Page 29 of Wolf Mate

Of course he did.

Keith had mentioned her in the bookstore, but I’d forgotten, too caught up in him and this weird draw.

He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen and, apparently, a prince heir to the wolf people. I bet he had all the women in their circle wagging their tails, begging to be the one at his side.

Raffe flinched, and I didn’t want to think about what he’d seen on my face to react that way. His guilt and remorse slammed into me, probably because he realized I found him super attractive while he was committed to someone else. That guilt had to be about her.

The only somewhat silver lining was that he wasn’t basking in my pain.

The hint of a decent man rose to the top, which madethiseven harder. Whateverthiswas.

The silence was deafening until Adam laughed, reminding me of a hyena, and said, “Do you really think those two will ever break up? That’s wishful thinking.”

“Then why is he so interested inher?” the girl asked, popping her gum. “He should be with a cheerleader like me, not her.”

Raffe snorted and cut his eyes to the girl, his emotions surging more powerfully. His voice lowered, dripping with disgust. “I would never be withher.I want to make that very clear, and Josie and I are as close as always. Don’t start rumors.”

That was a kick in the gut, and my blood damn near hummed.

With Raffe’s gaze elsewhere, I could finally look away, but I found Slade’s face twisted with concern, which didn’t help myanxiety. The hum vibrated, and I sensed it rising to the surface of my skin. At any second, the power would escape and cause something to happen.

Slade’s attention flicked between Raffe and me, and I wanted to run from the room. I clasped my hands across my waist, hating that I looked like a broken and weak girl just because the hottest guy in school had a girlfriend.

I couldn’t explain my strong emotions, especially since I didn’t understand them myself.

Tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, I spun around and slid back into my chair. I needed to pretend that others weren’t here so I could calm down. I glared at my desk, trying to focus on something … anything else.

My desk shook slightly, causing my heart rate to skyrocket.

“What the fuck?” the cheerleader girl damn near screeched.

This was awful. Second day and I’d already made a freak of myself in front of the humans and disgusted the supernaturals.

I didn’t have a place in either world. I wasn’t a supernatural or fully human. I was some mix that didn’t even have a species name.

Slade leaned over and rubbed my back. He took my hand in his, and I could feel tingles on my neck from Raffe’s stare.

What the hell was his problem? I wanted to scream at him and shut this down, which meant getting my emotions under control.

Slade whispered, “Hey, I’m right here.”

I’d never had someone be there for me during an episode.

I could feel the hum’s intensity increasing, and I heard gasps behind me. At this level, I could sense everyone’s emotions, though I couldn’t pinpoint whose was which with my back to them. But intrigue, fear, and disbelief were the main ones. The one that screamed guilt, annoyance, and dread was Raffe. I had no doubt about that.

“Skylar, squeeze my hand and focus on me.” Slade’s breath hit my face, the sweet coffee scent filling my nose.

Slade’s concern and excitement swirled between us. I wasn’t sure why he felt excited, but I didn’t want to focus on that. I wanted to focus on his concern for me. This was the first time anyone had openly shown that they cared about me in front of others.

The humming started to slow. My desk still teetered, but it wasn’t shaking like before.

My gaze moved from the desk to his hand, and he tensed as his discomfort slammed into me, weighing me down.

“It’s okay,” he reassured me again. “Keep focusing.”

His breath, so normal smelling in the chaos, helped my heart return to a normal pace. My blood lessened to a fizz, leaving behind an awkward silence.

“What the hell happened?” a guy asked from the back, and I wanted to disappear again, but I kept my grasp and attention on Slade’s hand while remembering the scent of his breath.

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