3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
HARRISON
I stay within mindlink range of the school all day.
Luckily, there are a few shops nearby, so I was able to complete a few errands for my dad while in town.
We have a town area in Crescent Lake with pack-member-owned businesses, but most are small and niche.
For bigger items or large orders, we have to drive down the mountain a bit to the closest human area.
Crescent Lake and the other packs own many of the businesses here too, to generate income, but the customer base down here is mainly human.
The school day ends with no emergencies—thank the Goddess—and I get a mindlink from Brad right as the bell rings.
“I told Stephanie we’d meet her at Brewed Awakenings and you’d give her a ride back to the pack after.”
“Sure, Brad, I have time to hang out with you and your girlfriend. I don’t have anywhere to be right now or anything.”
“Awesome, thanks.” He completely misses the sarcasm in my voice. “And she’s not my girlfriend.”
I roll my eyes and make my way to the coffee shop our pack owns. Brad arrives only a few minutes after me.
I shove off the wall where I was leaning and enter the coffee shop with him. “How was the first day?”
“Same as always. ‘Hi, I’m your teacher. Here’s your syllabus,’ with an added, ‘You are seniors this year, don’t fuck up if you want to graduate.’”
A pair of gray eyes reminiscent of fog swirling around the mountains glide right over me as they scan the café. Brad continues grumbling about his day, but I’ve stopped listening.
Because I know those eyes.
I’ve only seen them once, but I remember them. The last time I saw them, their owner was just a slip of a thing, barefoot and knobby-kneed and terrified of the unseen and unknown.
Now, she’s gorgeous. Breathtaking. Her light-brown hair is thick and frames a face with high cheekbones, full lips, and a delicate nose.
And she’s sitting with Stephanie. The female who has my future beta inside out and upside down.
“Brad!” Stephanie’s blue eyes sparkle when she sees him, and she jumps to her feet, her blonde hair bouncing with her enthusiasm.
Her arms twitch like she’s about to hug him, but she moves them behind her back and turns to her friend.
“This is Brad,” she says, and I don’t miss the mischievous look that passes between the two girls.
“And this is Harrison, our future alpha. Brad, Harrison, this is—”
“Emily,” I finish for her.
Emily flinches and frowns at me. “I’m sorry, have we met?”
“Yeah. I’ve been to your pack before.”
She doesn’t recognize me, but I doubt she’s forgotten our day together picking blackberries in the forest. I sure haven’t.
“Tell me—” I lean closer as I take my seat. Her sweet scent tickles my nostrils, much stronger than it was eleven years ago. It’s distracting and confusing, but I force out my question. “Tell me, Emily, is there still a troll under the bridge?”