Rebels and Runaways: Eden Academy Book One

by Grace McGinty

  31

  Carmen

  It took two cars to get us all to Nîso on Saturday afternoon. We’d gotten special permission for us to all be off campus, and Bobby had come by to pick us up. I was pressed in the middle seat between him and Flint, and in the car behind us, Christopher drove Enit, Sammie, Cara, Madoc and little Attica.

  Enit’s Alpha, uh I mean Bohdie, had elected to stay home, because there was a whole thing about Alphas and territories. Besides, if any of my dads saw how he mooned over Enit, Bohdie would be beaten down so hard into the ground, they’d have to get an excavator to remove his body.

  I didn’t envy any man that Enit decided to bring home. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t put them through absolute hell to make sure they were worthy. But I liked both Sammie and Cara, and Bohdie was their friend. I trusted that he wasn’t a piece of shit.

  I moved my head to Bobby’s shoulder, and he pressed his cheek against my hair. I didn’t know how to tell him about Monster. Why couldn’t I just bury my head in the sand and pretend none of it happened? That nothing else but this mattered?

  I sighed heavily. I’d talk to him this afternoon. We’d work it out. “That was a big sigh, Mouse.”

  He glanced down at me before flicking his eyes back to the road.

  “It’s just been a wild month. I’m ready to settle into school, focus on my studies and have orgies every other day again. All the fun stuff, you know?”

  The truck swerved and Bobby whipped his eyes back to me. “Again? You guys are having orgies?” He shot a glare at Flint. I tensed, but he just shook his head. “Without me? Assholes.”

  I grinned and squeezed his thigh, sliding my palm further up toward his crotch. He took his hand off the stick and gripped my wrist.

  “If I accidentally crash this truck because you had your hot little hand wrapped around my cock, your parents will reanimate me, just to kill me again.”

  Flint laughed, pulling me from Bobby’s side, and into his arms. “I can keep her distracted if you want, Alpha?”

  Bobby’s eyes flashed, and he licked his bottom lip. I leaned closer to Flint’s ear, pretending to whisper a secret even though we all had supernatural hearing. “I think he likes it when you call him Alpha.” I leaned forward and nipped Flint’s ear, and he growled.

  He tried to drag me onto his lap, but my belt kept me in my seat. Flint moved to unclip it, but Bobby batted his hands away.

  “No way. She stays strapped in and you keep it in your pants. No distracting the driver, and you fucking our girl? That’s like the definition of distraction.”

  Flint pouted, but it didn’t matter because we were crossing the ward into Nîso. I had balls, but not enough to make a spectacle of myself in Pack lands. Instead, I grabbed Flint’s face, turning it toward me. I kissed him hard.

  “Later, I promise.”

  It was a promise I was going to make good on, because I hungered. Sex with them was like a drug. The more of them I had, the more I wanted, until even just looking at them made me wet. I had a flash of the other night, pressed between Flint and Sammie, and my whole body went hot, my core clenching.

  Bobby groaned loudly. “Mouse, whatever the hell you are thinking, stop. You smell like fucking heaven and I don’t want to go to a Pack cookout with a raging hard-on that I can’t get rid of until tonight.” He looked between us both, and his tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip.

  He looked seconds from saying fuck it and driving us to a secluded spot, but he was saved by arriving at the town gardens out the front of the Packhouse.

  He parked his truck under a tree. Instead of climbing out though, he fisted the front of my t-shirt and pulled me close. He kissed me like he was physically pained, and when I ran my hand over the front of his jeans, I think I was probably right. Just when I thought my lungs would burst, he tore his lips away. He looked over at Flint, and curled a finger. Flint leaned over me, and Bobby met him halfway. Bobby kissed him softly compared to how he kissed me, and I resisted the urge to squee. When Flint sucked Bobby’s lip between his teeth, I actually moaned.

  “I like it when you call me Alpha,” Bobby growled.

  Flint’s answering grin promised mischief of the best kind. Then they both climbed out of the car and I panted. Seriously? I wanted to yell for them to come back and kiss again.

  Instead, Sammie appeared at the door.

  “Hey, Sweetheart. Whatcha doin’?”

  I pouted and climbed out of the car toward him. “Bobby and Flint just kissed.”

  Sammie frowned. “And you’re upset because…?”

  “They stopped.”

  Sammie laughed and dragged me the rest of the way out of the car. Then he kissed me quickly. “I don’t blame you. I wanna pout because I missed it. But as much as I’d like to kiss you happy, your parents are here and they scare the fucking shit out of me.”

  Someone laughed behind us, and I was pretty sure it was one of my parents listening in. I dragged him toward the crowd. The whole Pack was here, and every single one of them was staring at Madoc’s wings. Sammie rolled his eyes, twining his fingers in mine and strolled toward his little group with forced ease. I mean, it was a good imitation of ease, and I could only spot his tenseness because I’d seen him truly relaxed.

  “Madoc, what did Judas say about your wings?”

  The fire-haired kid just huffed. “I should treat my wings like my dick. I might think they’re impressive, but it's rude to have them out in mixed company.”

  I tried to keep a straight face, I swear. But the laughter bubbled up until it was spilling over my lips and I could hardly breathe. That set Attica off, and even Madoc began to giggle. Sammie had said they were both empathic, which made sense. Cara just shook her head, grinning as she slapped the younger girl’s back when she started to wheeze.

  “Come on, Chuckles. We should go and introduce ourselves to the Alpha.”

  I wiped my eyes with my palms, and straightened. “I’ll introduce you.”

  Flint was still with Bobby, and I was kind of glad they were, uh, getting along. It was one thing to be the only girl in a harem of guys, but I only had two hands. I wanted us to be a unit, not just me having three different relationships.

  Maybe four, an annoying little voice whispered in the back of my brain.

  Monster’s words about us being a Pack made more sense. We were all different, but I wanted us to be a Pack within a Pack.

  I shook off thoughts of Monster and stopped in front of my dad, Brody, Alpha of Nîso. Up here, he was God. His word was law.

  “Dad, you remember Sammie? This is his family, Cara, Madoc and Attica.”

  Sammie dropped his eyes. “Sir.”

  Cara and Madoc did the same, but Attica mustn’t have been around as many shifters, because she just smiled happily until Madoc tugged on her hand. “He’s the Alpha, you gotta drop your eyes in respect,” he hissed.

  Attica’s eyes went wide. “Oh, I’m sorry. You just have such a happy aura and I got all caught up in all the blues, and then your, uh, friend? His is all pretty and purple and yellow, and then they mingle in the middle and—”

  “Attica,” Sammie grunted, and she dropped her pretty blue eyes quickly, her lip jutting out like she was going to cry.

  Brody laughed. “It’s fine, little pup. Our customs can be hard to remember. Please, relax. I don’t hold to many of those old traditions. This is my packmate, Tex.”

  Attica bounded over to him. “Oh, you’re blind? Madoc, he’s blind. I wonder if that’s why your aura is so intense. Madoc, can you see it?”

  Madoc looked between me and Sammie frantically, like his cousin was one more run-on sentence from being eaten.

  I laughed. “Give them hell, Attica. Keeps them on their toes.”

  “Who’s on their toes?” My father, X, did that creepy ass thing where he just appeared behind me, mainly because he knew it annoyed me and he was really a big kid on the inside.

  Attica turned to him, her jaw dropping. “You don’t have a
n aura at all. Holy poop. Madoc, he doesn’t have one.”

  Madoc jumped in front of her, covering her mouth with his hand. “He’s a vampire, Attica. Shh.”

  Attica went pale. “Oh no. I’m so sorry,” she said in a terrified squeal, and I could see X soften like butter in the sun.

  God, he was such a marshmallow. He gave her a fangy smile. “Maybe we have no souls?”

  She frowned and looked at him like he was crazy. Which he was, but she wasn’t to know that. “Of course you do.”

  She said it with such certainty, it made Tex laugh. “I know a couple of the other Pack kids in your grade are over near the benches, pretending to be too cool for family barbeques if you want to go say hello?”

  Madoc looked at Sammie, who nodded. “Look after Attica,” he said quietly, and I had the feeling that perhaps Attica might need protecting. She reminded me almost of an Omega, and in a Pack of shapeshifters, that wasn’t a bad vibe to give off.

  They skipped off, and Sammie and Cara watched them go like mother hens.

  As if I summoned her with thoughts of Omegas, Enit appeared and grabbed Cara’s hand.

  “Come on, I want you to meet someone. It’ll drive Christopher insane.”

  Cara laughed, her expression soft when she looked at my sister. “How did you come out of the same womb as the other two? It’s like you got all the sweetness and light,” she said to Enit, before sliding her eyes to me. “No offense, I totally appreciate the badass ballbreaker vibe you have too. Come on Enit, I’m always down to do anything to piss your brother off.”

  They flounced off arm in arm and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Brody shook his head. “Christopher needs someone who won’t take his shit. I have a feeling that your sister is one of those people.”

  Sammie snorted. “You have no idea, Alpha.”

  I grabbed us both a soda, and pulled him into the crowd of people to find Bobby and Flint. I hadn’t been to a Nîso event since Bobby had claimed me. I wanted to make sure some of these bitches got the message, with my fists if I had to.

  32

  Bobby

  Mouse sat on my lap, curling her lip at all the females that came within two feet of me. Except Lulu. Lulu was talking animatedly with Sammie about his life in a MC club, like she was thinking about signing up and becoming a patched member.

  I snorted at the idea of her driving a Harley, but hey, crazier things had happened.

  This was honestly the most peaceful Pack gathering I’d had since I’d come of age. Hell, probably since I’d been named as the Alpha-Heir. There were always girls looking at becoming the next Alpha Mate, or guys jostling for a moment of my time so they could ingratiate themselves, hoping I’d make them Enforcers or some shit.

  It was nice, just us and Lulu. Others had come to say hello, to catch up with me about something or other, and to say hello to Flint and Sammie, but none of them had stayed long.

  Just a cold beer and my fated mate in my lap. I couldn’t be happier.

  I watched the rest of Sammie’s family with my Pack, and it made me happy too. If things went how I wanted them to go, eventually they’d be an extension of my family too. I was glad to see Attica and Madoc playing with the other kids, though I noted Madoc had his wings back out and a couple of the pups were patting them. I’d have to watch that kid. I had a feeling he’d break some Pack hearts soon.

  They blended seamlessly, and that was honestly down to Mouse’s parents. I’d been a kid when Brody had presented Raine, a newly made vampire, to the Pack as his Alpha Mate. It hadn’t gone well for that first year, but now they loved her. Until Brody, I’d have been expected to marry a nice shapeshifter girl, and the idea of me marrying a two-natured shifter would have been… insane. Even Ghost, who was a snow leopard shifter, had been frowned upon or outright shunned by the older members of the Pack until Brody had become Alpha and made him an Enforcer. Ha! They’d changed their opinion real quick, or at least kept it to themselves.

  But you’d have to be blind or stupid not to realize how much Brody’s rule as Alpha had enhanced Nîso and our Pack as a whole. Hopefully he reigned as Alpha for decades to come because I was in no hurry. Ready to lead, but not in any rush.

  There was a lull in conversation and Sammie gave Mouse a pointed look. She sighed and tensed in my arms, wiggling off my lap. Her normally crystalline blue eyes were cloudy with worry, and my heart began to thud.

  “Bobby, I gotta tell you something.”

  Jesus, was she pregnant? Fuck, her parents were going to murder me. I mean, we were safe, I would always take care of her, but condoms weren’t a hundred percent effective. Oh my god, I was too young to be a parent, but I’d stand by her, and love our cubs.

  Lulu stood. “Uh, this sounds private. I’ll just be over there.” She looked between me and Mouse. “I’ll keep everyone away for a bit.”

  This was why I wanted Lulu as an Enforcer. Though that was a problem for another day; I was too busy in my full-blown panic. “What is it, Mouse? Are you okay?”

  She smiled and leaned forward to kiss me. “I’m totally fine. Now, remember you love me, okay? And that I love you.”

  Sweat broke out across my skin, and for some reason, I began to panic. She took a deep breath.

  “So you know how there was a security incident at the fence the other day?” I nodded. I’d heard about it of course. “Well, it was Monster.”

  I frowned. A monster? I mean, we were all… Fuck. “Monster the fucking Wendigo?”

  She nodded, wincing a little. “He was there to see me. Alistair and Micah ran him off, but that night I couldn’t sleep, all restless and stuff, so I went for a walk. And I ended up back at that spot in the fence.”

  My heart was beginning to thud in my ears. “He was still there? You went out to see the Wendigo by yourself?”

  She nodded, her eyes darting to Sammie. “Not on purpose, but Sammie came with me.”

  I growled low in my throat. “No offense, but you were going to meet a fucking Wendigo. A human is not adequate backup.”

  Before I could blink, Sammie had his gun pulled and pointed at my head. Almost inhumanly fast. Lulu lurched toward me, but I held up a hand. “Fair point. Sorry. I’m just… shocked. I know you can hold your own against us.”

  I wanted to scream that a Wendigo wasn’t like me or even Flint. He was the specter of death, and a bloody one at that. I looked into Mouse’s disapproving face as Sammie sat back down, tucking his gun away.

  “He made his point, Mouse. I’m sorry. Please, continue.”

  She shifted in my lap, and I got the feeling that she would have moved to Sammie’s if she wasn’t trying to butter me up. Which made me anxious all over again. There was more to this story.

  She chewed on her bottom lip, before speaking again. “He said a lot of things, but I guess the most important thing, um I guess, was that he was my fated mate and he wanted to join our Pack.”

  I shot to my feet, barely catching Mouse before she slipped to the ground. I gripped her shoulders and spun her to face me. “He said what? You can’t be. You’re my mate!” I realized I was yelling at her, so I took a deep, steadying breath and loosened my grip. She wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned her head on my chest. The sense of rightness when she was in my arms told me I hadn’t been wrong. I knew with every single ounce of my soul that she was my fated mate. I’d known it for years.

  “I know, Bobby. I am definitely yours.” She took a shuddering breath. “But I think I might be his too.”

  I kissed the top of her head, and then walked her back into Sammie’s waiting arms while I paced around the clearing. I didn’t know what to say, what to do. I thought about how I would feel if Carmen denied me—if my Mouse, the girl I had loved forever, said she didn’t want to be mine. The pain in my chest was as real as a heart attack just at the thought. Could I do that to another man?

  I looked at Mouse and wondered if she’d reject him if I asked. But even as I thought it, I knew she wouldn’t
. Her heart was one of the many reasons I loved her so much, and she would never doom a man to a lifetime alone. To the insanity of having your mate, fated by the Moon Goddess or the ancestors or whatever you believed in, reject you to your face.

  Yeah, Mouse would never do that.

  I took a shuddering breath in. Another fated mate I could deal with, but a Wendigo? “He’s steeped in blood, Mouse. The Pack would never accept him.”

  She shook her head sadly. “He didn’t mean Nîso. He meant us. Our Pack of four.”

  I’d seen Monster fight. On nights when Mouse had fought early, sometimes I’d dropped her home and come back to the fights. It was good for me to know who was attending these fights, what went on in our territory.

  All his fights ended in a brutal death, but one time was forever burned into my brain. It was one of his first fights in this area, and I remember Rat’s absolute glee. Mouse had KO’ed her opponent early, and I’d driven her home and come back, because I didn’t trust Rat even a little.

  It had been rowdy, and Monster had sat in the corner, holding a beer. His opponent had been a big, mean motherfucker, a bobcat shifter, I think. Not from Nîso, but close enough that I’d heard rumors of his brutality.

  Monster, yeah he’d been Monster even back then, had looked malnourished and I’d almost felt sorry for him. Don’t get me wrong, he was still huge. Tall, muscular, with a long reach that marked him as a good fighter, but there was something almost gaunt about him. Anyway, I was kind of worried the reigning champion would just fuck him over and put him in a shallow grave. But that wasn’t what happened. Monster had stepped into the ring and fought like a demon. He’d gotten the bobcat shifter onto his back in seconds, and three solid elbows to the guy’s temple had dazed him. Then, I’d watched him land blow after punishing blow until the bobcat’s cheekbone collapsed. I’d thought Rat would call it or hell, that Monster would just get up and walk away, but instead he grabbed the dude’s hand and started breaking every single one of his fingers. And then his wrist. Then his arm.