Page 51 of Dead Wolf Falling (Bad Moon Academy 2)

“Hey, can I talk to you?”

“Everything all right?” Carter asks, eyeing my friend. He’s not her biggest fan right now.

“Yeah, can you give us a minute?” I smile to let him know I’m okay, and he takes a few steps away. It’s the most privacy we’re going to get without separating.

Blowing out a hard breath, she screws her face up, like what she’s about to say is hard for her. “I owe you an apology. I didn’t mean what I said earlier about you only being able to save yourself. I’m just so scared. And mad. This isn’t how my life was supposed to go.”

I glance at the floor and shrug. “Trust me, I had no plans to become a shifter either.” Swinging my eyes up to meet hers, I say, “You’re forgiven. I’m on your side, Layla.”

“I know.” She squeezes my arm then releases it. “I’m really sorry for being a jerk.”

“It’s okay, Layla.” I pull her into a hug. “Everyone handles pain differently. You’re not defined by that moment. We’re friends, right?”

Lifting her hands, she wraps them around me and nods.

“Then that’s that. Now come on.” I release her and turn toward Carter who is staring at me with the strangest look on his face. “Time to find some food.”

* * *

CARTER

Raven is too forgiving. I don’t know how she does it. I’m still mad at Draco for what he did four weeks ago, but she hasn’t brought it up, almost like she’s processed her anger and moved on already. I still can’t though. The look in his eyes when she came over to our table. . . was too wild. I knew then that he’d gone against our pact to never turn someone.

“What are we even doing in this town, Draco?” I glance around, eyeing the bar that’s in need of new siding and a lightbulb for the sign.

Lou’s.

He’s seriously taking me to this place?

“Even after years of being stuck inside the academy, you can’t shake off your city slicker snobbery?” Draco tosses a dark look over his shoulder. “Give it a chance. You might like it.”

With a scoff, I run my hand over my hair, making sure it’s not too messy after shifting back from wolf form. When he convinced me to come on another run and bring our clothes, I didn’t expect to be brought to the middle of nowhere for a beer. It is nice to be outside of the wards though. I shrug off my uncertainties and follow him inside, determined to make the best of what’s left of this month’s freedom.

The lingering scent of cigarettes from years ago clings to the walls of this place like my ex-girlfriend, with a death grip. Not even the fresh coating of paint can get rid of it. Still, the place is clean and the booths aren’t torn up like I expected. Draco leads us to a table in the back, slides into his seat, and turns to watch the room.

A big guy behind the bar narrows his eyes and tips his head up as if to sayyou’re welcome here, but don’t fuck around. The dinner crowd is settling in, mostly older guys with beer bellies and scruffy beards.

“Hey there,” a woman in a black apron says, plopping two laminated menus in front of us. “Whatcha drinking tonight?”

“Whatever local IPA you have on tap.”

Raising her eyebrow at his short response, she clucks her tongue and nods. “All right. I’ll be right back.”

My eyes stray back to the dining room while we wait. Guys are laughing and joking across multiple tables with the type of familiarity that comes from years of living in the same town and growing up together. The kitchen door swings open and a bright flash of red hair catches my attention.

She’s young, probably fresh out of high school, and beautiful. After finishing putting on her apron, she scans the room, eyes passing over our table like she doesn’t even notice us. There’s something about the way she wears her smile that doesn’t seem genuine. Like she’s putting on the face everyone is expecting her to wear.

“See something you like?” Draco asks, voice taking on a hard edge.

Glancing at him, I take in the slight yellow glow in his blue eyes and the way his fingers curl into fists. He shoots his eyes in her direction, the tension lining his face easing when he looks at her, but the lines return as soon as he turns back to me.

“What did you do?” I ask, leaning forward. “We made a pact, Draco.”

“Two IPAs.” The waitress sets our beers down on the table, interrupting the conversation. “Are you eating?”

“Yeah,” I say and order enough food to feed four people. My stomach is rumbling and cramping, a reminder of why we made the agreement in the first place. Once we figured out what was going on at Bad Moon Academy, Brayden, Draco, Everett, and I agreed we’d never be the reason someone was taken to the moons forsaken place.

As soon as she’s gone, I pinch the bridge of my nose and eye him. “Tell me you’re not thinking about biting her.”

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