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He’s shoveling cake in and moaning while we walk to the living room.
Sniffer tells me about growing up in his pack, how everyone knows each other’s most embarrassing moments and how much he looks up to his brother, who he thinks is the best Alpha there is.
The love he has for his family is clear on his face when he speaks of them. I laugh when he tells me the big, bad Alpha slept with a small wolf stuffed animal in his bed until he was twelve. He’s been the Alpha for eight years but seems sad lately.
We’ve both been quiet for awhile watching television. I know it’s late, and he’s getting ready to go, so I muster up the courage to ask the one question I think I’ll get the most answers from. “Hey, Sniffer, can I ask you another question?”
“You just did.” Cheeky boy. He rolls his hand with theget on with itgesture.
“Mates, my parents were Mates, but I don’t know much more. Why would a Mate not claim his? What happens to...”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “That doesn’t happen. Ever!”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“I hate to break it to you, but it does happen. I know it happens. It happened to me.”
He eyes me like I’m crazy. “You must be mistaken. How do you know he was your Mate?”
“It was years ago, but believe me, there is no mistaking it. You know.”
“That just doesn’t happen. Mates are considered a blessing. I don’t know why he didn’t claim you. Was he human?”
“Definitely not,” I say with certainty.
“Will you tell me what happened? Maybe you misunderstood.”
I didn’t. I know I didn’t, but I’ll tell him. “It’s simple, really. He walked out of a pub and time stopped. I knew he was mine. We just stared at each other for what felt like years, but I’m sure it was just seconds. His friends and girlfriend, I’m assuming by the way she acted, asked who I was. He said, ‘no one.’ He turned around and walked away, never once looking back.”
His mouth is hanging open when I finish. Shock written all over his face. “He said that,” comes out more like a growl.
I nod my head and whisper, “Yes. I always thought he’d come back for me. He didn’t.” My worst fear slips out without my permission. “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?” My eyes are glossy, but I will not cry. I have cried enough for two lifetimes.
He shakes his head slowly. “No love, I know there is nothing wrong with you,” he says gently.
CHAPTER4
My new friend and I make plans to meet for lunch the following day. I have a break in my schedule from noon until two, and his lunch break is at one. So we plan to meet up at the student union.
I’m up early so I spend a little extra time getting ready. My hair is a little frizzy from the humidity, but I manage to tame it. I’ll bring a hair tie in case it poofs later. A little bronzer so my freckles don’t stand out too much, mascara, lip gloss, and I’m done. It’s still pretty warm so I grab a white tank top to wear with my favorite faded jeans.
Coffee in hand, I grab a soft gray sweater to shove in my bag in case the classrooms are chilly. I leave at seven-thirty to make sure I can find a parking space not too far from my first class.
I grab an outside seat around the middle of the bowl-shaped room. Seats fill quickly, and I’m thankful I met Sniffer and Michael Saturday on the beach because almost half of the class are shifters.
None approach me though. I feel every one of them eye me with curiosity. Moments later, the professor, who is also a shifter, comes in. I’m on edge through the whole class. Professor Daniels talks about his love of literature. I think I can hear the female students swooning. With his light brown hair and the thick black frames of his glasses, he’s nerd chic. You can tell by the way he moves that the blazer he wears hides a great body. After he assigns our work, he excuses us fifteen minutes early.
Keeping my head down, I take my time putting my notes and supplies away so most of the room is empty before I stand to leave. When I turn to the door, I find the professor talking to a young girl with long blonde hair. As I pass, he looks up and asks, “A moment of your time, Miss Brair?”
The blonde doesn’t seem happy to have been interrupted.
I stand and wait while he finishes telling the girl that the TA will be handling arrangements for a study group. She seems disappointed when he turns to me, dismissing her. I, on the other hand, would love to be leaving.
When he finally speaks, the room is empty. He comes closer to me and says, “I haven’t seen you at any meetings. Have you been in town long?” He doesn’t seem angry, just curious.
I know he’s referring to pack meetings so I answer him honestly “I wasn’t aware I needed to petition the Alpha before moving here, sir. Sn-Casper is helping me take care of that soon.”
