Chapter 37: Chapter 36

Lanie | crept through the main hallway, determined to get to Xander’s library as soon as possible.

If there was information on the Great Wars, | was going to get my hands on it.

But just as | was about to pass the entryway, | heard Alice’s determined voice.

| peeked around the corner and saw her in a standoff between Xander and Zane.

“You claimed me, but there’s no mate bond between us,” Alice said. “So | don’t have to do any of your stu pid Luna duties.”

Wait, what?

How was that even possible?

Asmall glow of satisfaction bloomed in my chest. So the boys hadn't gotten their way, after all.

Lost in thought, | totally missed Alice rushing into the hallway until she practically body-checked me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she growled.

| planted my hands on my hips. “It’s my house, too, in case you forgot.”

Her eyes flashed dangerously and she flexed her hand, making sure | could see her claws shoot out.

“| bet you love this, don’t you Lanie?” she said, “Now that you get to keep f ucking them, you can slowly worm your way into my place.”

me | rolled my eyes.

| kind of loved that Xander and Zane’s grand plan to claim their “real” mate had gone up in flames, but they'd still rejected And | had too much pride to go running straight back into their arms.

“I'm not deaf, Alice,” | told her plainly. “You said it yourself, you’re not their true Luna, so what is there for me to even steal from you?”

Her cheeks flushed pink and she shoved her fists to her sides.

| had to admit, it was kind of fun getting a rise out of her.

“| didn’t even ask to be mated to Xander and Zane in the first place.” | waved my hand toward the entryway. “So you can keep them”

Alice’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh, | intend to,” she snarled. “And you’re not going to stop me!

“Okay is that everything?” | crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot impatiently. Ignoring her threats would pi ss her off more.

Sure enough, she just scowled and stamped away I smiled to myself, but it faltered once | realized what their whole argument meant.

If they'd claimed Alice, but it didn’t work, then where did that leave me?

For one second, | allowed myself to imagine them coming to me, falling to their knees and kissing my Docs, begging for forgiveness for humiliating me and taking a second mate.

They'd tell me how incredible our night together was, that they never needed another she-wolf apart from me...

The fantasy had me frozen in place, head spinning, and when Xander and Zane marched out into the hall, my heart leaped into my throat.

Was the moment I'd imagined about to come true?

“What the f uck did you say to her?” Xander demanded.

Well, that answers that.

Fantasy over.

“Why’d you have to go and p iss her off more?” he demanded.

His whele body was humming, like he was barely containing his wolf after the blow-up with Alice.

Thated that | found it incredibly sex y.

It reminded me of how no-nonsense he’d been the night we’d consummated our mating. How he’d laid me down on the bed and forged a path down my whole body with his lips...

S hit.

| needed to get it together before my scent gave away my dirty thoughts.

“Listen,” | said, hoping they didn’t notice the slight huskiness in my voice. “It's not my fault you thought with your c ocks instead of with your brains.”

Xander charged forward, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

“You could’ve dodged this Alice bullet,” | continued, “but instead you ran head-first into it.”

Zane placed a hand on Xander’s shoulder to calm him, but his breathing was heavy, too.

what to | got the feeling that they never quite knew what to do with me.

And | kind of liked it..

Besides, they were fully distracting me from my real mission of hunting down information on the Great Wars.

If | could get them riled up, then maybe they'd go all big bad wolf and huff away, leaving me all the time needed to sneak into the library “I'm just curious, boys... What are you going to do about this precarious situation you've found yourselves in?”

Xander’s eyes darkened, his wolf pushing its way to the surface It was like | could sense his anger growing as he stood in front of me.

And | knew Lily could, too But we weren't really mated so what was that all about?

“What the f uck do you mean, Lanie?” Xander said through gritted teeth. “You’re as much a part of this as we are.”

“| don’t know,” | shrugged. “From where I’m standing, it seems like you're the ones getting f ucked.”