Series: Star Moon Pack Series by J.L. Beck
Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 118781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Sure, the guys are gorgeous—but they know it, and I’ve never been able to deal with that sort of guy. Immediately, even the most impossibly handsome male loses his appeal once it’s obvious that he thinks he’s God’s gift. And these two obviously do, sons of the alpha and all that.
I wish I could pay attention to what Daniel’s saying, but my awareness keeps drifting back their way. It’s a relief on multiple levels when Daniel calls an end to the meeting, encouraging the wolves present to ask any questions they have of the members of the Silver Shadow Pack who’ve already engaged in fighting the necromancers.
So that’s who they are. A ripple goes over the room, and I’d swear the scent of arousal intensifies. No wonder they strut around like they’re hot shit.
All right, so maybe I admire them a little more than before, but that isn’t saying much. I didn’t really admire them at all until now. But they fought and managed to survive, so that has to say something.
Still, I’m uninterested. What I want right now is to be alone. I want it more than anything. I’m not used to so many eyes on me at once, and I don’t want to be embarrassed in front of these newcomers. Maybe it was a bad idea for me to stay close to my parents and the council. I glance at Emma, but she’s oblivious, exchanging knowing looks with Riley and doing what she can to hide her interest. She’s either not trying very hard, or I know her too well. I also know she’s just dying for the next full moon so they can have an excuse to hook up again.
Finally, she notices me watching her. “You okay?” she whispers, and a moment later, Hannah’s bitter laughter draws her attention. My sister barely stops short of baring her teeth. “Forget her. She’s just a jealous bitch.” She has a way of making me feel better, though right now, I’m too uneasy for it to work very well.
That same strange feeling of being all mixed up inside has followed me here. I can’t figure out what’s going on with me. Maybe it’s having all these other wolves around and all these examples of what I will never be. I can’t shake the memory of that girl in the bathroom, showing off her mark like it made her special. I hate myself for being so jealous. What’s the point of jealousy? All it does is make the truth hurt that much more.
“I’m going to go to my room,” I whisper to Emma.
She nods and says, “I’ll cover for you here.” I give her a grateful smile before slipping away before Dad can notice. He’s listening with rapt attention to the alpha’s son, the way many of the others now are. He has a deep, booming, commanding sort of voice, and part of me wants to hang around and see what he has to say. I doubt that would end well, especially since the longer he talks, the more choking the arousal from the females of our pack becomes. It’s sickening.
The meeting hall, what used to be the boarding school’s auditorium, was once attached to the rest of the structure, but the stretch of building between it and the living accommodations was destroyed in an explosion during the uprising. Now, the buildings sit separate, with a wide expanse of lawn between them. From here, I can look down at the lake, and indignation rises in me when I think of that stupid wolf and how smug and unhelpful he was. And meanwhile, a bunch of pathetic girls are in there, hanging on his every word.
Maybe if he could have smelled my wolf, he would’ve helped. Did he sense how useless I am?
I walk into my building through the door that used to lead into the school cafeteria. Now, rows of cots are set up, overflowing space in case there are more wolves than rooms available. At least, that’s how Daniel wants it to seem. He wouldn’t want to announce they set up what’s essentially a makeshift hospital, somewhere for the injured to recuperate should there be any fighting within our borders. It’s eerie, walking past these rows of cots and hoping they’re never used.
From what I overheard at the council meeting, they’ve been necessary so far for the Silver Shadows. They’ve lost a lot of their members to the witches. No matter how fierce and brave they are, no matter how good they are at fighting, there’s only so much even a wolf can do against an arrow that’s been dipped in magic or a firebolt powerful enough to shatter boulders on contact.
But the alpha’s sons have survived all this time. Again, I can’t help but feel a little grudging respect for them—but just a tiny bit. It could be that they’ve gotten lucky. You don’t have to be a decent person to get lucky.