Chapter Fifteen
Ifilled my tray because I was on edge after this morning. I sat down with my food and barely had a free breath before a few girls sat down with me.
Instantly, my back was up. I slowly looked around to see who was sitting with me and I tilted my head in confusion. There was the girl I met in the bathroom, Hanna. There was Wendy and a few of the other girls I’d met through interactions through Nina. I stared at Wendy and she smiled.
“Do you mind if we join you?” Her question was soft, but hopeful.
“No. I don’t mind.” I sat back and looked at the five girls now sitting with me. “What’s going on?”
A few laughed. Wendy pointed to herself and smiled. “I just want to be your friend.”
Hanna nodded along. “Me too. It’s not every day you meet a new friend in the bathroom, but here we are.”
I turned to look at the three girls who I didn’t know. “You are?”
“Thora.” A full figured wolf with blue eyes and dark hair turned to me.
She was one of the girls I saw with Nina in the cafeteria the first night.
One of the girls, Nina, tried to lie to and say she gave them money.
“I don’t like liars.” She lifted her shoulder.
“I was never a big Nina fan, but she was a high-ranking wolf. My father gave me instructions to befriend higher ranked wolves.” She grimaced.
“That sounds horrible, but he just wants what is best for me. He and my mom are unranked.”
I nodded my understanding. “You're a Gamma, right?” She nodded. “I get it. Especially parents that give birth to higher ranked pups. They are worried that you’re going to be looked down on because of them. So they tell you to befriend higher ranks.”
Thora nodded along and I could see the relief. “I told Nina, and all she did was bash my parents. But she couldn’t turn me away.”
“Why not?”
“Because my Alpha’s son is single. She doesn’t want to risk insulting the Gamma who will be in charge of her safety in the future.”
“And you?” I turned to another girl, one that had to walk back to the campus naked.
“I’m Micca.” The tiny red head turned to me and smiled. “Nina used her status as an Alpha to command that I follow her. I’m a Beta from a neighbouring pack and my father asked me to stay on friendly terms with her.”
“Why?” I rubbed my forehead. This was all insane. Why does this she-wolf have so much sway over people?
“Probably because I’m a female Beta, which means I’ll more than likely transfer out of my pack when I meet my mate.
It’s really rare that a male Beta transfers in.
And he doesn’t want me to get on the bad side of any Luna I could have to serve.
He told me to be friendly with all ranked females, for,” she made quotes with her fingers. “An easier transfer.”
I snorted and turned to the last girl. This one was stunning.
Dark skin, dark eyes, and braids down her back.
She nodded once and pushed a braid out of her face.
“Toya.” I watched her eyes darken a bit before she shook herself.
“I have nothing to do with Nina.” She squared her shoulders.
“Your father saved my pack. Your pack protected our borders as they collected the women and children, and he accepted my pack onto his lands, requiring nothing in exchange.” The rest of the group grew silent. But I nodded.
“My father is a good Alpha. And if we have the ability to help, we will.”
She nodded. “That is exactly what my father said about him.”
“Was the attack bad?” Micca asked.
But Toya shook her head. “Alpha Gavin sent his warriors to our small pack when they were spotted a good distance away. They were able to get everyone out.” She turned back to me.
“Your father has made sure everyone was safe. But he has ensured that anything that needed to go to the pack went through my father, their Alpha.”
“Of course. My father is the Alpha of his own pack, and wouldn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.
No one knows your pack better than their Alpha.
And my father understands that. I am almost certain that if there is more than one Alpha there, then they have a mini tribunal to discuss any issues and then each Alpha takes the solution back to their pack so they don’t lose any face or status. ”
Toya smiled. “That is exactly what they do. There are five Alphas on your pack lands now, and every day, they get together and have a meeting.”
I looked and clapped my hands. “Sounds about right.” I focused back on Toya. “So you came here…?”
“Because I want to know the girl of the man that saved my family and see exactly what kind of person she is. If she is a person who I would be happy to know and follow instead of other she-wolves who make me want to stab myself in the eye with a metal spike.”
I threw my head back and laughed, and the others followed suit. “I think that is something we can all agree with. Some people, especially ones higher in rank, can be mind numbingly annoying.”
Toya relaxed and nodded. “Exactly.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I wanted to roll my eyes at the shrill annoyance of a weak Alpha female.
I shook my head. “We pressed our luck.”
Nina stomped her foot. “What are you even talking about? And I asked you a question. What the hell are you all doing here?”
I hung my head before I turned around to face Nina and the few lackeys she gathered this time.
“We were talking about high-ranking wolves that are so mind-numbingly annoying you would rather stick a spike of metal in your eye than have to be their friends. And as if we summoned you from the ether, here you are.” I gestured to her with my hand.
“Shut up!” She shrieked. “I wasn’t talking to you.” She turned back to the others. “Why are you three here?”
Wendy smiled. “I’m here because Amy is my friend.”
Hanna nodded, but Nina rolled her eyes. “No one gives a fuck about you two. You are unranked, no bodies.” She pointed to Toya, Micca, and Thora. “Why are you here?”
Toya was the one who turned. “Who are you to question me?” Nina’s face grew red.
“We are the same rank, so you can fuck right off with your attitude.” Toya settled back into the chair.
“If you must know, Amy’s father saved my pack, and I wanted to meet the daughter of the man that put his own pack at risk for my small pack. ”
Nina scoffed. “Only a fool would risk his pack for a smaller, weaker pack.” She crossed her arms.
“And that right there shows me you will never understand or change.” Toya shook her head in disgust.
“What does that even mean?” Nina rolled her eyes. “And what does that have to do with you being here with her?”
Toya slapped the table, stood, and whirled. “It means you are a selfish, vapid Alpha and the man that is stuck mating you will either be just as ignorant and unworthy as you, or he earned a punishment from the goddess herself.”
Nina reeled back. “What?”
“No one chooses to be your friend Nina. Not unless they’re just as cruel and annoying as you are. We are all told by our parents to deal with you because of your rank and nothing else.” Toya spun back and sank into her chair.
Nina blinked back what looked to be tears. “Thora? Micca?”
Micca turned to her. “I’m a Beta, and keeping open and decent connections with all Alphas is a good career move for me.”
“You can’t be both of our friends.” Nina glared and pointed at me. “It’s her or me. Make your choice.”
Micca stared at her for a few seconds before she sat back down. “I guess I’m choosing her.” Micca nodded towards me and I smirked and nodded back.
Nina shrieked again as she stomped her foot again like a toddler. “Thora?”
Thora sighed and just glared at her from across the table. “Don’t do this Nina.”
“Do what? Think my friends should have my back against the bitch that is taking everything from me.”
I turned to face her at that. “I’m sorry. What have I taken from you?”
Nina turned to me. “What?”
I turned my entire chair to face her. “I need you to explain this to me. What have I taken from you? Honestly? I have just been focused on my own classes. I haven’t initiated any meeting between us. I have just been keeping my head down.”
Nina shook her head as she rolled her eyes. “The money-”
“That you lied about.” Her glare was instant, but I just shrugged. “I don’t understand how that is even my fault. You took the accomplishments of another wolf without realizing that it would come out somehow. I wasn’t even the one to call you out or anything. I was very content staying anonymous.”
“Wait…you were the anonymous donor of the ten grand on my food card?” Toya turned to face me and I just nodded.
Nina looked like she was going to interrupt, but Wendy jumped in. “My mom works in the office and she had me come in to help load all the new cards. It totaled over three million dollars.”
“What?” Everyone at the table turned. Toya looked back at Nina. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke. “Why was it so much money?”
Wendy took a drink of her smoothie before answering.
“Because Amy did it for every student who didn’t meet the basic amount to live for food and textbooks for the semester.
” Wendy turned to face Nina and I could see the glee behind her eyes.
“My mom said that Amy was upset that students would have to work to support themselves while they should be focusing on their studies.”
Toya and Micca turned to Nina. But it was Toya that actually spoke up. “You said your father donated money for your close friends. You convinced us that we should help you out if there were any issues with your projects or, say, another wolf.” Toya turned to me and grimaced.
“You lied?” Thora’s voice was soft with disbelief.
Nina groaned in frustration. “Yes, I lied. So what?” She threw up her hands. “It was a golden opportunity that I was always taught to take advantage of.” She flipped her hair and then turned to me. “Who knew it would come out that it was you that donated the money?”