Page 2 of Alpha's Hated Mate

“Be careful, ladies,” Yarra says. She sits up with a cool, regal look in her sapphire eyes. “You never know who you might be talking to.”

Two of the girls’ smiles drop. I can’t tell if they recognize Yarra or if they’re just overcome by her royal aura. The smart-ass one puts a hand on her hip and says, “I knowwhatI’m addressing—”

Yarra’s eyes flash gold, and she stands up. “You realize you are addressing the Luna of the Tsukino pack, do you not?”

Instant fear in the smart-ass’s eyes. She nods her head vigorously.

“Then why do you find it necessary to risk your education at Moonhelm?”

The smart-ass looks like she’s about to piss herself. The other two are sidling behind her like they’re hiding. Smart-ass shifts her feet a little like she’s trying to keep her balance. “I do not, ma’am.”

“Didn’t think so. Apologize to my friend.”

They all look at me and utter a weak and fearful, “I’m sorry.”

Yarra doesn’t take her eyes off them, but she speaks to me. “Are we satisfied?”

“For now,” I respond smugly.

“Fine. Carry on. And stay out of trouble.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they respond in unison, then rush off. Yarra sits back down, picks up her cup of tea, and takes a sip.

“It’s good to be queen—or Luna,” she says.

“Thank you,” I say to her.

“Don’t mention it.”

New year. New students. And around I go again, an outcast in the world of wolves. Maybe this year will be different. At least I’ve got a powerful ally now. Hopefully, things won’t be so bad this time.

Chapter Two—Aydan

“Mr. Vaultmore. What a pleasure it is to have you at Moonhelm.”

My face turns up in a tight smile. My other foot isn’t even over the threshold, and Dean Fowler is already welcoming me into his office. His eagerness is more than a little concerning.

My first thought upon seeing him is that he looks like a bird, which is odd, considering we’re all wolves here. He’s tall with a thin face, a hook nose, and long silver hair tied back into a neat ponytail. As he smiles, his laugh lines are so deep they almost hollow out his cheeks. He steps aside and allows me to enter. “Come in. Come in.”

I’m only here because my council insisted. After Father died, I was told that I needed to attend Moonhelm. My advisors and seers gently commanded me to, telling me that as the new Alpha of my pack, I needed to learn how to be an Alpha in the modern world. It’s ridiculous, really. Father taught me everything I’llever need to know. This school is for the uninitiated and newborn wolves. Not for someone like me.

But here I am at their behest . . . mostly because they wouldn’t shut the hell up about it. I’ll do my time here and then head back to my home in Claymore City, where I belong. That’s all that matters.

It’s all about playing the game of diplomacy. Meet the faculty heads, act like I care about their institution, ask how many years Moonhelm has existed, blah, blah, blah. I wonder if Father had to do this every time he donated to the school.

Dean Fowler’s office is pretty generic. A desk with a blotter, stacks of paper, and a cup of pens. A wall of books on one side and wooden paneling with a portrait of one of Moonhelm’s founders on the other. Alongside the dean are two others—an older woman with messy blondish-gray hair and half-moon glasses, dressed in an oversized sweater and jeans, and a man who doesn’t look to be too much older than me with nearly black hair and an intense glare. He must be the hard-ass of the three of them.

“This is Professor Jean Roberston,” Dean Fowler says, “and her son, Chadwick Robertson. Jean teaches Labors to our freshman class, and Mr. Robertson is the administrative head of faculty and the Alpha of the Tsukino Pack.”

“Aydan Vaultmore,” I say as I sit down in the chair in front of Dean Fowler’s desk. “Nice to meet you.”

“It’s such a pleasure,” Professor Robertson says, a big smile on her face. “Your father was such a big supporter of Moonhelm.” I nod and hold my smile. She adds, “I understand your sister is a student here as well?”

“Yes. Nadia Vaultmore. I believe she’s in her second year.”

“Oh, of course! Brilliant student. Professor Faro says she’s at the top of her biological studies. A budding scientist.”

“Exactly what we need in this world,” Dean Fowler says. “You know, Moonhelm offers many areas of study that would help in both the Outer Lands and Clarion if you so desire.”

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