by Jen L. Grey
Shadow Mate
Wolf Moon Academy Trilogy
Jen L. Grey
Copyright © 2020 by Jen L. Grey
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
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About the Author
Also by Jen L. Grey
Chapter One
My hands were so sweaty that I had trouble opening the door to my brother's dorm room. It was ridiculous. I was eighteen years old and graduating high school next Friday; a week from today. I'd been to parties before, but to be honest, I hated them.
The door swung open, revealing my brother on the other side. The movement startled me, which was exactly why he did it. Somehow, his wolf had always been able to sneak up on mine, which pissed me off.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were nervous to see me or something." His dark eyes twinkled as he ran his hands through his longish, dirty blond hair. "You do realize I'm your brother so you don't have to be all jittery around me?"
"Oh, shut up, Max. And what are you—eighty now? What teenager uses the term jittery?" I pushed past him and stepped into his room. "And you know how I am." His roommate was gone, so at least he didn't embarrass me in front of someone ... this time anyway. "I'm underage and don't even attend this school."
"You do realize the school isn't actually hosting the event?" He snorted as he shut the door and turned around. "It's even off-campus at a house that a couple of my friends rent out together. You're fine. Anyway, you'll be attending here next year, so what's the big deal?"
"You're right." I flopped onto my back and sighed. "I'm being stupid."
"You said it, not me." He chuckled as he sat on the bed next to me and stared at me. "We need to work on your resting bitch face. It scares guys off even when you clean up nice like tonight."
I reached over and punched him in the arm. "I am nice."
"Ow, shit!" He shook his arm and huffed. "You have an odd way of driving your point home."
"It didn't hurt. Stop being a wimp." I scanned the room, taking in the dinged up walls and how there were only about five feet between the beds. It was obvious that this was a guy’s dorm room because it held an overall stench of body odor. "Do you guys not bathe?"
"I did today." He pointed at his blue polo shirt and jeans. "And I dressed up too."
"Most people don't consider that dressing up." I loved him dearly, but most of the time, he ran around in T-shirts and sweatpants. "I mean, you're not even wearing khakis."
"Don't hate." He glanced at his watch and stood up. "Come on. I told them we'd get there a little early."
"Are you sure he won't mind me staying the night?" Max had assured me that his roommate wouldn’t be back until early in the morning; it felt weird, sleeping in someone’s room that I didn’t know. Even though our family home was only about an hour away from Kansas City University, I didn't want to drive back late at night.
"Mia, how many times do I have to tell you it's fine?" He rolled his eyes and pointed at his roommate's messed up sheets and the food scattered all over them. "I must really love you to let you have my bed. He’s a slob."
"Sorry.” I shrugged my shoulders. "Anyway, Mom and Dad are expecting us home by lunch, so we need to make sure we get out of here early."
"Fine, fine." He nodded to the door. "Come on."
"All right." I jumped to my feet and glanced at the mirror in his room. My dark hair cascaded down my back, and my eyeliner made my emerald eyes pop. I pulled the bottom of my solid black, off-the-shoulder shirt down over my pink skirt and nodded in his direction. "Let's do this."
We pulled into a subdivision of older houses that were only five minutes from campus. Cars were parked all along the street.
"I thought you said we were getting here early?" At this rate, we might not find a parking spot.
"Well, I guess everyone’s just excited to celebrate the last weekend before summer break." He sighed, and his eyes locked in on one of the last remaining parking spots, which was super narrow.
"Are you sure you can squeeze this car in there?" Granted, he drove a Volkswagen Jetta, but still ...
"Of course I can." He swung into the tight space with no issue at all.
"Show off." I climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut. The whole ride down here, I had a feeling that something was going to happen tonight, and I had no clue why. Yeah, I was a rule follower to a fault, always had been. Despite that, this feeling didn't have anything to do with the party. It was as if my wolf sensed something coming that couldn't be put into words. A lot like a premonition that tonight something might happen to dramatically change my destiny.
"You're just jealous." He stepped up next to me and took the lead. "However, I'm still impressed that you were able to crash your car into a boat and on dry land. It does take some kind of awful driving talent to accomplish that kind of feat."
"It was rainy." I grabbed his arm, yanking him toward me, and arched my eyebrow. "So technically, it wasn't dry land."
"Aw, because that makes it better." He reached over like he was going to mess up my hair, so I side-stepped away from him.
"Don't mess up the hair." I loved him to death, but he sure knew how to push my buttons. Mom always laughed and said that's what siblings were for.
"Remember to act normal." All humor left his face as he took a step closer to me. "Remember, most of these people are humans since I didn't make it into Wolf Moon Academy … so don't go too crazy."
"You do realize I've been around humans before, right?" It was fucking insulting. I hated being talked down to, and lately, it seemed to be happening more and more every day. "Remember I go to high school with them."
"I know." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm still upset that I didn't make it into the university. I really thought I'd have been a shoo-in since Dad is one of the bigger alphas in the north."
When he graduated last year and realized he wasn't getting in there, it had crushed him. For us shifters, Wolf Moon Academy was the university every single shifter wanted to attend. It was an Ivy League school even though the one main requirement to get in was that you had to be a shifter. Of course, the humans didn’t know or meet that criterion. And the other one was that you had to show promise of being a strong alpha. That's why I didn't even bother applying. If my brother, who was expected to be the next alpha of our pack, couldn't get in, there was no chance at all for me. "I'm sorry, but you seem happy here." That wasn't a lie. "You've enjoyed the friends you've made."
"It's true." He grinned. "There are enough shifters and woods around to be comfortable. It's kind of nice having friends who aren't concerned with whether they are stronger than you or not."
We picked up our pace and crossed the street, heading to the one house that seemed to be where most everyone was going. "Let's go in there and have some fun."
The house was an older, all brick, one-story home. People were alread
y in the backyard, standing around the fire pit, talking. At least twenty people were outside on the back porch in the middle of conversations as they sipped on some drinks. The air was filled with smells of lust and inebriation. Sometimes, I hated having wolf scenting for that reason alone.
"Let's go inside and get drinks." He grabbed my arm and pulled me through a large group of people that were smoking what had to be weed on the front porch.
My lungs burned, so I held my breath until we stepped inside the house.
"There you are." A guy that was a couple of inches taller than me greeted us. His brown eyes were warm, and his chestnut brown hair hung down in his eyes as well. When he got close, I picked up on the musky scent of a male wolf.
He patted my brother on his shoulder and turned to me. "So, this must be Mia, the sister that Max seems to adore."
"Really?" That didn't sound like my brother at all. "Are you bullshitting me?"
"You're right." The guy laughed as he smiled at me. "She's blunt and to the point."
"You always know where you stand with her." Max laughed as he shook his head. "She'll be around here next year, so you'll be seeing more of her."
"Ahh, so you're just a disappointment like all of us." He winked at me and smiled. "You didn't get invited to the prestigious Wolf Moon Academy, unlike my girl over there." He pointed at a girl with hair that was a little lighter than mine, who headed in our direction. "My baby is actually the daughter of one of the council members."
"You keep talking like that, and I'll start thinking that's the only reason why you keep me around." She pushed him on the shoulder, and her crystal blue eyes landed on me. "So, who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Max's sister, Mia." I didn't want her thinking I was after her man or whatever. Wolf shifters got ridiculously possessive over their lovers and especially over their mates if they are lucky enough to find them. "He dragged me to this party to show me what my life will be like next year."
"I’m Bree, and, well, I'm jealous of you." She smiled at me and glanced at her boyfriend. "Nate here thinks I have it made, but you guys get to actually live the way you want to."
"What do you mean?" That didn't make any sense. If you were accepted into Wolf Moon Academy, you were essentially guaranteed a high-level job in our shifter government or a similarly important job. If you attended there, you'd be able to buy anything you wanted.
"It's not all it's cracked up to be." There was a sadness that came into her eyes. "Enough about that." She walked through the crowd that was standing in the hallway and motioned for me to follow her. "Let's go get a drink."
"If any guys hit on you, tell them they'll have to answer to me," Nate growled after us.
I wasn't sure what to do but knew it'd be rude if I didn't follow, so I went after her.
She was making her way into what had to be the kitchen, so I hurried to catch up.
When she heard my footsteps next to her, she turned to me and smiled. "You look about as comfortable being here as me."
"You look right at home." I wished I appeared that calm, cool, and collected when all I actually felt was like a fish out of water. I would almost bet my face was squished like a fish right now; considering how uncomfortable I was in my own skin.
"The secret is to drink." She marched over to a worn island that sat in the middle of the kitchen. The walnut cabinetry was older, but the house had been well kept and in good condition. She grabbed a couple of red Solo cups from the counter before heading over to the refrigerator and pulled out a huge bottle of wine. "And we get to drink the good stuff." She filled both cups up to the halfway point and then replaced the bottle.
I almost complained about being underage, but it'd just make me look stupid. Against my better judgment, I took the offered cup. "Uh, so this makes things better?" I'd never been drunk before.
"Yup, I put in just the right amount of wolfsbane to do the trick." She grinned as she tipped her glass back and downed it.
Hell, I might as well follow suit. "So why are you here? I'm assuming Wolf Moon has their own parties."
"Oh, they do." She snorted and rolled her eyes. "But it's all about who's stronger and what dirty secret someone can find out about you."
Maybe it was a good thing Max didn't get in after all. "Yeah, I didn't bother to apply."
"Besides, my brother and his friends would be there, breathing down my neck the entire time." She sighed as she opened the refrigerator door again and pulled out the bottle. "Hmm ... On second thought, I have a feeling we should just keep it out."
That probably wasn't a bad idea. "Sounds like you have an overprotective brother like I do?" It seemed we might have a few things in common.
"Not overprotective." She laughed hard but then stopped short.
It was an odd combination. Almost as if she found it funny, but not really.
"He's more of my dad's enforcer and makes sure I don't do anything out of line." She began filling her cup and lifted it high in the air. "To friends!"
Without even thinking about it, I found myself tapping my cup against hers. Maybe we could be friends.
The party had been officially swinging for the last couple of hours. The inside of the house got packed, so Max, Nate, Bree, and I headed out to the fire pit. There were only so many smells a wolf could take.
It was strange. Even if we didn't have booze in us, Bree and I would have gotten along just fine.
I was actually enjoying my night and was glad Max had made me come.
That was until a loud, dark, menacing voice filled the air. "Bree, where the fuck are you?"
She had been smiling and laughing a second before, but her face morphed into an expression of pure terror. "Shit, I need to hide."
"What's wrong?" Nate turned so he was looking in the direction of the voice. "Who the hell is talking to you that way? That's not cool." He took a step toward four huge-ass guys who had come up behind a group standing outside.
"No, stop." Bree snagged his arm and pulled him back. "That's my brother and his goons."
It was as if the tallest, broodiest, and sexiest of them all heard her words. His eyes locked on hers, and he marched all the way over. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Liam, stop. You're making a scene." Bree pulled Nate behind her and stood protectively in front of him. "Please, calm down."
The muscle in Liam's neck tensed, and he clenched his hands into fists. I should've been petrified of the guy standing in front of me. Instead, I was more awestruck. His dark hair was the same shade as his sister’s, and his blue eyes were icy. He had to be six inches taller than me, which would make him about six-foot-four inches, and his polo shirt conformed to his muscles in a way that should be illegal. He was hot, sexy, and dangerous.
"Don't tell me what to do." His eyes glowed, and his breathing became hard as the alpha will seeped from him. His three buddies moved into position, flanking him.
The most muscular of the four stepped in my direction. He towered over me, and even though his hands were relaxed at his sides, the muscles still bulged. His short auburn hair was spiked in the front, and his gray eyes reflected white. His skin seemed translucent under the moon, making him appear even scarier.
Then, the other two stepped to the other side of Liam. They were about the same height, but that was where their similarities ended. One had dark olive skin and could pass as a freaking model. His dark eyes looked golden, and his build was more on the athletic side. He was just slightly taller than his friend standing beside him.
“Just come on, Bree.” The third friend's skin was a lighter shade of olive, and he arched an ash blond eyebrow. His amber eyes twinkled with amusement. “Don’t make us force you out.”
Yeah, right. That was exactly what all four of them wanted. Pushing back against the alpha call, I stood slightly in front of Bree. “You do realize if you did, you might wrinkle your button-down shirt and get mud on your designer pants.” Their outfits alone probably cost more than Max’s car.
"Just stop
, okay?" Bree glanced around, obviously uncomfortable. "I was just having some fun."
"Yeah, she wasn't doing anything wrong." Max lifted both hands in the air and smiled. “I mean…”
“Are you seriously trying to talk to me?” Liam’s face wrinkled in disgust as he stared down his nose at my brother. “You don’t even deserve to breathe the same air as me.” His blue eyes were faded to white with his wolf surging forward.
Oh, hell no! “Who the hell do you think you are?” I growled as I met his gaze head-on. They couldn’t come to someone’s house and act like that. Didn’t his parents teach him manners?
He took a step toward me, staring at me hard, trying to make me look away—to submit. “You better learn your place, or I’ll have to teach you.”
If he thought he could intimidate me, he was going to learn how wrong he was. “Why don’t you …”
“No, it’s okay.” Bree sighed as she reached over and grabbed my arm. “Thank you, but it’s better if I just go.”
“But…”
“You heard her.” Liam’s voice was hard, unyielding. “So now you can shut the hell up and go back to chatting up some guy for a good lay.” His hand grasped his sister’s and yanked her toward the car.
“You must be overcompensating for something to be such an asshole.” He couldn’t talk to me like that or handle her that way. I took a menacing step in their direction before my brother grabbed me around the waist.
“Don’t. All it’ll do is cause problems.”
I wanted to argue, but he was right. The backyard had a view of the road, so Bree was already halfway to their high-end Escalade that screamed money.
