Page 16 of Pack Nightmare

Milo snorts. “Yes, he really is a professor, and he didn’t exactly leave Layla out in the cold. You’re being dramatic. She was with Roxanne that whole time. From what she says, he took care of her—and a lot of other kids—sort of like an older brother.”

“Yeah well, she’s not looking at him like he’s an older brother,” I grumble, then lean toward the window to place our order.

“I think you need to stop worrying about what you think and instead focus on what you know,” he replies in a more gentle tone. “She’s our fated, she knows it, she’s here on pack territory, and he’s just some guy that’s distantly related to the pack seer.”

“I dunno, until she accepts us as her fated, I know I’m going to be on edge about it. You know what happened with her mom, how it affected Amber’s dad. My auntie said he was a really nice dude until Lilliana Harridan split. That being rejected twisted him up inside.” I pull ahead and join the line for pick up.

“Well, don’t forget that Lex’s mom skipped town before she manifested. Lex can’t do that. She’s already become the alpha. I’d say the chances of her rejecting us are slim.” Milo is infuriatingly calm and self-assured.

“You heard her, questioning why we would want to be cursed just like her? She’s not sold.” After accepting the three drinks—one for Layla, obviously—I pull back out onto the main road, heading for campus. “Unless something changes dramatically, I’m going to be on edge until the eclipse.”

Milo sighs, pulling the lid from his cup and dumping in sugar. “Well, I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t have a remedy for your fears, other than to tell you to spend more time with her doing something other than reciting your cheesy jokes.”

“I’m not sure you realize this, but my schedule is more complicated than yours and Landon’s.” I sound defensive, but I can’t help it. “I barely get out of practice with enough time to eat dinner and do my homework. I thought college was supposed to be more fun than high school, not just more work.”

“That’s what you get for being Mr. All-American captain of the football team.” Milo smirks at me from behind his dark glasses. “This is why I prefer not to take part in team activities in general.”

“You’re hilarious. But seriously, help me get some time with Layla, figure out something we can do together. Sundays are the best bet, since I won’t have a game or practice. And last year I was captain, this year I’m just a freshman tight end.”

“I’ll think about it,” he concedes. “In the meantime, try not to be obvious around her how you feel about the new prof. You’ll just upset her.”

“Fine, fine,” I grumble. “I’ll be cool as a cucumber.”

Layla

I didn’t have time to speak with Derrek before class, so I sit through the entire lecture, twitching with nerves. I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to say, but it’ll be something along the lines of really telling him how hurt I was not to see him and all the rest of my friends in the aftermath of my attack. I know it won’t change the past, and that a big part of it was Dom and Roxanne’s interference, which neither of us are responsible for.

Still, I feel a deep, driving need to finally pour this feeling out into the open, set it free so I can stop harboring it deep in my chest. Something is telling me that saying it out loud, really letting him know how disappointed I was, is going to help me.

And I need to see his reaction, gauge his response to me confessing those feelings.

Because I’m so tied up in my own brain, I take nearly to the end of class to realize that Jared has been quiet and tense beside me for the entire hour. Typically he’s slipping me a note, or making some kind of commentary under his breath throughout the hour.

When I glance at him, curious about this change in behavior, I’m surprised to find he’s glaring at Derrek with barely contained fury. His brows are low over his dark eyes, with one fist clenched on his leg. The other hand has a pencil twirling madly through the air, end over end, while his knee jostles.

I tone down my own emotions and realize I’d tuned him out completely. Huh, well, it’s good to know I’ve figured out how to do that.

Now that I’m looking for them, Jared’s emotions hit me like a sledgehammer. He’s angry and suspicious. Furious, to the point he might as well be screaming it.

“Hey,” I whisper, leaning in his direction. “You okay?”

He seems to startle out of his trance, and settles back, releasing his fist before grinning back at me. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“You just seem upset,” I hint, not adding that it was a bit more than ‘seem’ based on my alpha senses.

“Just got a lot on my mind, with class and football and stuff,” he shrugs. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

I raise one eyebrow. “Really?” He should know better than trying to BS me like that.

Jared’s dark eyes dart to the front of the lecture hall. “Okay, fine,” he sighs quietly. “I don’t like the new prof. I don’t like that he lied to you about who he was, that he turned up here out of the blue, and I especially don’t like that he hurt you.”

My heart thumps, warmth spreading through my chest. “Thanks, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m working on it. Alpha, remember?” I tease quietly, pointing to myself.

Jared’s eyes darken, and he leans closer to me, grasping my hand with warm, strong fingers. “Well, you should remember that as your fated, your pain is my pain. Your happiness is my happiness. And once you claim us, that makes us alphas, too. It’s impossible for me to separate my needs from yours. I need for you to be happy, and I don’t trust him because he broke your trust.”

I stare at Jared as if I’ve never seen him before. This heartfelt speech seems so unlike him; not the goofy jokester I’ve become accustomed to. There’s real feeling behind this, and I know I need to tread carefully.

“Thank you,” I whisper back. “It means more than I can say that you care so deeply about my feelings. But please respect that I want to handle this in my own way?”

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