His hands balled into fists as they rested against his thighs. He shifted to sit back in my desk chair, and I could feel his anger rippling off him in waves. My wolf paced as my teeth sank into my bottom lip. I wanted to say something to him, but I didn’t know what. No words would come. Maybe it was for the best, because I knew there was nothing I could say that would change his past. And, it was clear that changing his past was the only thing that would make him feel any better about what happened.
“I don’t like talking about it much. All I’ll say is that you asked earlier what my tattoo meant.” He lifted his gaze to lock with mine. His eyes burned with the same intensity his words held. All the air in my lungs pushed free, and my mouth grew dry as I held his stare. “The wolf is symbolic of my wolf. The skull is symbolic of me. Of who I used to be. When I was bitten and became this, it killed me. It killed my dreams. My hopes. It killed everything I ever was from before that moment. It broke me. That tattoo is a reminder of how my wolf and that moment ate me away.”
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t look away from him. My knees grew weak as they struggled to keep me upright as emotions rushed through me from his honesty. I could sense his heartbreak, his anger, the revulsion he felt when he thought of who he was now. It all pulsed in the air around him, filling my dorm room and suffocating us both.
I stepped closer to him without realizing I had and sank to the floor beside him. I placed my hand over one of his closed fists. His breath hitched and then I heard it push past his lips as the rigid muscles of his body relaxed.
“Becoming a wolf didn’t break you. It bent you when it forced you in a new direction. That’s all.” The words came easily. They pushed their way past my lips as though speaking them would breathe life into Holt. “Life does that to everyone.”
Holt didn’t speak. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed me.
His lips pressed against mine, sending my heart rate spiking. I hadn’t expected him to kiss me, but I was more than okay with it. My wolf seemed to be too. Without much thought, I moved from where I crouched beside him to his lap. The heat radiating off his body moved through my thin leggings, scorching my skin. His mouth continued to work over mine as his fingers dug into my hips. I sucked his bottom lip between my teeth, nibbling just a little.
I lost myself in the moment. Thoughts of how he tasted even better than I remembered floated through my head, followed by the realization that I was definitely falling hard and fast for him.
Holt
The first couple of weeks back for the semester went by fast. However, I was coping better than ever. Fight club had resumed. I had one sanctioned run behind me. And it seemed as though Tori was always at my side. We hadn’t made things official yet, but to me, we’d been official from the very first kiss.
Tonight, I was going to make sure she was on the same level as me.
I was nervous, even though I shouldn’t be. I could tell Tori was into me. Sexually and intellectually. It was something my wolf was able to pick up on easier than I could. He’d sensed it in her. I’d chalked it up as one of the perks that came with having him.
“Now, dig deep with your heel, squat, and lean slightly forward as you extend your arm. Do this in one fluid, rapid movement. Strike,” Professor Blades instructed, pulling me from my thoughts of Tori and tonight. “And, strike,” he shouted again, signaling we do the same move for a second time.
My core burned. My legs wobbled beneath me. Sweat dripped from my eyes, but I still continued. I still put in an effort to do as many as he asked and to push myself hard.
When would he end the torture though?
We’d been going at it for nearly thirty minutes now, and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight. Professor Blades had been exactly the type of professor I thought he was—intense, strict, and determined to whip our sorry asses into shape by the end of the semester.
“And, release,” Professor Blades said, causing a sigh of relief to trickle through the entire class as we all shifted out of the lunge position he’d had us locked in for far too long. “That will be all for today. I’ll see you Monday.” He gave us a nod and then clasped his hands behind his back before he walked to his office without another word.
I’d grown used to his coldness. He rarely said to have a good weekend, or have a nice night. He only said what was necessary and not a word more. I sort of respected him because of it.
“Please tell me your calves are burning as bad as mine right now,” Teddy said as he hobbled close to me.
“I might not even be able to walk out of here,” I huffed.
Teddy twisted the top off his water and took a long swig. “I know. I like how toned I’m getting, but damn. Dude is like a drill sergeant.”
“I know what you mean.”
I grabbed my water bottle off the floor and twisted the cap off to take a swig. The cold water felt amazing against my dry throat. However, I was so overheated I felt as though the water were boiling before it reached my stomach.
“Me and a few guys were planning on heading to Last Call tonight, if you want to come along. We’ll probably head out about eight or so,” Teddy offered after he took another swig from his water.
I wiped the sweat from my brow with the edge of my tank and flashed him a lopsided grin. “I would, but I have plans with Tori.”
Teddy lifted his brows. “Ah, so the two of you are an item. I’ve been wondering. I’ve seen you two together more often than not lately.”
My grin grew. “Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we’re definitely an item.”
“Good for you,” he said as he patted me on the back. “I’m happy for you, man. You know, she’s welcome to come to Last Call too. Some of the other guys will probably have their girlfriends with them. Tori is a cool chick. I like her.”
He started toward the double doors and I followed him. I was eager to step outside. It was like a damn oven inside the Strength Training room. I had no idea how Professor Blades stayed in there so many hours out of the day. You would think the place was heated during the winter months, but it didn’t seem as though it was.
Not that it mattered. By the end of class it was like a damn sauna from all of us breathing so hard.
“Thanks, will see. We might,” I said as I started toward the Wolf Bitten dormitory. Teddy was by my side until someone from class called him back.
“I’ll see you later. I mean, if you two decide to swing by Last Call. If not, have a good weekend, bro. I got to go talk to Rich for a second,” Teddy said before he jogged away.
I glanced at Rich. He was from Wolf Bound and we had Strength Training together. I didn’t know much else about the guy besides that.
What did Teddy need to talk to him about?
My cell chimed with a new text. I pulled it out of the drawstring bag I always took with me to Strength Training and glanced at the screen. It was from Tori.
Hey. Was just thinking about what you asked me this morning. Froyo. Cheesecake.
I smiled as I reread her message while I walked.
I think that can be arranged. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
I hesitated before I hit send because I wasn’t sure if I should erase that last part. In the end, I decided to leave it because it was true. Every time Tori wasn’t with me, I couldn’t wait to see her again. It was a strange sensation. One I hadn’t ever felt before her.
Good. And, I can’t wait to see you tonight either.
A lightness centered in my chest at her feeling the same. I tossed my phone back into my drawstring bag and slung it over my shoulder. Sweat trickled down my forehead. After I wiped it off, I twisted the cap off my water bottle and took another swig. I was ready to head to the dorms and shower in preparation for tonight. We were going out for dinner and then dessert. I’d asked her earlier what her favorite dessert was. Froyo was her answer. Even though I wasn’t much of a fan—I preferred ice cream—I’d gladly eat froyo if it meant I was able to spend time with her.
* * *
“Man, I wish I was going out with you tonight instead of staying here,” Walker muttered from where he sat in our desk chair, sulking like a two-year-old. “I can’t believe Paris is making me stay in tonight.”
I chuckled. “It’s for a good reason, though.”
He rolled his eyes, and I laughed.
Paris had said the two of them needed to stay in and work on their first assignment for Moon Phases that was due on Monday morning. Both of them had been notorious for procrastinating until the last minute to do any projects or assignments last semester; Paris decided that wasn’t how she was going to be this semester. She’d decided that neither was Walker. Instead of waiting until the night before, she felt they should give themselves two full days to get the project done. While I still wouldn’t have been comfortable cutting it so close, it was a slight improvement from how they handled things previously.
“Yeah, yeah.” Walker pouted. “I would’ve got it done on time. So would she. What does it matter if we do it the night before or two nights before? I tried to explain this to her, but she doesn’t understand.”
I slipped on my shoes and then reached for my jacket. “I think the whole point is that she wants you two to do better this semester. That means getting things done sooner than you were last semester. When you have more time to do something, you’re able to make a better product. I think that’s what she’s getting at.”
“Still doesn’t make a damn bit of sense to me,” Walker insisted.
“I don’t know, dude, but I need to head out. I don’t want to be late meeting Tori,” I said. We’d agreed on meeting at 7:30, so by the time we walked from the academy to the only Mexican restaurant in Brentwood, Nachos, it would be close to eight and the dinner crowd would hopefully have cleared out so we could have speedy service and snag a good table. “I’ll talk to you later. Leave a sock on the door handle or something if you and Paris plan to knock boots. I don’t want to walk in on something again.”
Three nights ago, I’d walked in on them doing the deed. While I wasn’t squeamish when it came to nudity, the two of them together wasn’t something I cared to see again anytime soon.
“Noted.” Walker flashed me a wicked grin.
His mind had clearly dipped to thoughts of having a repeat of the other night instead of doing his assignment. I had no doubt that was probably how the night would end regardless of whether the assignment was finished the way Paris intended.
I left our dorm and headed down the boy’s hall. When I pushed through the doorway separating our hall from the lounge area, Tori was waiting near the stairs. She wore a pair of dark skinny jeans, a lavender sweater that contrasted well against the blue of her eyes, and her signature scuffed up Converse. Her hair was pulled up into a high bun on top of her head, and her slender neck was visible. She looked incredible. My mouth grew dry. I crammed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, adjusted myself, and tried to will all the blood heading south to pause in its descent.
“Hey, there,” I said when I stepped to her. I licked my lips and cleared my throat. She flashed me a smile that looked sexy as hell. “Are you ready to eat?”
“I’m starved.” She placed a hand on her stomach.
I motioned to the stairs. “After you,” I said with the intention of sounding like a gentleman. Really, all I wanted was for her to go first so I could check out her ass in those jeans. I was going to hell for sure. She glanced over her shoulder at me as she started down the steps and caught me. I coughed into my hand. It didn’t hide what I’d been doing. “So, um, what else do you want to do this weekend?”
“I was thinking of going on a hike. I did a little research and noticed there are a few trails around here. I mean, I guess it’s to be expected since we’re in the mountains, but still.” She rolled her eyes and grew animated as she talked.
When a group passed us on the stairs, I fell into step beside her.
“Want any company on your hike? I can’t remember the last time I went on one. It would be fun.”
Hiking was the one thing my parents enjoyed together when I was growing up. Well, until Dad blew out his knee at work one day and it never healed right. It became his bad knee overnight and fishing became his new hobby. I’d taken to fishing quickly as well. Mom had been disappointed for a while—hiking had been her favorite—but she’d found herself a new hobby pretty quick like Dad had.
Baking.
“Do you even like to hike?” Tori asked as she paused on the landing for the second floor lounge for another group to pass. Once they did, she waited until I was beside her again before continuing down the final two flights of stairs to the main level of the dormitory. “You don’t seem like the hiking type. Actually, when you told me you were into fishing, I almost didn’t believe you.”
“What? Why?” I chuckled.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You just don’t strike me as the type who likes to hang out outside unless it’s something sports related. I get jock vibes from you. Not nature lover.”
Her assessment of me would have been right this time last year. “Yeah, well… that’s not who I am anymore, regardless of the vibes I send out.”
Silence built between the two of us. I knew I was being a real Debbie Downer, but I couldn’t help it. Her words were a reminder of who I’d used to be, who I wasn’t anymore.
I’d known then who I was and what I wanted out of life—a quarterback who was about to be given a full scholarship to a university and planned on being a coach because he loved the sport that much.
Now, I wasn’t sure who the hell I was anymore or what my future held. I was lost.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Tori asked when we finally pushed our way through the exit of the Wolf Bitten dormitory and stepped into the chilly night air.
I ran a hand through my hair and refused to meet her gaze. Her eyes were on me, I could feel them, but I could also smell her sympathy in the air as well as her confusion. My wolf paced. He didn’t like the nosedive my emotions had taken. It had put him on edge.
“Not really.” It was an honest answer, even if it wasn’t the one she’d been hoping for.
“Okay, no problem. I totally understand. So, back to the hike,” she said, surprising me with how at ease she was with me refusing to let my walls down. It was nice. It made me want to kiss her even more. “I’d love some company, if you’re willing to come with me still. There were about five or six close hikes to this area, but I picked one with a waterfall and a meadow because I haven’t photographed either in a while. The app I’m using says it’s an easy hike in the shape of a loop and that it isn’t very long.”
“Not very long, huh? Doesn’t seem specific.”
She chuckled, and I was glad because it meant the mood had been shifted to something less dramatic and awkward. “It said it was like 2.4 miles long, but that it was easy.”
“Those apps tend to lie. You do know that, right?” I teased.
“I’m down for trusting it. It doesn’t matter to me how long I’m out there, as long as I have some water, a few snacks, and my camera. If you aren’t up for that hike, there was another one that’s about a mile long. It’s a paved road instead of an actual trail through the woods, but it’s supposed to have a beautiful scenic view at the top.” She glanced at me as she spoke, and I could tell a hike was something she was looking forward to. “It has a cool name too—Devil’s Courthouse.”
“Woo. Sounds spooky,” I said as we continued walking off campus and toward downtown Brentwood where Nachos was located. “And, it’s been a good while since I’ve seen a waterfall. How about we do both? We could do one Saturday and one on Sunday?”
We paused at a crosswalk. I pushed the button so the little walking man would change from red to white quicker. At least I thought that was what it did. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe the button only gave people the impression that pushing it did something when in actuality the duration of time a person stood there waiting for the little man to change colors was the
same regardless.
“Sounds good. Time spent outdoors is definitely something I need lately,” Tori insisted.
“The sanctioned run a while back wasn’t enough for you?” I teased.
I was positive everyone at the academy would agree with me when I said there weren’t enough sanctioned runs. In fact, there shouldn’t even be a rule when it came to shifting. We should be allowed to shift at will. With or without a pack. As long as we stayed on the academy grounds.
Something in Tori’s demeanor shifted, capturing my attention. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was exactly, but I knew that her happy-go-lucky attitude had disappeared. It had to have been because of something I’d said. Was she having a hard time dealing with the limited number of sanctioned runs we were given? Or was it something more?
“I was just joking.” I tossed my hands up in mock surrender. My lips twisted into a smile, but it didn’t do me any good because Tori didn’t glance at me to see it.
“I know. I just… I’m not big on sanctioned runs. Or shifting. Like at all.” Her eyes never left the sidewalk. My wolf picked up on the anxiety rippling off her, and I knew she was serious.
“You don’t like to shift?” I couldn’t hide my surprise. How did she not like to shift? That was one of the few good things that came with becoming a wolf. I’d never felt freer than when my wolf was running wild.
While I knew there were some who thought of this entire thing as being a curse, Tori wasn’t one of them. She couldn’t be—I mean, she’d chosen this for herself.
So, why did shifting freak her out so much? She knew it was part of the package.
“Not really.” She lifted her gaze to mine. The light on the crosswalk turned, and we started to move across the street. “It’s not that I don’t like my wolf; it’s just that she’s a little more carefree than I’m used to being.”
Wolf Bitten: Lunar Academy, Year One Page 8
