Page 3 of Beginning Fate

“You're going to be the oldest senior in the history of the ARC if you don't start channeling all those credits towards something,” Braxton teased.

“But I'd go down in ARC history.”

Their jabs weren't going to get to me. I still wasn't certain what I really wanted to do with my life, so why not spend this time learning whatever I want as I figure it all out? It made perfect sense to me, and I only had myself to worry about.

“So what's your plan for today, Denny?” Braxton asked.

“Well, you fools are going to scrub down the doghouse.”

They all groaned.

“We aren't pledges anymore.”

“I know, but I don’t have any pledges to abuse at the moment and the others haven't returned yet. So you are the lucky fools, at least until the next class of pledges arrive.”

“We came early to hang out and have fun. Not clean,” Remy argued.

“It's not so bad, guys. We had the freshmen do a deep clean before they moved out, so really, it's just a wipe through and a bit of dusting,” Caleb insisted.

Remy snorted. “Says you. You actually enjoy cleaning.”

He shrugged. “It's better than living in filth. I don’t care what the fraternity stereotype is. I am not living like that. It'll take maybe an hour. Don't worry, Denny. We'll have it done.”

“Thanks Caleb.”

“If we're doing all the dirty work, what exactly are you doing?” Braxton asked.

Monte snorted. “Hyping up the freshmen. It's downright embarrassing to walk across campus with this guy.”

I just shrugged. “Not my fault you have no school spirit.”

He didn't even bother to respond.

“I heard Damon has a kid he's sending down here. Mark, I think he said. So you might want to be on the lookout for him. He's an Alaskan wolf.”

A group of guys walked over to us and stopped. I looked up then grinned.

“My grunts have returned! I didn't think you guys would be in until next week.”

Kevin and Joseph were from Westin Pack, even though Kevin wasn't a wolf. His adoptive parents were Westin wolves, though. I still didn't understand exactly how an opossum shifter got adopted by a couple of wolves, but he was a good guy, and now a full-fledged brother along with his closest friend, Joseph, who was a wolf.

Delta Omega Gamma may have started out as all wolves, but had opened up to other canines like coyote shifters. There was even a dingo once, straight out of Australia. Somewhere along the way others had joined in. We've had a jaguar, panther, and even a squirrel that I know about. The brotherhood went a lot deeper than our species. As president last year, I hadn't turned Kevin away, and I certainly wasn't going to start now should other shifter types want to join the best fraternity in the world. I mean, really, who could blame them.

I glanced over his shoulder to see two nervous boys and one gorgeous lady. I was certain I'd never seen her before.

“Hi, I'm Denny,” I told her.

Kevin scowled, and I was pretty sure I heard him hiss even over the growing noise of the room.

“Dude, that's his little sister.”

I checked myself quickly. Flirting with a pretty freshman was one thing, but flirting with the little sister of a brother was not cool unless she was my true mate, which wasn't very likely seeing as how she was an opossum.

“Sorry man.”

“It's okay. Guys, this is Autumn, my sister who is entirely off-limits.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Hi. I've heard a lot about you guys.”