Chapter 3

Faythe

“A scholarship? I never applied for that.” Confusion bleeds into my voice as my eyebrows draw together in confusion. I considered filling out the scholarship form last month but the only options left were the potential Luna fund or the low-income fund. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t tick the low-income box. I know we don’t have any money but putting it down on paper for Alpha Hunter to see just makes a ball of black angry disgust roll up inside of me. I ended up throwing the scholarship application in the bin without making a mark on it.

“You applied and you got accepted. Congratulations.” Beta Connor flashes me a wide smile before turning to face the road once more. “Does your mom always drink like that? I could smell the gin coming out of her pores.” Beta Connor sounds disgusted; if I told him that my mother has done nothing but drink herself to death every night for the last six years, would he do something about it? I give myself a small internal shake; I can’t tell him anything; we would be kicked out of the Pack. I might not like my life the way it is right now but I refuse to be a plaything for some feral rogue.

“She’s just worried about me in the dorms; I’m her only pup so she’s a little sad, that's all.” The lie tastes like ash in my mouth but I keep my face blank. I won’t let Beta Connor catch me in a lie; that could mean punishment and I don’t think I can handle that tonight.

“If you say so.” Beta Connor doesn’t sound convinced but he doesn’t call me on my lie. The rest of the drive is done in silence. I watch out of the window as he drives us past my place of work and the cafe where the other pups hang out after classes. I’ve always wanted to join them and try to make friends but everytime I get close to them, they all turn away like I carry some kind of plague. I’m so busy thinking about the last time I tried to approach a group of my classmates that I don’t realise Beta Connor is pulling into the Pack house drive and turning off the SUV.

I’ve not been this far into the Pack yet; I’ve never had a cause to visit the Pack house and Alpha Hunter has never extended an invitation. It's not the kind of place a wolfless Omega shows up at without an order. The house is an incredible mansion-style building with full glass walls that are broken up by jet black and pure white walls; it's a monochrome masterpiece. I know the school is held on the ground floor with an outside training area and that somewhere Alpha Hunter has an office and, I assume, his own living quarters. We were given a house at the bottom of the mountain, which means I’ve never seen the Pack house up close. The entire Pack is built on a mountain and sort of swirls around it like some kind of funky ice cream sitting on a cone. Someone has taken care with the garden; the rose bushes are perfectly trimmed and there isn’t a blade of grass out of place. Alpha Hunter doesn’t have a Luna so this must be the work of the Pack members who work at the Pack house.

“The second floor is for the male students; the third is for the females. you’re room 204.” I turn to look at Beta Connor; he’s holding up a key with a little black keychain; the numbers have been embossed into the surface in gold. “It only has a bed, a set of drawers and a desk in it so if you need anything extra, just let me know.” I know he’s thinking of the tiny backpack he’s just placed in the back of his SUV; there isn’t anything I need to live my life; my clothes are cheap but they cover me and the last thing I need is to plunge myself into debt with the Pack. That's why we had to leave our last Pack; my mother started drinking everything she had. She told me we left because the Pack killed my father but I know it's because she owed Alpha Jacob more than she could ever pay back or it wouldn’t have taken us six years to leave.

"That's very kind, Beta Connor but I have everything I need.” I tell him as I accept the key from him and dive from the SUV before he can say anything else; I look back just intime to see a deep frown on his face but I slam the door closed before really registering it. He’s probably just disgusted that such a pathetic Pack member has to live in the Pack house. I’m just glad no one else is here to witness my humiliating walk of shame towards my Pack-donated room.

“Connor!” The squeal of joy makes my shoulders jump up to my ears as I try to hide myself, so much for no one else witnessing my humiliation.

“Beautiful.” Beta Connor purrs as he steps up beside me and opens his arms wide; a tiny dark-haired female jumps into his waiting arms and is instantly wrapped up in his warm embrace. I quickly lower my eyes to the floor. I didn’t get a good look at her face but only a mate would warrant that kind of greeting. I saw the mark on Beta Connor’s neck, which means this female is likely his fated or chosen mate.

“Is this her?” The female whispers but not softly enough for me not to overhear her. I feel my cheeks blush as I clasp my hands in front of me and start picking at my fingernails; it's a nervous tick I’ve picked up on ever since my father died. I attack myself to stop myself from saying something I shouldn’t because at home that always means a slap to the face or a new bruise somewhere on my body.

“This is the new student, Faythe.” Beta Connor says slowly; it sounds like he’s trying to convey something else to his mate but I have no idea what. "Faythe, this is my fated mate, Alice.” I look up just intime to see Alice pulling back from Beta Connor; she’s got the same kind smile as him; it's the kind of smile that instantly puts you at ease no matter how tormented you feel. She’s got the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen and her dark brown hair flows like silk down her back. She’s tiny in comparison to Beta Connor; she barely reaches his shoulders yet when she presses against him, she fits perfectly like a missing puzzle piece. I wonder if this is what true fated mates look like.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Alice.” I keep my tone as respectful as I can and lower my eyes back to the floor after greeting her, my old Beta didn’t have a mate so I’m not sure what the etiquette is here so I’m just going for respectful and hoping I hit the wolf on the head.

“Come on, you need food; Connor will take your bag to your room.” Before I can say anything, Alice grabs my wrist in her tiny delicate fingers and starts pulling me towards the Pack house. I look back at Beta Connor to see him pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket; his eyes stay on Alice and me while he lights one up. He could have smoked in the SUV but instead he’s waited until we’re both away from him, probably his way of showing respect to his mate so she doesn’t get swarmed with stale smoke when she runs into his arms.