Page 297 of A University of Betrayal

If only she knew how much I enjoyed driving around with her. She took my mind off things. I needed more of this friendship with her.

The trip to the cemetery had been a pleasant distraction, and afterward, I had asked Bayla about her training with Alarik. He trained her every Monday morning – by the way, that’s how she came to campus – but she made no progress, nor did she turn, despite the fact that she did not take wolfsbane any longer.

Bay gave me a scrutinizing look and I realized that my mind had wandered.

I cleared my throat and tried to remember her question.

“There’s not much to tell,” I said quickly, annoyed that I had mentioned Emely at all. It felt stranger than ever to talk to Bayla about her.

Bayla apparently felt differently.“Oh no,don’t tell me you ruined it?”

“No.Sheruined it.”

“Howcharmingof you,” she replied critically.

“What?”

“Youobviously screwed up.” She shook her head as if she were a dating expert. “What did you do? Did you get her a chew bone?”

“What the…”

She started laughing and I pushed her away.“No,and why would I tell youat all?” I said, shaking my head.

She looked at me with narrowed eyes as if she wanted to show me she was angry, but she just looked cute. “Because we’re best friends now?”

It gave me an unintentionally warm rush of emotions to hear that. I’d never really had friends except for Emely and Nash... But we used to be kids back then.

With Bayla it was different. It felt good to be around her, so natural to spend time with her and somehow pleasant when she communicated with me. With her, I could forget what everyone saw in me and be whoshesaw in me. Whatever it was, it was the Julian I wanted to be.

I decided not to make a secret of the failed date. There was no point.

“Okay, okay. I should have told you long ago, but I was embarrassed. It went badly. We talked at first, but then she brought up the pack and my mood took a turn for the worse.”

“What exactly was it about?”

I waved it off. “Oh, never mind, the pack is just too important to her, and she talks about it nonstop. One might think that she would become the next Alpha.”

“Maybe she will,” Bayla said with conviction, and I wrinkled my forehead.

“Females don’t become Alpha.”

“Ouch,”she said, and her forehead wrinkled too.

“I can’t help it if there’s a stupid rule and I don’t really care. She’ll go to Russia with herpretty Alphaanyway.”

Just the thought of this clown made me seethe. He wasn’t what Emely deserved. But was I better?

“And you just accept that?”

“No, but...”

Bayla stopped and grabbed me by the upper arms. “Julian.No. Stop.I hearbuttoo often. If youreally want towin a woman’s heart, you have to touch it first.”

Touch it.How should I do that? Flatter her? Should I be false to Emely, say yes and amen to everything, and keep my opinion to myself?

I couldn’t help but stare at Bayla’s freckles. They had something lively about them, and yet they managed to calm me down.

“And the only way to do that is to see her, on all levels, to accept her for the woman she is.”