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“You say that, but we all know it’s not true. That first gym class, we knew you’d become our alpha.”
“I’m no one’s alpha.” And it bugged me that both he and Dastien thought that.
“Maybe not yet, but you’ll get your own pack soon.”
I was under the impression that I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to, and I for sure didn’t want to rule a pack. But arguing with him wasn’t going to change his mind. Still, I was curious what he was talking about. “Remind me what happened in gym class. Because I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
He gave me a raspy laugh. For some reason, Chris always sounded like he had a pack-a-day smoking habit, but he swore he never touched them. “We were running laps in the gym. Mr. Dawson was with us. Remember now?”
“No.”
“Really?” With the way his voice pitched up, he sounded genuinely surprised.
Even if there’d been some big moment, I didn’t remember it. “Between being bitten and all that crap with Imogene and then Luciana and the demons, I don’t remember my first gym class. I remember the first time I tried to spar. Is that what you’re talking about?” My cheeks heated with the memory of practicing with Chris and how Dastien reacted. And I still couldn’t believe I’d pretty much attacked Meredith.
“No, but that was hilarious,” he said, and my cheeks burned hotter. “When we run as a pack, the Alpha sets the pace, so Mr. Dawson set the footfalls. Everyone was in time except for you. Which should’ve been impossible.”
That did sound vaguely familiar, but I remembered it differently. “I just didn’t like being a monkey. Following the lead. You know? It rubbed me the wrong way.”
“Which is exactly why you’re our next Alpha.”
I wasn’t sure he was right, but Dastien had already said the same thing to me. Maybe that was how it’d worked in the past, but I refused to believe I had to lead a pack. Saying that wasn’t going to get me anywhere, though. Werewolves were set in their ways.
We hit the end of the path, and I paused, taking in the campus. If I didn’t have werewolf eyesight, then I would’ve been stumbling around in the dark.
There were usually lights in the trees surrounding the quad and the pathways between the buildings. Tonight, the lights in front of the doors to the cafeteria and dorm buildings were the only ones lit. The ones for the admin/med unit and the classrooms were out, as well as the quad and pathways.
“Why are the lights out?”
“Campus is technically closed. We’re only here to use it as a base for patrols, and it’s better for us if it’s dark. Easier on our eyes.”
“Right.” I knew that campus was closed, but the darkness felt wrong to me. It was usually so well lit, and before curfew started, people were always wandering around. And not only that, the quad was always perfectly mowed which always struck me as such a stark contrast to the forest that threatened to swallow up the school’s five squat brick buildings.
Today it was quiet and dark, and it looked like the lawn hadn’t been mowed in weeks. The bushes and plants in front of the buildings were overgrown. It felt like I’d walked into the middle of a zombie movie. A team of Cazadores patrolling in wolf form caught my eye. The ten wolves weaved in and out of the trees across the quad as they made their rounds.
Maybe I wasn’t that far off from reality. The once-thriving school had turned into a ghost town. Goose bumps rose along my arms and I rubbed them away.
Don’t let it get to you. The school will come back and—
You don’t know that. With everything that had happened, I wouldn’t be surprised if the temporary closure turned permanent.
Why are you even in the quad? Dastien sent along the bond, changing the subject. Because I was right and we both knew it.
What do you mean? I’m on my way to my— Wow. I was an idiot. Oh. Right. “I can’t believe I did this, but in my defense, I’m pretty worn out. I need to head that way.” I pointed to the now-overgrown path that led around the admin building.
Chris huffed a raspy-laugh as we changed directions. “Sorry. I was on autopilot.”
“Me, too.” The drama of the day before on top of the day of travel was clearly catching up to me. “So, what else has been going on?”
“Besides demons?” Chris blew out a breath. “Not much.”
“Any word from Cosette?”
“Some.” He shrugged. “She’s doing fine but feeling a little cooped up in the Underhill. I think it’d been a while since she was stuck at home for so long.”
&n
bsp; We weren’t ten feet from the cabin when Dastien came running out of the front door, holding his cellphone. “I’m putting you on speaker. Tessa and Chris just got here.”
