Page 31 of Let Us Prey

I write ‘pampered and complacent’ on the board, which makes a couple of the dipshits gasp, but Felix smiles.

“She’s right. By sheer numbers alone, if the prey animals concocted a revolution and spent a considerable amount of time planning, they could overtake preds. We win in toe-to-toe battles, but many of us are no longer in fighting trim or even very smart. In comparison, the prey species have had to use their brains constantly to avoid being killed.” The professor tilts his head, looking at me again. “Why do you think we’re still dominant?”

The Heathers look at me with disdain and Todd’s crew snickers behind their hands as I think about it for a moment. The disgust on my ex’s face makes my gut clench and I curse internally, unable to forgive myself for missing what an absolute twit he is. Giving that weak little shit my virginity was a stupid move and I’ll never forgive him for the shit he pulled afterward.

My bunny pushes against my skin, outraged at how we were treated. I blink in surprise because bunnies aren’t known for being angry or aggressive. However, mine is ready to tear the eyes out of my ex-boyfriend for daring to look at us.

Fucking weird, man.

“Barbie, answer my question.” Felix’s voice brings me out of my trance and I shake my head to clear it.

He seems to know something’s up with me because he’s pushing that stupid alpha thing at me. It makes my skin itch and I wrinkle my nose in irritation. If he’s so big on consent, he needs to back the fuck off with that shit. “The only reason preds still dominate isbecause they are allowed to. With enough support, it could change at any moment.”

That makes the room explode in indignant shouts, people waving fists and baring fangs as they yell. I catch his satisfied expression for a second before the tiger turns to the class and lets out a bone rattling roar. It stops the riotous noise completely and some students even freeze in place. When he sees they’re done, he points at the board. “Add that. It’s technically correct, though I’d challenge your premise unless you provide proof.”

I scribble my words, and when I’m done, I look at him smugly. “Power is about perception, Professor. If you allow disrespect or lose face, you can’t control the masses. All it takes is one voice of dissension to start a coup.”

The look on his face is resigned as he replies, “Quite so, Miss Drew. Controlling the narrative often leads to controlling the people.”

It’s the only reason anyone pays attention to Pink—that’s for sure.

After that, he lets the rest of the students offer reasons, knocking down the stupid ones about jobs or titles that can disappear at a moment’s notice. I write whatever he tells me, putting my spin on the idiotic shit they throw out. It’s fairly obvious his point about intelligence is well met, because I can’t understand how any of these people would have gotten into such an elite university if they weren’t loaded.

By the end of class, even my brain hurts from listening to it.

Felix dismisses the class at the bell, tilting his head as he watches me. “Don’t bother with erasing it. I’d like it to marinate in this bullshit before I get any of them in a ring.”

I shrug, heading over to the spot I left my stuff to gather it. Once I’m ready, I pause. “Is that everything you need today, Sir?”

Okay, I’m not above torturing the asshole professor a little. Sue me.

He stalks closer as I descend the steps. “You seemed to have a control issue earlier, Barbie.”

“It won’t happen again. I promise, Sir,” I reply automatically.

The tiger frowns and shakes his head. “Something tells me that isn’t true and perhaps isn’t the right answer, anyway. You will need to let your animal out and learn to control it in this class, but it shouldn’t be because those idiots who hate you got under your skin. Never let shitheads like that win; if you do, you’ll never be rid of them.”

I watch him as he stands in front of me, looking up because I’m poised two steps above the ground. It’s probably the only way I’d be taller because while Fitz is buff and bulky, Felix is tall, lean and muscled in a way that isn’t as obvious. His tiger is probably faster and more vicious because he seems to have brains. I lick my lips as I consider that, remembering how sexy Fitz was in tiger form.

Suddenly, Felix’s eyes flash with his animal and I feel the primal ripple over him. “Hit the bunny trail, Miss Drew. I won’t be giving you a note to excuse tardiness for your other professors—no matter what the reason is.”

“Understood, Captain Asshat,” I grumble under my breath as I push past him, hoping the slickness coating my thighs isn’t as noticeable to him as it is for me. I hear his deep chuckle echoing behind me as I haul ass out of the gym to get to Gothic Lit on time.

* * *

“… so you’ll need to visit the library before you head home tonight, unless you’re using an app to read along.” The gargoyle pauses by my desk, his brows drawing together as he looks at me. He seems to be unsure what to say next and I duck my head, not wanting to draw attention to his staring.

“Professor Renard? The librarian won’t let us in without appointments. What are we supposed to do?”

I cover my mouth, hiding a snort at the whiny voice of the small shifter from my Shifter History class. He transferred in after the first week, and I don’t have a clue why. It’s obvious he doesn’t give a shit about literature and is woefully unprepared for the curriculum.

Though, he’s not wrong about Professor Draconis…

“Get on the Apex application and set up an appointment, Craig. It’s easy and though Professor Draconis will probably lose his mind at the amount of last-minute requests, I’m sure he has assistants who will be happy to help him.”

Lifting my head, I turn it slowly to look at the now smirking gargoyle in horror. I don’t have to work there tonight, but after a very frustrating day, I was planning to go home and have a little ‘me time’. He’s just guaranteed I’ll be summoned to the library instead, because Betsy doesn’t work after dark.

That son of a warthog!

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