AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I drop my shoulders as it all comes roaring back. “I was arguing with a teacher.”
Sophie stares at me in disbelief. “You? Arguing with a teacher? I don’t believe it.”
“He totally missed the point I was trying to make with my philosophy paper and he failed me.” I squeeze the steering wheel as frustration boils up. “Mr. Woodard wouldn’t know a Platonism argument if it hit him in the Aristotle.”
I giggle and turn to see if Sophie is laughing. She’s not. She’s staring at me with her mouth hanging open.
“Oh my god,” she whispers. “Did you get laid yet?”
“What?” I gasp in shock. “No. Yes. No. It’s none of your business!”
My cheeks are flaming so hot they could light the cigarette between her fingers.
She shakes her head as she stares at me like I’m hopeless. “Please get laid before you graduate. That’s all I ask.”
I roll my eyes as I turn back to the road.
It’s not like I’m against losing my virginity, but I’m not going to lose it to any random guy either. I want it to be special. I want it to matter.
I want to be swept off my feet in a crazy intense romance.
And none of the guys at school are offering anything close to that. They wouldn’t know romance if it slapped the red Solo cup out of their hands and grabbed them by their sweatsuits.
“Did you get with any guys?” Sophie asks, not knowing when to stop.
“Can we talk about something else?”
She grins. Uh oh.
“Did you tell Grandpa that you didn’t get into law school?”
I sigh as I turn to her. “What’s your problem?”
“Nothing. I’m just happy I’m not the only grandchild he’ll be disappointed in for once.”
She’s loving this. I should have let her take the bus.
Grandpa is so excited for me to go to law school like he did and I just… I don’t want to. I did get in, but I’m not going. I just have to work up the courage to tell him.
All I want to do is read philosophy and study old works, but there aren’t many jobs with that in their description. My grandfather would freak out if I told him that.
He’s such a strong imposing figure in my life and I hate the thought of letting him down in any way.
But, I guess I already did since we’re so late for his party.
I turn the radio on to drown out Sophie and hit the gas, hoping we’re not going to miss his speech.
Chapter Three
Cain
I quickly take note of the exits as Remy pushes through the crowd, his intense green eyes locked on me. A door beside the band, one on the right, one behind the bar. My palms are sweating. My heart is pounding. I run a hand through my hair and loosen my tie.
My bear is pacing around inside, livid at all of the noise, at the smells of cologne and perfume, at all of the happy people. At least he’s not charging for the surface. Yet.
“Hello, mon ami,” Remy says when he arrives.
My back stiffens. “Mr. Beaufort,” I say as I thrust my clammy hand into his. He shakes it hard and holds it as his bright green eyes narrow on mine. “Congratulations on your successful captures.”
“It’s funny dat we call dem captures,” he says with a French accent as he continues to grip my hand, “when ders no prisoners taken.”
I’m getting a bad feeling in my gut. My bear must sense my unease because he’s starting to snarl low.
“I guess the word capture is a bit easier to take for the weak of heart,” I say, forcing out a smile.
“The weak a heart have no place here,” he says as he studies my face. “You must have a heart a stone to do what we do.”
My bear paces in circles, growling at the smell of Remy’s wolf.
“I was weak a heart once,” he continues. “Back in my youth when I lived in northern Quebec. Hearing a love song and thinking of my future mate could bring a tear to my eye. My entire wolf pack thought I was a big softie. They were always in fights with our neighboring pack. Silly stuff. Territorial disputes over trees and river banks and useless rocks. I thought we could all get along. I thought we could live in peace. My heart was as hard as a big bowl full of jelly.”
I swallow hard as my grizzly snarls. Remy heard that for sure, but he doesn’t react.
“Then one day, a stray grizzly bear wandered onto our land. Pack rules said I had ta chase him off, but I wanted ta help him. Remember, I was still weak a heart. And I was wrong. There’s no helping a rabid, feral bear. They bring nothing but death and destruction. And dat I found out. When the others came to kick him off our land, the savage beast snapped. I was a young pup and helpless to stop him. He broke both my legs and I watched in agony as he massacred every single member of my pack. Every. Single. One.”
