Page 45 of Conner's Luna

Woodenly I move into the classroom like a B-movie automaton, Conner breathing down my neck.

I take one of the tests sitting on Professor Lane's desk and move to our usual seats in the back. Carson and Kenny have taken their seats next to our table and it gives me pause, but Conner's strong, steady hand on my back guides me to sit. He puts himself between me and Trey's minions, then settles into his seat without a test in sight.

A minute later Sean jogs into the classroom with a dark scowl and two coffee cups in his hands.

"Thanks, man," Conner accepts his and hands me the other.

"Talk to you after class?" Sean mutters to Conner. There's no sign of the blonde Barbie anywhere.

Conner nods, taking a sip of his drink and grimacing at the bitter taste. I think I can smell the hint of some sort of liquor, but my own coffee overwhelms my senses a moment later and the sweet smell drifts away.

"Georgie's here," Sean spits.

Conner stiffens and sighs, "sorry, brother. That shit's done, right?"

"Forgive but don't forget, right Bailey?" Sean mutters before he stalks out, snarling "I'm fucked," as he leaves.

I look at Conner, but he just shrugs and pushed my pencils closer to me. I take the hint and settle down to take my test. I'm halfway in when Conner gently takes my left hand and holds the back of my hand on his stomach. I glance over, but he's resolutely staring at the front of the class with no emotion on his face.

I let my hand stay there for the rest of class.

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13 - Mine… Right?

Conner

"Hey, Dad. I told Bailey about Jolena. She said that Jolena hung out in Lydia's crowd." I rub my stomach gingerly. It hurts even though I had Bailey in my arms for at least an hour during Statistics. It took me a while to understand it, but my wolf couldn't relax with Bailey because she was so upset about Jolena.

I'm an asshole, touching Bailey, kissing her even if it was just a peck. I patted her on her fine, lush ass and I can't help but wish I had let my palm linger, squeezed a bit and let my fingers sink into that feminine flesh. Fuck.

"Xander spoke with that dick, Antony," Dad says with disgust dripping from his voice that I can hear clear across the miles separating us. "He won't let me Challenge that fucker. Fucking depressing shit."

I roll my eyes. Dad has wanted to annihilate Alpha Antony Wilkinson ever since Lydia's rejection. He wouldn't let me Challenge Trey, but he wants to kill Trey's father. Hypocrite.

"Sad," I reply.

Dad snorts derisively. "Listen, I spoke with Carmichael. The punk wants to send more pack over there to State. I told him we might just want to ask Alpha G to send some warriors down from RustClaw."

I roll my neck on my shoulders. "We starting a war, Dad? At least when Carm sent some of the younger wolves it wasn't so obvious." Carm's wolves look a little like desperados with their tattoos and bikes, but RustClaw warriors tend to come in three sizes: 2X, 3X, and WTF.

There's a long hesitation that makes my wolf curl up his lip in suspicion. Dad heaves a sigh and groans, "I don't want you pups there anymore at all."

"You never did," I remind him. He's never liked Lydia. "I won't leave, especially now, Dad." I kick a can down the street. It hits the curb and bursts apart with the force. My right hand clenches around my phone. Braxton is with Bailey. He came to pick her up after the test, claiming they needed to work on their Organic Chem project. I saw the warning in his eyes. He thinks I'm getting too close to Bailey.

"I know it's hard to back off from your mate, Con, but-"

"I won't leave," I tell him in a hard voice. "I won't abandon this campus to some deranged psycho."

"We don't know if Jolena was a one-time deal," Dad points out in a mild voice.

"I won't risk it," I say stubbornly. "Lydia has..." I swallow down the hurt and rage, "protection," I choke out. "But, what about Bailey? Sarj thinks she may be a target because of me," I tell him, anguished at the thought.

Dad makes a low sound, a vibration from his chest that I feel right through my own bones. "Bailey," he says her name slowly. "Xander wants to meet with her."

"No."

"Not your choice," Dad says calmly.

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