by Tl Reeve
Perhaps she still had a little crush on the guy.
She first saw him at the sheriff’s department the day she arrived in town, and her tummy had done a funny little flip-flop. He had been behind the counter, sitting in one of the chairs, hands cuffed behind him, a cocky grin on his lips. Bad boy. She knew he’d be trouble, yet his magnetic pull drew her to him. Like moth to flame, the attraction had been quick and consuming.
At eighteen, even for an adolescent wolf, he’d been all muscles and tall. Hayden’s fourteen-year-old heart had tripped a beat. Nico had been caught as a wolf chasing the chickens from Mrs. Jamison’s henhouse. Not completely out of character for a teenage boy, she’d rationalized later, after she learned what happened. Nonetheless, he spooked some of the hens and the stress from his “fun,” killed a couple of others. She’d pleaded with her uncle, even though she didn’t know him, not to let Nico be unfairly punished for his actions. Instead, she’d asked if he replaced the chickens, would he still be in trouble—irrational thinking for a girl who didn’t know Nico from a hole in the wall. Yet, her uncle must have talked to the judge because, a few days later, Nico came to her home and thanked her.
After that, they’d become fast friends. He didn’t get into a stitch of trouble, and, slowly, her family accepted him into their brood. Hayden and he would either watch movies or hike the canyons behind where they lived. Nope, don’t go there. Every time you think about the past, you remember all the reasons why you should forgive him and forget the reason you left home so quickly.
She couldn’t help it. A part of her still loved him. Her father had called it puppy love to begin with, but the day she went to Nico’s apartment, she’d planned on telling him she really did love him and wanted a relationship with him.
The growing bond between them spiked the year she turned seventeen. Growing up outside of the pack stunted her knowledge of wolf relations; she understood her family had mates, but not why. No one also seemed hard-pressed to explain the inexplicable need she had to rub against him or the anguish of not having him near. The frequency of their visits became shorter due to both of them working or at school. However, when the weather turned warmer, no matter what, they went swimming. Hayden stepped to his door and knocked. When he didn’t answer, she knocked again then called out his name. Nico’s ragtop Jeep sat in the small parking lot so she knew he had to be there, but fear gripped her. She pounded on the door once more, heart in her throat. The door opened a few seconds later, and her best friend in the whole world stood before her, bleary-eyed, with a sheet wrapped around his hips. The thick, putrid smell of alcohol clung to him along with something else. Her wolf bristled at the scent.
“Are you coming back to bed, Nico?” a woman’s voice called out.
Realizing what the smell had been, Hayden backed away from the door, horrified. Some visceral emotion sliced through her, shredding her ability to breathe.
“Hayden,” Nico called after her, but she’d already started running. She shifted mid-stride, uncaring if anyone saw her. The tattered remains of her clothes floated to the ground like the slivers of her soul.
She finished up the rest of the semester and avoided him at all costs. He showed up at her high school graduation that May, and she ignored him. He brought her flowers and a locket, but she refused both. She couldn’t stand being around him.
He broke her that day, and it had taken two years to muster up the courage to move on with her life. Now a sophomore in college and at twenty years old, the urge to mate clawed at her. But the guys she sat through class with or in study group did nothing for her. She found herself comparing them to he-who-shall-not-be-named, and didn’t that just suck donkey dick?
A low growl of irritation passed her lips, and she balled her hands into fists. What’s done is done. He made his choice. She opened her notebook and wrote a quick note to her dad. She needed them to understand she moved on, and she would appreciate if they didn’t ask about him—Nico.
Blake,
I got your letter. I am so excited. You have to tell me whether I will have a little brother or sister when you find out. I will make sure Bodhi and I are home in time for the birth, don’t worry. I need you to know something and it’s pretty important. It’s a big step for me, after all, and I hope it will make you happy to hear.
I am moving on. I need to. I am going out this weekend with Bodhi to check out a local club for shifters. I hope to meet someone or, in your case, perhaps someones.
Give my love to my dad and Loraine.
She closed the letter, grabbed an envelope, and stuffed it inside. Before she could chicken out—like she’d done ninety-nine other times—she addressed the envelope and placed a stamp on it. She would drop it in the school mailroom on the way to her last class.
Hayden nibbled on her lip and stared at the letter on her desk. Already, doubt clouded her decision. “No, I’ve got to do this.” She walked to the hook by her closet where her backpack hung and grabbed it. “I’m doing the right thing. Bodhi would agree with me.”
Slinging the bag over her shoulder, Hayden picked up the envelope and gripped the door handle. She had one more class before she could come home and decompress. As she stepped out into the hall, her cousins, Bell and Zoe, greeted her. Both girls looked a little too hyper for their own good.
“What’s going on?” She closed the door behind her.
“Tell her, Bell,” Zoe prodded her sister. “Or I will.”
Bell blushed, and her blue eyes went wide. Her hair had been pulled back in a messy braid and some of the strands hung in her face, giving her an innocent quality.
“Tell me what?”
“I’ve been asked out,” Bell whispered. “To the mixer.”
“You have?” They walked down the short hall together, heading out of the dorm. “What’s his name?”
“You’ll never guess in a million years,” Zoe said with a snort.
Where Bell’s complexion reminded her of fine porcelain, Zoe’s midnight hair, mischievous cobalt-blue eyes, and bow-shaped lips resembled her father. Whoever mated her would be in for a roller-coaster ride for sure.
“I really don’t know guys. Just tell me.” She stopped and turned to them. “You tell me who it is, and I’ll tell you my good news.”
“You’re getting back together with Nico?” Bell chirped.
“No.” Hayden started walking again, itching to drop the letter off at the dorm mailroom. “I actually wrote my parents to tell them I’m taking the leap and finding a suitable mate.” She grinned. “Should be interesting to see how that goes over with them. So, about this date,” she said, changing the subject.
“Right, her date,” Zoe started. “This lucky bitch is going out with the lion alpha, Christoph.”
“Zoe!” Bell gasped. “What has Mom told you about your mouth?”
She shrugged. “Hey, take it up with Dad. He taught me everything I know.”
“So the lion alpha, huh?” Hayden got them back on track. “Congrats. There will be several brokenhearted girls.”
“Yeah.” Bell pushed her hair behind her ear. “But, I have another problem.”
“Okay, shoot. What’s got you in knots?” Hayden had never seen her cousin so nervous before.
“I need your help. See, there’s this thing called the Greek Shifter Games, or GSG, and I need a partner. But—”
“What?” The fear of rejection in the young feline’s eyes tore at Hayden’s gut.
“The vice president of my sorority, Sigma Epsilon Xi, quit this morning. We’re going to lose our charter if we can’t get more pledges at the games.” Bell frowned.
“Get one of your cabinet members to join you,” she answered, not seeing the issue.
“None of them want to participate. I thought I’d, you know, throw caution to the wind, promote you to VP, and have you join me.” Her cousin gave a tight laugh.
“You can’t promote someone who is not even a member.” Nor did she want
the Greek life. Filled with snobby bitches and drunken assholes—present company the exception—their idea of “fun,” didn’t settle well with her.
“You officially became one this morning at nine a.m. when I added you to our charter then held a vote in which you became vice president by default.” Bell grinned.
Hayden groaned. “By default you mean no one challenged you for the position or threw their hat in the ring?”
“Luck of the draw, I guess.” Bell shrugged. “Look, I know my sorority can be one of the best ones at this college, but I need your help, Hayden. Please.”
“Fine.” She looked at Zoe who snickered beside her sister. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Maybe a little bit. She came to me and asked for a little advice,” she said nonchalantly. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll be there with my VP, too.”
“And which sorority do you belong to? Gothics R Us?”
“Hardy, har, har.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Actually, I have badass pledges and members. We’re Xi Beta Xi.”
“You say this as if I should care.” Hayden gave her cousin a droll stare.
“Eh, it’s just cool to say the name. Xi Beta Xi.” Zoe spread her hands out in front of her as if the name would appear front and center on a marquee.
“Anyway, there is a mixer Friday night. You’ll need to attend—”
“Bodhi will be there, and so will Christoph,” Zoe jumped in.
Hayden turned her attention to Zoe. “What about you, mouth?”
“I got asked out by one of those falcons. Rocky. He’s hot in that muscular-biker kind of way. He’ll be at the mixer. I told him I might say what up, or whatever Friday night.” Her cousin’s gaze didn’t meet hers. In fact, the girl did everything in her power to look anywhere but her.
“Zoe Dryer.” The girl’s attention snapped to Hayden’s. “You found your mate, didn’t you?”
“Hell no. I’m not mating. He’s just some guy. Easy on the eyes and everything like that.” She shrugged.
“You did. I am telling your mom!” Hayden teased.
“Don’t you dare! I will kick your ass, Hayden. I mean it.”
Hayden knew the girl did, too. Where Bell had a dainty quality to her, and liked being a girl, Zoe had a rough edge. She reminded Hayden of their father at every turn.
“I’ll call your dad and tell him you’re sending them a letter and to refuse it,” Zoe added.
“Not scared. Besides, he’s not home. He’s at the doctor’s office with Loraine. I’m going to be a big sister,” she squealed, changing the subject.
“What?” both girls said in unison.
“When?” Zoe asked.
“Is she okay?” Bell questioned.
“This spring and, yes, from what Blake’s note said, all is fine. I’ll call home later and get you guys more info, promise.” She slipped the letter from her hand into the mailbox and exited their dorm. “So, what are you guys doing tonight?”
“Study group for me. Tattoo 101 for her,” Bell quipped, pointing to her sister.
“Nice.” Hayden high-fived the shy girl. “Perfect delivery, too.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh ha-ha both of you. For your information, I have an interview at the radio station. Hopefully, if they like me, I’ll have a job starting tomorrow.” Zoe headed in the opposite direction from them. “Have fun with your nerdfest.”
Hayden faced Bell. “So, about her mate….”
