Page 94 of Step Alpha

“No! I’ll call my mom,” I lie. “I just want to be alone.” That part is true.

I take off running, away from the stadium.

“Rayne!”I hear Wilde’s booming voice behind me.

I ignore him and keep on running. The moon is full, and my legs feel strong in a way they never have before.

Of course, it’s not long before I hear his feet pounding behind me. I may be fast, but Wilde is a full-grown wolf and an athlete. “Rayne!”

I stop and whirl. “Leave me alone, Wilde.”

He catches me and bands an arm around my torso, trying to lock me in against him.

I wriggle out of his grasp. “I said,leave me alone!”

“What is it? What’s the matter? Everyone’s waiting for you back there, Rayne-bow.” When I meet his gaze, his brow furrows at my tear-streaked face. “What is it, baby?”

“No.” I shake my head. I don’t know where it comes from, but I finally find my strength. My sense of self. My pride. “I’m not your baby. We’re not doing this anymore, Wilde.”

His brows pop. “What? What’s going on? Talk to me, Rayne.”

“Why did you tell everyone to vote for me, Wilde?”

His shoulders drop. He’s in a coach’s jersey, his broad chest stretching the fabric across his muscled trunk. He looks beautiful. “I wanted you…I wanted to change things for you.”

“Right!” I exclaim in outraged triumph. “You wanted me to be something different than what I am.”

He spreads his hands. “Rayne, I–”

I shake my head. “Admit it. Why are you trying so hard to get me to shift? It's because you can't stand that I'm the pack omega. You need to better me to make it okay that you're having sex with me. Because fate forbid anyone find out that you dropped so low as to dip your dick in a defective runt.”

He winces. “That's not true.”

“It is, Wilde. You can’t accept me for what I am–the lowest-ranking non-shifter in the pack. You couldn't stand that my mom married your dad and dragged me into your life, and now that you've decided I'm worth fucking, you're trying to change me.

“Well, what if I don't want to change? I was perfectly happy before you came along, Wilde Woodward. I don't need you to fix me. I don't need you to teach me how to shift. I don't need you to change my position at school. Because the truth is nothing changes that. Not you telling them to vote for me. Especially not that!

“You just made a laughing stock out of me, Wilde. And I'm done.We'redone.”

“Rayne-- “ He reaches for me.

I shake him off. “We're done, Wilde. Touch me again, and I'll tell your dad you forced yourself on me. Then you'll be out of this pack for good.”

Wilde’s eyes round in shock, and I'm instantly sick that I even said such a thing. But I don't take it back because I need him to give me space. I need him to give me space, or I will never follow through with this breakup.

And I have to break up with him. He’s my stepbrother, which means this was always going to end in heartbreak for me. I might as well have it on my own terms.

As it is, I don't know how I'll ever recover.

I take off running, away from Wilde and the school stadium.

“Rayne! Let me drive you home,” Wilde calls.

“Go back to your game, Wilde. I'll call my mom,” I lie for the second time that night.

I hear the huff of Wilde’s exhale. His muttered curse.

But I don't look back. I just keep running because I will fall down and bawl if I don’t.

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