip him in two, but I fought him, rationality winning after several seconds of contemplating ways of killing him. I took a seat and grabbed my pen. It snapped in two pieces, ink running over my fingers.

The alpha next to me handed me a new one, and I thanked him.

By the time class ended, I’d calmed enough not to ram my fist down the alpha’s throat that insulted me.

“Rage, can I speak to you for a moment?” Professor Sitton asked.

I waited for everyone to leave, before walking up to his desk. “Yes, Sir.”

He looked over his glasses at me, while tapping his fingertips against his desk. “I may be a recluse, but I’ve heard about what’s going on with you, and I’m sorry.”

“No offence, Professor, but I don’t need your pity. I’m going to win my mate, because I have no other choice.”

He gave me a soft smile, and I didn’t know why it rubbed me the wrong way. Did he not believe that I could win her? “I hope you do, Son. Can I give you some advice? It’s something my mother always told me about mates.”

“Sure.” ~Why not?~

He cleared his throat. “Alphas, and male wolves in general are dominant. It’s how God made us, however, she-wolves are more dominant than a human, as well. They need you to be strong, but some, especially your hybrid mate, need to have room to make choices. They need a male that is stern, but soft for them.”

“Let her breathe?” I asked.

He nodded. “To an extent.

“I can do that. My father may be the alpha king, but I want my mate to feel heard.”

He smirked. “Exactly.”

I walked toward the door but glanced over my shoulder. “Do you know Harlan well?”

“Not well, no, but I do know, he’s going to try just as hard as you.”

I didn’t imagine any different.

***

The alphas stood back from the huge blow-up slide with a water hose running down it, watching as the other teams took their turns. Most years it was fun to watch the girls get wet and beat every other team that signed up.

This year all I could focus on was her scent. It was mixed in with Harlan’s and Bryiar’s. It took my self-control, plus some, to keep with my group. With every minute that passed, my wolf bullied me more and more.

The alphas made their way to the front of the slide, where some of the professors took time with clipboards and cheesy university hats. Everlee’s scent neared, and I watched as she took a spot on top of the slide against one of the lunas.

Her T-shirt was soaked through from the spraying water, her chest ample with peaked nipples. My fingers tightened into fists the more I admired her. Her slender stomach was visible where she had her T-shirt tied into a midriff.

Brett whistled from beside me. “I know this is killing you. Look at her,” he said, shaking his head.

Everlee glanced down at me, as if she heard our conversation, and a blush crawled up her skin. “Tell me about it,” I mumbled, looking away, sliding my palm over my face. “This is a new kind of torture.”

Brett nodded in agreement. “~I get it~,” he said.

The professor at the starting line called for two more teammates to join, and Harlan slid in behind her. She sat between his legs, while he wrapped his hands around her waist. My wolf howled in fury, and I noticed Brett step in front of me to block my view, but it was like a train wreck. I couldn’t look away.

Harlan and Everlee slid down the slide, beating the other team. Everlee jumped up, excitement all over her face. Harlan tossed her over his shoulder and slapped her ass. My wolf jolted me forward, and Brett grabbed the back of my shirt to stop me.

Everlee noticed me over Harlan’s shoulder, and her face dropped at the sight of me. My wolf was skimming the surface, and I wanted to give in and let him out, but I turned and closed my eyes.

“Maybe you should sit this one out,” Brett said. “You don’t seem in the spirit anyway.”

“That’s a good idea. You can handle it without me.”

Brett slapped my shoulder.

I left the field in a mighty rush to get back to my room. Classes had been cancelled for the day for the games, so I had nowhere to go besides my room. I needed the privacy. My phone vibrated in my pocket as I neared the alpha house.

“Hello?”

“Son,” Dad’s voice boomed. “I haven’t heard from you. How are things going?”

I swallowed, knowing what he really meant by that question. “Everything is fine, Dad.”

The silence on the other end deafened me.

“I haven’t won over my mate, Dad. If that’s why you’re calling. It’s been like three days.”

“She’s your mate. It should take you one look—one glance—and she should be yours, son. You’re not trying hard enough.”

Clamping my teeth together, I shoved my shoulder into the door and jogged up the staircase. “You’re right,” I said, slamming my door. “I’ll just go drag her to my room, break the promise on marking her, and rape her for everyone to hear.”

“You won’t talk to me that way again or you’ll regret it,” he said coolly. “I want you to bring her to the pack house this weekend; we’ll seal the deal for you, since you can’t do it yourself. We’re having a gathering with a neighboring pack. Bring her. We’ll show her the dynamics of our pack. See you then.”

He hung up before I had a chance to agree.

Laying down on my bed, I rested my forearm over my eyes and sighed. When my phone vibrated again, I thought to chunk it against the opposing wall, but I noticed a text from Everlee.

~Can I come see you?~

~Thank God,~ my wolf sighed.

~I’m in my room.~ I answered. ~You’re always welcomed.~

I watched the three dots dance across our text for several seconds, but then they disappeared. Everlee knocked on my door several seconds later, my wolf relaxed, and stopped his pacing.

~Finally.~