Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella – Chapter 24
When Monday came around, I dragged myself to classes with bags under my eyes. The nightmares that had begun bothering me never left even after several days, and they were becoming more and more graphic each night. Maybe it was because I was trying to hard to forget about Evan. The futile conditioning I tried to put my mind through was only making me think of him more.
I couldn’t keep going like this. Seeing Evan in my dreams was torment enough, but Evan doused in blood, in pain, drowning in anger and hatred as he killed me over and over again… The banshee weed might find good use with me, too, not just him.
The first class today was physiology and the discussion of the evolutionary leap from human to werewolf. Hundreds of years ago, a mutation in a small group of our progenitors became a dominant trait, one that spread to many of their offspring. The ability to shift into a wolf form was determined by the inheritance of a protein chain. That chain signaled certain glands to release high-energy hormones that induced the shift.
I have an underactive gland that only recently matured? But the coincidence of suddenly being able to shift when Flicka had been tormenting me in class…
ver that first day, with Flicka?
’t sudden, she answered. Ever since coming to Scarlet pack, something has been changing
my tasks.
know. What I do know is I’m stronger now.
ded, my phone vibrated in my pocket with a chain of text alerts. Raf again — she had found the new cafe that just opened up on campus and would positively die if we didn’t go there right away. I smiled and head
***
ling students, mostly girls, in the corner. Was Raf there?
en waving me over.
en Joseph? What was he doing here
ready trouble enough, but with Ken’s admirers added to the bunch…
starving, Raf mentioned you skipped breakfast today.”
id put you up to this.”
n’t blame her. She was just trying to help a poor guy out who can’t seem to get your attention no matter what he does.” He winked at me. “That’s me, by the way. I’m that guy.”
unning, how about that?”
He even bought me a second coffee, and after the warm drink, I was indeed feeling better.
, and I’m surprised you even came to classes in this state. What’s up?”
efore I knew what I was saying. “Nightmares,” I sighed. “It’s not terrible, just keeping me up.”
ngful look.
t’s cracked up to be. I’ve been to Dark Moon myself a few times about ten years ago or so, and I can’t imagine you were treated that well there.”
ay. Maybe a little worse.”
r, and soon changed the subject to something more lighthearted.
ow what had happened there, I wondered. Did he know Evan
***
n arms. When I asked him how in the world he was going to deal with missing two of his own classes, but he shook his head with a knowing smile.
n’t worry,” he told me. “I’ll even help you with your assignments later, how about that?”
nvited me to dinner after my classes were over, I couldn’t help accepting. It was too much fun, spending time with him.
happened to be a great chef, too? Some people really had it all.
extensive gallery of paintings, sculptures, and murals all over every wall.
ks more like an art gallery. Did you hire some big-shot artist to do all of this?”
painted a few of them myself, but I won’t tell you which.”
if you finish your plate.”
usion. “Wait. Are we alone?”
what’s
ouse?”
al.”
staff either?”
ly.”
yourself, too?”
Let me prove it to you.”
course, but even still, part of my slave duties had involved work in the kitchen. And yet he put my cooking to shame as he explained all the intricacies of his technique.
. He didn’t try to dissuade me. With a smile, he ushered me into his car and took me to the Scarlet pack house, and it wasn’t until I checked the time when we arrived that I realize
n’t step away.
s you?”
it for it anyway. He leaned in… and kissed me gently on the cheek.
at, heavy like a stone.
t okay?”
d.