Page 100 of Wolf Mate

“I’m going to be late,” I said normally, knowing he’d hear me. I walked into the building and tossed my biscuit into the trash. I’d lost my appetite.

In microbiology, I took my seat next to Dave. He lifted his head, and his eyebrows shot up.

Great. He didn’t want to sit next to me. I shouldn’t be surprised after yesterday. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and readied myself to get up. “Sorry. I can sit somewhere else. I wasn’t thinking.”

Dave cleared his throat. “No, please stay. I’m just a little surprised that you’d want to sit next to me after … you know …” He shrugged.

Oh, right. He’d wanted to eat me yesterday. “I can move. I didn’t think.” My brain had to be short-circuiting.

“It’s fine, seriously.” He sniffed and smiled. “There’s nothing great smelling here.”

My blood was only jolting, and I hadn’t noticed until now. But it wasn’t high-fizzing, which seemed to be the issue. “Okay then.”

“Did Raffe tell the others what happened?” Dave snagged a book from his bag, but I heard the concern behind his words.

I shrugged. “I think so, but I wasn’t around when he did.”

He winced, and his comment about Josie popped back into my mind. Did he have a thing for her?

Not wanting to get involved in any more drama, I kept my question to myself. I unzipped my backpack and removed my notebook and pen then took a sip of my coffee. I was ready for class to begin so I could, for a few minutes, forget about my life and get lost in microbiology, one of the few topics in my life that made sense.

I lay on my bed,staring at my purple paper butterfly chandelier. I’d avoided Raffe in economics by coming into class at the last minute. Luckily, we’d broken into separate groups to do our work today, and I’d made sure my group got our stuff done early and I was out the door before his group completed the assignment. I’d been hiding in my room ever since, knowing he’d be at football practice with Adam and Keith.

I’d done my homework, and now I was bored out of my mind. Lucy wasn’t home, and I feared her absence had to do with Raffe and Josie.

My phone buzzed beside me, and I started, nearly falling off the bed. Great, when did I get so jumpy?

Mom’s name rolled across the screen, so I swiped. If I didn’t answer, she’d get worried.

“Hey, honey.” Her voice was chipper, way more chipper than it had ever been when I’d lived with them. “How are you doing?”

“Great. You?” Good thing a wolf shifter wasn’t here, or they’d be smelling my stench right about now.

“Well, other than your father and me missing you like crazy, we’re doing okay.” She launched into a story about her accounting job and the TV series she and Dad were watching together. Some sort of house-swapping reality show she enjoyed. Then she paused. “Are you sure everything’s okay? You seem distant. Did anything weird happen again? Do you need us to come there?”

Her concern eased some of my pain. She hated when my blood went crazy, but the fact that she was willing to come here and support me meant more than she’d ever know. “I’m just stressed. Classes are hard, and I don’t want to get behind.” At least that wasn’t a full lie.

“Oh, honey. You won’t struggle. You never do.”

Buttons beeped on the keypad, and my heart stuttered. That had to be Lucy, and I wondered what she’d say after avoiding me for so long.

But when loud, sure footsteps headed my way and my chest did the yanking sensation, I realized who it was.

“Sky, we need to talk,” Raffe said then knocked on my door.

Mom gasped. “Is a boy in your apartment?”

Shit, I should’ve said something so Raffe realized I was talking to Mom. “Uh … yeah. He’s my stats partner. I forgot we were studying.”

My door opened, and Raffe stepped inside, smirking.

He was having way too much fun with this. “All right, Mom, I need to go. Talk soon. Love you. Bye.” I hung up and sat on my bed, glaring at him.

But with his wet hair and the way his polo shirt molded to his chest, it was hard to remember why I was angry. It was clear he’d taken a shower after practice before coming here.

When he stepped toward me and tried to wrap his arms around my waist, I stepped back, the yank damn near keeping my legs from moving.

He frowned and sighed. “I’m sorry about earlier. I could see you thought I was blaming you, and I wasn’t. Keith was harassing me via the pack link to get to the student center, and when I saw you talking to a witch and a vampire, it threw me. I’m a complete jackass and not worthy of your forgiveness, but I’m hoping you give it to me anyway.” He held my gaze steadily.

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