Page 3 of Alpha’s Hated Mate (Shifters of Clarion)

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since I saw him checking in. Tall and blond in his white dress shirt and black slacks. He had the sleeves rolled up a little, so his biceps showed and . . . wow .

I think it was him that I smelled as I was getting ready for class. As sweet as the air after a rainstorm. I was sniffing the air as I walked through the halls, trying to nail down the scent. I stopped at the foot of the stairs, and that’s when I saw him.

I didn’t look at him as I passed him by. What’s even more interesting is that he was there with Chad, Yarra’s husband, since Chad doesn’t usually escort new students around. Anyway, I’ve got to find out who he is.

I waited until this class to ask my questions, though. This year, Yarra and I only have two classes together—Clarion History and Lycan Defense. And since I can’t exactly ask Chad right now, I’m going to ask her. I watch the door as the other students file in, looking for her telltale purple hair.

Finally, she walks in and takes her seat next to mine. “Hey,” she said. “You wouldn’t happen to have the notes from the last lecture, would you?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Not important right now.”

Her eyes widen a little. “Uh-oh. What’s wrong? More newbies messing with you again?”

“No,” I say. “I need to ask you about somebody I saw Chad with today. He was helping him check into the dorm. Blond hair, rocking body—”

A look of recognition washes over her face, and she nods. “Sounds like Aydan Vaultmore.”

“Aydan . . .” Vaultmore. Ugh, he’s related to Nadia? If he’s anything like her, this school does not need another Vaultmore.

“Yeah. I guess he’s a big deal or something around here,” she says. “As soon as Jean told Chad that he was enrolling, all the faculty heads were buzzing about it. Except Chad, but then he’s hard to impress.”

That’s true. The Alpha King and his Luna Queen actually made an appearance at their wedding, and upon greeting them, Chad just nodded and said, “My Lord. Thank you for attending,” while the rest of us were fangirling behind him.

“Oh, my God,” Yarra says, her blue eyes twinkling at me. “You like him, don’t you?”

I scoff. “Don’t make it sound so . . . juvenile. I think he’s hot, okay? He’s objectively gorgeous. Apparently, they all are. It’s like Vaultmores are genetically manufactured or something.”

“That’s true. I even heard his father was a smoke show back in the day.”

I shrug. “Good for him. I’m glad I’ve never seen any of them other than Nadia. They probably only sleep with blond, blue-eyed wolves to keep the line pure or something.”

Yarra laughs. “So what, then? You’re not interested?”

I start to answer, but that familiar scent stops me. It floats into the room and smacks me in the face. I look up just in time to see him walking through the door. My eyes immediately lock onto him like he’s a glowing star. In this light, his blond hair is tinged with silver, and his eyes are actually two different colors—one eye is a deep blue with swirls of green in the center and the other is the opposite. Emerald with speckles of sapphire in the middle. He pauses, his eyes catching mine, and for a split second, I feel like we’re thinking the same thing.

It’s only a split second, though, because he quickly looks away with a slight distasteful curl of his lip. Whoops. Guess I forgot myself for a moment. Curse of the Scarlet strikes again.

“Nope,” I say to Yarra. “Not interested in the slightest.”

“All right, tonight, please read chapters three and four,” the professor says as we start filing out of the room. I’m purposely dragging my feet, watching out of the corner of my eye as Aydan gathers his things and leaves with the first rush of people. Once he’s gone, I feel Yarra’s stare. I already know without looking that she’s smirking at me.

“Shut up” is all I say, and she laughs.

We walk out of the room together and start talking about our homework. Yarra’s griping about the reading assignment. She’s always complaining about how hard history is for her since she was raised in the Outer Lands.

My attention, however, is elsewhere as I notice Aydan across the hall. He’s standing not too far from us and talking to his sister—the class kiss-up. Nadia’s in her second year with me and Yarra, and she’s just one of the biggest bitches in the world. Always walking around with her nose in the air while she cozies up to every club and group in Moonhelm. I should have known she was out here. Her flowery scent is always in the air around the school.

Looking at them now, I can see the resemblance. Hair like gold with silver strands and pristinely tanned skin. Two beautiful wolves standing among the commoners. I’ve heard Nadia’s wolf has golden fur, the same shade as her long bouncy curls. I’ll bet his is, too. That would just figure.

“Hello? Earth to Saffron?”

The sound of Yarra’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. She looks at me with one raised eyebrow. I’m caught.

“Not interested, huh?”

All I can do is sigh. I can already feel my face turning red.

“It’s okay. You know,” she adds, glancing over at him, “he is really hot. I’ll bet every girl on campus wants a piece of him.”

“More than likely,” I say, and I think, I’m probably the only one who’s picking up his scent, though.

“Good morning, ma’am.” With a hint of a flowery scent, we suddenly notice Nadia standing next to us. She’s got a clipboard clasped between her well-manicured hands as she smiles at us . . . well, mostly at Yarra. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“We’re actually both on our way out. I’ve got class in about five minutes—”

“I won’t take up more than two. I just wanted to make sure you got your invite to the Midterm Bash that Howler House is throwing. It’ll be at Shatterstone, of course. Your presence would really be appreciated.”

Yarra glances at me, telegraphing how acutely aware we are that Nadia’s excluding me from the conversation. Yarra clears her throat and says, “I did. Unfortunately, Mr. Robertson won’t be able to attend, and he’s not a fan of me going to campus parties on my own. He might reconsider, however, if I could bring a friend along.”

Nadia looks at me, her plastic smile slipping a little. “A . . . friend? Of course. I mean, as long as your friend doesn’t have plans of her own.”

All I can do is roll my eyes. This conversation is stupid. “I need to head off to class,” I tell Yarra. I turn to Nadia and say, “Have fun at your little party or whatever.”

“No one was speaking to you, anyway, Scarlet,” she says. Her smile is gone, and she glares with the coldest look in her eyes. It’s like a switch was flipped. She wants a fight, does she?

“You’re speaking to me now, Blondie,” I say, stepping up to her. Yarra immediately gets between us.

“Please,” she said. “Nadia. Saffron. Let’s not. All right?”

“Forgive me, ma’am,” Nadia says through clenched teeth, “but I get a little annoyed with certain people who don’t keep their eyes to themselves.” She turns toward me again. “I saw how you were looking at my brother just now. He is so out of your league.”

I laugh. “Nobody’s looking at him, you psycho. And even if I was, maybe if you minded your own business—”

“That’s enough,” Yarra said, raising her voice. “Nadia, thank you for the invitation, but I think I’ll have to decline. Saffron, let’s go.”

I’m letting Yarra pull me away, but I’m hot . Nadia has a lot of damned nerve. I wish Yarra let me wipe the floor with her.