Page 4 of Pack Nightmare

“Hey Layla, everything okay?” Landon’s worried voice carries into the classroom and I jump away from Derrek guiltily. Even though we weren’t doing anything, it somehow feels like a small betrayal to be here alone with this man, on whom I had a burning crush for years, when I have three fated mates waiting for me just outside.

I turn to see the three of them filing into the classroom, all staring at Derrek with suspicious eyes. A small smirk curls my lips; I guess they were tired of waiting.

“Yeah, I was just catching up with an old friend,” I say, my voice thick with implication. “Guys, this is Derrek, we were friends in LA. He was a sort of the leader of our pack of runaways. Derrek, this is Jared, Landon, and Milo.” I gesture to each of them as I say their names, watching them subtly trying to look bigger. Derrek’s obviously an older guy, and they clearly feel somewhat territorial about me, but I’m not sure what puffing up their chests is supposed to achieve.

“Yeah, Jared told us.” Milo steps forward and offers Derrek his hand, his blue eyes cool and assessing. “Nice to meet you, Derrek.”

The older man smiles and accepts the shake. “Likewise.”

After two more begrudging handshakes, the guys seem to have lost their patience for the afternoon. “Lex, are you ready to go? We want to get out of here before Jared’s coach catches him skipping practice.” Milo gives me his signature half-smile, and a scowl crosses Jared’s face.

“He’s probably going to make me run laps tomorrow. But an afternoon off with Layla is worth it.” Jared’s dark tone turns sweet, and he gazes at me with a wide smile.

“Nah, Lex can have Roxanne text the coach and say she needs him. He won’t question the beta.”

Derrek glances my way with amusement lighting his eyes. “So he gets to call you Lex, but I don’t?”

Heat warms my cheeks again. “I kind of introduced myself to him as Lex out of habit, but everyone else knows me as Layla. I can’t seem to break him of it now.”

“Well, I’d say if anyone has a right to call you Lex out of habit, that would be me. Since I’ve known you the longest.”

I would swear his tone is almost flirtatious, except he’s never been remotely flirtatious with me before, and I’d hardly expect him to start now. I might guess he’s trying to goad the boys, get under their skin a little, but I can’t imagine why.

Derrek glances casually at Milo, who glares at him in response. “Only if it’s okay with you, of course,” he adds, returning his gaze to me.

“Um, whatever, it’s fine. Guys, let’s go. Derrek, I guess… I’ll see you Wednesday.”

“Not if I see you first, Lex,” he replies with a wink.

Chapter Three

Layla

“I don’t like him.” Jared’s expression is fierce, his dark brows flat below the brim of his baseball cap as he glares out the windshield on our way to Harridan House.

“Me either,” Landon agrees from the back seat of the pickup.

“Same.” Milo adds.

I can’t help the snort of a laugh that escapes me. “Wow, who would have predicted that one?”

“What do you mean?” Landon’s tone is wounded, as if I’ve genuinely hurt his feelings.

I soften, just a little. I wasn’t trying to hurt him. “Just that I’m not surprised my fated would dislike an older guy who suddenly shows up in my life again out of nowhere.”

“Hey, that’s not what this is,” Milo protests. “There’s something off about him, something I can’t put my finger on.”

“He’s not pack,” Jared states. “That’s enough for me.”

“Well, he said my uncle discovered he’s related to the pack seer. So doesn’t that, in a way, make him pack?”

Milo snorts. “No. Half the seers in the country are related in some way. Those bloodlines go a loooooong way back.”

“Dom brought him here, and he knows Roxanne. So there has to be a reason. Maybe she can fill us in.”

“Speaking of, can you send that message and get me out of trouble with Coach, please?” Jared’s voice takes on a pleading tone, prompting me to act.

I shoot a message to Roxanne, and she responds almost immediately. “Done. But she said she won’t cover for you the next time you decide to play hooky.”

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