Page 24 of Alpha's Hated Mate

But I have to admit I’m regretting rejecting his offer a little. It’s really,reallylate. Later than I’ve ever been out before. There’sno oneout on campus at all. As I walk along the lamplit path, I start to worry that a faculty member might catch me breaking curfew . . . again. I really don’t need another demerit on my record.

Even if I do get in trouble . . . tonight was nice. Aydan is the kind of lover that I’ve always dreamed of having. The kind that I’ve been waiting for my whole life. It’s too bad that nothing else fits for us. It’s just my luck I finally find the right guy for me sexually and he just happens to be the wrong one for everything else.

I keep thinking about the way he teased me about being claimed by him. I don’t know how he read me so well, but he did. The funny thing is that he could have had me if he’d wanted me. Lost in the passion, I’d have accepted his mark gleefully.

I guess I forgot the most cardinal rule of being a Scarlet. Everyone hates Scarlets. A Scarlet certainly could never be a Luna. Life will be easier if you keep your head down and don’t draw attention to yourself. I’ve never been good at that.

As I round the corner, I glance toward the woods—now off-limits thanks to the events of last year. A Scarlet went rogue and terrorized Yarra and some of the faculty. It was a weird time for the rest of the Scarlets on campus afterward. As if our reputation needed to be dragged through the mud some more.

Admittedly, I don’t remember a lot of what happened. The rogue Scarlet sent my mind into a strange, hypnotic state that I’d rather not ever go into again. That day, I learned how susceptible Scarlets can be to mind magic. It’s something that’s put me on edge ever since.

I keep walking when I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I look back just in time to see a figure walking down the trail into the woods. Long golden hair tied back into a ponytail and sweats . . . She glances over her shoulder. It’s Nadia!

Why would she be out there? I freeze, and for a split second, I think that maybe I should go tell someone. No one’s supposed to be in those woods, after all.

I’ve never been much of a tattle tale, though. I turn on my heel and follow the path where she went just beyond the trees.

It’s pitch black in the woods, but my eyes adjust as I turn my nose up to the wind and track her scent. I’d get more distance if I change. I could even see a little better, and I’d definitely be quieter. No, I’d better stay human for now. As covert as I can be in wolf form, I’m a smaller target this way.

I move silently through the woods along the path, following her scent until I spot her standing by a large rock formation. She’s looking up at it with her hand on the stone like she’s examining it. I hide behind a fallen log and watch her as she slowly rubs her hand along the ridges.

What are you doing?

The second I think that, she turns and looks my way. I duck down just as her head turns, and I hold my breath. After a few seconds, I take another peek . . .

And she’s gone. I look around for a moment for any sign of her golden hair against the black around us, but there is none. I sniff the air. Her scent lingers on the wind.

I stand up and look around in wonder. Where the hell did she go? I spend a few more seconds looking before I give up and make my way back out of the woods.

Weird. I know I didn’t imagine that. What’s Nadia doing creeping around the woods in the middle of the night?

Sleep came to me easily last night, but this morning, spotting Nadia in the woods is still on my mind. As I get dressed, I start wondering about everything that’s been going on lately, and it makes me think about what I told Yarra yesterday.There aren’t any coincidences.

There are a lot of pieces here. I know better than to think that it all means nothing. Nothing ever means nothing in Clarion . . . even though, a part of me would rather believe that’s not true. That way I can just say I’m losing my mind. I’m just another mad Scarlet. Maybe they’ll lock me up before I go rogue. And then there are my visions. I still don’t know what they mean or why a consort of the Alpha King’s brother would be starring in them.

After getting dressed, I make my way to the quad near the center of campus. Aydan texted me earlier asking to meet me there . . . and in turn, I texted Yarra. Given that Aydan’s smell seems to drive me immediately to sex, it can’t hurt to have a buffer between us, even in public.

It’s a nice day as I walk down the stone path leading to the quad. Some students are rushing off to their morning classes, while others are out jogging. There are even a few who have already changed into wolves and are running down the track a little ways away. It’s a typical morning for everybody else.

I run into a couple of Scarlets from my English class, and we chat for a moment. One of them, Robby, is a freshman. He’s all freckles and chipmunk cheeks with bright red hair that looks a little orange in a certain light, and he seems far too pure to even be a Scarlet. The other is a friend of mine, Cyd. She’s a long-legged girl with a headful of bushy hair and a permanent scowl underneath. As the three of us exchange notes, I notice one of the security guys out of the corner of my eye—Morton, I think his name is. He’s usually the one casually patrolling the quad around this time of day. Right now, he’s eyeing the three of us suspiciously.

Cyd sees him at the same time I do and scoffs. “Time to disperse. Officer Tightass is stalking us.”

I snort a laugh, even though it really isn’t funny. Security can’t stand it when more than a few of us start to gather. I’m pretty sure they think we’re plotting to destroy the school.

“Catch you later,” I say. Robby and Cyd go their way and I go mine. Officer Tightass watches the two of them walk away.

Both Yarra and Aydan are already waiting for me as I walk toward the benches in the center of the quad. It’s bustling out here today with people walking in and out of buildings to their classes and lying around on the grass with their friends.

Yarra looks up at me and smiles, her blue eyes and purple hair shining in the morning light. “‘Bout time you made it. I believe you said eight sharp?”

I shrug. “I’m here, aren’t I?” I look over at Aydan. He’s sitting next to Yarra on the bench, but he’s looking away like he wants to give the impression that he’s not reallywithus. “Hey, Aydan.”

“Hey,” he says without looking at me. “You know, maybe we should have met up somewhere a little more private.”

“I’m sure your reputation will survive,” I say and sit down next to Yarra. He glares at me sorely.

“I’m just not in the mood to listen to my sister’s whining once she sees me out here with you.”

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