Page 122 of A University of Betrayal

Discomfort spread through me. What if Alarik was trying to get me into the pack after all and this was all just a sneaky plan to trick me?

“Beta wolves? So, there’s a pack hierarchy?”

“Yes,” Julian confirmed, and turned into Beaver Street.

I remembered that Julian had mentioned Emely. “And Emely? Is she trustworthy? I mean, you seem to have known each other for a long time, but...”

God,how was I supposed to finish that sentence without making it even more suspicious?

“I’ve never seen anyone as devoted to the pack as she is.”

Great.That didn’t sound good for me and my situation. If she found out what I was, it would probably be the end of the game of hide and seek, which had only just begun.

“It all seems to be something higher for her. She is extremely loyal and stands up for everyone who is part of the pack.” So, I would no longer be a threat to her from the moment I became part of the pack… “That was already the case back then. She’s very strong. You shouldn’t underestimate her.”

I looked at Julian, who had parked between our houses. My gaze lingered on his face. His side profile was angular, but his slightly tousled curls hanging down his forehead created a harmonious effect. He radiated a calmness that I had never experienced before. It surprised me that he didn’t have a girlfriend.

“You like her a lot,” I remarked, and he turned his face toward me, giving me a perfect view of his olive-green eyes. There they were again, the little golden speckles shining vividly. A detail you could only see if you were close enough.

He opened his mouth but seemed speechless for a moment.

“Don’t talk yourself out of it. I’ve told you before. You like her. She likes you. There’s some kind of connection between the two of you.”

“We grew up together,” he said defensively, which only emphasized my theory.

“Perfect premise,” I laughed softly.

“How so?”

I sighed. “If you can be best friends, you can be more. And it’s kind of romantic, don’t you think?”

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “But...”

“Just admit to yourself that she’s not just Emely.”

I started to laugh, and he blushed like a shy little boy.

“You’re right.”

My jaw dropped.“What?”

He put one hand on my head and the other under my chin. I immediately felt the pleasant warmth of his fingers. My stomach tingled strangely.

“Close your mouth.” I grinned. “And notwhat?”He took his hands off my head again. “When you told me that, I felt like an idiot.”

“Youarean idiot.” I couldn’t stop laughing, and he gave me a friendly slap on my calves because I had pulled my legs up onto the seat.

“Thanks,” was all he said, the grin literally waiting to appear on his lips.

“Anyway, it’s only now that I’ve realized that I’ve probably overlooked many aspects of her that make her special.”

I tried to calm down a little again, because after all, it was something personal that I had just learned from Julian. And people didn’t open up every day. Especially not people like Julian.

He must really like Emely a lot, otherwise he wouldn’t have even given my suspicion that there was something going on a second thought.

“And now?” Curiosity rose inside me.

“Now?” He didn’t seem to understand me.

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