Stacia.
She was in danger.
“I’m coming, my heart. I will find you.”
STACIA
Normally, I really liked the campus library. It didn’t have the caffeine and goodies of the Moon Bean, but it was quiet, and it had all kinds of nooks to hole up in and do some research or catch up on the latest royal gossip going on in the world. The library was kind of secluded, off to the side of the campus, surrounded by trees, a hidden little gem, with the big bronze statue of Bay State’s Dire Wolf out in front.
I just couldn’t really get into the feel of a good cram session though. I was still trying to wrap my head around where the heck the tattoo on my neck had come from. Having to walk past the snarling statue out front didn’t exactly help.
The second we hit the old red brick building, I dove into the bathroom and wrenched the neck of my sweater off my shoulder.
I mean, I hadn’t thought that Charlize was pranking me with some new photo filter, but I had to check just to be sure. There it was, right on my skin, the wolf howling to the moon surrounded by an ornate crown. I’d never seen a tattoo so detailed. I half expected the ink to move, like the wolf’s fur might rustle in the breeze.
It didn’t wash off, and even when I scrubbed at it, it just turned my skin pink and rosy. And I wasn’t an expert,but weren’t new tattoos kind of gross? All puffy and swollen? Because my ink was perfect, like I’d just been born with this wolf mark on my neck.
Eventually, Charlize barged into the bathroom and dragged me out.
“Okay, no freaking out. I get it, but just try to relax for a second.”
I gave her the wide-eyed look that comment deserved.
“Yeah, fair.” She tugged me toward the front desk. “Try anyway.”
Hunter had stopped at the desk to nag at the girl working there, and in the time I’d been having my little bathroom meltdown, it looked like she’d managed to pry the librarian away from the book she was reading.
“Come on, Eva,” Hunter whisper-shouted. “I know not all the rooms are in use.”
Eva sighed and flipped her book closed. “You know you’re supposed to reserve them in advance, right?”
“It’s kind of important. And you’re my cousin. Let’s do that nepotism thing.”
Eva shook her head but swung her chair around to the old boxy computer at the desk. A few clicks later, she turned back. “Okay, room 2C is yours for two hours.”
Hunter grinned. “You’re the best!”
I was still shellshocked enough that they managed to drag me up the stairs and into one of the private study rooms. They were usually used for group meetings so that people wouldn’t disturb everyone else in the building by being loud. There was a table, some reasonably comfortable chairs, and a big window looking out over the campus.
I glanced out the window, and I couldn’t help staring at the wolf statue. Sometimes, for homecoming and stuff, the football team and cheerleaders would come and decorate the statue. Justlooking at it had my hand creeping up to press over the mark on my neck again.
“Okay, look.” Charlize tugged my hand away. “You didn’t have that mark yesterday. So how about you walk me through your evening, and maybe Hunter and I can explain a few things.”
Sure, this might as well happen. It wasn’t like I wasn’t planning on dishing with Charlize and Hunter, it was just that I was hoping to have more than one night to squee about.
“Um, so, you know that guy that I ran into at the Moon Bean? Literally. And Selena told me to chase after him and kiss him? Well, mission accomplished. Guess I get to keep my job now.”
Hunter’s eyes had started to sparkle, and Charlize cackled. “Yes, get yours! And then what?”
“Um, we ran into each other again, and I told him to meet me after work, and we spent the night together.” Not even a night, but a few moments. Precious, delicious moments.
It seemed so clinical, saying it like that. It had been so hot and so special, and every time Bash touched me, it had felt like my skin was going to split open and let something shining and glowing and golden spill out. Just thinking about it, about the things he’d whispered in my ear in that accent, had me squirming in my seat.
Charlize, the one out of group who’d had a smexy Dire Wolf boyfriend the longest, grinned at me. “Good?”
“Oh, holy heck, yes.” I clapped my hands over my face, trying to hide both the blush flooding my cheeks and the grin that threatened to split my face in half. Remembering how it all ended did a good job of throwing a bucket of water on the smoldering ashes though.
“Um, he got called away though.” No way was I telling them about being burst in on by his mom, the queen. That was my personal nightmare fuel. “And I don’t have his number. Or know where he lives. And, um, I don’t think he’s coming back.”
