Page 36 of Untamed

He slings his bag over his shoulder, then grabs my own, signaling our time together is over. I follow him all the way through the building and to my room. His nostrils twitch as we get closer. He’s smelling for another male wolf, I know it. He’ll find a trace of Nathan’s scent but not what I made it out to be. Like he told me before, my head is so filled with him, how could I even think about another wolf? It was just fun to tease him.

“I’ll text you more details about the party when it gets closer,” he says. “I’ll also arrange everything with Ms. Ebon.”

“Thanks,” I mutter. I’m looking forward to this about as much as I would look forward to my own funeral march.

He doesn’t tell me goodbye, just turns and leaves. I close the door behind him with a little more force than necessary, but I don’t care if he knows I’m pissed. Does he expect me to walk into a river of piranhas and be happy about it?

Fuck.

16

Aweek and half passes with Jonah and I keeping one another at arm’s length. The party gets postponed once, so naturally my mind goes to everyone hating me, and they’re trying to get Jonah not to invite me. The fucked up part is, that’s a real possibility.

My etiquette instructor is my saving grace in this department. She helps pick my outfit right down to the boots she buys me, telling me she’ll take it off the classroom supplies budget. I hope that’s a real thing since I don’t have the money to pay Greystone Academy back, and I’m low-key obsessed with the outfit she chose.

When she said she would choose my outfit, I was expecting to find some sort of floral print mishmash like the dresses she wears, but the skinny jeans, boots, and long shirt are very trendy. The lengthy, bronze necklace that dangles in my cleavage rounds out the ensemble. The woman even does my nails, and as I look at myself in the mirror fifteen minutes before Jonah is due to arrive, I can’t believe I’ve pulled it off.

I look normal.

Mia whistles from the bed. “Damn, girl. I like it.”

I shift my gaze to stare at her through the mirror. “Is the lipstick too much?” I challenged myself to go a little darker, and Grace was happy to accommodate another session with me.

“No, it’s absolutely perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. He’s going to be kicking himself for not accepting you.”

A laugh bursts past my lips. “Ha! Highly doubtful but thank you for the comedy break this evening.”

She sits up, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m so jealous. We only get to go home every few months to visit, and I desperately miss parties.”

Yesterday, her and her mate had another mandatory visit, and it didn’t go so well. They never do. Mine and Jonah’s visits aren’t going spectacularly well either since we keep locking horns when he accuses me of not trying. At this point, I’ve stopped talking during the “mediation” or whatever fancy word they want to call it.

Hell, I’m not even in a real relationship yet, and I’m already in couple’s therapy. It’s fucking exhausting.

Mia gets up, placing her hand on my shoulder and squeezing. “I know this is going to be hard for you. I’ve been contemplating all day about what to tell you to make it better, and I don’t know. The only thing I could come up with is to try to start fresh. Maybe they’ll accept you more now that you’re fated to Jonah? Try not to go in with old hurts and feelings. If that fails, I have more chocolate stockpiled.”

I turn, wrapping my arms around her. Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve done if she hadn’t showed up in my room that first night. I’d probably still be keeping to myself, and I wouldn’t have this experience to know that having friends is actually fun. “I love you,” I tell Mia, squeezing her.

My door bursts open, the wood creaking under the force. Both Mia and I jump apart, startled. Mia starts to shake, a growl ripping from her throat.

I blink at Jonah’s hulking form, his chest heaving with his labored breaths. He pulls up short, taking in the two of us. “I heard you say something.”

His possessive streak knows no bounds. Holy shit. “This is my friend Mia,” I explain. “I was just telling her how much I appreciate the help she’s given me.”

Mia turns toward me, widening her eyes as Jonah tries to calm himself. He brings his hand up, frowning at a bouquet of yellow daisies that are now in disarray, half the petals falling off.

She clasps my wrist and pulls me in for another hug. “Good luck, girl. You got this.”

“Thanks,” I whisper, trying to hold on to her encouragement. It’s not looking good so far.

She backs away and gives Jonah a wide berth. “Nice to meet you, Kinsey’s mate. Hope the door’s okay. I might call maintenance while you’re gone to make sure.”

I chuckle as she leaves the room with a look on her face like Jonah is fucking nuts. At this point, I’d agree.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he mumbles.

Her footsteps eventually disappear down the hall, and Jonah offers me the disheveled bouquet in his grip. “I got you these.”

I smile as I take them. Sure, they’re practically barren now, but the thought was there. A trail of yellow petals litters the hallway behind him. “They’re pretty.” I move toward the bathroom and grab a cup I stole from the cafeteria, fill it with water, and arrange them on my desk, smiling. Flowers are customary on a date, but I’m hoping it’s a step further than that. I’ve already told him how much I love plants and the outdoors.

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