Page 7

Chapter Seven

Arley

W alking around campus, I couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by everything occurring around me. The mixture of scents from the other shifters, humans, vehicles, and the city combined into a soup of sensory overload. I think I even caught a scent of a vampire, which were rare in the rural areas I was used to dwelling in. So many new experiences awaited me and I couldn’t help but feel excited for my new journey in life. City shifters really were living a different experience than small-town folks. With so many strange scents and noises, this definitely wasn’t like my small home town.

What surprised me the most about my reaction to this shift in my surroundings was the thrill of excitement that ran through my body. It was exhilarating. I always thought that I was meant to stay in our small town of Painesville and just live a quiet life, but being out here now, I knew that was never meant to be my fate.

Things in the city were different, but I felt as if it was a natural flow of being for me. I still needed to explore more of the city and get settled into the rhythm of life in Chicago, but the more I experienced the city, the more confident I became in my place there. I was exactly where I was meant to be. Before my parents passed away, I was taking classes at the local community college in the town next to where I lived. I had planned to live a simple life and find a mate who would work in the town with me. But that wasn’t what I was made for. I may not have had a chance to learn this about myself. But life had a way of leading us to the best path for us to take forward.

I couldn’t wait to start classes at the university. I had always dreamt of becoming something more than just a baker or a salesclerk. This was my chance to explore what I could be. I yearned to get my head back into the books and deepen my knowledge, expand my view of the world. And I owed it to fate and Fen, my mate.

Fen’s roommates had been wonderful to me as well. It was like gaining siblings I never knew I wanted or needed. They were kind and hilarious. Just the other day, the six of us went to dinner at a new brewery and enjoyed watching a local band perform. Afterward, we all hung out in the living room playing board games and watching gamer reactor videos. I never had this sort of friendship growing up but I wish I did. I loved these new friends, especially Neal with his sense of humor and kind heart. If only I knew more omegas and could help him find his own mate.

It was funny how life had a way of changing your plans. It boggled my mind how so much had changed in such a small amount of time. I was settling into city life, preparing to better my future for myself and my mate. I didn’t have the stress or worry of Marcus and his crew. Didn’t have to look over my shoulder. It was freeing to be in a giant concrete village. They definitely did things differently in the city.

“You ready for game night, Arley?” Dean walked into the living room from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of popcorn covered in chocolate and caramel. “Did we decide on which games we were going to play today?”

“I’m ready to kick your ass.” I rose a brow at my roommate. “And did we settle on video games or board games for the night?”

“I think we decided on video games tonight.” Neal placed a few bottles of soda and water in the middle of the coffee table. “I already turned on the system, found all the controllers, and put out the selection of games we can choose from.”

“Will the six of us all be able to play?” I wasn’t extremely familiar with current video games. I didn’t know how many players were possible. “Or will we need to take turns? Or work in teams?”

“There are a few multiplayer games that allow six players.” Tori sifted through the games on the table. “I think we should play this one. We all get to play and it’s fairly easy for newbies to learn the rules and moves.”

“Ah.” Victor clapped his hands in excitement. “That’s my favorite.”

“Of course it is.” Tori rolled her eyes, a half grin showing on her face. “That’s because you win most of the time.”

“We all still have fun trying to beat him though.” Neal put down some chips and salsa next to the popcorn and sodas. “And maybe this time, there will be a new winner.”

“Yeah.” Dean patted me on the back. “I believe in you, Arley. You will be the new champion. Or at least a good luck charm for one of us.”

“Give me a controller.” I held my hand out and waited for someone to fulfil my request. “Are we going to do this or what?”

“Here you go, love.” Fen placed a gray-and-white controller in my hand and sat down next to me. “You’re on my team.”

“Teams?” Neal plopped down on the other side of me on the couch. “We aren’t playing individually?”

“Yeah, teams.” Dean sat in the chair on the left of the couch. “Three against three. The team with the most collective wins gets to have a whole week off the chore list.”

“Hell yeah,” Tori shouted and plopped down onto the floor. “I’m on Dean and Victor’s team. Neal, you can join the newlyweds.”

“Fine by me.” Neal high-fived me and Fen. “Let the best team win.”

“I can’t wait for a whole week of being off the chore list,” Tori mused. “What shall I do with all my free time?”

“Well, I’m not sure what you will have free once you three divvy up our chores, but I think Neal, Fen, and I may just end up catching up on some fun while we celebrate our win.”

“Pretty cocky, aren’t you?” Dean nodded, hunkering down in a ready-to-rumble state, as if leaning forward would make him a better player. “Okay, let’s just see who the best team is, shall we?”

Several hours and five game plays later, we had our answer.

It was going to be a fantastic chore-free week for Neal, Fen and me. I had no idea what we were going to do with our week, but it was going to be spectacular.

I love game nights.

Fen

I loved seeing my mate and my friends connect. It was like we were a tiny little pack. Whether it was over game night, movie night, studying together, or sharing a meal…the six of us blended together in a way I always imagined a pack would. We would eventually join the campus pack, and I hoped that other members would feel as much of a family as we did now.

“How are your classes going, Arley?” Neal asked around the breakfast table, munching loudly, his spoon clanking his bowl. “I heard Professor Gordon is pretty tough.”

“He seems to be strict in the rules but fair.” Arley lathered his toasted blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese. “I finally understand statistics, thanks to his class.”

“Psychology statistics or the regular mathematics one?” Tori poured a glass of orange juice and joined us at the table. “I made the mistake of taking both courses in the same semester and failed each one. I thought it would be simple and the same sort of information. I was wrong. Never again.”

“It’s the psychology one.” Arley took a sip of his coffee and placed his mug down next to mine. “I needed to take it for my major. I decided to take a math class next semester instead of taking one along with statistics.”

“Good plan.” Neal nodded. “I took some fun electives the year I took statistics. There was a jazz class that helped keep me sane. I could just dance out the stress every week with some cute omegas.” That man had a one-track mind; no wonder he got into trouble with the witch.

“Of course there had to be omegas involved.” Dean rolled his eyes, obviously thinking the same thing I had been. “Do you ever do anything that doesn’t involve an omega?”

Neal cocked his head and squinted his eyes. “You know what? I can’t think of anything.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Arley snuck a piece of bacon off my plate. “Like maybe you need to do some things that are done just for fun and not in search of finding your mate?”

“Maybe one day.” Neal stole a sausage off Victor’s plate, his bowl empty. “But right now, I need to head off to the library. I promised an omega to be his study partner for the biology test we have tomorrow. See you all tonight.”

“What are the rest of you doing?” Arley looked around the table. “I was hoping we could go shift today. My rabbit has been feeling anxious lately and I thought a few hours in my fur would help ease him.”

“That sounds like fun.” I gripped his hand and leaned in and kissed him, loving the taste of bacon mixing with his own personal taste. “What about you guys? Wanna come with?”

“Sure, I could use a little time in my owl form.” Tori stood and took her dirty dishes to the sink. “It’s been a few weeks and I know what you mean about feeling anxious. I would love to spread my wings a bit.”

“What about you two?” Arley looked at Dean and Victor. “Want to join in on the fun?”

“I can’t today.” Victor stood and drained his mug of coffee before taking it to the sink. “I will join next time though. Today, I promised to meet my brother out by the lake and help him plan his proposal. I’d rather be shifting but a promise is a promise.”

“I’ll tag along with you guys.” Dean cleared off the rest of the table and washed his hands. “My bear needs a good jaunt in the woods honestly.”

“Good. Then let’s head over to the shifting territory Patrick said was safest.” Tori stretched and then went to the door and put on her shoes. “The last time I tried to shift off the territory didn’t go so well.”

“Did someone bother you?” Arley went to our roommate and put a hand on her shoulder. It made me proud how much he cared for our friends. Even if they weren’t our friends, I knew Arley would act the same. “Tell us if anyone dares bother you. We won’t let it slide.”

“Thanks, you guys. I’ll let you know if it happens again.” Tori opened the door. “Are we ready to go?”

“Yup.” I grabbed my backpack and headed out. “I got my pack and am good to go.”

Dean and Arley followed us out and locked up the door to the house. The territory’s shifting grounds weren’t far from home, so we could walk there instead of driving and trying to find parking. It only took about fifteen minutes to get to our destination.

Undressing, we put our clothes in the backpack and stored it by a tree. No one would dare steal another shifter’s clothes, so we didn’t have to worry about that. I just couldn’t wait to shift into my wolf and to see Arley’s bunny again. He was such an adorable creature in either form.

I relaxed and let my body transform into my wolf, just as the rest of my group did the same. Within moments, my wolf was surrounded by a brown bear, barn owl, and an adorable white rabbit. It was time to have some fun.

Bopping Arley in the butt with my snout, I pranced around him once I had his attention. His cute bunny nose twitching, hopefully taking in the mate scent I carried.

Tori flew off into the trees, and Dean wandered off with another den of bears we knew from class. That left me alone with my mate. One of my favorite ways of being, honestly.

Through the mate bond, I sent him an image of us curled up underneath the trees, napping. Soon we made that our reality and the day turned into one of the best I had.