Page 10 of Step Alpha

Fuck Wilde.

Screw Logan, for that matter.

But, of course, the moment I step out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped under my armpits, I slam into a wall of solid muscles.

I thought the senior football players at Wolf Ridge High were muscular, but they arenothingcompared to Wilde. He’s a sculptedgod.He would win any body building competition he entered and then some.

I bite back the instinct to apologize. I belong here, too, dammit.

“Watch it, Runt,” Wilde growls.

“Watch it, yourself, Wilde,” I dare. Because what is he going to do? He can’t very well hurt me or say anything while the parents are in the house–they will hear everything.

He shows me his bared teeth as he turns sideways to get through the door to the bathroom. I notice he’s still in the same clothes he came in wearing last night like he slept all night in them. I get a whiff of his leather and toffee musk, and my knees go weak. The brush against his hard abs sends quivers down my inner thighs, even though I’d never be interested in a guy like him.

I mean, I guess my body is interested, but my brain sure isn’t.

I ignore the stab of guilt I have about taking his room.

It’s not my problem. He brought all of this on himself.

I get dressed and comb through my wet hair. I have to use some rubbing alcohol around my nose ring. I swear, lately, it feels like the hole is closing, which doesn’t make sense because I’ve had the piercing since Freshman year.

I put on a touch of makeup. I used to go for the heavy black eyeliner punk-emo look, but I’ve lightened up over the past couple of years. After I befriended Bailey, a human senior and similar outcast, my sophomore year, I had a good nine months of hanging out with the in-crowd–Wilde included. It was amazing to have a social life for once.

Bailey ended up paired with the star quarterback in the shifter world’s most unlikely match ever, and she pulled me into their sphere with her. But then they all went to college.

Still, things softened for me. Shifter kids weren’t as outwardly mean to me anymore. I was more familiar. I didn’t seem as out of place in a crowd. But I did stop going to social events. I just didn’t feel comfortable without Cole Muchmore–Bailey’s boyfriend–having my back. No one would bother me when I was under his protection.

I’m still in my room when I hear Logan’s deep voice in the kitchen. “You’re going to go down to talk to Coach Jamison today,” he tells Wilde. “You better tell him what you’ve done and beg him to let you train with the team.”

“I’m not training with high school students.” Scorn laces Wilde’s retort.

I hear a heavy thud of a body being thrown up against a wall. Even though I know this is normal–that shifters show dominance with physicality because no one can truly be harmed–my heart bangs in my chest. I didn’t grow up this way. I haven’t been around a parent who gets physical.

I very much don’t like it.

“Logan.”Apparently, my mom doesn’t like it, either.

“You will get on that field and train every goddamn day if you’re in Wolf Ridge. And you’ll be taking your sister to school from now on.”

“Mysister?”

Oh no.Oh, fates no.This is bad. Awful, even.

I want to run out and say it’s not necessary, but I already know I won’t win the argument. Plus, I’m intimidated by Logan.

“Logan, no. I can take her,” my mom says. “Don’t make it a punishment, or they’ll never get along.”

“He needs to pull his weight around here if he’s going to stay.”

No part of me wants to emerge from the bedroom, but I can’t hide in here forever. I pull open the door and go to the kitchen like there’s not a full-scale war going on. I pull out a bowl and pour myself cereal.

“You need to find a job, stay in football shape, keep up with your classes, and take over driving Rayne. Better yet, teach her how to drive, so she can take that burden off everyone.”

Burden.Ouch.

I knew that’s what I was, but it still hurts to hear it spoken out loud.

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