“Good grief. I knew you would say that, too. I suppose you don’t want to borrow a pair of boots either? Let me guess, you’ll be wearing your scuffed-up Converse instead?”
I flashed her a grin. “Yep.”
I tugged my baggy sweater off, revealing the plain black tank top I already wore beneath. Summer rolled her eyes, but didn’t say a word. She handed her sweater to me and then hobbled back to the desk chair.
“Let’s give my toenails another minute to dry, and then we can head to the dining hall to meet everyone before popping over to Last Call,” she said as she fanned and blew on her toes.
I slipped the sweater over my head and marveled at the softness of it. When I stepped to the full-length mirror on the back of our dorm door, I noticed the sweater didn’t look half as bad on me as I thought it would. It looked cute. Sexy even.
“That looks great on you! You should keep it.”
My gaze snapped to her. “What? No. You just bought it.”
“I have loads of clothes. It’s just one sweater. Think of it as a Christmas gift.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“I think my nails are dry. Ready to go?” Summer slipped on a pair of wedge sandals and grabbed her coat. Her toes would be frozen by the time we made it to Last Call, but I knew she wouldn’t care. She was the type who bought into the whole pain for beauty adage. I didn’t. Which was why I was wearing Converse and leggings. Comfort was my style.
“Yeah.” I slipped my shoes back on and then grabbed my purse. It was chilly out, but the sweater was thick enough that I didn’t need a jacket. Especially not after I had alcohol in my system.
My wolf bristled. She was unsettled. Pent-up energy radiated from her. Going out might be a good idea. It might help to settle her. Having a drink might, too.
However, if Holt came, neither one of us would be settled no matter how much alcohol was involved.
Holt
The dining hall was packed, but it didn’t take long for us to spot Paris, Summer, and Tori. Hell, I would’ve been able to spot Tori with my eyes closed. Something about her drew me in.
I skimmed over the length of her as we neared the three of them. She was focused on the conversation happening at the table, which let me stare at her for longer than I normally would. Her brown hair was piled high on top of her head the way I liked. It showcased her beautiful, slender neckline. The sweater she wore was snug, hugging her just right, and when she leaned forward in her chair, I was able to snag a glimpse at the back of it. It looked as though someone had taken a razor to it, cutting it into sections. While no skin was visible through it, it still made me think the same thoughts as though there had been. She shifted sideways in her seat and kicked her foot out to retie her shoe. I smiled when I caught sight of her signature shoes—a scuffed up pair of black and white Converse.
The girls laughed at whatever Tori had said. A wide smile spread across her face as she finished tying her shoe and then shifted to sit back in her seat again. Her smile was contagious. It had one of my own stretching across my face as I stepped closer. Not only was Tori beautiful, but she was also a good person. The proof was in the people around her. She’d made friends here that went beyond her assigned roommate.
I couldn’t say the same for myself.
Not really. I had people who said hello when I passed them in the halls, but they weren’t friends. They were acquaintances. Walker was the only real friend I’d made while here. Hell, he was the only real friend I had nowadays. Period.
Once upon a time, I’d had loads of friends, but after the attack, I let them all go. They’d tried to stay in my life, but the person I was—the person I’d been before—died the night I was attacked. My parents were the only people I carried with me to the other side after.
I split my life in two in that instant—it would always be thought of as before and after. The way things had been and how they were now.
“Hey, babe,” Walker said in the weird voice he only used for Paris. It was deeper and much more masculine than his regular voice. I rolled my eyes, per usual, at the sound of it. I still didn’t understand why he did it. I’d told him before I doubted she dated him because of his voice. “I missed you so damn much.” Walker grabbed Paris’s hips and pulled her close. She melted against him in a way that looked easy and effortless.
I crammed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans and shifted my gaze from the two lovebirds to Tori and Summer.
“How’s it goin’?” I asked with a slight nod of my head.
“Not too bad,” Summer answered. “I’m glad to be back, but I’m seriously ready for a drink tonight. Let’s hurry up and get some food.” She pushed her chair out and stood.
I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. A drink would be great right about now.
“Let’s migrate that way, then.” Tori slipped from her chair, hitching her thumb toward the food.
“Yes. Let’s.” Summer grabbed Paris’s arm and jerked her away from Walker. “Come on. They’ll be plenty of time for you guys to make out later. Let’s get food, and then we can head to Last Call for drinks.”
I was grateful for Summer’s hurry to get moving. It saved us all from awkward silence while Walker and Paris made out.
“Whew. I’m so glad it’s not meatloaf,” I heard Tori mutter.
“You don’t like meatloaf?” I asked as I stepped closer to her so that a few people could get by. This place was busy. I was surprised. I figured everyone would still be stuffed from their holiday meals.
Tori wrinkled her nose. She looked adorable when she did that. “I like my mom’s meatloaf, but not the academy’s. I’m not a fan of the ketchup they squeeze on top before putting it in the oven. It looks too much like blood, and it makes me think of the drinks the Wolf Bloods drink.” A disgusted look overtook her face, and even though we were clearly having a conversation, she didn’t look at me once.
Maybe it was pathetic, but I’d been hoping to see her eyes.
I’d have to settle for our close proximity, it seemed. While I knew she was leaning in because she worried someone from Wolf Blood would hear what she’d said and take offense, it still excited me to be so close to her.
In fact, parts of me seemed too excited, and I hoped she didn’t notice.
I placed a hand in my pocket and carefully adjusted myself while sliding my tray down the buffet, following behind Tori.
“I know what you mean,” I said, hoping too much time hadn’t passed between when she’d spoken and I’d decided to reply. If there had been, she didn’t let on. The pizza called to me. So, I grabbed two slices. “I’m just glad it’s not a holiday dinner. I’m sick of mashed potatoes and gravy.”
Tori glanced at me, a dumbfounded expression twisting her features. For a brief moment, I thought of what I could have said to make her look at me like that, but really all that mattered was that I could see her eyes now. Her beautiful blue eyes. “I could eat mashed potatoes and gravy every single day of my life. Especially if I had a warm, buttery roll to dip in it.”
“You remind me of my mom.” I blinked. Why the fuck had I just said that? I wanted to throat punch myself. Oh my God! “Uh, I mean that’s her favorite, too. Mashed potatoes and gravy. She loves them.”
Tori’s cheeks grew pink. Shit. I’d embarrassed her. Great. “Cool,” she said. Her gaze slipped to the food in front of her, and the conversation was over. Just like that.
My throat pinched tight. Smooth move, Holt. Smooth move.
Tori made herself a salad before grabbing a few slices of bacon. I watched as she crumbled them on top. One thing I’d noticed about her was that her veggie consumption was particularly high for a wolf. At least, I thought so, considering the way our bodies needed protein now. I often found myself wondering if she hadn’t been a fan of meat before she was turned.
Had she been a vegetarian? That would suck.
I knew there were some vegetarian wolves at the academy, though. Nadia Hazel was one. She was in one of my clas
ses last semester, and we’d shared the same lunch, so I’d noticed a time or two when she reached for the non-meat options available constantly. Also, she was a twin and twins had always fascinated me.
Tori grabbed two more cherry tomatoes and placed them on top of her salad, making it look like a piece of art instead of something she was about to eat. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed she arranged her food in such a way.
“I like it,” I said, nodding to it. “Edible art.”
She smiled up at me. “Yeah.”
We moved to pay, and then we made our way back to our table. Tori sat next to me, and I tried to play it cool, but the entire right side of my body had sprung to life at the feel of her there.
“Dude.” Walker shoved my shoulder. “You forgot to remind me to bring the cookies and deer jerky.”
“Cookies and deer jerky?” Paris asked. “Where the hell did you get that?”
“Holt’s mom. You’ve tasted her cookies before, but not her deer jerky. It’s so good. The cookies too. The woman seriously needs to open up a shop. I’d keep her in business; that’s for sure.” Walker’s eyes seemed to glaze over at the thought. The guy loved to eat. I’d picked up on that fact right away. Our first night at the academy, he’d raided the vending machines off every floor, stocking up on the things he liked most in case they ran out. It was something he did frequently. “I can’t promise you’ll get any of mine, but she’s sending a package next month. I’ll make sure you get something from it.”
“Your mom sends packages for you? That’s cute,” Tori said before taking a bite of her salad.
I scratched my head. “Uh, yeah. I guess.”
“I love how accepting she is of who you are now,” Tori insisted. “That’s great.”
Were her parents not? I didn’t know much about her other than she was recently bitten like the rest of us in our house.
“Yeah, both of my parents are pretty accepting. I mean, my dad doesn’t understand certain aspects of it. He doesn’t like to talk about it much either, but he accepts it. As best he can, I guess.” I took a sip of my soda, hoping to wash away the bad taste lingering in my mouth. I didn’t like talking about my dad. I wasn’t sure why I’d mentioned him at all. Tori had a way of pulling things from me without even trying. “My mom, on the other hand, is just more suffocating now. Which is one of the main reasons I’m glad break is over. It feels good to be back here. To have a little space from her, as harsh as that might sound.” I took a bite of pizza. The sensation I’d said too much bobbed in the pit of my stomach.
“I know all about the avoidance thing. My parents could give two shits about me now,” Summer said. The sound of her voice startled me. I had forgotten she was there. All I’d been focused on was Tori. “I swear they’re scared I’m going to hurt them. I’m glad to be back too. Can’t wait till we can have a drink in our hands and can toast to that!”
I held my soda up as a wide smile spread across my face. “Cheers to that.”
Tori set her fork down and shifted in her seat. Her eyes were on me. I could feel them, but it took me a minute to build up the courage to meet her stare. She was seeing me, but she wasn’t. It was like her mind had dipped elsewhere.
“Maybe she’s overcompensating for not being able to stop what happened to you. Like she’s carrying guilt related to it. Parents are supposed to protect their children, and when they can’t because of certain external forces, the guilt can sometimes tear them apart, forcing them to resort to being overprotective, overbearing, and a tad bit smothering.” She licked her lips and blinked. Her eyes widened as though she couldn’t believe the words had tumbled from her mouth, and averted her gaze from mine. “Maybe smothering you and baking cookies and stuff is just how she handles that guilt. I don’t know.” She tucked a few stray strands of baby hair behind her ear and resumed eating her salad.
“Wow. I’ve never thought of it that way,” I admitted. “It makes sense.”
It did. Mom had always wanted to protect me before, but after the attack, her desire to increased tenfold.
“Tori’s good at all that psychoanalysis bullshit. Don’t even get her started,” Summer insisted.
“I’d say so.” I was impressed.
This girl was beautiful and smart. She was the total package.
“Oh, hey.” Paris perked up. “I just remembered there was a flyer for the next full moon run posted. I saw it on the way here. It’s next week.” She leaned back in her chair and exhaled a long sigh. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready. I didn’t realize how much my wolf needs time in her fur and with a pack until I went home and was surrounded by my human family.”
I knew my wolf well enough now to know that he didn’t care about the pack mentality. He only cared about being able to run. That was what he yearned for.
“Next week seems like too long to wait,” I said, without realizing it.
My wolf paced. He was as uneasy about the long wait as I was. When he snapped at me, I wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold out for that long. He would need to shift sooner. It was against the rules to shift during unsanctioned times, though. And, that was one rule I had yet to break.
“It is,” Walker insisted. He started going on about how it should be tonight or tomorrow night, but I tuned him out.
Tori had glanced at me. Her cheeks and neck shifted through at least four shades of pink before settling on one so deep it was almost red.
“I’m sorry about all that.” She waved her hand around and flashed me a crooked grin. “Sometimes I get carried away. I end up pointing out things people don’t want to hear about themselves. Sometimes, people they’re close to too. Like what I said about your mom. It wasn’t my place to analyze anything. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. Really. I’m glad you said what you did. I’ve honestly never thought about it that way before.”
A smile brightened her face, and I felt like I’d won the lottery. “Oh. Well. I’m glad I said what I said, then.”
We fell into silence. I tried to shift my attention to what the others were talking about, but I didn’t want the conversation to end between Tori and me so soon.
“So, um, how was your break?” I asked.
“Good. I enjoyed being home. It’s nice to be back here, but I have to admit, I liked taking a break from it all.” She wrinkled her nose and locked eyes with me. “It can be a little overwhelming sometimes.”
“I know what you mean. Especially with the different houses.”
“Exactly. It’s taken me awhile to come to terms with there being hybrids of werewolves too. It’s a lot to take in all at once on top of everything else.”
I nodded. “Couldn’t agree with you more.”
“I mean, I’m fine with it now, though.” Tori glanced around. It was clear from the look on her face she was worried someone from one of the other houses might have heard her. It was possible since we all had impeccable hearing, but one scan of those around let me know that no one was paying us any attention. They were all wrapped up in their own little worlds.
“We ready to head to Last Call?” Walker asked, drumming his hands on the tabletop.
Everyone seemed to agree, so we disposed of our trays and headed off campus.
* * *
The walk to Last Call was short. It took about twenty minutes, which was nice. I glanced around at the little shops as we walked. Brentwood reminded me of home. It had that small town charm going for it. The buildings looked like they had character and the sidewalks were decorated with planters of varying sizes.
When the sign for Last Call came into view, even my wolf seemed to sigh with relief. We were ready to let loose. Even though I wasn’t the legal drinking age per the human government, I was in the supernatural world. It was one of the perks to becoming a werewolf. The tiny, but there nonetheless, silver lining I clung to.
Music played as we stepped inside the bar. The place was already slammed, but I knew it would be. Everyone was probably looking for a drin
k after making the trip from home back to the academy.
“Thank God it’s not karaoke night. Some of these people really shouldn’t step up to the mic,” Walker said as we moved farther into the bar.
“Why? I think it’s hilarious,” Paris insisted. “The best performance I’ve seen was Finn Temple’s rendition of Rod Stewart’s Do Ya Think I’m Sexy last semester. He had this place going crazy.”
“Correction: He had the women in this place going crazy because the dude couldn’t keep his shirt on,” Walker insisted.
“Very true.” Paris grinned.
I glanced at Walker. Anger rippled off him. Not all of it was his. Most was his wolf’s. He was a tad territorial when it came to Paris, and the thought of her being attracted to someone else rubbed him wrong. Walker had been working on it since they started dating.
The five of us stepped up to the bar, ready to order a drink. I offered to buy Tori and Summer’s drinks, because I couldn’t buy Tori something and leave Summer to fend for herself after Walker bought Paris’s. I was a gentleman.
Even when I was broke.
“Holt,” a guy muttered from beside me in a greeting. I glanced at him. The instant I realized who he was, I flashed him a wide smile and nodded hello.
“Axel. Have a good break?” I asked.
“It wasn’t bad,” he said before taking a swig from his beer.
His gaze drifted back to the dark-haired woman behind the bar. Faith was her name. I knew they were an item, so I didn’t stare at her for long. Axel Stone wasn’t someone you wanted to piss off. I’d seen him fight before. As a matter of fact, I’d gone against him in one. He was part of the underground fight club here at the academy, same as I was.
Axel was one badass dude.
And, not just because he was part of Wolf Blood and always tended to have that badass vibe coming off him like so many others from that house, but because of the way he fought. You got one swing, and if you hit him, you’d better pray you knocked his ass out because, if not, he would beat the crap out of you.
Wolf Bitten: Lunar Academy, Year One Page 3