Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“Drop it, Markley,” I growl.
“So she wasn’t actually naked?” he asks.
“What were you doing at her place, anyway?” Sebs wants to know. “I thought you were chasing Casey and River.”
Casey is the female alpha of the senior class. The female I should be chasing.
The one I have absolutely no interest in. A mutual feeling, I suspect.
“I was, but I saw lights on at the Sterling mansion, so I went to look.”
I don’t tell them that I find myself running out to Moongaze Hill every few nights. Sniffing around the place, my wolf inexplicably drawn to that monstrosity of a mansion.
J.J. and Sebs exchange another look.
“What?” Irritation spikes.
Sebs shrugs. “Nothing. She’s hot. I’d go look, too.”
My wolf snarls, and I turn on him. “You stay away from her.”
He raises his brows.
Markley interrupts. “I gotta go or my mom will freak.” He fistbumps me and swings the door open to get out.
“See ya.”
It’s a school night and Sebs is probably the only one who’s even looked at his homework. He’s the kind of guy who seems to have it all done before I’ve even cracked a book. Not that we crack books anymore. Wolf Ridge High finally caught up with the twenty-first century this year and provided electronic copies of textbooks.
Which makes it even harder for me. The light from any kind of electronic device fucks with my vision. I’m learning to read using peripheral vision, but it usually takes so much concentration that I don’t actually absorb what I’m reading.
I drop off the other guys and pull into my driveway. The back of my neck itches in warning as I climb out of the Land Rover.
Yep. As I feared.
My dad waited up to give me hell.
His biggest fear for me is that I’ll mate a human.
Chapter Two
Lauren
Every time I set foot on the Wolf Ridge High campus, I’m quite sure I’m on the set of a zombie apocalypse movie.
Then again, that might be a projection on my part.
I’ve been flat-lining for 51 and a half weeks now.
I haven’t made a single friend in the month I’ve been here. I haven’t tried. I really can’t be bothered when there’s no one even worth talking to.
I eat lunch with Lincoln in the cafeteria, but today he’s with Rayne, the only girl at this school who is even semi-pleasant. Lincoln has been helping her with math because he is semi-genius level with numbers. He takes after our dad in that area.
I join the two of them, aware we’re garnering even more stares than usual. Like Rayne eating with us is worth even more observation than the twins from New York. I seriously don’t get this school.
It’s so fucking weird.
Rayne confirmed my suspicion that popularity is based entirely on athletic ability, which explains why Abe Oakley, my asshole chemistry partner, is able to rule the school. He doesn’t have that lanky height Lincoln and Luke have at eighteen–the frame that won’t fill out until college.
He and his football buddies already look like they’re in the NFL. They are huge and ripped.
Even the girls are ripped here. Not Rayne, but she’s not a jock or cheerleader like the rest of them. I suspect she’s a total outcast, like me and Lincoln.
Hence, the looks.
My gaze unwillingly snags on Abe and his buddies at the table behind Lincoln. He’s laughing and saying something to his friends. He gestures, making his biceps jump and bulge.
Muscles that big can’t be natural on a guy our age.
I’m wondering if there’s a steroid problem here. Some schools struggle with ecstasy. Some with pot. Maybe this one has a real steroid crisis. It would explain the level of aggression and meanness here. Maybe everyone has ‘roid rage.
Oh, damn.
Abe looks up and locks gazes with me. His eyes narrow. His dislike for me is obvious. I can’t decide if it’s because I haven’t thrown myself at his feet like the rest of the girls in this school or because I come from money, and this town is working class.
Honestly, I’m not used to being treated like dog shit on someone’s shoe, which is how Abe acts, but I don’t care.
Making friends here was never a priority.
Now that our gazes have tangled, I refuse to look away. I may not care about ingratiating myself to him, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to take any of the crap he throws my way, either.
I purse my lips and stare back, like I just ate something sour.
Abe gets up, and it’s like he’s the king on a throne the way his buddies instantly stand with him. He swaggers in my direction.
“Oh great,” Rayne mutters and ducks her head like she’s bracing for a beat-down.
Lincoln and I aren’t ruffled. Maybe they all hate us because we think we’re better than them, but I guess when it comes to this shit–we are.