Sorority Wolf (8 page)

Alex chewed on her fingernail. This had seemed so important. She’d plotted for years
to make this happen, picked a college for the sheer purpose of stepping through these
doors, and she was so close.

And bored out of her mind.

Who cared about any of this shit? She’d needed a sorority so she could eventually
have pack. The hot part-wolf-part-demon who liked her told her she could have one
with him. When he’d uttered those words, she’d not processed what he said.

But now it hit her like a sledgehammer to the head.

She. Could. Have. A. Pack. Without having to put up with any more of this crap. It
might be an oddball pack—hell, it would have to be if they took hybrids—but it could
be hers. She wasn’t a snob. She’d never cared a hoot about prestige. She’d just needed
family.

Kieran told her she could have one.

She leapt to her feet. Maybe she could also have him. Had she been a complete idiot
to leave him lying there in bed?

“Alex?” One of the sisters spoke from the back of the room. Alex didn’t even turn
to look at her. “We all owe you an apology.”

“Thanks,” she called over her shoulder. “But I’m depledging. I’m done. No Lambda for
me, but good luck to all of you for the rest of your lives.”

She didn’t wait around to hear what they said. There might be more to depledging than
just announcing she intended to, but she’d deal with it later. Paperwork could be
damned.

Most of the time she held back when she ran so humans didn’t see how fast she could
be even on two legs. But this time, she let herself go as fast as she could. If there
were questions asked, she would figure it out when they did.

In no time, she had reached Kieran’s fraternity house. She burst through the door
and took the stairs two at a time. She wasn’t even winded when she got to his room.
Without knocking, she entered.

The room was empty. “Oh, damn it.”

Why had she assumed he would be there? He had a life. Things to do. More happening
than just—

“Hey, you’re back.” Kieran rounded the corner down the hall, and she launched herself
at him. He caught her in his arms without even struggling to do so.

“I love that you’re able to hold me.” She lowered her voice. “I love that you’re not
entirely human.”

“I love that you love it.” He laughed and carried her fully into the room. “Shouldn’t
you be in Lambda?”

“I quit.”

He set her down on the bed. “Really? I thought you wanted it more than anything.”

“I did. I lied, I schemed, I made my mother really unhappy, all so I could go to school
here and join the Lambda sorority.”

He kissed her forehead. “And Mellee is gone; the real possibility of it happening
is right in front of you, and you don’t wish for it anymore? Do you have an approach
avoidance complex?”

She rolled her eyes and pinched him on the arm. “Thanks. Psych 101, was it?”

“Sorry. Go on.”

“I want something more than Lambda. You.”

He pulled her up against his chest. “You can have me and Lambda.”

“Lambda was all about getting to have a pack. It was a step, but I don’t need it….
Frankly, it feels like a bunch of crap. And I had no idea how I would pay for it.”

“There are payment plans.”

“Ugh. You are being frustrating. Listen to the words I’m saying.” She kissed him on
the lips. “I don’t need Lambda. I want you and the pack you talked about. Assuming
you really mean it.”

“Every word.”

He was hiding something. “But…?”

“There’s a qualification to it.”

Her heart sank into her stomach. Was it possible she had screwed this up completely?
“Oh?”

“Yes. See the thing is, even though I can’t shift under the full moon, I still feel
my wolf, and he wants you. In a forever kind of a way. Do you understand what I’m
saying?”

She did. The way she’d felt when they were intimate as if she’d wanted to claim him.
It was all signs of a mating, and she knew it was possible.

“Keep in mind, sweetheart, if you deny me here, my demon half will destroy the world
in the biggest temper tantrum ever.”

She laughed and pushed up against him. “Are you sure you want to mate an independent?
I mean being a Greek guy and all.”

“I’ve always liked girls who travel their own paths, whether it takes them to the
Greek Houses or away from them. You’re mine. And fuck anyone who gets in the way of
us.”

“Sounds good.” She kissed him. Hard. It wasn’t the way she’d envisioned things. It
was so much better.

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for buying this book. I was so excited to be able to write a Roar
story for Decadent Publishing. It was fun to get to spend time thinking like a college
student again.  I hope you like Kieran and Alex. 

Best to all of you,

Rebecca

[email protected]

Sign up for the Decadent Publishing Newsletter here
http://eepurl.com/SQ75f
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Coming Soon!

Book 3 in the ROAR Series

Phoenix Rising by Cara Carnes

Chapter One

Riletta

“Don’t make a scene, Riletta. Get out, and do not speak.”

Unease pricked my skin. I fumbled with the door latch for a moment before it gave
way, and I tumbled out of the black BMW. A crisp breeze ripped through the rustling
trees around us. I would’ve grabbed my jacket had I known we were going somewhere.

I stretched the soreness from my body as Jacob Cervantez slammed the trunk and set
a suitcase on the ground before me. My gaze darted around, my brain disoriented from
the shock and the utter silence that had been my only companion the past several hours.

“This is the only university willing to accept you due to your limitations. I doubt
you’re worth the favors I had to call in, but the pack will benefit from this sacrifice.
At least we’ll be relieved of the burden your presence created.” The gruff tone made
me step backward until I pressed against the car door I’d shut at some point. “Registration
ends in an hour. I suggest you get in before they change their mind.”

Registration? My mouth opened and then shut as I processed what to ask first if given
the chance. I’d learned years ago to choose my words wisely because I rarely got the
answers I expected.

“I didn’t know—”

“Riletta. Did I say you could speak?”

I cast my gaze downward and shrank into myself.

“You’re lucky I don’t have time to teach you etiquette. You aren’t my problem anymore.”

What did that mean? He shoved his hand into his pocket with an exasperated sigh and
grabbed a few hundreds off the massive wad of cash he always carried. The Alpha of
the Cervantez pack would never be caught without funds. “Elise is too soft-hearted.
She insisted you be given something until you get settled.”

Settled. He was dumping me here. My heart sped; my breath quickened. Equal parts of
fear and hope fought for my attention.

“Don’t think I’ll allow her to give you more, so make it last. It’ll probably take
a few months for them to handle your paperwork. They’ll have problems securing you
since no one knows
what the hell you are
.”

Amusement glimmered in his gaze when I cringed at the insult. I took the wad of cash
and shoved it into my jean pocket. “Thanks.”

“You’d better listen up, Riletta.” Pain erupted along my bruised arm when he grabbed
me and shook hard until my teeth rattled and my head pounded. “They’ll ask for your
designation when you enter. Under no circumstances are you to reference my pack. I
allowed your existence, but that doesn’t mean I accept responsibility. Nod if you
understand, Riletta.”

I nodded and shrank away from his menacing presence when he leaned forward. Garlic
and alcohol burned my nostrils. The stench was nauseating, but made me recall the
hunger I’d been trying to ignore. Swallowing, I pressed on my stomach, willing the
rumble to subside. How long had it been since I’d eaten? One, two days?

“That’s what you get for being too uppity to eat pizza.”

You know I love pizza, you miserable prick. That’s why you piled it with meat I was
allergic to
. Every meal he oversaw in the pack focused on meat. The anger vibrated within me
until my body trembled with a need to react. Just this once.

“Go. I’ve wasted enough time dealing with you.” He prowled to his door and paused
to glare over the vehicle. “Keep your trap shut about my pack and your presence there,
or you’ll be sorry.”

I nodded mutely, palmed the handle of my suitcase, and dragged it across the parking
lot. The massive structure before me appeared to be some form of gymnasium or large
meeting facility since there were no windows. I kept my gaze downward and ignored
the jostling of the other bodies slamming into me from both sides. Surely the lone
door offered refuge, a quiet place to breathe and absorb what had just happened.

You’re almost there. Don’t panic.

He threw me out of the pack
.

Knowing something was inevitable and accepting its occurrence were two entirely different
things. Part of me wanted to race after the long-gone car or perhaps call Elise and
beg to return. But that was crazy. They’d been done with me eighteen years, three
months and two days ago—the moment I’d crawled into their land from no one knew where.
I’d been two when they’d proclaimed me a freak of nature undeserving of life.

But I’d been spared.

Piercing shrieks and laughter drew my focus from my trudge forward to a crush of girls
several yards away. I smiled cautiously when a few of them met my stare. Fitting in
had never been my strong suit, but perhaps this place was different.

Pain streamed through my core, radiating from my face when I slammed into an unmoving
object—a massive chest adorned in a crimson T-shirt with a black-and-white snapping
wolf. My throat constricted for a moment as I studied the muscular flesh beneath the
shirt. He was huge.

“Slow your roll there, mouse.” Warm fingers wrapped gently around both my arms, holding
me up for a moment as my limbs forgot how to work. His full lips turned upward into
a smug grin before he shoved me backward. My pulse slammed into overdrive as I met
a metallic gray gaze. A rugged jaw line drew attention from his gorgeous face to the
wavy mass of thick, black hair, longer than fashionable, which flirted with his shirt
collar.

This was someone who realized the effect he had on girls like me. I studied his shirt
for a moment, reining in my riotous body. My lungs burned for breaths I couldn’t remember
to take; something within me rubbed against my skin.

The sensation made me gasp.
What the hell was that?

Could it be…?

No. There was no way. I’d been tested. Repeatedly.

I was inherently damaged beyond repair.

Defective.

“Breathe, little mouse. Nice and deep for me.”

Fingers squeezed until I inhaled the welcoming brush of woodsy brine and earth deep
into my lungs. I wanted to lean into his warmth, inhale deeper at his pulse point
like I’d seen others from my pack do with the Alphas. He was utterly splendid in all
ways.

I knew better than to surrender to the desire, though.

Abominations like you will not breathe the same air as my Alphas, Riletta. Don’t offend
them with your presence. You exist because I showed mercy. Don’t make me regret my
decision
.

“Sorry.” The squeak of my rarely-used voice made me shrivel away from the strength
of his embrace. Could I be any more pathetic?

I hardened my stance and waited for the slap, the shove. I’d been foolish to not notice
him within my field of vision. I’d dared to slam into an Alpha. I closed my eyes,
cringed, and waited.

And waited. Chancing a peek at the gorgeous man before me, my heart flailed for normalcy,
beating wildly until my brain could process his reaction. He grinned.

No one ever grinned when I spoke, when they sensed what I wasn’t. I’d met his kind
before. “If you’ll please excuse me, I need to register before they close.”

“Of course.” He maneuvered to the side and opened the door.

I forced a smile of gratitude and stepped into the massive room, which echoed with
the hum of conversations and revelry. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people filled
the large building. The swirling crowd created a noxious, heated cloud of sweat and
perfumed stench. I covered my nose and breathed through my mouth.

I can’t do this
.

Nervousness froze me. I knew nothing. This place wasn’t for me.

Emotion choked me, and I forced back the fear welling in my eyes. I’d dreamed of my
release from Jacob’s control for years, plotting and planning what I’d do. I’d never
fathomed this as my fate. How stupid was I?