Page 137 of A University of Betrayal

To make matters worse, the Russian alpha was bubbling with rage. He pulled the knife out of the table.

I knew Father loved this table from the founding days, despite its many nicks, but he tolerated Dimitrio’s anger.

“I have to apologize. He promised me he’d pull himself together.”

“You should never have brought him under my nose!”

I pressed my lips together and looked at Nash, but he didn’t seem to understand what was going on either. His light blue shirt was glowing, which meant he was on his phone again.

God,didn’tanyonehere haveanymanners?

“I should honestly doubt you are interested in this alliance.”

“No!” I’d never seen my father react so quickly. “We’re interested.”

I heard a vase break in the garden. That was too much.

“What’s he doing?” Dimitrio asked angrily.

I pushed my chair back and stood up. “I’m sorry I have to excuse myself, but I’d like to look after him and talk to him.” And before my father could say anything, I was already hurrying through the doorway into the hallway and finally outside.

Crickets Chirping in the Evening Forest

Nature on Record, White Noise Workshop

The cool evening air hit my face. A welcome breeze blew through the November night. Just two weeks to go until the moon was full again. A night I was looking forward to, even if I could change whenever I wanted. However, the full moon gave us Senseque an ecstatic feeling.

“Did you find him?”

I wheeled around.

“Mikhail,” I gasped, startled.

He was just standing there, a few steps away by the railing, his short hair blowing barely noticeably in the wind.

“Call me Mica, please,” he said with a smile and looked around the front of our garden, his eyes glowing yellow.

I didn’t know what to say to that and looked around as well until I spotted the broken porcelain on the patio, as expected. But there was no sign of Alarik.

“Your uncle is very tempestuous.”

“He’s worried. That’s all.”

And I appreciated that about him, but he couldn’t behave like that in front of potential allies. World politics was at stake here. Other Alphas might question Father’s authority once word got around about how little he was enforcing.

“I hope you don’t think I just want you next to me as my trophy.”

I looked at Mica. His gaze was curious.

“I don’t care as long as it makes my father happy.”

I wasn’t going to lie. That was the truth. I would do whatever it took to save my father’s pack. Maybe it would even help my father to prevail against the other species. Maybe even against the Ruisangors.

I couldn’t help but think of the man who had challenged me for the second time now.Miles DeLoughrey.He was terribly annoying and didn’t know his limits. Last time, he’d pushed me into a corner until I’d had to force my way past him. It had taken all my effort not to attack him. And then there had been something else... His look, his body. He had come too close to me. And the worst part was that at that moment, I had been so captivated by the reddish glow of his irises. He had pressed against me…

The thought aroused a strange inner tension, followed by goosebumps. The mere memory seemed far too absurd to actually have happened. And yet ithadhappened. I was still confused and ashamed that I hadn’t just left, but had stayed there with him, that I had let something like that happen to me.

“Wow” Mica laughed, bringing me back to the present.

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