Page 9 of Untamed

I bite my lip. At least I don’t have to contend with another girl in the picture. For all Mia’s bravado, that must hurt like a bitch. Whatever our brains might want, our wolves—our very nature—will only want our fated mate. “I mean, they can’t be… together,” I say, putting it delicately. I’m well aware of this shifter rule since it’s the very reason I’m looked down on.

“They’re not supposed to be fucking, but who knows? I’m not there to spy on them.”

“Christ, Mia. That means—” I cut myself off. I don’t need to tell a girl I’ve known a whole five minutes that she’s going to end up Feral. I’m sure she already knows. “How long do you get here? To make it work before…?”

She shrugs. “Your mate has to officially fill out a form that states there’s no hope for your pairing. He hasn’t done that yet. Trying to ‘spare me’.”

“Fuck him,” I growl.

“Cheers to that.” She holds up half a Snickers bar, and I toast her with my Dove chocolate.

A warmth spreads through my belly and over my limbs. My wolf sits up—as interested in this new friendship with Mia as I am. I never let her have the chance of bonding with others back in Lunar, so she’s already anticipating running free in the forest with Mia, jumping over tree branches and wrestling in fields. Hunting down prey. You know, wolf stuff.

Me? I’d love to just sit and watch a movie with someone. Talk boys, maybe. A big part of my life was taken away when no one wanted anything to do with me. A smile forms on my lips as I realize Iamtalking boys with someone. Sure, we’re discussing how they dissed us, but it still counts.

“Your advisor probably told you to read that whole Greystone Academy manual, and you should. Just in case you were thinking of bailing on it like I did. It’s actually pretty informative.” She crumples up the Snickers wrapper after she finishes the last bite. “No one ever thinks they’re going to be in here long, but….” She shrugs.

“Well, I was thinking of skimming it, but if you say so.”

She smirks and shimmies toward the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to a few people. It’s not all bad.” She reaches inside the basket she made me and pulls out the tissues. “Looks like I need these more than you, though.” A sad smile tugs at her lips while she moves toward the open door, clutching the tissue box in her fist. “I’ll stop by before breakfast, and we’ll go down together. Yes, you have to wear the uniform. Roll up the hem a couple of times.”

She winks, and I nod. “Night, Mia.”

“Goodnight, new friend. I’m at the end of the hall if you need me.”

I wave to her, and she disappears behind the closing door. With a groan, I collapse on my pillows, kicking the basket of chocolate off the bed in the process. I glance out the unopened window to my left. Hundreds of twinkling stars dot the night sky, and a blanket of clouds roll in, partially obscuring the moon. On days when it felt like I was kicked by everybody, I’d enjoy a night of dumb comedies on TV with my parents in our small, rundown house. Everything on the outside wouldn’t matter because at least we had each other.

Loneliness creeps in, seeping to my very core. I sit up to sift through my bag and find my cell phone. A couple of texts in the group chat I have with my parents wait for me.Be strong, Kinsey, my father writes. My mother responds with,I love you.

I take a deep breath, willing myself not to cry.I love you both, I text back.I’m settled in my room for the night.

After I hit send, I shut my phone off. I don’t want to be disturbed by sad messages the whole night which might make me want to march down to Mia’s room and take back those tissues. I’ve been dealing with shit my entire life, so I can take this, too.

As soon as it’s quiet, however, pain sinks in. My brain replays the absolute elation filling my very being upon realizing I had a fated mate.It’s natural, I tell myself as I bask in the warmth of the memory. But afterward, when the rejection plays out over and over again, it rips my heart in half. It’s so cutting that I’m thrust out of my own body. Mate rejection is abnormal. It’s wrong.

Well, if Jonah Livestrong can fight off his own instincts, so can I. The thing is, giving in to my stubbornness will ruin me. I’ll be relinquishing my family, my life. Can I really do all that to get back at my supposed mate?

Christ, I’m only nineteen years old. This is some heavy shit to unpack.

Despite trying not to, I fall asleep to Jonah’s handsome face. Each time I attempt to wipe it away, it reappears. Memories stick out in my mind of Lunar High: Jonah the big jock; Jonah in the inner circle with the future alpha; Jonah never looking at me twice until we shifted for the first time.

I hope his head is as filled with me as mine is with him. That should teach him a lesson.

Ignoring all rational thought, I burrow down into the shirt he gave me. His scent helps me drift into a dreamless sleep.

5

“Knock, knock, Newbie,” Mia calls through my closed door.

I woke an hour ago, unable to sleep any longer with the weight of today sitting heavy on my shoulders. The first thing I did was tear Jonah’s damn shirt off, hating that I used it as a lifeline last night. I threw it in the back of the closet and slammed the door shut, hoping I’d forget about it.

However, a half an hour later when I went to dress, I saw it all crumpled up and decided to pull it out, fold it, and sit it on an interior shelf. The good news is, my closet smells delicious. The bad news is that it’s Jonah’s scent. And right now, I can’t stand him.

I rise from the bed and slip my phone into my bag. When I peer down, I don’t even recognize myself. I woke so early, I had time to blow-dry my hair until it landed in auburn waves over my shoulders. I’m in a pleated, midnight-blue skirt, a tucked-in, black polo shirt, and sensible flats. I feel so bleh. I’m more of a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl. I can’t even remember the last time I wore a skirt.

Pulling the door open, my new friend Mia waits on the other side. She studies me, starting at my feet and working her way to the crown of my head. “Did you roll it twice?” she asks.

“I’m kind of tall. I only rolled it once.”

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