THE ALPHA I REJECTED IS MY ROOMMATE

O

ssors w

She didn't watch the hair fall. Watching it fall meant letting it mean somethin

tucked the end. Her ribs compressed under the pull of it. Good. She needed that. Something physical to focus on

Not even di

th

a report he already

the hair gone. Eyes the same pale grey as they'd always been. Her mother's ey

a Casen Greyveil. That ti

er palm last night without a word, which meant she'd already decided to help befo

ear. The scent bloomed for a half second, something green and faintly bitter,

rf

her feet into worn boots, picked up the single bag

o and dropped seven men into the dirt was gone. The woma

ed, short-haired freshman with nothing to lose a

Her voice hit the tile and came

ut and didn'

*****************************

days

wet dirt and blood and the specific sweat

eat every challenger he named, and she'd take her place as heir. No back doors, no exceptions.

even set his feet properly before she moved. She put him down in ninety seconds. Callum went next.

n't funny

the sickness took her. Don't fight angrily. Angry wolves make noise. Quiet wolves win. By

n, with a jaw like a closed door and hands that could probably crack stone. He was good. She'd give him that. He broke her first hold

at the wrong angle, and drove him face-first into

ng ground

re split. Her lip was bleeding

his face arranged into the expression she'd spent twenty-two years trying to crack open.

Every challenger you

ked at her for

s arms and turned t

like he was reading a schedule. "My daughter will marry

yard changed; you c

went still

," she said. Her voice didn't shake. She

is pack the way women always have, just like your mother did, no exc

Anger, she knew how to manage. This was olde

r off to Casen Greyveil instead. Who'd spent twenty years in a house that treated her like furniture until the illness found her, and e

e than what he says. Promise me, Nova. Promise me you'll fight and

ad pro

earned," she said quietly, "I

d. Dismissal. Like swa

he house, packed one

********************************

not actually g

rk hair loose, her bare feet on the cold cottage floor. She always worked barefoot. Said shoes interru

training ground. Northern territory. Takes in the best young alphas from every major bloodl

kno

s were doing the thing where they went very still and very di

why I'

ent. Then she exhaled through her

small enough to hide in a closed fist.

ong as you hold your human form." She paused. "If you shift, even partway, it burns off.

n't s

're cor

a held her gaze. "I'

ogether. She pushed the

," she said

d it into her front pocke

and looked around at he

said. "Ash Darvin

sit down heav

s never coming back, as the