I turned to face Grayson. “No, I’m with you in this, all the way. It just makes me nervous that they knew to call you about me. Do you think they’ve been watching you?”
Grayson searched my eyes for a minute before turning back to the road and putting the vehicle in motion again. “They have to be watching because none of us said a word.”
“They didn’t know about me until I started staying with you,” I pointed out. “I had been staying in the woods around their university. I’ve even tried peeking through their fences and gates before.”
Grayson shot me an amused look. “Of course you did.” The amusement faded from his face just as quickly as it came. “That’s a good point though, we hadn’t really considered that we were under close surveillance before.” He shook his head. “I didn’t realize they cared.”
My nervousness grew as we turned off the main road and the school came into view. Grayson had the windshield wipers on high to combat the heavy rain, and steam was rising up from where the cool water was hitting the hot pavement. The mist hovering over us as we drove up to the tall black gates with the buildings looming in the distance gave me a foreboding feeling that I just couldn’t shake.
I tried to sit still and not fidget or chew my lip. I didn’t want Grayson to know that I was being a wimp at the spooky sight. As we pulled up, a security guard came out of the little gatehouse. He was wearing a black rain poncho over his dark uniform and his face was anything but friendly. This was not helping my nerves.
Grayson lowered his window and the guard peered past him to look at me. “Mr. Lowry and Miss Harris, Professor Green is expecting you.”
I looked at Grayson in a panic. I hadn’t told any of them my last name; how did these guys know it? Grayson reached across the center console to hold my hand and rubbed his thumb reassuringly across my skin. “We can leave anytime,” he murmured as I stared into his dark eyes. “Just say the word.”
A strong gust of wind swept some of the rain inside of Grayson’s window, making me break eye contact. I glanced over and realized that the security guard had already retreated inside and the gate was opening in front of us.
“Buttercup,” I told him with a straight face.
I hid a smile as his brow furrowed in confusion. “The word for us to leave,” I explained.
He laughed out loud and shook his head, his eyes shining. “Buttercup it is.”
Grayson rolled up the window and we drove onto the campus. I didn’t let go of Grayson’s hand but instead wound my fingers through his. Not because I was scared or anything; because I wasn’t going to let a little mist and dark gates bother me. The gates gave an ominous clank as they shut behind us and I jumped a little. Still not scared, I insisted to myself.
Grayson cruised into a parking garage and I eyed the cars as we drove up to the second level. There were some really expensive vehicles in here. “Why don’t any of these people ever go into town?” I asked curiously. If someone had driven up to the local food mart in a red Ferrari or a shiny black Porsche, believe me, I would know. That would be all the town talked about for at least a week.
Grayson shrugged and pulled into an empty parking space. “My guess is that they don’t want to attract attention.”
“Shouldn’t they all be driving Toyotas and Hondas then?”
One side of Grayson’s mouth pulled up into a slight smile and he leaned in close. I tried not to let my face show the effect that being this close to him had on me. “Vanity is their biggest weakness,” he murmured quietly. His deep voice sent a chill up my spine and I was almost overwhelmed by the feel of him. I wasn’t strong enough to pick up on the magic that others exuded unless I was close. And Grayson was definitely close enough for me to feel now.
I nodded silently and tried not to inhale too deeply. What I really wanted to do was pull him against me, rub his scent all over me, and bask in his warmth. I did my best to shake off those urges; I had never been this affected by a male before. I had never been attracted to a male wolf before at all. The ones that I had known since childhood had made me miserable with every second I had spent in their presence. I felt like a part of me was waking up inside, a part of me that had laid dormant for a very long time.
Grayson pulled away from me and opened his car door to step out. I leaned back in my seat for a second and took a deep breath. The breath didn’t help at all, because it just brought me even more of Grayson’s masculine scent.
Before he could walk around to my side of the car and ask why I was being such a weirdo I popped my car door open and jumped out. I hesitated for a second, deciding if I wanted to indulge my urge to grab onto his hand again. I decided to play it cool instead and strode towards the elevator that would probably lead us into the main building.
I pretended not to notice that Grayson hid another smile before matching my stride. I hit the button to summon the elevator and we waited in an awkward silence. I glanced up at him to see that his attention wasn’t focused on me, but instead on a camera with a blinking green light. Looks like someone was watching.
The elevator doors opened with a ding and I stepped inside. The elevator was fancy and didn’t look like it belonged in a parking garage. Grayson hit one of the buttons while I reached out to touch the engraved wood paneling and admired the mini chandelier.
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Grayson said as the elevator started to move. “This place is an insane mix of old-world aesthetics and new world technology.”
I blinked in surprise at Grayson’s use of the word aesthetics, but my attention was quickly taken by my surroundings as the elevator doors opened. We had been dropped into a cavernous lobby with marble floors, thick columns, an ornate ceiling, and a crystal chandelier dangling in the center. I walked across the floor almost reverently until I saw Grayson watching me with a grin. Then I straightened up and strutted through there like I owned the place. I ignored his chuckle, but allowed him to take my arm and lead the way through there.
The lobby lead to a hallway that wasn’t as large, but just as impressive. That led to another elevator and a slightly less impressive hallway. There was still a feeling of elegance, but this felt more academic than palatial. It was still nicer than any college I’d ever seen pictures of.
A stunningly gorgeous man walked down the hallway to meet us. My jaw dropped as he got closer and I decided he belonged on a billboard somewhere instead of teaching at a school. His blond hair was tucked into a man bun which only accentuated his sculpted cheekbones and piercing blue eyes.
“Grayson! So glad you got my message.” He stopped when he got close enough and turned his attention to me. “And this must be Ms. Harris.”
I gave him an awkward wave while still holding on to Grayson’s arm. “You can call me Lori,” I offered.
“Excellent,” he exclaimed. “My students call me Dr. Green, but in private you are welcome to address me as Stefan.”
“Cool,” I murmured awkwardly. This guy was either oblivious to how much Grayson and I didn’t want to be here or he was deliberately ignoring it.
“Please, follow me to my office so we can speak in private.” Grayson and I followed behind him as he led the way and I took the opportunity to look him over. He was dressed in slacks and a button-down dress shirt that showcased his lean figure. A glint of silver at his wrists showed that he was wearing cufflinks and an expensive looking watch.
A stream of students passed by us as we walked. Some gave us hostile looks, but most simply walked by us as if we weren’t there. I ignored all the feelings of inadequacy and inferiority that this gorgeous place and beautiful people tried to stir up inside of me. I might not have expensive clothes or a lot of money, but that didn’t make me less than them. I held my head up high as I walked next to Grayson and through the door that the professor held open. I felt like I was walking into the lion’s den and held Grayson’s arm a little tighter. But just to comfort him, of course. I wasn’t nervous at all.
Dr. Green gestured for us to
sit in the two chairs that were placed in front of his desk. “Sit, please. Lori, would you like some tea? You look like you got caught out in the weather.”
I blushed and tried not to fidget. “No, thank you,” I said politely. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible; I didn’t want to wait for this guy to brew some tea. I smoothed down my damp shorts as I sat and tried to pretend that I belonged here. Even if Grayson had taken me home first to get changed, I didn’t have any nice clothes to wear here. Best to just pretend.
Dr. Green opened a notebook and picked up a pen, looking ready to write down our every word. He looked me over with interest that was definitely more scientific than sexual. I tried not to squirm as I felt like a lab rat being dropped into a maze.
“Lori, I am so glad you could make it here today,” he said with a smile. “I hear that you will be joining Grayson and the others in Hollow Crest?”
My stomach dropped but I forced a smile. “Ideally, yes.”
The professor sat back in his chair with a glint in his eye that I didn’t like. “Yes, I heard about the trouble with your former pack.” He folded his hands in front of him and gave me a small smile. “I would be happy to do what I can to facilitate your move here. Assuming, of course, that you would be willing to donate some of your time to the university in return.”
I leaned forward. “Time doing what?” I asked bluntly.
He gave me a benevolent smile. “It’s my mission here to bring all of the races together. Wolves and other shifters have been closed off from us for so long that you are more of a mystery to us than anything else, and what people don’t understand, they fear. I think that becoming more knowledgeable about your kind will help us develop stronger relationships.”
I looked at him suspiciously. “What are you asking me to do, exactly?”
He shrugged. “Meet with me and my team. Talk about your culture, your experiences.”
I softened slightly. That didn’t seem so bad. “That’s it?” I asked cautiously.
“We’ll also need to run some basic tests, take some blood samples-”
“No,” Grayson interjected. “You get enough of that lab rat stuff from me.”
Dr. Green gave Grayson a sympathetic look. “But we don’t have any information about females.” He steepled his fingers and looked over them at me. “I have a feeling that the females of your kind are quite different.”
“If Grayson is willing to do it, then I can too,” I said quietly, giving Grayson a glance. There was no way I was going to let everything fall on him.
Dr. Green gave me a pleased smile. “Excellent. I’ll draw up a separate contract for you since you weren’t included in the original agreement.”
“I’m doing this in return for what?” I asked blatantly.
Dr. Green laughed and leaned towards me. “I like that you don’t hold back. In return for your cooperation, I can cut any and all ties that bind you to your old pack. You will be free of them and won’t have to keep looking over your shoulder.”
“That sounds nice, but how do you plan on doing that?” I asked dubiously.
Dr. Green smiled and a chill ran down my spine. “Your pack has already been destabilized by the loss of their most dominant males. Several other wolves have taken the opportunity to run and left the gates wide open for the Stone Creek Pack to step in.”
I nodded sadly. “So my pack doesn’t exist anymore.”
Dr. Green shrugged. “Currently, the new leadership has reported you stolen to the council. I could have you returned to them, or I could make sure you are free to pursue other options.”
Grayson gave a low growl at the threat but I merely smiled. “That’s a good start, but I think you can offer more.”
The professor gave a hearty laugh and leaned forward with a twinkle in his eyes. “Like what?”
“I want to stay in school and get the opportunity to go to college,” I started. “Plus, I want to be paid for my time. You’ve already stated that you need a female, and I doubt any other pack out there is going to agree to hand one over. I’m a valuable commodity.” I kept my chin up and held his gaze steadily.
“True,” Dr. Green said with an amused smile. “How would you like to be a lab assistant? That would look quite nice on a college application and I can give you an excellent letter of recommendation.”
“But only after school and on weekends,” I demanded.
“School first,” Dr. Green agreed. “One day a week during the school year.”
“She doesn’t come here without me,” Grayson grumbled.
The professor turned his attention from me. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he murmured, looking pleased.
“She doesn’t go out of my sight and can decline to participate in anything that she doesn’t feel comfortable doing,” Grayson added.
Dr. Green sighed. “Very well.”
“And no contract,” Grayson stated. “She can quit any time she wants to.”
The professor tapped his pen on the table and looked at me. “It’s going to take me a lot of favors to get things worked out with your council and the pack,” he told me sadly. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask for a minimum commitment so that I can be assured this is all worth it.”
“I’m worth it,” I told him confidently. “Just don’t ask me to do anything that you wouldn’t let your own daughter do and I won’t need to quit.”
Dr. Green cocked his head at me in interest and a slow smile spread over his face. “I believe I’m going to enjoy working with you, Lori.” He ignored the fact that Grayson was still glaring at him and kept his attention on me. “Why don’t we try this? We’ll have a mandatory meeting each month where we discuss any concerns you might have and decide if you want to continue on for the following month.”
“And she can quit at the end of the month?” Grayson growled.
“She can,” he said as he smiled at me. “What do you think, Lori?”
“I think that I would like to see all of this in writing,” I told him firmly. Verbal promises could be easily forgotten or twisted. I wanted something solid that I could contest if disagreements arose.
“I can accommodate that,” Dr. Green said smoothly. “I’ll have something drawn up by next week.”
I nodded in satisfaction, ready to go back home.
“Since the two of you are going to be working as a pair, I’m guessing that Lori is staying for your session tonight?” Dr. Green asked Grayson.
Crap, I forgot this was a regular thing for him. I settled back in my chair with a sigh.
Grayson glanced at me. “Is that okay with you, Lori?”
“Sure,” I said with a smile. “Might as well see what I’m getting myself into before I sign the paperwork.
Dr. Green practically rubbed his hands together in glee. “Fantastic.” He picked up his pen again. “Why don’t we just talk tonight? Lori, if you want to chime in with anything, I’ll take that as a gesture of good faith and your protection can start tonight.”
I agreed warily. It would be nice to be able to sleep through the night once I no longer had to worry about anyone chasing me down and dragging me back home, but I hated giving them anything for free.
“Let’s get started then,” Dr. Green said. “Grayson, at what distance do you think you would be able to pick up on the scent of a female?”
Grayson gave a resigned sigh and settled back into his chair. “It all depends on the wind and how far it would carry her scent.”
“Interesting,” Dr. Green murmured as he scribbled in his notebook. “Would you say that your instinctual reaction to the scent of a strange female is different from your reaction to a male?”
Grayson shrugged. “I guess.” He glanced over at me. “A male is going to be seen as a threat whereas a female…” Grayson looked like he was struggling for words. “A female’s scent is going to be more… interesting.”
“What about you, Lori? Do you feel threatened by the scent of other females?”
&n
bsp; “Not really?” I told him. I was utterly confused as to why he was asking us any of these questions.
Dr. Green tapped his pen on his notebook. “So what do you feel then, Lori? When you come across the scent of an unknown female?”
“Um, I guess curious?”
“Uh, huh. And the scent of an unknown male?”
“Threatened,” I said firmly.
That caught Dr. Green’s attention. “Interesting…”
I scowled, I really wish he would stop saying that.
The questioning went on and on like that for quite some time. I didn’t understand his line of questioning and I didn’t get why he would even care about our answers. Finally, a couple hours later the professor snapped his notebook shut.
“I think this has been a very productive session,” he told us happily. “Thank you both for coming in tonight, and I’ll have those papers drawn up for Lori next week.”
I gave him a polite nod and stood stiffly from my chair. My muscles were cramped up from sitting still for so long but I didn’t feel comfortable stretching them out in front of this guy, so I just walked uncomfortably to the elevator.
The elevator doors opened for us with a ding and I looked at Grayson as I stepped in. “What the fuck was that?”
He chuckled but glanced pointedly up at the camera that was documenting our every move. Grayson and I made our way back to the car, but I was almost bursting with unanswered questions. He unlocked the doors with a beep and I climbed in and slammed the door shut before looking at him expectantly. “Well?”
Grayson shrugged. “Most of my sessions are like that. He asks me odd questions and seems fascinated with my answers, even though it all seems pointless to me.” He started the car and backed out of the parking spot. “Sometimes he has me doing physical things like running on a treadmill when I’m hooked up to gadgets. Other times he takes blood and tissue samples.”
I fidgeted in my seat. “But sometimes you fight?” I asked softly.
“Sometimes,” he answered. “But not you.”
I tilted my chin up. “I’m not afraid.” A part of it was bravado, but another part of me believed that I was safe with Grayson at my side. I blinked in surprise when I realized just how much I trusted this man. This wolf, whom I had just met. Could my instincts be trusted? Or was I projecting what I wanted to see on Grayson?
New Beginnings: Hollow Crest Wolf Pack Book 1 Page 11