Chapter 2

<What does he want from me?!!!>

ADRIAN 

The cafeteria smelled of coffee and super greasy foods. 

The smell made me feel nauseous, but I grabbed a tray anyway. I picked some bacon, eggs and toast, because not eating made my wolf super cranky.

“Hey, I saved you a seat.” Eli called me over to a corner table.

I was walking there when Eli placed his laptop on the table. He always had his laptop with him.

“Morning, Alpha Heir,” he teased as I took a seat.

“Shut up,man. It's not funny anymore.” I huffed as I sat down.

He laughed loudly. “Relax, Kane. You’ve been wound tight since yesterday. What happened? Lucas, look at you funny again?”

“I don’t get why he’s here, Eli. The Rayne heir doesn’t just… show up at a rival pack’s college for fun. He’s planning something.” I said and shoved eggs into my mouth.

Eli arched a brow. “Or he’s just here for an education like everyone else.”

I snorted. “Right. Lucas Rayne in an ethics class. That’s very believable.”

Eli was smiling but the smile quickly faded as he looked behind me. “Speaking of…”

Lucas.

“Good morning.” Lucas said in a singsong voice as he slid into the empty seat next to me like he belonged there.

I stiffened. “What do you want?”

“I came here to have breakfast just like every other person in this place.” He shrugged and took a piece of bacon from my plate.

“I dare you to bring your hand around my plate again and see if your wrist doesn't end up broken,” I growled.

“Relax, Nightfang. I’m just being friendly.” He laughed and leaned back in his chair.

“Friendly? That’s rich coming from someone whose pack tried to ambush mine last year.”

 “That was business. This…” He gestured vaguely at the cafeteria. “This is college. Different rules.” He looked at me with amusement.

I turned to face him fully. “You think showing up here is some kind of power move? Because it’s not working.”

His smirk widened. “Whatever you say, nightfang.”

I was about to say something else when Eli cleared his throat, drawing both our attention back to him.

“Some of us are trying to eat in peace here.” He said with a frown.

Lucas kept his attention glued onto me as he glared into my soul.

“Tell me the truth Adrian. Are you sure you hate me or do you just hate the fact that you can't beat me?”

My wolf bristled, pushing against my control. He had made it mad.“Careful, Rayne.”

He leaned in, voice dropping low. “Or what? You’ll fight me here? On neutral ground? Not very Alpha-like.”

I badly wanted to punch that smirk off his face, but I couldn't do that on school grounds and he knew it, which was why he kept trying to rile me up.

And I'm not going to lie, it fucking hurt to not be able to hit him. Instead, I took a deep breath and picked up my tray.

“I warned you before, Lucas. Stay out of my way,” I growled and walked off.

I couldn't focus anymore, so I decided to skip my next class and head straight for the woods behind the campus.

The trees here weren't as thick or closely grown as the ones back at home, but they were good enough to help me clear my head.

I took off my clothes, folded them neatly and placed them behind a tree and then shifted.

My bones cracked, muscles stretched and fur quickly grew over my skin. 

When I had first shifted as a twelve year old kid, it was the most painful thing and it was very difficult to keep my human form, but it slowly got easier, and now it's basically second nature to me.

My wolf roared as he emerged, and for the first time today, I felt like I could breathe.

We ran.

The forest blurred around me as I pushed myself to run faster, the wind whipping through my fur. 

My wolf’s voice echoed in the back of my mind. He’s baiting you.

“I know,” I growled, voice rough in this form.

Then why does it bother you so much?

“Because he’s Lucas.” I growled.

But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the full truth.

It wasn’t just pack rivalry or hatred. It ran deeper than that. There was something else in the way he looked at me. Something that made my heart race and my wolf restless.

I slowed to a stop close to a small field, panting heavily.

He smells like us, my wolf murmured suddenly.

I froze. “What?”

Not just enemy pack. There’s… more. Something that feels like… home.

“No,” I said sharply. “Don’t even start.”

You felt it too, he whispered.

I shut him out, shaking my head. There was no way. Lucas Rayne was not ….. I couldn't even say it, but I knew that fate couldn't be that cruel.

I was on my way back to the dorm that evening when I spotted Lucas on the stairwell railing with that stupid smile on his face talking to some girl close.

He looked over and saw me, and it seems like he dismissed her because she left for some reason.

“What do you want now?” I asked, exhausted.

“Nothing. I'm just hanging out.” He leaned back and smiled at me.

I let out a chuckle. “Do you like me, Lucas? Or maybe feel the need to be my friend so that you can fit in here? You can just admit it.”

He looked at me with disbelief before letting out a loud laugh. “Yeah you wish.”

“Okay. Since that's not it, I'm sure you'll want to tell me what it is that you want from me, because at this point, I can swear that you're following me.”

“I was just hanging out here with some new friends of mine that stayed in this dorm. I had no idea that this was where you stayed.”

I was still considering what to say when he spoke again.

“Anyway, I'll be leaving now. See you around, Adrian.” He winked and left.

Why?

Why was he really here?

 And what the fuck did he want from me?