Chapter 8: Chapter 8

HARLAN

~

“Dude. You fought the alpha king’s son last night. It’s all I’ve heard about in every class.” Kellan put his plate down on the cafeteria table between us and sighed. “In every. Single. Class. You’re the freaking king on campus right now.” He grabbed a piece of pork rib and gnawed on it. “From one lycan to another, you’re my hero.”

I rolled my eyes, despite his humor; I wasn’t in a laughing mood. Kellan was right. I’d been whispered about in every single class. As if the few lycans on campus weren’t already a walking neon flag, now I looked like a blimp.

When the kingdoms merged when I was a baby, only werewolves attending the university, but because a few of us were intermingled with a wolf pack, Alpha Allaire talked them into letting us attend.

We would graduate and go back to existing in the hybrid pack with our mates.

Maybe, if Everlee chose me.

Memories from the night before twirled around in my head. The sound of her soft sighs, and frustrated groans. I’d wanted to sink my canines into her well into the night.

Her smell.

Her laugh.

Everything about Ever had my wolf ready to dive into the unknown. I wanted to say screw Rage Hunt, and literally screw her into the bedroom wall, until neither of us could walk.

Kellan slurped his food. “Come on, you know she’s gonna pick you. You two grew up together.”

I took a bite of my food and tossed the remains back onto my plate. “He’s the alpha king’s son, Kellan. Every girl on campus wants to be with him.”

He scoffed, and twirled his finger around as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Yeah, well you’re the lycan king’s son. Who cares?”

Leaning back in my seat, my wolf sensed Everlee’s presence across the room. She walked in with Bryiar, a backpack over her shoulder, and a plate of food. Kellan whistled softly, so only I could hear, at the sight of her in a mid-thigh summer dress and tanned shapely legs.

Her ebony hair was twisted on top of her head, one hand twisted the strap of her backpack nervously. “~Dammmmnnnn.~”

“Stop it,” I snapped.

Everlee made it a few steps when she froze and glanced to her right. Rage stood up from a table in the midst of the football players and turned to reach for her. His fingers nearly skimmed her arm, and he smiled at her softly.

~Kill him,~ my wolf growled, forcing me forward.

I gripped the table, remembering the deal, no fighting. No tearing each other limb from limb, even if that was the image circulating in my mind like a slideshow.

Kellan made a sound beneath his breath. “Dude, chill. I see the smoke rising. Release the table. I can hear the wood giving.”

Reluctantly, I released the table and listened through the chatter of the cafeteria.

“You don’t have to sit with me now. But maybe after, we can chat? Do you have class?”

Everlee shifted nervously, and it made him laugh. “You also don’t have to be nervous. I’m not going to toss you over my shoulder and force you into anything, unless you want me to.”

~This isn’t going to work…~

I stood up, but Kellan gripped my shoulder, dragging me back down. “Chill. Eat some ice. Do something.”

“Um, yeah, well, after lunch we can…chat if you want. I’ve already had all my classes for today.”

“Sure. What dorm are you in?”

“Hellman Hall.”

“I’ll meet you there around two.”

Everlee nodded as if it was all a business transaction and continued toward our booth. Bryiar stood beside her with a ~cringy~ look on her face, which mimicked the way I felt.

Everlee slid in beside me, while Bryiar popped the back of Kellan’s head for him to scoot over.

“Hey,” she said softly, irritation in her voice. “Am I the only one hating school so far? I’ve been whispered about in every class.”

I chuckled humorlessly and palmed her thigh. “Ditto.”

“I’m starving. At least they have good food.”

Bryiar pointed toward her phone. “I texted you this on-campus thing happening tomorrow. We need to go while it’s hot. It’s a huge water slide competition. Groups of three and four try to make the best time.”

Everlee shrugged. “Sounds like fun. Want to come?” she asked me.

“Yeah, I’ve competed before. It’s fun.”

The corner of Kellan’s mouth tugged into a smile, his telltale sign that he would say something stupid. “Why don’t you ask Rage if he wants to join, too?”

Bryiar tossed her empty cup of ice at him, while I reached over and grabbed his shirt. “Piss off, Kellan.”

I let go, and he sat back while laughing. “Come on, ~I’m joking~. Someone needs to lighten the mood.”

“It’s not a joke,” Everlee said. “I wish it was, but it isn’t.”

Kellan put his hands up in surrender. “Sorry. Maybe you can ask Bryiar to take the alpha king off your hands since she’s been dreaming about mating with him since birth.”

Everlee cringed, and Bryiar tossed him a ~go to hell~ look. “Kellan, you should find a new group of friends, because I’m tired of you. Go away.”

Kellan shoved his shoulder into hers. “It’s true. You’ve been in love with him forever, and now he’s Everlee’s second mate.”

“Shut up,” I said loudly, causing attention from the neighboring tables.

“I’m done,” he said. “I have class in a few anyway. Let me out.”

“Gladly,” Bryiar said, moving out of his way.

She tried to trip him on his way out, but he dodged it. “Thank God he’s gone,” she said, swiping her hair from her face. “Don’t listen to him,” she said. “I don’t care that you’re mated to Rage. It’s not up to me, ~ya know~?”

Everlee sighed and pushed her food around her plate. “If it were we wouldn’t be in this situation, I’d hand Rage over with no problem.”

Bryiar smiled and shifted her gaze toward me. “How you holding up, Rocky?”

“I’d be lying if I said I was fine. I’m not.”

“Fair enough,” she said. “Well, at least you know he won’t try to fight you again.”

My gaze shifted across the cafeteria where I felt his eyes on me. The other players around him chatted, while he stared daggers our way. I felt the anger from the distance, but the promise he made didn’t fool me for a second.

It would only take one wrong move to make him fight me. He wanted me to have my guard down, and the sweet ~alpha-to-be~ act did nothing for me. He may feel connected to Everlee, but I knew his intentions were to mark her.

~Over my dead body.~

I didn’t want his mark anywhere on her.

“Harlan?”

“~Hmm~?”

Everlee offered me her piece of bread, and I gladly took it. “Thanks. You’re going to meet him?”

“You heard?”

“Yeah,” I said, touching her cheek. “It’s okay. It was part of the deal. I knew you were.”

She fiddled with the napkin from her silverware. “I’m nervous. I don’t know what to say to him.”

“I’m sure he’ll take the lead,” I said reluctantly.

Bryiar cleared her throat at the awkward silence. “I met a new friend today in class,” she announced. “She’s coming over to study with me tonight, Ever. I want you to meet her. She’s a she-wolf from a pack in northern Texas.”

Everlee smiled. “Don’t go finding a new best friend already. I need you now more than ever.”

Bryiar grinned. “I could never replace the lycan-werewolf princess. You come with too many perks.”

Everlee smiled though it didn’t reach her eyes.

The minutes ticked by, and I knew it grew closer to her meeting with Rage. “I need to go. I have some stuff I need to do before I hit the gym. Text me later? You can come over if you want.”

“I want,” she said, sliding out of the booth.

I grabbed my tray and turned around to kiss her. She sighed into the kiss, and I felt her wolf relax at the action. I didn’t miss the growl from the other side of the cafeteria, but it didn’t stop me.

Dropping my tray into the trash on the way out, I made my way outside and toward the library. I didn’t know much about wolves mating with two others, but I was going to find some examples somewhere.

We’d be stupid not to learn from past mistakes. Maybe I could gain some pointers on how to trump over Rage and leave him with no chance of winning my mate.