by JJ King
Beneath the pressure of his palm, I felt my skin tingle and tremble.
“Hey,” a familiar voice called out, a split second before Lucian appeared and caught sight of me. The grin disappeared from his face, replaced by worry. “Lexi, are you okay?” He stepped forward, which forced the golden haired golden eyed angel back a step. The loss of his hand made me sad.
But I didn’t stay sad for long. My heart leaped joyfully at the concern on Lucian’s face and I reached out a hand to touch his forearm, as much to steady him as myself.
“I’m alright,” I said, looking up into his beautiful green eyes. “I just got a little blinded by the light and slammed into your friend here.” I turned my head to smile at the angel. “I’m Lexi.” I offered my hand and nearly sighed when his palm met mine.
Pleasure warmed my body. I looked down at the connection between me and the angel and then at the connection between me and Lucian. It was strange but touching both of them, at the same time, seemed to amplify everything good in life. I wasn’t afraid around them, wasn’t concerned about acting normal. I felt… alive and perfect.
“I’m Chase Parker,” he drawled with that southern accent. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Lexi.” He gently squeezed my hand and inhaled.
“What the fuck is taking you assholes so long?” Dimitri’s voice cut through my perfect moment and made my heart stutter. I pulled my hands back and let them fall to my side.
Then he was there, and his eyebrows winged up in surprise at the sight of me between his two buddies. His eyes, too clever for their own good, shifted back and forth between Lucian, Chase, and me, then went dark. His lips, previously wide with a smile, went thin with disapproval and annoyance, making my stomach clench.
“Alexis,” he said in that accent I wished he’d stop using since it made all reason evacuate my brain. “What are you doing here?”
I swallowed, wishing I had a better answer than I was going for a run, or I smacked into your friend here because I’m a klutz. At least both of those were better answers than Baby’s in Dirty Dancing. The words I carried a watermelon ran through my head.
“What does it look like I was doing?” I said, cocking an eyebrow at him and waving a hand to indicate my running gear. The fact that this was exactly how we’d met in almost this exact location didn’t escape me.
It didn’t escape him either. His gaze lowered to my feet and then rose slowly, what felt like inch by inch, over my body until he looked straight into my eyes.
“It looks like you’re interrupting our game,” he said in a tone so flat anyone would have assumed it was a dismissal, except I could see the same intense lust I’d felt for him reflected back in his eyes.
I lifted my chin even further, refusing to back down even an inch, and stepped closer, crowding him. As expected, he didn’t budge.
“Then I guess I’ll be on my way,” I said as politely as I could muster and smiled sweetly and what I hoped he understood was a giant fuck you. I glanced over at Lucian and Chase, who were both watching our interchange with wide eyes, and wiggled my fingers at them in my best imitation of flirting. “Bye boys,” I practically purred. “I’ll see you guys later.”
I popped my earbuds back in, grinned, then jogged away without ever looking back, praying my heart wouldn’t literally explode in my chest.
Chapter 5
When a hand touched my arm a few moments later, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I whirled, fists rising automatically in defense, and released a rush of air when I saw it was Chase.
“Old Ones,” I gasped, lowering my fists. “You nearly scared me to death.” I inhaled sharply, then remembered why I’d refrained from breathing in his scent earlier. I wondered how he could still smell so distinctly of the South but also completely male, with tantalizing traces of both Lucian and Dimitri. My fingers twitched to reach out and touch.
His smile was slow and hot, like a Mississippi morning, and I wondered where he was from. Everything I knew about the southern states had been learned from movies and books. Green Fried Tomatoes came to mind and brought a smile to my lips.
“While I’m sorry to have scared you,” he drawled, and reached out a hand to tug the earbuds I’d forgotten were still in my ears free. “I’m not sorry to get another moment alone with you.” He slid his palm against mine, enveloping my hand, and rubbed softly at my skin.
I nearly lost the ability to breathe.
“We barely had a moment together, but I could tell there’s something very interesting between us.” He pulled my hand closer to his body, tugging me forward gently, and I went, unable to do anything but move into him. My mind buzzed like a million bees were in there, filling me up, chasing away all rational thought. My body hummed, responding to his nearness and astounding sex appeal. “So, I was wondering if perhaps you would agree to come with me, as my date, to tonight’s little party.”
I blinked, registering his words and his request, a second too slowly. “A date,” I murmured, picturing all the naughty things I’d read about that happened on dates, especially ones on hot summer nights. Heat raced up my spine and burned the back of my neck. There was nothing in this world I wanted more at this moment then to go on a date with this man.
But something held me back. I chewed on my lower lip and tried to focus my overstimulated brain to answer the question of why I was feeling so conflicted over a request that so clearly made me happy. Then a slight breeze skimmed through the air, ruffling Chase’s beautiful hair, resurrecting the trace scents he carried on him from his two friends.
Dimitri and Lucian, they were the source of my angst. It was insane that after finding myself so completely attracted to both of them that I would fall into yet another sexual trap, especially with someone they knew. A friend, a good friend by the way they’d been acting together. It didn’t make sense, none of it.
It should be driving me crazy, I thought with a frown. The uncertainty and confusion, the unnaturalness of my reactions, I should be a neurotic mess by now. But when I was with them, each of them alone or together, all my worries and fears fell away.
Still, I needed to think it over, to give myself at least a bit of time to figure out what the hell was going on with me. What if some of the other girls were experiencing this, too?
I reluctantly made up my mind and steeled myself for the disappointment I knew would come when I told him thank you, but not tonight. His hand still held mine, and his eyes, Old Ones, his eyes, still gazed down at me with endless suggestions dancing in their golden irises. I opened my mouth to speak and caught a flash of movement just past Chase’s arm.
Dimitri stood there, his posture rigid, glaring at us. A flash of sheer spite blew through me at the sight of him, fists balled at his sides and Adam’s apple working in his throat as if he were barely holding back his temper. He was acting like a predator, like a possessive predator, and it pissed me off.
I shifted my gaze back to Chase and nodded. “I’d love to go with you to the party. I’ll meet you there at 10:00 p.m., okay?” I flashed him a confident smile that surprisingly wasn’t forced and reached for the cell phone I saw tucked in his shorts pocket.
I pretended not to notice when Dimitri’s face turned a dark purple and programmed my number into Chase’s phone then tucked it back into his pocket.
“See you later.” I turned and, this time, I walked away, overly aware of the sway of my hips and two pairs of eyes on my ass as I rounded the corner of the building.
The moment they were gone, and I was alone with my thoughts again, my mouth went dry in shock. I could still smell all three of them in the air and on my skin. I wondered if anything in the world would ever smell as good ever again.
I headed towards my dorm room, mind racing, skin tingling, thighs squeezing together. I needed a shower, a cold one, to calm the successive waves of heat that kept washing over me every single time I was with one of them.
I stopped in my tracks and gaped as a new thought pushed aside all thoughts of sexy guys an
d basketball shorts with tantalizing scents. My eyes went wide as I considered this new idea, turning it over and seeing the instant possibilities.
My feet hit the ground running as I raced back to my room, anxious to see if I was right. I needed to get to my laptop so I could access the Wolf Net and find out the specifics of what it felt like to go through your first heat.
Chapter 6
I tugged at the hem of my jean shorts for the hundredth time and forced my legs to bring me one step closer to the dorm party that was apparently popping.
Music poured from the large basement rec room and was accompanied by flashes of lights in blues and purples and pinks. I descended the long stairs, trailing my hand down the rail, excited for my first Academy party and terrified half to death.
I changed my clothes six times before finally peeking out my dorm window at my fellow students who were already leaving for the party to see what they were wearing. Tank tops and shorts, summer dresses, or capris with cute heels seemed to be popular choices, so I’d rummaged through my shorts, tossing pair after pair on the floor, until I’d found my favorite ones and decided to just go with comfort, rather than perfection. Might as well be physically comfortable because, Old Ones knew, I wouldn’t be emotionally or mentally comfortable.
Still, I forged ahead, treating this party like a rite of passage or a hero quest. My utter geekiness didn’t escape my notice.
My eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light. I took a moment to scan the large room, which was nearly blocked solid with students. I recognized a few of them, from classes or from the cafeteria, a few even smiled at me. I kept looking, though, searching for a familiar face, or two, or three.
“Lexi!” A feminine voice squealed just behind me, making my pulse jump. I spun around, wondering who would possibly be excited to see me, and saw Emily, the chatty girl from my philosophy class.
“Hey,” I said with an automatic smile that widened authentically when I saw that she was wearing an almost identical version of my outfit. “Nice shorts.” I floated a hand down by my side to indicate our twin status.
She laughed and did a quick curtsy that I found utterly endearing. All the anxiety I’d worked up before coming here melted away. I’d spent my life surrounded by women, my sisters and their mothers, so it wasn’t shocking that I’d find comfort in a female friend.
“I never know what to wear to these things,” Emily said with a shrug. “You’re always going to get those girls who dress up like they’re going to an after-hours club like…” She shifted to stand beside me and casually tilted her chin towards a small group of giggling girls with wine glasses, all wearing tight, short dresses that hugged every curve, paired with dangerously high heels and perfectly curled hair. I self-consciously tugged at the end of my hair, which I’d curled earlier, then brushed out when I’d ended up looking like Curly Sue.
Emily leaned in closer, keeping her voice low. “The girls who dress like that are usually freshmen, they're still trying to impress everyone. The seniors, now...”
She turned her head and subtly pointed to a few girls, dressed in jeans or shorts, with band logo T-shirts, or tank tops, who were sitting comfortably on the deep sofas, drinking from bottles of beer. Their hair, unlike the freshmen, were most often pulled up into messy buns that spilled unkempt curls over their necks. They looked completely comfortable, as if they were home in their own living rooms and not surrounded by their fellow students. I wondered if I’d ever feel that comfortable here or anywhere.
I frowned, thinking about Emily’s class distinctions between the females of Omega Wolf Academy. I was as fresh as any freshman could be. Those giggling girls were in at least their third semester, while I was just finishing up my second week. Yet, I looked more like the seniors. Did that mean I didn’t care? Or did it mean that my naïveté about social norms really was as blatant as I feared?
“So.” Emily returned her attention to me with a grin. “I haven’t seen you around before this semester. Did you transfer here?” Her dark eyes focused intently on me.
I knew she was being friendly, asking questions like normal people did when they first met, but there was nothing normal about my life, so the anxiety she’d helped chase away, came flooding back in an instant. But I prepared for this moment, on Dr. Bennett’s advice, and had an answer ready to go.
“Yeah,” I replied, nodding. “I spent the last year in Europe with some friends and just wanted to get started on classes while things were slower than in the fall.” I kept my gaze on hers for a moment, long enough to appear confident and as if I were telling the truth, then glanced away. I wasn’t lying, I had spent the last year in Europe with friends. Like Dr. Bennett had said, I didn’t owe anyone I just met the stark truth of my life story. Besides, the story wasn’t just mine. The world wasn’t aware of what Raphael had been doing in the mountain stronghold. Even if I was comfortable sharing such intimate details with strangers, others weren’t, and it was their truth as much as mine.
“Cool,” Emily said breezily, not noticing my dancing nerves. “I did a three-month backpack last summer with…” She broke off, licked her lips then frowned. “With my ex.” The way she said it slammed the door on that conversation. I might not feel completely normal in social situations but even I could read that signal.
I scanned the crowd again, my stomach muscles bunching with anticipation of seeing any one of them. I was excited for my date with Chase, I’d be happy to see Lucian, and I was nervous that Dimitri would show up and confuse me even more with his hot and cold games.
“So.” Emily bumped against me as if we were old friends. “Are you looking for one particular or will any hottie do?” She wagged her eyebrows at me when I glanced down in surprise.
It caught me off guard and I laughed. I felt a blush work its way up my neck, heating my skin until it reached my cheeks. “I may have a date tonight,” I offered, with a bit of a sly shrug.
“Oh,” she said, eyes going wide. “Spill.”
“Chase Parker.” I played with the end of my hair and glanced over her head, wondering if he was here already. At her shocked gasp, I wrenched my gaze back to Emily and asked, “Do you know him?”
“Do I know him?” she hissed, grabbing for my hand. “Lexi, every single girl on campus knows who Chase Parker is.” She made a whistling sound. “That boy is beyond delicious.” She hesitated, as if she were about to say something but had thought better of it.
“What?” I asked. “Tell me.” I arched an eyebrow and waited for her to fess up.
“I don’t like gossip,” Emily said quietly. “But, it’s hard to ignore his reputation. He can be a little bit of a…” she trailed off.
I arched my brow higher. “Playboy?” I guessed, not in the least bit shocked. “I kind of guessed as much. Don’t worry,” I assured my new and only friend on campus. “I don’t want to marry him or anything. It’s just a date.” I repeated the words in my mind and told my vagina, which had flushed at the mere mention of his name, to give it up.
“Okay,” Emily drew the word out. “Just don’t get sucked in by his southern boy accent. Half the girls at Omega Wolf Academy are pining for him. The other half are drooling over Dimitri. Have you met him yet?”
I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. Emily tilted her head to the side in question and arched an eyebrow.
“I might have run into him,” I murmured, wondering what shade of red my cheeks were now, since they were blazing hot. “You know, once or twice.” I shrugged, as if it were no big deal.
Emily stared at me for a long moment, as she chewed thoughtfully on her lip. Her gaze swept down my body then back up again, taking in every detail. Her long sigh as she finished her perusal, was slightly defeatist. “Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. You are quite possibly the hottest girl I’ve ever seen in real life.”
It was my turn to look stunned. My mouth dropped open as my brain scrambled for something to say.
I knew I was pretty. My mother was pretty, my two s
isters were pretty, so I accepted the fact that I, too, was pretty. But hot? I blinked several times, still unsure of what to say, and frowned when Emily just laughed at my expression.
“Not used to being hit on by a woman?” she said, chuckling warmly.
I shook my head, feeling completely idiotic. “No, sorry, I just didn’t...” I shook my head. “I’m not very good at this stuff,” I confessed.
“Then you really do need to be careful with Chase Parker,” Emily repeated, then patted me on the arm. “And don’t worry.” She shot me a wink. “I’ve got enough game for both of us, with men and women,” she added with a chuckle. “Speaking of men…” Emily lifted her chin in a subtle signal.
I turned, following her gaze, and my body temperature rose at least five degrees. Unlike a lot of the guys who had dressed for the heat, Chase wore a pair of worn blue jeans that fit him like a second skin with a black T-shirt that made my imagination dance back through my literary favorites to dub him Soda Pop Curtis. My lips turned up in welcome as a feeling of raw feminine power and sexuality bolstered my uncertain heart. There is just something about him that made me feel strong and sexy, like I could command him to fulfill my every want and need and he’d obey without question. It was a heady feeling and I liked it.
I wasn’t stupid. I knew he was a Playboy, too gorgeous for his own good, but I didn’t care. I was going through something right now, something hormonal that affected wolves on a deeply physical level. This was my first heat, something most female wolves experienced by now but, as I was learning, there was a lot about me and the other girls who were in the mountain that wasn’t quite usual.
My research had been thorough and had lasted most of the night. What I’d found was evidence that the way I was reacting to Dimitri and Chase was completely natural and that there was no shame in exploring my sexuality during this time. I’ve given it a lot of thought and didn’t want to lump Lucian in with Dimitri and Chase. My attraction to them wasn’t something I understood, something my body and primal nature desired, but neither of them was my type. Not that I knew what my type was.
