Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“Hi!” 1 say, forcing my face into my best cheerful–Princess grin. “There’s coffee! Come sit down!”

Luca just narrows his eyes at me a little more, suspicious, and goes to the other side of the table,

sitting with Jesse.

My stomach twists at this – Luca almost always sits by me. And while Ben took his spot today…I don’t

know. Something about the way Luca keeps his eyes on me even as he rounds the table…

God, I feel like a little rabbit being watched by a hungry wolf.

We’re wolves too! My wolf reminds me, snapping her jaws eagerly in response to Luca’s predatory

prowl. Let’s not let him see us sweat.

I nod, inwardly, and proceed as if absolutely nothing is wrong, determined not to let Luca think that I

know at all why he might be in a mood.

Even though that I am well aware that I am very much the cause of it.

–

–

I did more thinking last night, and I decided in the end that I’ve been very foolish with the dream state.

Even though my wolf is disappointed in my decision, I’ve decided not to use it anymore – it’s just too

risky.

Instead, I’m going to put my feelings for my mate aside and concentrate on succeeding here at school.

After all, that’s why dad didn’t let girls in in the first place – there’s enough to do here without romantic

distractions.

I’m not going to be the first girl in, just to fail out because I couldn’t stop mooning over a boy.

Rafe, Jesse, and Ben chat excitedly about their mornings, those on Warrior track eating faster than

Ben and I because they have a workout this morning while Ben and I have an extra hour before class.

“Why do you think that is?” he asks me frowning.

“Who knows,” I say, giving a little shrug. “Maybe we’ll have like…extra homework to do in the mornings

or something.”

“Nerd track,” Jesse murmurs, and I shoot him a dirty little glare.

Chapter 43

“Don’t be jealous, dumb jock track.” I throw back at him, and he just grins.

“All tracks are equally good,” Rafe cuts in smoothly, always diplomatic.

Luca, to my chagrin, doesn’t say a word. I sigh a little, looking down at my plate as I push around my

eggs, because I’d much rather he was his old self. This quiet, moody Luca – it makes me anxious.

“What’s up with you today?” Jesse asks, nudging Luca with his elbow. “Didn’t sleep?”

“Nope,” Luca says, terse, flicking his eyes up to me. “Weird dreams again.”

Jesse’s mouth bursts into a scandalized smile as he slowly shifts his gaze to me, but I quickly dart my

eyes back to my plate, inwardly stringing together a fluid and vehement line of curses.

“Really,” Jesse says, digging in. “And what was so troubling about it?” he asks, and I can tell that he’s

almost vibrating with eagerness now, just dying for more material to tease me with later.

I lift my eyes to glare at my cousin, wishing I could shoot death rays from my pupils to knock him dead

in his chair.

“What was so troubling,” Luca says, his voice low and dangerous, “was that I knew so little about my

friends. For instance, I shared with you all what my favorite desert was last night –”

I go rigid despite my earlier determination to keep cool.

“Your nan’s coffee cake was delicious,” Jesse chimes in, turning his head to Luca, fascinated as to

where this is going.

“But,” Luca says, his eyes still trained on me, “I have no idea what any of your favorite deserts are.”

“What?” Rafe asks, turning to Luca, confused: “Why does that bother you?”

“Just humor me,” Luca says, his voice oddly angry for someone who is pretending to so casually talk

about desert. “Let’s just…all go around. Say our favorite deserts. Ben?” he says, and I jump a little

when he snaps his gaze to Ben next to me.

Ben glances at me, picking up on the weird vibe. “Um, I like…chocolate cake?”

“Amazing,” Luca says, dry. And then he turns to Jesse, clearly keeping me for last.

As Jesse reports that his favorite is bread pudding, and Rafe that he just likes chocolate chip cookies, I

renew my determination to stick to the plan I made last night. When Luca gets to me? I have to lie.

Let him think that the dream state was a figment of his imagination – I’m never going to meet him there

again. The plan I came up with last night to convince him that it was real? That was foolish – it is so, so

much simpler to just…..never go there again.

“And you, Ari?” Luca asks, and Jesse turns to him a bit with a frown, because in public Luca never calls

me by what he thinks is my name – he always calls me Shrimp.

“What is going on here?” Rafe asks, quietly looking between us.

I sigh. “I like chocolate cake too, Luca,” I say casually, taking Ben’s desert when I can’t think of my own.

I watch him carefully and, after a long moment, see his shoulders slump. Though the expression on his

face is it relief? Or disappointment? Or….

—

I peer at him, trying to figure it out, but suddenly

–

“Don’t lie, Ari,” Jesse says, laughing and shaking his head and reaching for another piece of toast from

the bread basket. “Everyone knows that you don’t actually like chocolate cake.”

Luca’s head whips to Jesse, his eyes going wide.

“Jes-” I start to stay, but he’s still going.

“No, your favorite,” he says, taking a bite of his toast and talking with his mouth full, “is strawberry ice

cream, with whipped cream, and so many sprinkles on top that it’s kind of disgusting.”

He laughs, shaking his head at the memory of twenty–some birthdays when I wouldn’t even touch the

cake – only wanting scoop after scoop of strawberry ice

cream

My faces goes pale as I turn my eyes back to Luca.

Who is staring at me in complete shock, his jaw hanging almost to the floor.

The table is silent for a long moment.

Jesse figures it out first, his head swiveling between us, delight on his face as he realizes that he just

caused some kind of drama that he’s going to get to hear all about later.

Rafe is next.

“Seriously,” he says, leaning forward with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth, “what the hell is going on

here?”

“Nothing!” Ben says next, realizing that the tension is between me and Luca, and proving himself an

absolute gem by leaping to my aid. “Come on, Ari! Let’s go check out the library before class!”

Immediately I accept his offer, jumping to my own feet and almost up–ending my chair, which makes

Jesse cackle with laughter.

“Wait,” Rafe says, frowning at Ben and me, “it isn’t safe

“You have to go to your class an hour early anyway,” Ben says, rolling his eyes a little at Rafe as he

slings an arm around my shoulders. “I’ll walk Ari to Chemistry – it will be fine -”

Rafe hesitates but I quickly shout my goodbyes, glancing at Luca who I see is just…

Still absolutely frozen, staring after me, probably processing the shock of his life as he realizes that I

actually was in the dream state with him the night before –

And that I just tried to lie to him about it –

And that he’s confessed to this little Shrimpy boy that he’s attracted to him –

That he tried to kiss that same little Shrimp boy that he insisted was a figment of his subconscious –

but that it was real

And that I know all about it

The hysterical urge to laugh wells up in me, but luckily Ben sweeps me out of the room, speaking

loudly about the history of the castle and the location of the library, covering my complete panic.

As soon as we get out the door I can’t help myself, covering my face with my hands and letting out a

horrible little embarrassed shriek as I press my back against the

wall.

“What the hell is going on!?” Ben laughs, glancing back towards the Hall, “what did you do to Grant!?”

I slip my hands down a little bit so that I peer over my fingers, shaking my head at him. “Ben,” I whisper,

“you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

He bursts into a grin. “After everything I’ve witnessed with you this week, Ari Clark?” He puts a

particular emphasis on my fake name and raises an eyebrow at me. “There’s not much I wouldn’t

believe.” He glances back towards the Hall. “But come on – we should go. They’re getting up.”

“You mean Luca has regained his power of speech?” I ask dryly, ducking back against Ben’s side and

letting him lead me away.

“Yup,” Ben says, still looking backwards. “And he looks mad.”