by Emma Wolfe
But from the way Matthew’s shoulder curved forward and the hopeful grin he had spread across his lips, he wasn’t a threat. Besides, I was pretty good at reading people, and my gut was telling me he was harmless.
I wrapped my arms around my books and held them to my chest. I took in a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I’ll help you figure things out until…” My thoughts trailed off as Grayson’s face flashed in my mind.
I really hoped I was right about Grayson. That he just needed a few days’ break and then would be back. I could distract myself with Matthew until then.
Matthew furrowed his brow. “Until?”
I pinched my lips together and shook my head. I didn’t really want to talk about Grayson, and I definitely didn’t want to spill my guts to this stranger. “Until you feel more comfortable,” I replied.
Matthew squinted for a moment before he nodded. “Perfect. I’m happy to go with that.” He stuck out his hand and held it there.
I stared at it for a moment. Then, realizing that I couldn’t just stand there, that I looked like a complete idiot, I met his gesture. When our skin touched, heat coursed up my arm and throughout my body. For a moment, it sounded as if Matthew’s heart was beating in time with mine.
Before I could allow myself to hope, I dropped his hand and threaded my thumbs through the straps of my backpack. Keeping my hands busy seemed the best move. There was something about him. A part of myself seemed to unlock when I was around him.
I knew it sounded crazy, but I couldn’t deny it.
And that scared me.
“Meet me after practice,” I said as I started making my way toward the locker room.
“Practice?” he asked, keeping step with me.
I glanced over at him. “Yeah. Coach Pennington is going to want to talk to you. Besides, being on the team helps burn off energy.” I ran my gaze over his physique. He was built like Liam’s pack. Tall and broad, with muscles for days.
Just what the team needed.
I paused outside the locker room and motioned toward the doors. “In there,” I said.
Matthew glanced over at them and then back to me. “And where are you going?”
I took a step back, needing distance between our bodies. I didn’t want him to read into my actions—which I was pretty sure he already was. If I was able to pick up his heartbeat, I was pretty sure he could pick up mine. And from the way my heart was beating, there was no mystery there.
I was attracted to Matthew. More than I’d ever been toward another guy.
“I’ve got soccer practice,” I said, waving toward the opposite door, where the girl’s locker room was.
I watched Matthew flick his gaze in the direction I’d motioned and then back to me.
His lips tipped up into a smile as I heard his heartbeat quicken. That intrigued me, but before I could ask him about it, the door to the boy’s locker room opened and Noah stuck his head out. His gaze landed on me and then moved over to Matthew. Then his expression turned sour as he stepped out into the hallway.
“Is there an issue here?” he asked. He folded his arms across his chest as he rose to his full height.
I wanted to sigh and roll my eyes. This was totally a play from Grayson’s overprotective brother book. “We’re fine,” I said, taking a step back just to make sure he believed my words.
Matthew ran his hands through his hair as his heartbeat slowed noticeably. I studied him, wondering how he had that much control over his emotions. If I hadn’t been standing next to him a few seconds ago, I would have never known his heart rate was elevated.
Noah cleared his throat as he stepped forward. “My dad wants to talk to you,” he said, tossing his head in the direction of the locker room.
Matthew raised his eyebrows as he studied Noah and then dropped his gaze back to me. He gave me a smile that I was pretty sure turned my knees to Jell-O. Then he turned, saluted Noah, and disappeared into the locker room.
My emotions were out of whack as I shifted my weight and attempted to get my heartbeat in check.
“Brielle,” Noah said, lowering his voice.
Ugh. He sounded just like Grayson.
“What?” I asked, wincing at my volume. I was trying to be stealthy. To not give away my feelings for Matthew.
Noah’s gaze drifted down to my heart and then back up. “You know what? With Grayson gone, it’s my job to look out for you. And having anything for that guy”—he shoved his thumb in the direction of the locker room—“isn’t smart.”
I let out a groan as I gripped the handle to the girl’s locker room door. This was not the conversation I wanted to have with my brother’s friend. I didn’t need advice on relationships. I could take care of myself.
“I think I’m perfectly capable of deciding what’s going to be good for me,” I said.
Noah shook his head as he stepped forward. “With things up in the air with the Mother pack, we can’t be too careful. If anything happened to you, Grayson would have my head.” He lifted his hand up to hold the door handle.
He must have sensed my desire to bolt and was blocking my retreat. He stared down at me in a way that told me he was serious and that he wanted me to acknowledge him. To agree with him.
Which I couldn’t. Not truthfully.
So I just nodded. “I understand,” I said, dropping my voice to a whisper. I knew he was trying to protect me, but it just made me angry. But if I let that anger brew inside of me, he would sense it and know I was lying.
Truth was, I didn’t take too well to a guy threatening me or telling me who I could and couldn’t talk to. I tolerated it with Grayson because he was my brother. But Noah wasn’t my anything. Female wolf shifters didn’t have loyalty to their pack quite like the males did. And teenage female wolf shifters had very little loyalty.
So even though he was standing there, dictating to me what I had to do, the desire to follow his commands just wasn’t there. But that didn’t seem to stop him.
Not wanting to get into an argument with him about what Grayson may or may not want, I just nodded and pulled harder on the door.
That seemed to snap Noah out of his trance, and he dropped his hand.
I gave him a small smile as I pulled open the door. But when I slipped into the locker room, thinking I was free of him, he grabbed my hand.
“I mean it, Brielle. Stay away from Matthew until we know why he’s here.” Noah’s voice had dropped to one of concern instead of command. Like he was really scared that something bad might happen or was already happening.
A shiver rushed across my skin as I studied him. Then I slowly nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay away from him.”
He studied me for a moment before he dropped his hand and scrubbed his face. “Thanks, Brielle. That means a lot.”
I nodded and walked forward, allowing the locker room door to close behind me. Now alone, I scooted over so I could lean my back against the wall and take a few deep breaths.
I hated lying to Noah, but I hated being told what to do more. Sure, Matthew was mysterious, and his sudden appearance was alarming, but I trusted my gut more than anything else.
And my gut was telling me that Matthew wasn’t as dangerous as Noah was making him out to be. That, perhaps, Matthew was as lost as I felt.
How could I turn my back on that?
Tipping my face toward the ceiling, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Grayson’s face flashed through my mind, only strengthening my resolve more.
I’d keep my distance, to honor Noah’s request. I’d make sure I was safe at all times.
But I wasn’t going to leave Matthew alone.
Not when he might know where Grayson was.
And maybe, and this was a small maybe, because I didn’t want to.
6
Liam
This was a mistake. A huge, colossal rip-my-heart-out-and-stomp-on-it mistake.
I knew I should walk away. After all, I was the mayor’s son. I was sure one phone call from him and I wouldn
’t have to go to detention. I could leave the school and never look back.
But I didn’t want that. Not at all.
Not when Cora was going to be there too.
The chance to sit by her—no matter how painful—was a chance I was going to take.
As crazy as it sounded, there was something soothing about sitting by her. Just being next to her, feeling her warmth and hearing her heartbeat. It calmed my ragged nerves, and right now, I needed that.
I needed her.
I pulled my backpack up higher on my shoulder as I made my way down the hallway and over to Mrs. White’s classroom. The door was open, and I could hear voices coming from inside.
It only took a second to pick out Cora’s voice. It was soft and melodious, and before I could stop myself, I closed my eyes and leaned against the nearby locker. My heart pounded inside of my chest. My body yearned for me to rush in there and pull her to me, pressing her lips to mine.
All I wanted in this world was Cora, and yet, she was the one thing I couldn’t have.
My life sucked.
“Are you joining us, Mr. Bronson?” Mrs. White’s voice snapped me from my wallowing.
I straightened and glanced up to see her walk by me. Her heels clicked on the cement floor. Her glasses were perched on her nose. She had a no-nonsense look as her gaze roamed over me.
I shifted my backpack higher onto my shoulder and nodded, following her into the room.
Of course, I located Cora before I took note of anyone else in the room. In all honesty, I didn’t care which students were there with us. All I needed to know was where my fate sat. She was all I cared about.
She held my gaze for a moment before her cheeks flushed and she dropped her gaze to the notebook on her desk. I heard the quickening of her heartbeat as I passed by her and dropped into a seat a few spots behind her. There was no way I wasn’t going to sit where I couldn’t keep an eye on her.
It was going to drive me crazy, having her within my grasp without being able to touch her. But what did it matter? I was already partially insane. I was learning very quickly why keeping a wolf shifter from their fate was torture.
Because that’s how I felt right now. Tortured.
Once I settled into my desk, I grabbed a notebook and a pencil. There was no way I was going to be able to concentrate, but I knew I couldn’t just sit here and look like I wasn’t doing anything.
“I expect the room to remain quiet for the next two hours.” Mrs. White said. “If you have homework, may I suggest that you accomplish it.” She was sitting in front of her computer, wiggling her mouse as if she were trying to wake up the screen.
The room grew quiet as everyone dipped their head downs. They all looked busy, completely engrossed in their homework. I, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to make out anything on the piece of paper in front of me.
Not when I could hear Cora’s heart so clearly or smell her scent so strongly. I was completely entranced by her proximity, and it was taking all of my strength not to throw aside the desks between her and me, lift her up, and take her far away from here.
Where she would be mine.
All mine.
“Excuse me.” Christopher’s voice broke through my thoughts and caused my temperature to instantly rise.
I glanced up to see that he was standing in the middle of Mrs. White’s room with a bouquet in his hands and a sheepish look on his face. I stared at him, trying to process what he was doing here. In front of me, Cora had straightened, her body rigid.
“Yes, Mr. Larson?” Mrs. White’s voice came out annoyed as she stared at him from over her readers. “This is detention, not a flower delivery place.” Her gaze dipped down to the roses in his hand.
Christopher laughed. It was forced and weak. And it made my blood boil. It was becoming impossible to think of a reason not to go over and dispose of this weasel. I didn’t understand what Cora saw in this guy.
He was weak. A human. How could he protect her?
“I just needed to ask Cora a question,” he said, glancing over at Cora and giving her a smile.
My body was molten lava now as I realized what was going on. I glanced between Cora and Christopher, waiting to hear the change in her heartbeat. The same one that happened when I neared her.
The one that would tell me if she had feelings for him.
But…it never came. Instead the cadence remained constant. Steady.
Mrs. White sighed and nodded. “Fine. Get it over with.” Then she mumbled under her breath, “I can’t wait until homecoming is over.”
Christopher shot Mrs. White a smile as he made his way to Cora. I stared at him, daring him to look up. Daring him to take notice of me. If he did, there was no way I wasn’t going to show him exactly how I felt about what he was doing.
But he never looked at me. Instead, he stopped in front of Cora and then went down on one knee. “Will you go to prom with me?” he asked as he looked up at her and held out the flowers.
I heard her breath catch in her throat as she paused. I studied her, wishing I could read her mind or see her face. I needed to know what she thought about this. Did she like it? Did she hate it?
What did this mean for us?
Feeling frustrated, I stood and made my way over to the dusty pencil sharpener. I doubted it had been used in years. I brushed it off and shoved my pencil into it, hoping that no one would notice that it was actually a mechanical pencil.
I didn’t care. I need the distraction. I needed a break from staring at the back of her head, wondering what she was thinking. Wondering if she’d forgotten about me. If moving on with Christopher would bring her happiness.
Despite my best efforts to stay away, I glanced over in her direction. From where I stood, I could see her face. She was watching me as if she were waiting to see what I would do.
I shoved every ounce of my energy into not running over there and taking her away from here. Away from Christopher.
My gaze met hers, and I held it for a moment. I let my guard down. I wanted her to see that I still cared. That I hadn’t forgotten her. That I never could forget her.
Her eyes widened as she hesitated. I wanted to hope that she would turn him down, but then I realized how selfish that would be of me.
To not want her to be happy was wrong of me.
After all, it wasn’t like I could take her to homecoming, no matter how much I wanted to.
With things so up in the air in my life, dragging Cora down with me wasn’t fair. She deserved to have a stress-free senior year. She didn’t need someone like me in her life.
She deserved to be free. And I was anything but free.
So I pulled my mechanical pencil from the sharpener, blew on it like that would do something, and headed back to my desk.
On my way past Cora, I spoke even though it broke my heart. “What are you waiting for, Gray? He wants an answer.” I glanced over at her quickly before I dropped my gaze to the ground. I hoped she’d pick up on my forced playful tone and flirty smile even though I was breaking inside.
“Should I say yes?” she asked. It was a question but sounded more like an accusation.
No.
But I couldn’t say that. Instead, I shrugged. “If that’s the guy you want hanging onto your arm all night, then go for it. I’m not going to stop you.” I flicked my gaze up to Christopher, who looked startled.
He glanced back and forth between us like he wasn’t sure what to make of our conversation. I shot him a smile as I dropped down into my seat and leaned forward, resting my forehead on my elbow. I welcomed the darkness that surrounded me.
I didn’t want to look up anymore. I wanted to block out the world and what was going on in front of me. If I ignored it, maybe my heart would stop breaking.
I stifled a growl as I heard Cora and Christopher return to talking. Eventually, she said yes, which elicited a cheer from everyone in the room.
Frustrated with myself and what was going on, I stood and made my way over t
o Mrs. White’s desk. I must have looked crazed as I stood there staring down at her. A semi-panicked look flashed in her eyes.
“Can I help you, Mr. Bronson?” she asked.
“Bathroom,” I said.
She nodded and waved her hand toward the door. “Go ahead. I expect you back in a timely manner.”
I growled as I shoved my hands into my front pockets and stalked out of the room. I wouldn’t be back until Christopher was gone and my nerves weren’t so frayed.
But I doubted that would be anytime soon.
I barreled into the bathroom. I blew out my breath as I tipped my face upward and wrapped my hands around the back of my neck. Luckily for the entire student body of Smoky Hills, I was alone. Right now, I wasn’t sure what I would do to an innocent bystander.
I splashed some water on my face and stalked back and forth in the bathroom until I was sure the tile was worn down. Then I took in a deep breath and decided it was safe to go back to the room.
As I walked out into the hall, I glanced both ways only to be stopped by Cora. She was leaning against the lockers next to the bathroom with her arms folded across her chest and her legs stretched out.
I stared at her for a moment, wondering how I’d missed the sound of her heartbeat. I must have been too distracted to notice.
I shook my head as I turned to walk away from her. Whatever she had to say wasn’t good. My self-control around her was seriously lacking. If I allowed myself to confront her, I doubted my ability to stay away from her.
It was fraying as it was.
“Liam,” Cora’s voice cut through the silence. “Wait.”
Like a beta to his alpha, I stopped. There was no way I could ignore her. And the truth was, I wanted to stop. I wanted to see her. Speak to her.
Kiss her.
I growled as I forced my mind to what I was going to say. But before I came up with something good, she was in front of me, staring up into my face. She looked mad and hurt. And I didn’t blame her. I was a jerk for leading her on.
“What the heck was that?” she asked, waving her hand in the direction of Mrs. White’s room.
