Mag-log inThe cold metal of the bookshelf pressed hard against my spine because Ryder had me pinned in the narrow aisle. His thick arms formed a solid barrier on either side of my head, and I had absolutely nowhere to run. The dark scent of pine surrounded me while the heavy air made it difficult to catch my breath.I stared up into his amber eyes, and I felt a brief wave of pure terror wash over my body. He had managed to track me all the way from the crowded student union down into the isolated basement without anyone noticing him. He looked dangerous enough to hurt someone, yet my initial fear quickly morphed into hot, burning anger.I realized exactly how he knew about my brief conversation in the lobby.Evan was standing on that indoor balcony earlier so he could spy on me while I dropped off my employment forms. Ryder sent his best friend to watch my every move, and Evan clearly reported back to him the second I spoke to another guy. The invasion of my privacy was infuriating, so I refuse
Paige pointed her finger at the indoor balcony and asked if I knew the terrifying man in the dark suit. I forced myself to look away from Evan, and I turned my attention back to Paige's worried face so she would not see the genuine fear in my eyes."I do not know him personally," I lied, although my heart beat very fast against my ribs. "I heard he is just a private security guard for some of the wealthy legacy students here on campus, so we should just ignore him."Paige frowned and looked up at the balcony one more time. "He looks very intense, and I do not like the way he was staring at that track guy.""Rich people always hire intense security because they are paranoid," I said to brush off her concern. "Let's go drop off my work forms at the office so we can finally eat that pizza."Paige accepted my explanation without asking any more questions, and we walked down the quiet corridor together. I handed my yellow folder to the administration clerk at the front desk. The clerk proc
I sat at the head of the long glass table inside the main boardroom of Blackwood Global. The room was freezing cold because the air conditioning always ran on the highest setting. I wore a tailored black suit that felt too tight across my broad shoulders, and my silk tie felt like a rope around my neck.Ten senior executives sat around the table, and they discussed the quarterly profit margins for our overseas shipping divisions. They wore expensive clothes and typed notes into their sleek laptop computers. They cared about money and corporate power, so they argued about budget cuts and quarterly projections.I did not care about the shipping divisions today.My inner wolf paced back and forth inside my mind. I hated being separated from Jaslyn, and the physical distance between us made my skin itch. I wanted to leave this massive office building so I could drive straight to the university and check on her. I forced myself to stay in my leather chair because my father expected me to r
I coughed hard, and the hot coffee burned the back of my throat. My eyes watered while I bent forward to catch my breath. The sharp pain in my chest made me dizzy for a brief second, so I placed my hand on my knee to steady myself.Paige dropped her heavy canvas bag onto the grass and quickly stepped closer to me. She patted my back with a firm hand."Are you okay?" Paige asked, and her voice sounded genuinely concerned. "Do you need me to go inside and find you a bottle of water?""I am fine," I gasped. I wiped my watering eyes with the back of my hand and forced myself to stand up straight. "The drink just went down the wrong pipe because I swallowed too fast.""You really scared me for a second," Paige sighed in relief. "I thought I was going to have to perform the Heimlich maneuver on my very first day of college."I offered her a weak smile, although my heart was still racing from her casual comment about the Blackwood family. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.I realized ri
The car ride from the estate to the university was very quiet because Evan did not speak a single word to me. He sat in the driver's seat with a rigid posture, and his large hands gripped the leather steering wheel tight. I sat in the passenger seat and stared out the tinted window. I felt very small inside the massive, dark SUV.Evan was an intimidating man with his broad shoulders and serious face, although he remained polite when he opened the car door for me back at the house.I still did not understand why Ryder sent his best friend to act as my personal chauffeur. Ryder had shoved me away in absolute disgust yesterday afternoon, yet he pulled me into a dark hallway last night to breathe in my scent.Then he ordered Evan to drive me to campus this morning. His behavior made zero sense to me, so I decided to push the thoughts out of my mind. I refused to waste my first day of college worrying about a rich jerk who could not control his temper.Evan slowed the heavy vehicle down as
The sun began to rise over the tall stone walls of the estate, and the early morning light cast long shadows across the courtyard. I stood deep inside the cool darkness of the main garage because I needed to stay out of sight. My hands were shoved deep into the pockets of my dark jeans, and my jaw ached from clenching my teeth all night.I watched the heavy oak doors of the mansion swing open. Jaslyn stepped out onto the front porch. She wore a simple white sweater and carried a heavy backpack over her shoulder since today was her first day of college classes.My inner wolf paced back and forth inside my mind, and the beast tore at my self-control because it hated watching our mate leave the safety of our territory. The instinct to protect her was overwhelming. I wanted to step out of the shadows and pull her back inside the house so I could lock the doors.I forced myself to stay hidden in the dark, although my raw instincts screamed at me to run to her. I knew I had to keep my dista







