Lost Wolf

by Stacy Claflin

  Sasha laughed. “I think Landon already started some. Hurry up, I don’t want to be late.”

  I got up and tripped over my pumps.

  “You really shouldn’t leave those lying around,” Sasha teased.

  “So helpful.” I kicked them under my nightstand and made my way into the bathroom. The light in there was almost as harsh as the sun. I looked in the mirror and immediately regretted it. My hair stuck out in every direction, my unwashed makeup was smeared all over my face, and I had dark circles under my eyes.

  I was so sore that even my bones ached.

  Sasha pounded on the door. “You didn’t fall back to sleep did you?”

  “You’re the most annoying roomie ever!”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You would.” I turned on the shower as hot as it would go, climbed in, and let the stream run over me. It soothed my muscles, but my bones wouldn’t be comforted. I turned up the temperature, but it didn’t help.

  “Hurry up,” Sasha called.

  “I am!” I lathered up my hair and rushed through the shower.

  By the time I was done, I felt like a new person—except for my bones. They continued hurting. I found some painkillers in the cabinet and took a couple. Then I got ready as quickly as I could, making sure to conceal the shadows under my eyes.

  I adjusted the towel and went into the bedroom.

  Sasha shoved a coffee at me. “Hurry up, or we’re going to miss lunch. All the freshman from the Waldensian are eating together, so we at least don’t have to worry about reservations.”

  “Got it.” I sniffed the coffee steam and held it in before gulping it down. It was bitter, but I didn’t care. The jolt of energy was just what I needed. Then I made my way to my closet and pulled out a gray and white yoga tank.

  My roommate stared at me like I was crazy.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Are you seriously thinking about wearing that to orientation?”

  I held it up. “It’s cute.”

  “For the gym.” She put her hands to her face. “Thank the stars that you got me as a roomie, girlfriend. Move aside.”

  Sasha flipped through my closet. “Remind me to take you shopping again this afternoon. Especially if you want to impress that sexy, rich, Ferrari-driving boyfriend of yours.”

  “Boyfriend? That’s a little premature. We just met.”

  She snapped her attention to me. “You spent the whole night with him last night.”

  “He didn’t even kiss me goodnight.”

  “Twenty bucks says you’ll hear from him before dinner.”

  I shrugged. He’d told me that I would hear from him soon.

  Sasha went to my dresser, rummaged through the drawers, and tossed some jeggings and a lacy purple top at me. “Put those on. I can’t believe you were going to wear exercise clothes.”

  “These?” I exclaimed, holding up the pants. “Did you notice it’s summer? I’m going to melt.”

  She shook her head, muttering to herself. “Your legs are cut up, remember?”

  “Oh yeah. Still, I’m going to fry.”

  “At least you know you’ll be smokin’ hot.”

  When we got to the restaurant, everyone was already ordering burgers. After dining at the Jag, it was a bit of a disappointment, but it was fun to hang out with the other freshmen. We were all excited to get the lowdown on our upcoming year.

  Once we got onto campus, we had to go to the stadium for the orientation. The sun beat down on us.

  Sasha leaned over and whispered, “I thought it was supposed to rain all year around here.”

  “And the vampires sparkle, too.”

  She glared at me and then laughed. “We’re on the other side of the forest from Forks.”

  “Maybe that’s where it rains.”

  A microphone squeaked over the loudspeakers. Groans sounded all around us.

  Down on the field, several people stood on a platform. A heavy, balding guy was adjusting the microphone. “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Freshman Class. We have an exciting year planned. You all should have received a link to our handbook. If you haven’t read it already, be sure to get it done before tomorrow morning.”

  “I’ll get right on that,” Sasha muttered.

  I snickered. “I thought you couldn’t wait for the orientation.”

  “To check out the guys.” She glanced around. “And it looks like we’re in for a good year.”

  Though after the night I’d just had, I only had interest in one particular guy.

  The various staff took their turns filling us in on tedious details about our upcoming education while we roasted in the sun. Finally, the first guy returned to the podium and told us to break into groups with our staff advisers.

  Sasha turned to me. “Who’s your adviser?”

  “Foley, I think. He’s my stats teacher.”

  “I got some intern. Maybe he’s young and hot.”

  I shook my head. “Do you think about anything else?”

  “No, not really. See you back at the house.”

  “Bye.” I adjusted my purse over my shoulder and made my way to a courtyard with a pretty fountain. At least it was shaded. A group already sat next to a little garden under some maple trees.

  I sat near the edge of the group, as close to the fountain as possible, hoping for a little spray to cool me.

  The instructor stood with his back to us, shuffling through some papers.

  I yawned, the coffee already losing its hold on me.

  A pretty redhead who didn’t look old enough to drive turned to me. “Bored already?” She giggled.

  “Late night.”

  “Gotcha. Yeah, I know how that goes. I hear this guy is new. Hopefully he knows more than we do, right?”

  I nodded. “Let’s hope.”

  “My name’s Grace. What’s yours?” She held her hand out.

  “Victoria.” We shook hands.

  She fiddled with a book bag. “I’m so nervous. Aren’t you?”

  “Should I be?” I had enough to worry about without getting anxious about school.

  Grace leaned closer to me and whispered. “I’m only fifteen. Maybe that’s why my nerves are on fire. You think anyone will care about my age?”

  My brows came together. “Fifteen? Are you a genius or something?”

  She giggled. “Hardly. I’m homeschooled and blew through my studies. If I keep doing well, I could graduate college at nineteen. Cool, huh?”

  “I can’t imagine hitting the real world now.”

  “Oh, I’m not going to work after that. Grad school. I’m going to study—”

  “Attention, please,” Professor Foley said and turned around.

  Grace snapped her attention toward the front. I followed suit.

  “Welcome,” he continued.

  I studied his profile. There was something familiar about him.

  My heart raced at the thought.

  He continued speaking, focused on the other side of the group. I couldn’t understand a word he said. The longer I stared at him, the more convinced I became that somehow I knew him. Or at least had seen him somewhere.

  His hair was dark and thick, his skin tanned to perfection. He had stunning features and a gorgeous profile. It was hard to believe he was old enough to be a professor. He was younger by far than all the others I’d seen. A magazine cover would have been a more fitting place for him.

  Professor Foley turned toward my side of the group. “And be sure to ask questions. That’s what we’re here…” His voice trailed off as our gazes met. His face paled and his eyes widened. His expression held something. Horror? Shock? Whatever it was, he continued staring at me.

  I was frozen in place. My heart thundered in my chest, threatening to break through my ribcage. I knew him. Without a doubt, we had spent time together. I just couldn’t remember any of it. My palms had grazed that stubble and my eyes had stared into those deep blue eyes. Even with the
distance, I recalled that he often smelled of woodsy aftershave and soap.

  Those around me whispered, bringing me back to the present.

  Professor Foley cleared his throat and glanced around at the other students. “Excuse me. As I was saying, the faculty is here to help you. Just don’t wait until the final hour.”

  “What was that?” Grace whispered.

  My mouth gaped and I shook my head.

  “You know him or something?”

  “Shh,” I snapped.

  “Sorry.” She scooted away.

  My hands shook. I sat on them to get them to stop.

  Foley stopped talking, and everyone paired off. Grace glanced at me, her expression pensive.

  I nodded and tried to push the instructor out of my mind. But how could I? He was my only clue to my past. Part of me longed to run around the other students and throw my arms around him.

  Grace came over. “I wasn’t trying to bother you before.”

  “I know. Sorry. What are we supposed to do?”

  “We’re supposed to discuss…”

  My gaze wandered back over to Professor Foley. He was speaking to a couple students and smiling. My chest constricted. Oh, that smile. It had taken my breath away countless times, though I couldn’t remember a single one of them.

  “Did you hear what I said?” Grace asked.

  I shook my head.

  “How are you going to pass this class if you’re going gaga over the teacher?”

  My face heated and I pulled my attention back to her. “What are we supposed to do?”

  She shrugged. “Basically just go over the map and find all the important places. The cafeteria, clinic, our classes. That sort of stuff.”

  I pulled out my phone and found the campus map. “There’s our stats building. Let’s see… there’s my geography building—all the way across campus. Great.” I looked at her. “How are you getting around?”

  “My mom’s dropping me off in the mornings, then I’m going to walk.” She shrugged.

  “Where are your classes?”

  “My other two are kinda by your geography building.”

  “I can give you a ride.”

  “Really? You’d do that?”

  “Yeah, my car fits two, but no more. It’s a Jaguar.”

  Her eyes widened. “I’ll have to ask my mom, but that would be so cool.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Cute professor, three o’clock.”

  I spun around, and sure enough, he was headed our way. My stomach squeezed tight, and I fought to breathe normally.

  My voice caught. What would I say to him without looking like a fool?

  Chapter 6

  Toby

  I walked toward Victoria with a million thoughts swarming my mind. I’d spent so much time and energy searching for her, and then the moment my mind was elsewhere, she just appeared.

  It had been so many painful years we’d been apart, especially given how we’d been ripped from each other’s arms. The hope of ever seeing her again had all but vanished for a long time.

  Yet there she sat, like any college freshman in orientation. She was anything but ordinary. And she certainly hadn’t been born anywhere near the time her classmates had been, though she didn’t appear any older.

  My pulse drummed in my ears as I headed her way. When she’d looked at me, I saw a flicker of recognition—surprise, really—but nothing more.

  What had they done to her?

  How would I keep myself from picking her up, swinging her around, and giving her such a passionate kiss that her toes would curl?

  She was alive. Alive. And right in front of me.

  As I neared her and the redhead, the other girl whispered to Victoria. She whipped around and again, our gazes met.

  I wanted to shout from the rooftops. My sweet Victoria was alive and right here. Enrolled in one of my courses. I would see her every day for the next three months.

  She was just as beautiful as I remembered.

  Her eyes widened as I neared. They seemed more filled with curiosity than joy or any other emotion I would have expected.

  The crushing reality hit me.

  Victoria didn’t know me.

  I swallowed, stood taller, and plastered on a fake smile. “Hello, ladies. Do you two need any help?”

  She held my eye contact, but didn’t say anything.

  “I think we found everything,” said the other girl.

  I kneeled down to their level and focused on the redhead because I didn’t trust myself to look at Victoria yet. “Well, if you have any questions, just let me know. That’s what I’m here for.”

  “Thanks, Professor Foley,” Victoria said.

  The formality in her tone nearly killed me. Almost as much as not being able to wrap my arms around her and breathe in her almond-scented shampoo that I loved so much.

  I turned to her and opened my mouth, but as soon as I gazed into her eyes, I couldn’t remember what I was going to say.

  She stared back, an intense expression on her face. That was the look she had when trying to figure something out.

  Oh, how I wanted to cup her chin and tell her everything would be all right. She was alive and only about a foot away. How could things not be okay?

  Aside from the fact that she obviously couldn’t remember any of our time together. That was like an arrow to the heart. Worse, actually. I could pull an arrow out, but this felt more like my heart was being torn in two.

  I would have to handle it with delicate care.

  If I was barely more than a stranger, I would have to regain her trust. Without all our memories, she would have nothing to draw from.

  But I had promised her I would never give up on her—on us. I’d sworn my undying love to her just before she’d died in my arms.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, reminding me that I needed to conclude the powwow.

  “You both have my office number and email address. Don’t hesitate to ask anything.”

  The younger girl’s face lit up. “Thanks!”

  Victoria nodded, her alluring eyes still wide. She seemed to want to say more.

  I tried to give her a reassuring smile. “I’ve got to wrap things up. It was nice to talk with you two.” I rose and returned to the front of the group. It was hard not to stare at Victoria as I spoke to the students and then sent them on their way.

  I gathered my things and looked around. Victoria had already taken off.

  My heart sank to the ground and fell through to the other side of the world.

  It was little consolation that I would see her the next day in class. How would I be able to teach math with her sitting there, having no idea who I was? That woman was the love of my life, and even with her death, I’d been unable to truly love another.

  “Hey, Foley!”

  I shook my head and turned toward the entrance of the courtyard.

  Roger, who had the office next to mine, stood there, rolling up his sleeves. He worked out every day and loved to show it off. “A bunch of us are going to lunch. Want to come?”

  “Going to pass this time.” I slung my bag over my shoulder and hurried over to him. “I need to make sure I’m ready for tomorrow.”

  “First day jitters?” he asked. We headed for our office building.

  I shrugged. “Something like that.”

  “You taught high school before this, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “This is no different, really.”

  “I sense an except coming.” I arched a brow.

  Roger laughed. “Except the ladies are legal.”

  “Seriously?” I exclaimed. “You’re going to go there?”

  “Easy there,” he said. “I was just joking. Did I step on a nerve?”

  He had, but I wasn’t going to let him know. I shook my head. “Like you said, jitters.”

  I thought back to a fleeting relationship I’d had years earlier while trying to get over Victoria, but it hadn’t worked. And now Victoria was back. I rub
bed my temples, trying to make sense of it all.

  “Well, I’d never put my job on the line like that,” Roger said, bringing me back from my thoughts.

  My stomach twisted, and I suddenly realized that not only did Victoria have no idea who I was, but she was now my student. Not that I couldn’t find another job if push came to shove. Since I aged so slowly, I moved around fairly often to avoid questions, but I didn’t care to be fired. Even though Victoria would be worth any hardship.

  I’d already chosen her over my natural family so long ago.

  “What’s with you?” Roger slapped my back. “You’re not usually so quiet.”

  “Must be the impending full moon.”

  Roger groaned. “Seriously? Right at the first day? The students always go cray-cray then.”

  “Tell me about it.” Although most of the kids I’d worked with over the years went nuts on the full moon for entirely different reasons than my colleague was referring to.

  He stopped in front of our building. “Sure you don’t want to join us? That hot new art history professor is going.”

  I shook my head. “Thanks, but I have some things to take care of at home.”

  “Your loss. See you tomorrow.”

  “Have fun.” I went inside and up the stairs to my office. The entire floor was empty. I sighed in relief and slunk into my chair.

  Did Victoria even know she was a werewolf? What would she do tonight? Would she go into the forest?

  I sat up in my chair.

  That was it. Maybe if we ran into each other in our wolf form, I could help her remember everything. Communication was so much easier as animals. Primal. Whoever had messed with her memories wouldn’t be able to control her during the full moon.

  The office felt like it was closing in on me. I grabbed my bag, headed for the parking lot, and jumped into my camouflage Hummer. The heat nearly suffocated me, so I cranked the AC and bolted off campus.

  When I reached my private dirt road, I hit the gas, barreling down the long path to my home. Once the wrought iron gate came into view, I remote unlocked it, waited for it to open, drove through, and locked it behind me.

  I parked and stared at my newly painted, light blue Victorian-era mansion and fought to rein in my thoughts. My pack needed me to focus. How could I though, now that I knew Victoria was so close?