Page 6 of Alpha's Hated Mate

“Oh, my God,” Yarra says, her blue eyes twinkling at me. “You like him, don’t you?”

I scoff. “Don’t make it sound so . . . juvenile. I think he’s hot, okay? He’s objectively gorgeous. Apparently, they all are. It’s like Vaultmores are genetically manufactured or something.”

“That’s true. I even heard his father was a smoke show back in the day.”

I shrug. “Good for him. I’m glad I’ve never seen any of them other than Nadia. They probably only sleep with blond, blue-eyed wolves to keep the line pure or something.”

Yarra laughs. “So what, then? You’re not interested?”

I start to answer, but that familiar scent stops me. It floats into the room and smacks me in the face. I look up just in time to see him walking through the door. My eyes immediately lock onto him like he’s a glowing star. In this light, his blond hair is tinged with silver, and his eyes are actually two different colors—one eye is a deep blue with swirls of green in the center and the other is the opposite. Emerald with speckles of sapphire in the middle. He pauses, his eyes catching mine, and for a split second, I feel like we’re thinking the same thing.

It’s only a split second, though, because he quickly looks away with a slight distasteful curl of his lip. Whoops. Guess I forgot myself for a moment. Curse of the Scarlet strikes again.

“Nope,” I say to Yarra. “Not interested in the slightest.”

“All right, tonight, please read chapters three and four,” the professor says as we start filing out of the room. I’m purposely dragging my feet, watching out of the corner of my eye as Aydan gathers his things and leaves with the first rush of people. Once he’s gone, I feel Yarra’s stare. I already know without looking that she’s smirking at me.

“Shut up” is all I say, and she laughs.

We walk out of the room together and start talking about our homework. Yarra’s griping about the reading assignment. She’s always complaining about how hard history is for her since she was raised in the Outer Lands.

My attention, however, is elsewhere as I notice Aydan across the hall. He’s standing not too far from us and talking to his sister—the class kiss-up. Nadia’s in her second year with me and Yarra, and she’s just one of the biggest bitches in the world. Always walking around with her nose in the air while she cozies up to every club and group in Moonhelm. I should have knownshe was out here. Her flowery scent is always in the air around the school.

Looking at them now, I can see the resemblance. Hair like gold with silver strands and pristinely tanned skin. Two beautiful wolves standing among the commoners. I’ve heard Nadia’s wolf has golden fur, the same shade as her long bouncy curls. I’ll bet his is, too. That would just figure.

“Hello? Earth to Saffron?”

The sound of Yarra’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. She looks at me with one raised eyebrow. I’m caught.

“Not interested, huh?”

All I can do is sigh. I can already feel my face turning red.

“It’s okay. You know,” she adds, glancing over at him, “he is really hot. I’ll bet every girl on campus wants a piece of him.”

“More than likely,” I say, and I think, I’m probably the only one who’s picking up his scent, though.

“Good morning, ma’am.” With a hint of a flowery scent, we suddenly notice Nadia standing next to us. She’s got a clipboard clasped between her well-manicured hands as she smiles at us . . . well, mostly at Yarra. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“We’re actually both on our way out. I’ve got class in about five minutes—”

“I won’t take up more than two. I just wanted to make sure you got your invite to the Midterm Bash that Howler House is throwing. It’ll be at Shatterstone, of course. Your presence would really be appreciated.”

Yarra glances at me, telegraphing how acutely aware we are that Nadia’s excluding me from the conversation. Yarra clears her throat and says, “I did. Unfortunately, Mr. Robertson won’t be able to attend, and he’s not a fan of me going to campus parties on my own. He might reconsider, however, if I could bring a friend along.”

Nadia looks at me, her plastic smile slipping a little. “A . . . friend? Of course. I mean, as long as your friend doesn’t have plans of her own.”

All I can do is roll my eyes. This conversation is stupid. “I need to head off to class,” I tell Yarra. I turn to Nadia and say, “Have fun at your little party or whatever.”

“No one was speaking to you, anyway, Scarlet,” she says. Her smile is gone, and she glares with the coldest look in her eyes. It’s like a switch was flipped.She wants a fight, does she?

“You’re speaking to me now, Blondie,” I say, stepping up to her. Yarra immediately gets between us.

“Please,” she said. “Nadia. Saffron. Let’s not. All right?”

“Forgive me, ma’am,” Nadia says through clenched teeth, “but I get a little annoyed with certain people who don’t keep their eyes to themselves.” She turns toward me again. “I saw how you were looking at my brother just now. He issoout of your league.”

I laugh. “Nobody’s looking at him, you psycho. And even if I was, maybe if you minded your own business—”

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