Fall Semester (Omega Wolf Academy Book 2) Read online

  I glanced over at Dimitri, whose entire body was tense with a simmering anger that hadn’t lessened all week and slid forward to stand between him and our new nemeses. His dark gaze shifted down to meet mine and softened. “Hey,” he murmured, reaching casually for my hand. I took his without thought to anyone watching.

  “Hey,” I whispered back. We were surrounded by other students, in wolf form and human, but for me, there were only my mates. “If you attack him tonight, you’ll be expelled, and then I’ll have to drop out of university and I really like my classes this term.” I kept it light, knowing the incident between Chase and Dresden lay heavy on all my mates’ minds.

  Dimitri’s gaze flickered up towards the bullies again, so I rose up onto my toes, moved my hands around the back of his head, and pulled him down for a long, deep kiss that captured all of his attention and more.

  “Let’s just have fun tonight, okay?” I smiled hopefully and felt relief pour through me when he nodded.

  “See,” I heard Chase mutter to Lucian. “He would have ripped Dresden’s throat out and I’m getting yelled at for breaking the idiot’s arm.”

  “You broke the bone in four places,” Lucian said patiently as if explaining a basic concept to a small child. “I know you're protective of her, we all are, but we need to stick together.” Lucian looked over at Dimitri and added, “We all need to stick together. Okay?”

  Dimitri took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Old Ones, you guys don’t have to treat me like a danger to society.”

  “Aren’t you, though?” Chase asked with a grin.

  Dimitri furrowed his eyebrows and seemed to think about it, then shrugged. “Maybe just a little,” he conceded, then pulled our joined hands to his mouth and nipped at the back of my knuckles.

  I swallowed the lust and emotion that coated my throat and tried to come to terms with the fullness in my chest.

  Was this love? Did I know them enough to truly love them or was this just the mate bond, shaping my feelings, steering me towards them. Either way, it was true and real, and overwhelming at times. How had I been so lucky to have found them? Had all the pain of my childhood coalesced to form such an imbalance that fate had overcompensated? If so, wouldn’t my sisters be worthy of the same consideration?

  Just as the thought entered my mind, the little world we’d created for ourselves amidst the throng of students was interrupted.

  Alyssa walked over, her mouth curved up in a shy smile. “Hey,” she said quietly, as if afraid to disrupt us. She paused just outside our group and lifted her chin towards me, then looked from Lucian, to Chase, to Dimitri inquisitively.

  “Hey.” I forced a smile and gestured towards my guys. “Guys, this is Alyssa. Alyssa, this is Dimitri Baskin, Lucian Durand, and Chase Parker.” I left it at that and stepped back to let them shake hands.

  I bit back annoyance at her appearance. I’d run into her more than ten times over the course of the week, at breakfast or walking home after class. It wasn’t unexpected that we’d meet up, but, somehow, each run-in had felt intrusive, like she’d orchestrated it. I’d also felt like a horrible person for not embracing her wholeheartedly, especially knowing how scary it was to leave home and start something new. Then there was the guilt. Rose had sent Alyssa to Omega Wolf Academy because I was already here, with the assumption that I’d take care of her. But who’d been there to take care of me over Summer semester?

  I’d found my way without a guide and was still finding my way. My life was full with new relationships that I was still struggling to navigate and a full load of courses that required a lot of my time and attention. I didn’t have time for a needy little sister.

  Or, I conceded, barely holding back a sigh, I was reluctant to have a reminder of my old life around when it was easier to just look forward towards the life I was building with my new mates.

  The realization hit like a punch to the gut. I’d been making excuses all week for why I didn’t want to spend time with Alyssa, but they’d all been smoke and mirrors. The truth was, I wanted separation between the past and present and she was a glaring reminder of what I’d gone through.

  What we’d gone through.

  But that was a part of me, I thought, and my guys hadn’t turned from me, any of me. So, why was I so determined to turn away from myself?

  I swallowed my resentment and pride and stepped up next to Alyssa, bumping her lightly with my hip. Her eyes widened in surprise at the friendly gesture, then brightened. Her response to my tiny gesture flooded me with renewed guilt and determination to make things right.

  “Any idea what you’ll major in?” Not surprisingly, Lucian had stepped up and led the conversation in an appropriate direction. He was completely engaged and attentive, and had Alyssa practically glowing from the attention. The rosy blush to her cheeks made her look younger than she was and far more innocent.

  Alyssa shrugged. “I’m not sure yet, so I’m just doing a general year to figure it out.” She chewed her lip and glanced down at her feet, and I understood she was holding back our secret.

  She didn’t know my guys comprised a safe zone where she could just be herself. My mind whirled with the implications of telling her, of confessing our situation, but I rejected it almost immediately. What if she felt betrayed by my sharing? What if she was disgusted by our strange fate? What if…

  I shook my head and dismissed the questions plaguing me. I’d already spent far too long focused on “what ifs.” There was really no point. I didn’t feel ready to share the full extent of my relationship with my guys, and that was okay. Boundaries were okay.

  “You were always great with your hands,” I said, remembering the way she’d always been drawn to the mechanics of how things worked. Not that she’d had much opportunity to fiddle with electronics before we’d gone to live with Liam and Rose, but after, she’d been so interested in small mechanics that Liam had invested in a whole slew of kits and tools. Not just for her. For any of us who’d wanted to try our hand with that line of work.

  We’d all come out of the mountain like babes into the wild, not knowing what we liked, or what we could do if given the chance. I’d come to love Rose and her mate quickly, seeing the way they cared and provided for us. Liam had bought me my first easel and paint set after he’d seen me sketching in the courtyard one day with worn down charcoal I’d found.

  For all the pain and misery we’d been through, we’d been blessed with truly good friends and family. I made a silent promise to be that for Alyssa from now on.

  The scent of sausages filled my nose and drew my attention. I turned with everyone else to see several large carts roll onto the lawn. Someone shouted, “Sausages! Come get your sausages before the run.”

  The stampede was almost immediate.

  Dimitri, Chase, and Lucian waved in our general direction as they took off, promising to get us some, too. Alyssa and I laughed as they jostled for position in line.

  I thought about ignoring the way I’d treated Alyssa and just making up for it, then rejected the idea. Words had power, and apologies were important. I turned to her and cleared my throat.

  “I’m really sorry for being so distant all week,” I murmured, hoping she’d hear my sincerity.

  Alyssa glanced at me and smiled. “You’ve been so busy,” she said, making excuses for me that I’d made for myself. “And I don’t blame you.” She looked back towards the guys. “Look at your distractions.” She made a low humming sound in her throat that had me laughing.

  “They are pretty distracting,” I confessed, enjoying the girl talk. We’d never shared that type of relationship, even after the mountain. I’d never shared that type of relationship with anyone, really. The thought brought a lump of regret to my throat.

  “So,” Alyssa drew the word out so that it was obvious what she was about to ask. “Are you dating all three of them?” Her eyebrows lifted in question above eyes that danced with fascination and possibly dirty thoughts. It was hard to tell.

&nb
sp; I chewed my lip for a moment before answering. We’d decided not to deny our surface relationship. It would be obvious to any wolf with a nose, after all. “Yeah,” I confessed, and was surprised by the blush that stained my cheeks, making them hot. “Is that weird?” The question slipped from my lips before I could stop it. Part of me cringed back, expecting the worst.

  Alyssa shook her head vehemently. “No, of course not.” She pitched her voice low. “No one gets to decide for us anymore, Lexi. After the life we’ve led, why not grab onto any happiness you can find?” She sighed, and the sound struck me as so sad, it hurt my chest. “Do they make you happy?”

  I nodded and blinked back tears.

  “Then I’m happy for you,” she said simply. A slow grin lifted her lips, and a gleam lit her eyes as she leaned in. “How does it work? Do you all, you know…” she widened her eyes speculatively and shimmied in place.

  My cheeks exploded with heat at the memory of their hands on my body, inside my body.

  Alyssa’s breath whooshed out in a low whistling sound. “Old Ones, that’s hot. How can you even stand it?” Her mouth moved into a perfect circle as a new thought showed clear on her expressive face. “Do they ever, you know, cross swords?”

  A laugh burst from my chest, releasing the nerves that had been pent up in there. Across the lawn, Dimitri glanced back and grinned. I gauged the distance and decided he hadn’t heard our conversation, thank the Old Ones.

  I couldn’t stop the giggles that sounded far too girly to be coming from me. I’d lived a seriously fucked up existence. I’d been drugged and kidnapped. But there I was, laughing my ass off at the wicked thought of my guys crossing swords during sex.

  I pressed my hands to my flaming cheeks and shook my head. “I don’t think we’re there yet in our relationship. But I don’t get the impression they’re attracted to one another.” It was the truth, much to my dirty imagination’s dismay. If there were ever something sexual between any of them, I would be there for it, one hundred percent, but if not, I’d deal with the disappointment. Probably by having lots of sex with them.

  “So, they’re all just there for you?” Alyssa whispered in an awed voice. “Lucky you.” She stared across the lawn with dreamy eyes.

  “I’m sure you’ll get lucky soon,” I promised, then heard myself and laughed again. “That sounded bad, but you know what I mean.”

  Alyssa grinned. “Bad or not, I’ll take it. I could use some luck.” She bumped me and made a shushing sound. “They’re heading back.”

  “With snacks.” I grinned and held a hand out to take the hot dog Lucian offered. “My hero!” I exclaimed and took a kiss from him as well. If we already smelled like a polyamorous quadruple, there was no point denying it. I’d kiss who I wanted, when I wanted. The assertion made me feel powerful and more than a little emotional.

  “Hey, why does he get a kiss?” Chase teased, holding out a bottle. “I brought you water.”

  I threw myself into his arms, careful not to ruin my hot dog, and poured every bit of emotion I was feeling into the kiss. When I stepped back, Chase staggered a little, stunned.

  Slowly, I turned towards Dimitri, aware that voices had dropped to whispers as more than just Alyssa watched us intently, speculatively. My mind went to that country song as I stepped forward and rose onto my toes to meet Dimitri’s full gorgeous mouth.

  “Let’s give ‘em something to talk about,” I murmured, then seared his mouth with mine. I ended the kiss with a nip to his bottom lip and grinned, then stepped back and took a bite of my enormous hot dog. I moaned at the taste of it, a sound that didn’t help my guys’ sudden erectile situations. “This is delicious.”

  The guys chowed down, demolishing their dogs in no time at all, then began pulling their shirts over their heads as they joked and playfully punched one another.

  I shook my head and murmured, “Boys,” to Alyssa, who made a humming sound while we ate and watched appreciatively.

  The moon settled high in the night sky, watching us like the original mother, calling to our wolves. All around, students began pulling their clothes off, folding and setting them down on the grass to wait until the run was over.

  The guys finished undressing and stood before us, proud and naked as the day they’d been born. They had lots to be proud of, I thought, watching the way the moonlight shimmered over their skin, highlighting the curve of muscle and the long line of man. I finished my water, put the bottle in the recycling bins placed out for this purpose, and tilted my head back for a moment to just look at the moon.

  “Your turn.”

  I laughed and pushed Dimitri back when he reached for the hem of my dress. “I can do that on my own, thank you.”

  Growing up surrounded by bad men hadn’t helped me feel comfortable in my own skin. Our naked bodies were natural and a part of our transformation. Typically, wolves felt comfortable in either form, with clothes or without. I still felt somewhat exposed getting naked, especially in front of so many people, but I was getting more in tune with my wolf now, and it was getting better.

  Still, my guys understood my hesitation and moved to form a barrier around me. They made it look casual, like they weren’t shielding me, but I knew what they were doing and felt an ache of emotion for their thoughtfulness. The circle they made included Alyssa, which made her pause. A slight frown turned down her eyebrows, then relief replaced the look of confusion and I silently thanked them for being so kind. I wasn’t the only one with issues. I pulled my dress over my head while she undressed next to me.

  Inside the circle they’d made just for us, we called to our wolves.

  Mine came to me, enthusiastic and joyous. Magic and pain, the combination I always thought of, moved through my body like a wave, washing over me. I didn’t fight, it only made the transition harder. I embraced it, and felt each bone lengthen or shorten, each muscle tear then reform, impossibly fast. It was our curse; it was our blessing. It allowed us to be reborn with each shift, something I valued as much as I valued my mates.

  I was a wolf, a predator, a child of nature. I was beautiful, and natural, and whole.

  Dimitri’s fingers moved through my thick fur, following the curve of my spine as he sank down onto his knees to look into my eyes.

  “You’re amazing,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around my shoulders, and pressing his cheek to my neck.

  I nuzzled him and made a soft sound of affection as my heart surged with growing love. He pressed his lips to my fur then pulled back and stood with his brothers as they welcomed their wolves.

  My only thought was that they were magnificent. Magic rolled over them, through them, shifting their bodies from man to wolf. I stepped back beside Alyssa to watch and appreciate their new forms. Man or wolf, they were wonderful, and mine.

  The forest beckoned, calling wolves forward into the long shadows created by the full moon. We moved to stand shoulder to shoulder, Alyssa by my side with my mates surrounding us, and walked through the back gates into the forest. My paws stepped off the pampered lawn onto moss that smelled of damp earth and small prey, exciting my natural instincts. I was in the mood to run tonight, to hunt and play. After all the darkness of the past, the present was definitely sweet.

  “Slut,” a familiar female voice muttered.

  I turned to appraise the speaker, the same pierced girl that had spoken so hatefully at the lake, ruining my date with Chase. She leaned against a tree as if waiting for us, surrounded by her little bully pack, whose eyes gleamed with hate and desire to attack. Instantly, Lucian, Chase, and Dimitri stepped closer.

  But I was done with this bitch and her friends. The pack run wasn’t something you fucked with. I pushed past Dimitri’s thick shoulder and stepped forward, angling my head to show I wasn’t afraid of any of them.

  Their growls turned the night air frigid and my blood hot.

  I’d had enough of bullies, enough of this bullshit. I’d done absolutely nothing to instigate their dislike of me, but I wasn’t
going to let it fly, either. My lips pulled back in a snarl.

  A fierce growl at the mouth of the path split the tension, drawing all gazes immediately. I let my lips fall back into place and lowered my head in submission, as I recognized the intense and furious green eyes and silver fur of Headmaster Gabriel.

  Chapter 7

  “That type of behavior is completely unacceptable.” Headmaster Gabriel sat tall and unyielding, like a statue, behind his desk, watching us with suspicion and disgust. “The full moon run is a sacred event here at Omega Wolf Academy, at all Wolf Academies. We pride ourselves on the longevity of the tradition. Threatened violence is barbaric.”

  “But,” I blurted, not for the first time since we’d been summoned to his office.

  His glare silenced me again, like a quick slap to the cheek that stunned with its sharp edge. I swallowed the frustration and anger burning in my throat at being silenced. Yes, the logical side of my brain warned, he was the Headmaster of Omega Wolf Academy and could expel me. Yes, I loved it here, on campus, with my guys, and I wanted to stay while we figured out all the little details of our relationship.

  But having a man, or anyone, silence me when he had no idea what he was talking about, made my blood boil.

  I gritted my teeth and tried again, refusing to give into the unease his glare caused in my stomach. “Sir, with all due respect, you walked into the middle of something we didn’t start. Yes,” I rushed on when he sharpened his glare and opened his mouth to speak. “I shouldn’t have snarled at that girl, but she and her group of friends have been threatening us for no reason the last two days.”

  “There’s always a reason,” Headmaster Gabriel said dryly, arching a thick eyebrow.

  I threw up my hands. “If you know what it is, then please, tell us. Because they verbally attacked Chase and I yesterday when I’d never seen any of them before in my life.” Frustration rolled off me in waves, thickening the air of the Headmaster’s office.

  “She’s right,” Chase drawled, reaching out to link hands. I accepted his squeeze of comfort and glanced over at him, noticing the frown line marring his brow. He was upset, I knew. His accent always grew thicker when he was emotional or trying to seduce me. I doubted he was trying to seduce me right now. “Lexi and I were at Daylight Lake yesterday when Dresden Oswell and his friends showed up.” The way he said “friends” made it clear how he felt about them. “They interrupted our date with hateful words that were completely uncalled for. About our relationship and Lexi’s…” he paused here to put emphasis on the next word, “character, despite having never met her.”