Page 74 of Let Us Prey
Maybe I should try a softer approach?
The alpha wolf in me raises his hackles at the suggestion of softness, but I shut that bastard up real quick. Yes, I was raised to believe whoever has the biggest dick—or acts like they do—is the strongest leader, but I’ve long suspected there are better ways to lead a pack, even if those thoughts don’t match the Romulus ideal. We’ve been away from Bloodstone long enough that I shouldn’t automatically act like an asshole whenever anyone mildly threatens my authority—including deliciously rageful bunnies.
But old habits die hard.
The question is whether I’mwillingto change my ways. Considering how hard I get when she gives me lip, it won’t be easy for me to stop baiting the bunny. Truthfully, Delores Drew is everything I’ve ever wanted in a mate. She’s soft and caring when she needs to be, but capable of a ruthless ferociousness that makes me want to fall to my knees. She’s intelligent and independent, and hasn’t allowed her shitty circumstances to define or limit her, which is a lesson I sorely need to learn. Somehow, she fits perfectly into my pack—not just with Bash and Nico, but Aubrey and Renard as well—and instead of feeling threatened by the intrusion, I want to let her lead.
One of the biggest draws, however, is that she’s prey.
I nearly have to sit down again, as the staggering weight of my confession hits me like a ton of bricks. All the shame and anger I’ve been carrying for the last decade rushes to the surface as I realize what I desire isn’t the freakish result of an imprint gone wrong all those years ago—it’s simply an indisputable fact of who I am.
So now what do I do with this?
Delores finally replies on Predbook, and my heart nearly beats out of my chest as I warily glance down to read the message.
CherryPie:Thank you, Sir.
Those simple words destroy me, and my wolf almost tears his way to the surface—eager to fight or to fuck. With an uncanny ability to smell blood, Zhenga is suddenly outside my townhouse, loudly jabbering on the phone to one of her stupid friends as she walks up the steps. I violently fling open the door, surprising her into almost dropping her DiePhone as she hurriedly hangs up on whoever was on the other end. “Well, hello, alpha! Mmm… I know that look. Should I come in?”
I’m a growling, panting mess as I stare at her, my wild gaze traveling over the athletic body I know almost as well as my own. It would be so easy to yank the willing lioness through the doorway and take her right here on the entryway floor, to instantly calm my wolf by sliding into her wet heat. A few months ago I would have done exactly that—I would have chased a quick fix rather than aspire to the unreachable ideal of finding my equal in someone else.
Someone like Delores Drew.
“No,” I clear my throat, cracking my neck as I walk out onto the step, firmly closing the door behind me. “Let’s head to the ring. I could use a good fight from a worthy opponent.”
Zhenga smirks, but her smile is less bitter and more knowing. “As you wish. You know I’m always available to help a worthy alpha—in any way he needs.”
FORTY-TWO
I Know You Want Me
Delores
“Hold still, Dolly,” Cori says through the bobby pins in her teeth.
She’s working on my hair, and I swear to Hades, she might pull it out at the roots. According to her, our costumes are ‘loosely based’ on the 1980s cartoon characters we chose, which is why instead of the traditional primary color palette of Rainbow Brite, I’m in a pastel version. The polar bear is currently busy gathering my matching locks into twin ponytails on top of my head and clearly, she was never taught the gentle hand Mattie used when she did my hair when I was younger. I tried complaining, but Cori told me ‘hold still—beauty is pain, baby.’
Hmmph. I guess being scalped is considered beautiful in her family.
“Iamholding still,” I grumble, wincing as she yanks the brush through my hair again. “Anyway, so like I was saying, I stayed behind after class with Professor Renard, and spewed word vomit again until I cried like an idiot, and he humored me until I had to leave for my next class. I’m a total waste at this shit.”
Rufus tsks as he works on ratting up his freshly-dyed blood red hair for his Lion-O costume. “Oh, I doubt that. You’re collecting them like Preymon—got to catch all of ‘em, Dollybear. What did this talk entail?”
“Just some stuff about my pathetic ex, and my Shifter History professor being a douche —that’s why I cried—but then he calmed me down. It was really cool to hear a little bit about his people, even if he’s still cagey about his history. Both Rennie and Aubrey are kind of touchy with sharing.” I trail off, as I realize I’m one to talk about withholding information about my past.
Awareness is half the battle.
Cori reaches for her curling iron, and I flinch, only because there was an incident when I was young—the one time Lucille pretended to be a mother during an on-camera interview. Let’s just say her skills were lacking and I’m pretty sure all evidence was destroyed, including the reporter.
“I won’t burn you, silly. Quit shrinking away,” Cori mutters as she rolls the hair up tightly and sprays it. “Of course, they’re tight-lipped about their past, D. All the teachers here have been given the boot by their families. That’s how the administration keeps them under their thumb.”
I blink. It’s not what I meant, but I file away that useful tidbit for later. My friends will think I’m even more sheltered than they already do if I admit I didn’t know teaching at Apex is apunishment.“No, I mean about their species. I had no idea that gargoyles can shift, like,partsat a time, not a half-shift like Professor Cassius taught us.”
“STOP. THE. FUCKIN’. PRESSES,” Rufus practically yells. “Coco, you can take this one. I don’t even know where to start with this shit.”
He walks over and takes the curling iron to manipulate my other ponytail while Cori shimmies her metallic fishnets on, giving me a pointed look. “What Ru-Ru is failing to communicate is that your entire statement is… well, shocking doesn’t begin to cover it. If we ignore the part where Cassius Romulus taught half-shifts to a first-year class—which is unheard of—there’s still the whole ‘shifting only parts’ thing. Dolly,no oneshifts one appendage at a time!”
My brows furrow. Renard said it was rare, but he didn’t saynoother shifters did it. Oh, fuck, did I just spill something I shouldn’t have? Anxiety creeps in until it’s replaced by confusion. Lucille can shift only parts of her as well; it can’t be that rare. Cori must be mistaken, and I haven’t told them a big secret. It’s fine.
