Heather

Brent stepped in front of me. "I take full responsibility. She had no choice or option."

What the hell was he thinking? He couldn’t say that. He’d be killed.

"We’d like a word with you. It isn’t an easy thing to bite someone. Especially if you’ve not gone mad, which I can see for myself that Presley wasn’t lying." Donovan’s Irish sing-song voice was really pleasant to listen to. His hair was black, but his eyes were a crystal, clear blue. "Have a seat, lass, while Brent tells us what he’s about." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

I started to step around Brent but he rumbled a low growl.

"Quiet down," Sebastian said. "No harm will come to her."

Brent stepped aside. I sat across from Donovan. His power whispered along my skin.

"Tone it down, Dono," Sebastian said.

Donovan capped his powers so much that I had to check to see if he was still sitting there. Brent sat next to me.

Sebastian’s white-blond hair and fair skin made his moss colored eyes stand out. "Why’d you do it?" Sebastian said as he settled into the last spot, across from Brent.

They cut straight to it. I shifted in my seat, waiting for Brent to answer.

He cleared his throat. "I didn’t set out to turn her. My wolf momentarily took control. It seems he has chosen her as his mate."

What the hell was he talking about?

Donovan leaned across the table. "Did he really?"

Yeah. Did he? I stared at Brent, and he shifted in his seat before saying anything. "Yes, Sir. Once she got near, there was nothing I could do to stop it."

Sebastian studied me. "Interesting that your wolf would choose a human." His German accent showed through on the word "wolf" turning the "w" to a "v."

Great. So his wolf wanted me but I wondered if he—the guy—actually wanted me. Was that possible?

Mr. Langdon stepped to the table. "I think you might find her interesting on a couple of different levels."

"Really?" Sebastian reached his hands across the table toward mine.

I put them on my lap, out of his reach. The look he gave me, like I was a new treat to try out, didn’t ease my mind.

"Don’t hide them," Sebastian said. "Take off your gloves."

His power rippled along my skin. Goosebumps followed in its wake. "I’d really rather not," I said, ignoring his command.

Sebastian turned to Mr. Langdon. "I see what you mean."

"Do as he says." Mr. Langdon gave me a nod of encouragement. "It’ll be alright."

He didn’t know that. In fact, I was nearly certain he was wrong. Serena told me that certain werewolves had developed special powers, and I’d bet my ass Sebastian was one of those wolves.

I met Mr. Langdon’s gaze. "If something happens that I don’t appreciate, I will never trust you again. And I will do my best to get out of here as quickly as possible."

Donovan laughed. "She’s got you by the balls, Presley."

"Just don’t make a liar out of me, Sebastian," Mr. Langdon said. "You cost me the two strongest wolves from my pack and there’ll be hell to pay."

I don’t know what all that meant, but I figured it was something significant. And I guessed I had to do as they asked. "For the record, this is a terrible idea." I pulled off my gloves, folding them in my lap, and reached across the table.

I closed my eyes and waited for the onslaught as Sebastian grabbed my hands.

Nothing. I got nothing from him.

And then I felt it. A tingling in the back of my mind. He was reading my thoughts, my feelings, my memories.

"Hey!" I tried to pull my hands from his, but he tightened his grip. "Stop." The invasion continued. He picked at my most private memories. Poked into the worst times at school in LA.

Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to cover it. "I said stop!" I visualized him in my mind and shoved him as hard as I could.

He dropped my hands. "I’ve never been so cleanly pushed out before." He clapped once. "Ach, mein Gott! I can’t wait to see what she can do in a few years." He nodded to Donovan.

"Heather Elizabeth Jones, you’ve been pardoned," Donovan said.

"Good. Because I didn’t do anything in the first place." I muttered the last bit under my breath, but from the smirk on Sebastian’s face, he heard me.

"Brent Brys Michaelson," Donovan said.

He stood straight. "Yes, sir."

"You’re not to leave Cedar Ridge until you have this matter well settled. She’ll make you work for it." Donovan winked.

Brent’s eyes flashed to gold. "She’ll be mine." The words sent a shiver down my spine.

I opened my mouth, hopefully with a snarky comment, but nothing came out. I was paralyzed under Brent’s gaze.

"We’ll have a word with you in private now, Brent." Donovan’s words drew my attention. "It’s been lovely meeting you, Heather. You’ll want to go eat now. Your wolf is perilously close to slipping free and from what I’ve heard, you’re not wanting to let her out yet."

I couldn’t feel it, but I wasn’t going to argue with him. I barely stopped myself from running out the door.

When I got to the cafeteria, it was mostly cleared out—except for the guys. I spotted Serena at the usual table with the gang, and waved before grabbing a tray. The boys surrounded me.

"Can I help you?" I said, a little more harshly than I meant to, but they were really invading my space. That wasn’t something I ever enjoyed.

Gabriel from Were history class stepped forward. "It’s you we want help. Can I carry your tray for you?"

He’d been a jerk to me in class and now he wanted to help me. Why? Because he thought I’d turned down Brent? Yeah. That was so not going to work for me. "Thanks, but I’m fine."

The guys formed a wall when I tried to go to the table. Why were they being so weird? "Excuse me," I said, trying to get them to move out of my way.

"You didn’t get enough red meat. You’ll need more." Gabriel chimed in again.

A redhead that I didn’t recognize from any of my classes stepped forward. "Allow me." He started to pile more food on my plate.

"Okay, I think that’s good. I’m going to go sit down now."

They cleared a path for me. By the time I got to the usual table, Serena was laughing so hard tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Laugh it up, roomie." I dropped my tray onto the table, rattling the silverware. "What the hell is going on? Where are all the girls?"