Page 17

With a folder filled with work, I find myself in the library. I smell Nathan before he sits across from me. He’s always smelled a little like an impending rainstorm to me. Lately, he’s been feeling that way, too.
“Why are you bothering?” he asks when he sees what I’m doing.
It’s always been that way with us. We don’t need pleasantries. We gave that up a while ago.
“When Sean realizes he’s a dumbass, you won’t be coming back here.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“You still won’t be coming back here.”
My stomach knots. I know he’s right, but it’s just the fact that he’s saying it that pulls at my heartstrings and twists my insides into something almost unrecognizable.
“He’s going to accept you,” Nathan says forcefully. His tone is so sincere—and alpha—that it makes me sit up in my chair a bit. He moves his neck back and forth, his bones snapping and cracking. “I’m sure you’ve already gathered this but forget about what happened. Focus on the one thing that can save you, okay?”
When I gaze up at him, it’s as if there’s a chasm between us. For so long, he’s been my life preserver. I don’t know if it’s because he’s trying to put a wedge between us or if I’ve already put one there, but I get what he’s saying. “I want this for you, too,” I tell him sincerely. I want nothing more than to be back at Daybreak with Nathan. It won’t be easy, but I’ll forget how he felt between my legs when he’s right down the street rather than Feral somewhere. If either one of us goes that route, we’ll never know what happened to the other.
“I know you do,” he says.
“So, you’re going to try?”
“Like hell.”
“If you need me—”
“I know that, Mia. I’ve always known that.” He rubs his temples. “I think we should double-team them. If we’re up their asses, they won’t have the chance to see each other. Plus, if we find them together, their asses are going down.”
My wolf, who’s been just underneath the surface of my skin since Ms. Ebon told us we were going home tomorrow morning, perks her head up. A chill runs through her and passes to me, sprouting goosebumps over my arms.
He glances away. “I don’t like the idea either, but we have to do what we have to do.”
I swallow. “How’s your wolf feel about that?”
His lips thin. “He’s fine.”
Which means he probably isn’t. The glee my wolf feels about returning to Daybreak alarms me. What if I get there and lose my head? Forget about what Sean did to me? I know that’s kind of what I’m aiming for, but if he breaks my heart again, I’ll run away myself. No mandate needed.
“Do you think they know we’re coming?”
“I haven’t texted Gayle. I thought a surprise would be better suited. That way they can’t run and hide.”
Nathan has always been certain that Sean and Gayle are together when they shouldn’t be. He’s the one who opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. Maybe it’s because I never wanted to see it, but after I brought it up to Sean, he stopped coming as often and would only show during mandatory sessions. That pretty much affirmed my suspicions right there.
Nathan leans against the table, his button-up shirt straining. “We can do this, Mia. No matter what.” He reaches out, his fingers sliding over mine on the table. An electric shock passes between us, and my wolf immediately begins to pant.
I tear my hand back, staring at my buzzing fingers. Every time Nathan and I are together, it seems like more questions arise.
Nathan gets up from his seat like he didn’t just feel that. He passes by me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “See you in the morning.” He lingers there for a little while, but another shock doesn’t happen.
When I can’t smell him anymore, I press my forehead to the wooden table in front of me. The papers scattered about the oak are just my ridiculous attempt at trying to compartmentalize.
Nathan is right. I won’t need any of this work after tomorrow morning. Best-case scenario, I’m back at Daybreak. Worst case? The last thing on my mind will be worrying about whether or not I’m caught up in my classes.
I glance up, tearing off the piece of paper that sticks to my forehead. I gather the whole stack together, march to the nearest trash can, and drop them inside. Turning, my gaze snags on a leather-bound book. Emblazoned in gold, the words Mate Law jump out at me. This library is filled to the brim with non-fiction. The extensive collection contains everything that has to do with what we study here: civics, etiquette, and the whole gamut of mate-related paraphernalia you could ever want to read about.
I drag my fingers along the spines. There’s everything from centuries-old books to new ones like Shifter Mates for Dummies. I roll my eyes at that one, but the next one over makes me pause. It’s a red leather book with The Truth About Mates embossed in silver.
I tip the top off the shelf as I scan the front cover before deciding to pick it up. Flipping to the table of contents, I don’t even really know what I’m looking for except the fact that I’ve been mated for over a year now and I don’t know anything about having one.