Page 18 of Alpha Varsity

Ugh. Now the body shaming stuff. My mom seriously drives me nuts. I work on cleaning my plate.

“You might have just been a late bloomer, and that’s why you were able to suppress your wolf while you were at college. I want you to go and see Dr. Oakley for a full check-up.”

“I already called for an appointment,” I cut her off.

“She’s an adult now, Denise,” my dad chides. “She’s been on her own for years now.”

“I know, I know.” My mom holds up her hand in his direction without taking her eagle eye from me. “Why did you make an appointment?”

I stare right back at her. “Birth control.”

“Oh!” That shocks her into a moment of silence. “Well that’s great. Does that mean you reallydidenjoy that fullmoon run?” She waggles her brows. Of course, she’d love it if I found someone here who would make me stick around.

“Ugh.” I stand, taking my cleaned plate with me. “Enough, Mom. Respect my boundaries, please.” I rinse my plate and set it in the dishwasher.

My mom has enough grace to laugh. “All right, honey. I’m sorry. I just care about you, that’s all.”

Oh, I know. She just cares about me in an interfering, overbearing way.

I lean over and kiss her cheek. “Thanks for dinner, Mom.” I kiss my dad’s cheek, too. “Love you both. Bye!”

I cruise out the door before they can grill me anymore.

I’m seriously ready for a second meal. Like that one gave me enough energy to get in my car and drive to In ‘n Out burger for more protein.

That’s what I’ll do. Get a second meal and go back to the school to paint.

Hopefully, I won’t wolf-out again and lose my panties to another idiot student.

Chapter Six

Asher

“Three-day suspension from school, but I still get to play in Saturday’s game,” I report to Abe when he stops by the bakery after practice. I’m pretty sure me playing is against District policy, but football is king in Wolf Ridge. The fact that I’m the star of our defense is probably the only reason I didn’t get a harsher punishment.

“Good. Is that all?”

We’re in the back warehouse where my mom sent me to clean and organize Mrs. Angelson’s supplies. It’s my punishment for being suspended from school.

Not that helping Mrs. Angelson is ever a punishment. The old she-wolf is like a grandmother to me. She’s been my mom’s employer since I was a pup, so Wolf Ridge Sweet Treats is my second home. I’ve been working weekends for her since I was fifteen.

Before I hit puberty and got on the football team, I used to come here every day after school until closing time. Mrs. Angelson would have a warm peanut butter and chocolatechip cookie and a glass of milk waiting for me to take to the corner table where I’d do my homework.

That same table where Carlotta tutored me in math, driving me insane with her jasmine and honey scent. The way she’d tug and twist on that golden moon pendant while she watched me work out a problem.

“No. Alpha Green said one more strike and I’m out.” That’s the part I’m trying not to think about.

I could be thrown out of the pack before I finish high school. Any hope I had–slim though it is–of getting a college scholarship for football would be demolished.

“Fuck.” Abe starts picking up fifty pound bags of flour and tossing them to me, so I can stack them neatly in large plastic tubs with lids. The warehouse sits behind the quaint main-street bakery. In the early 1900’s, it was a small flour mill until competition with the larger Hayden Mill in Tempe shut it down. Now, it’s a large, empty brick building that Mrs. Angelson uses to store extra supplies.

“So what happened? Seb and Markley said you lost it.”

I shrug. “Damonella pissed me off.”

“I heard he had Carlotta James’ panties.”

My upper lip curls, but I manage to keep my growl choked down.

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