“Sweetheart,” her mother growled. “You have to understand what you are doing. You are putting them in a terrible position. You are a legacy. They have to take you. It’s in their bylaws. They have to respect them. At least pretend to. But I left my mate for another wolf. I disrespected my pack, and in their eyes, I disparaged the sorority name. They will take you, and they will make your life hell.”
She took a breath. “My economics class is really hard, but I’m doing well.”
“Oh, Alex.” Her mother’s breath hitched. “Sweetheart.”
She disconnected the phone and bit down on her cheek to stop the tears threatening from actually falling. It would be so easy to do what her mother said, so simple to fall back into the routine where her mother said, “Jump,” and she said, “How high?” For all intents and purposes, her mother had been Alex’s only pack for so long they’d fallen into an alpha-subordinate relationship.
But her mother wasn’t the pack she desired, and finally she could do something about it. She was nineteen years old. If humans could break away, so could she.
“Ah.” She lay back on the bed. None of the shit with her mother was new. It had been happening since she was old enough to realize other werewolves didn’t live as she did.
Her roommate was out at a rush event for a human house Alex had never heard of. She couldn’t even remember the names of the other houses. If she didn’t get Lambda, no others mattered.
Alex’s mind drifted. Seeing Kieran the night before had thrown her. He was right. There would be things to do on campus if she didn’t pledge a house. Her course load was nothing to sneeze at, and even when she found a pack, she needed to be able support herself and pay her dues. She needed good grades if she ever hoped to have an MBA.
Not to mention maybe she could do some of the things Kieran did just to spend time in his presence. If that made her pathetic, so be it. Some people Facebook and Instagram stalked. She took classes with hot TAs.
“No.” She sat back up. The plan had been Lambda. She had lied, schemed, and even sought out her father to pay her tuition at Tide so she could pledge Lambda. Nothing could get in her way.
Not even doubts put in her head by a hot senior who was a walking, talking hypocrite. He’d pledged a house and joined a frat. He could hardly tell her she shouldn’t do the same. Kieran was a human. He didn’t even fully understand the ramifications of what he’d said. With the other houses, it was about socialization and status; for her, it was about the makeup of the rest of her life.
Screw his dark hair, green eyes, and dimple. And why had he been so mean and run off? Guys just got in the way. They should all go take a long leap off a short dock.
The alarm on her phone beeped, and she got up. The skirt would have to do. It was time to go. It wouldn’t do to be late to her first rush, even at Lambda. Her mother was right. The sisters might be tough on her, but only until they got to know her. If there was one thing she’d always been able to do, it was to charm the pants off people. By the time she was finished, they would be thrilled to give her a bid, and ecstatic to make her a sister.
She set her back and walked with her head held high out of the door. It was a short distance between her freshman dorm room and the Greek Houses. The school didn’t let anyone rush or pledge a house until three months into the school year. It was supposed to give the new students time to decide if they wanted to be Greek or not without the pressure of the first few weeks weighing down on them.
The whole campus set up for the rush week as if it was a giant party. Every house on the hill—some of them built similarly to Lambda with Corinthian columns and fresh white paint— were classic statements of good taste and established history. Other houses seemed to go out of their way to show just how artsy they could be. Spray painted murals on one house and the actual American flag covering the front of another illustrated the feelings of the members who lived inside.
She didn’t spare them a glance. With eyes on her target, she reached Lambda House without shaking. That had to be a good sign. If not, she would pretend it was. This was her night, the first step on the path to the rest of her life. If she needed to see a sign, then, damn it, she would see one.
Several people were in front of her in line. Earlier, she’d turned in her rush forms. The sororities would all know her story. The basics would tell them she’d had a 4.0 in high school, and her favorite food was steak. They’d also know her mother was a legacy of Lambda, which meant Lambda would know, too. They would have looked up her family. They’d know her mother’s story, which saved her the problem of having to lie.
Alex would tell the truth; she’d be up front, and all would be well. A positive attitude went a long way, and given they were three weeks from the Full Moon, she wouldn’t feel the overwhelming urge to rip someone’s face apart if they pissed her off.
She smiled at the woman in front of her, sniffing the air when she did. Human. She’d never get into the Lambda.
The line continued to form behind her, and by the time the music started over the college loudspeakers to indicate the beginning of Rush Week, she had steeled her nerves. This wouldn’t get away from her. She was in charge of her own destiny.
One by one, they filed through the door to the clapping and smiling of the Lambda sisters. They chanted their sorority sound, and the whole thing deafened her ears. Every werewolf in the room must be in hell from the experience. But if they could smile, so could she.
Finally, they ushered the hopefuls into a main room. The walls were brightly colored with pictures of sisters, both current—she could see some familiar faces from around the room smiling from the walls—and alumnae. The bell-bottoms were a distinct give away along with paddles bearing the names of pledge classes and the written names of every sister who had ever pledged the house.
A smiling blonde woman stepped in front of her. She extended her hand. Alex caught the immediate scent of a werewolf and almost melted into a pool on the floor with the relief of being around another of her kind. Even knowing there was a house at school filled with werewolves, she hadn’t encountered many others since she’d gotten there. Yes, this was why she’d come; this was what she needed
“Hi,” her fellow blonde werewolf said as she shook hands. “I’m Mellee. “
“Hi.” It wasn’t hard for Alex to smile. She’d be lucky if she ever stopped. “I’m Alex, well Alexandra. I’m so happy to be here.”
Mellee laughed, a low sound. “Yes, well, Rush is exciting. I’m the president of the Lambda chapter at Tide University.”
“Oh, wow!” The actual president? Her first time in the house? Incredible.
Mellee leaned over, a smile still plastered on her face. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but if you force my hand in this, if you make me give you a spot in my house, I’ll make your life hell, she-bitch. Do you hear me? H-E-Double L. Hell. So at the end of today, you will march out of here and forget this house, forget me, forget you are any kind of a version of a werewolf. Live with the humans. Pretend. Because you’ll never be welcome here. Do you understand?”
Chapter Two
Kieran saw Alexandra the second he entered the bar. She sat by herself in the section usually reserved for the restaurant customers and twirled the little decorative stick in her drink. He walked over and took a seat at her table without being invited. She looked up at him, wide-eyed and too pale.
“Well, hello there.” She sniffed. “Kieran Montgomery. I guess you decided to join me.”
Before he could answer, the waiter came by and dropped off her order. He grinned at the food. The bar, Jewell’s Watering Hole, was famous for its version of nachos. Instead of tortilla chips, the entire thing was made with Doritos. If he ate them, he’d be ten pounds heavier, but the little werewolf would never gain weight.
“Comfort food?” He stole one chip from her plate and closed his eyes. There were some benefits to being human. Taste was one of them. This was decadent. But if he wanted his future, he couldn’t
get fat.
“Yep.” She took a sip of her drink, and he watched as her mouth came around the straw.
“Why not? They usually fawn over their legacies.” And after his father’s phone call, it was everything he could do not to curse himself for not coming to Earth as a female werewolf with a Lambda legacy.
He could hardly believe the number. Thirty million dollars….
“It’s complicated.” She looked away, and his heart clenched.
Oh, what the hell. Just die already, Kieran.
Why was his human host taking so long to fade away? He had no doubt about his own strength and ability. So what the hell was the deal with this human? Just die.
A pause, then the word “No” resonated through his mind. He jumped in his seat. Unacceptable. His human shouldn’t respond. Ever. Somehow he’d deal with it later, one way or another, but right then, he needed to focus on the hottie across the table.
“So uncomplicate it. If you don’t like the house, don’t pledge there.” Except if she didn’t, the little plan he’d concocted would be for naught.
“My mother is the legacy. I thought, I mean, I knew her history might be a problem, but I didn’t realize the huge amount of hate I would receive.”
He leaned forward. How far should he tip his hand? Seeing the waiter, he got the man’s attention. “Vodka tonic.”
The man asked for his identification, and he showed it. Being twenty-two had its perks in a college town where they carded everywhere. He didn’t drink, but it was useful for other people to think he did. He stared at Alexandra’s drink. “What are you having?”
She ran a hand through her blonde hair. “A Shirley Temple.”
“Oooh. Hot.”
She laughed, covering up her mouth to stop some of the sound. Why did she hide her amusement? They were in a public place. Why not laugh as loud as she could? Was it he who didn’t understand her, or did no man understand a woman ever?
The waiter returned with his drink, and he passed it over to her. “Here, it’s for you.”
“I’m not twenty-one.”
He leaned forward. “Do you always do everything you’re told, Alexandra? It’s one drink. Most of your classmates have been drunk every weekend since they got here. You have the look of a woman who needs to relax. Have at it.”
She shook her head. “I need my head clear.”
Damn it.
“Okay.” He smiled even though he didn’t know why he did so. He should be fuming. What the fuck was up with these human emotions? “What went wrong? What went right?”
She shook her head. “Look, you’ll never understand it. I wish I could tell you. I could really use a friend. I’ve even contemplated getting in touch with this help line just to get some good advice. Frankly, I’m at a loss.”
He needed to get this woman talking—“so I can help”—no, so he could make thirty million dollars and finally have his father tucked away in his back pocket. She was his key to getting what he desired. One way or another. He would take down the family of Lambda’s bitch president, do his father that favor, and then Kieran’s future endeavors would be funded. No more figuring out how to pay for his world domination. One way or another, he’d always have what he needed. He had a game plan. Alexandra would get him what he wanted.
Kieran leaned forward. “I know you’re a werewolf.” Her eyes widened, and she gasped. A delayed reaction. Interesting. “Don’t be afraid. I’ve always known about all of you. And no one has ever been outed or hurt based on my knowledge. So, let’s cut through the bullshit. You need Lambda so you can be a member of a pack.”
She picked up his drink, then, and took a large sip. Disgust in himself flooded his blood stream, and goose bumps popped up on his skin. He ignored the sensation and focused on the goal. The first step in world domination went through Alexandra O’Henry, and he might even be able to make her life better before he left her alone.
“How do you know?” Her hand shook. “I thought humans never knew. My mother said humans don’t know.”
He raised his hand and smiled. “I told you. You’re in no danger. I’m a…man…who knows things. I promise. I don’t care if you go all furry under the full moon. I think it’s fascinating, actually. The hows and whys of the transformation might be interesting to hear about some time. But I think you need to get past your shock so we can talk about what happened and figure out what you’ll do next.”
She stared at him, red rimming the outside of her eyes. “I want to shift. I’m wishing it was a full moon so I could tear you to shreds.”
“Sorry, princess, three full weeks until then, and by the time the pretty ball of cheese rises, you won’t wish to claw out my eyes anymore. You’ll want to drop to your knees and thank the stars you ran into me.”
Alexandra snarled, and it was a sight to behold. He wished he had a camera to capture her feral beauty. The way her blue eyes dilated, the way the red in her cheeks made her look alive; no longer defeated, but all woman and a creature of danger wrapped up in a pretty little package.
“You need the sorority, the feeling of pack. I’d like you to get what you want. And I think you can help me get what I need. We can be…partners.” He hadn’t quite thought of his plan in those terms, but, hell, the idea had merit.
“What do you mean? What can my getting into Lambda possibly do for you?”
“Smart question.” He liked the way her mind worked. “I need Mellee Martin. Well, I want information about Mellee Martin, something to make her father, Senator Campbell Martin, shake in his boots and give up his presidential bid.”
“Why do you care if he runs for president?”
“I’ll tell you what.” He sat back. Her scent, all vanilla and roses, made him dizzy. He needed to stay focused. “You can keep some of your secrets, and I’ll keep some of mine. I don’t need to know what your mom did. Okay? Just tell me what happened today, and we’ll see what we can do. Or better yet, what I can do since you’re obviously doing all you can already. Start talking. Then when the time comes, you’ll give me info on Mellee. Straight out trade.”
“Well.” He could see from the way she bit her lip she wasn’t comfortable with his proposal. Still, she kept talking, which had to be a good sign. “Since you mention it, she’s really the one who was the problem. She told me she would make my life hell, and I should go away. The other girls, well, they were okay. Friendly even. But Mellee’s venom. I’ve never heard anything akin to it.”
He drummed his fingers on the table. “Did she actually say ‘hell’? Did she use that word?”
“She spelled it. You know. H-E-Double sticks. The whole nine yards.”
Mellee’s outburst was too precious for words. “I know a little bit about hell. You can take my word on this. Nothing she could ever do to you would be anything close to hell. She’s a spoiled, pampered, pack princess, and by the time we’re done with her, she’ll rue the day she ever bothered you.”
“Kieran….” she sighed.
“Look, I get this is hard for you, but if you let her, Mellee Martin will ruin this for you. Or you can take charge of the situation, and we both get what we need.”
Nothing frustrated Kieran more than indecision. He could read her difficulty. It was written all over face—in the way she couldn’t quite meet his eye, in the way she kept scratching at her head. They were all nervous tics he guessed she didn’t even know she possessed.
But he didn’t have time for nonsense. Part of him—the particular part that is seriously starting to piss me off—longed to give the poor girl a hug, show her some alternatives to the bitchy Lambda house, and maybe take her on a date or twelve. But doing so wasn’t on the agenda, and Kieran knew how to get what he needed.
“This is a one-time offer, sweetheart. You tell me yes, or I leave, and I never come back. You tell me no, and I never offer again. You tell anyone I offered this to you, then I deny it, and I ruin your reputation here. Forget Lambda; no one will ever even acknowledge you on campus. I’m really
popular. You know it. I know it.” He paused and put his hand, which had fisted for no apparent reason, into his pocket. “What’s it going to be? I get you a pack. You get me Mellee.”
She stared up at him, and her throat clenched when she visibly swallowed. “Okay.”
“Okay as in you understand what I’m telling you, or okay as in you take the deal?”
Alexandra took another long pull of his drink from the straw. “Okay, I want the deal.”
“Smart girl.”
“But I have a stipulation.”
He groaned. “No can do, baby cakes. This is a take it or leave it situation. We do it my way, or it all ends here.”
“I’m afraid I have to insist on this, or I can’t do it. I just can’t.” She shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
“So, the wolf has a backbone. Nice to see.” Why did he feel proud of her? This was getting ridiculous. “What are your terms?”
Alexandra pointed her finger right at him. “You don’t use one more stupid nickname for me. Not one. No sweetheart. No honey. No princess. Certainly no baby cakes. Not one. You use one more of those terms or anything similar, and I’ll back out of this and find a way to screw you. Get it?”
Well, then.
***
Her roommate snored in the next bed while Alex watched the slow tick of the clock. Why couldn’t she sleep? She groaned and tossed in her bed for the hundredth time. It felt as if she had sold her soul to the devil.
Why did I say yes to his ridiculous idea? Because it was better than her own idea, the one where she stayed in her room for the next four years and spent the rest of her life living in her mother’s basement.
She rolled over and pulled out the card she’d been carrying around for over a year. It seemed silly to still be hauling it around everywhere she went, but ever since her father had slipped it in her jacket—an incredible moment of parental caring in an otherwise horrible track record from the man—she’d come to think of it as her good luck charm. Someone to call if she should find herself completely alone.
Sorority Wolf Page 2
