Free Web NovelChapter 16: Chapter 16: Black Card
"You have ten minutes more..." The Pack History teacher’s voice echoes from the front of the classroom.
Nyra sits with her head low, scribbling furiously.
People would expect the words ’defective, cast away, and brilliant nerd’ to go together in one sentence.
But unfortunately, she’s not some secretly brilliant genius.
She’s really just a pretty average student who is currently cursing Adrian for her lack of studying last night and this morning.
Eventually, the teacher yells the familiar, dreaded words: "Time’s up!" and starts collecting the test scripts without mercy.
Nyra prays to the Goddess to let her pass just this once before the bell rings, and they all file out for lunch.
She’s halfway towards the general cafeteria when Julian sends her a text.
Julian: Let’s eat in the sit-out instead. I got you the Chinese noodles you said you like. It’s still hot, come quickly.
Nyra instantly feels like her mood has been lifted. No one ever remembers what she likes or even gets things for her, and now she finally has a real friend who likes treating her to meals.
It feels really nice.
She doesn’t need to be told twice before she turns down the opposite hallway and sprints outside.
She sees Julian seated under the sprawling oak tree, where there are a few small tables and chairs arranged neatly underneath.
Speaking of them, Luna Selena had texted several times last night and this morning. She had assured Nyra that she was okay, desperate to just put the entire drama behind her. She really doesn’t need the Luna coming over in the middle of this mess.
Julian waves her over the moment he sees her, smiling brightly like he can’t see the stares from other students wondering why someone like him would choose to be friends with Nyra.
She returns the smile and rushes over to his table, settling beside him.
She’s all teeth when he pushes the pack of steaming hot noodles toward her.
"How did you even get these?! They don’t sell them in the cafeteria!"
He raises his shoulders, brushing a strand of invisible hair off his shoulders. "I have my ways."
"So you sneaked out?" Nyra says plainly, tilting her head.
"No!" He corrects with a mock-stern expression. "I only borrowed some school time to go outside and get this delicious meal for my beautiful friend."
Nyra rolls her eyes at the emotional blackmail.
"Fine, fine, no more questions. Thank you very much." She’s already breaking her chopsticks.
They continue to talk softly about the Pack History test and other campus drama, completely avoiding anything even remotely related to Adrian or Anna.
After a few minutes of calm, the whispers start up again near the main cafeteria hall. Nyra already knows who it is before they even appear.
Since yesterday, her wolf has been able to smell him even from far away--it is infuriating, to say the least.
But more than that, it’s annoying that Adrian would even dare show his face here when there’s a better-furnished cafeteria in the senior building. Especially after what Anna did yesterday.
Maybe the hate really isn’t getting to him--he is the untouchable future Alpha, after all.
She’s the one who always ends up being bullied.
Julian notices and instantly shakes his head. "Stop thinking about him."
"I’m not..." she lies, shoving the chopsticks into the cup of noodles with too much force.
-
Across campus in the general cafeteria, Adrian is also scanning the crowded room, searching for them. He can smell her faintly, but she’s nowhere in sight.
His wolf doesn’t like it one bit.
For the first few minutes of sitting there, he plays pretend. He laughs with John and the other guys who are currently discussing crushing the combat competition coming up soon.
Playing his role perfectly, he presses kisses into Anna’s hair, whispering assurances into her neck--to the entire academy, they seem perfectly okay after everything that happened yesterday.
But for some reason, he just can’t get Nyra off his mind.
His wolf needs to know where she is, who she’s with, and what she’s doing. The need makes his chest burn to the point of madness.
Across from them, the junior Beta he usually sends on errands sends him a cryptic text message.
She’s outside with that same Alpha right now.
His vision blurs with anger as he reads the message, his jaw tightening enough to crack. He doesn’t realize his grip is cracking the phone screen until Anna taps his hand.
"Babe, what’s wrong? You look upset."
Her voice sounds like nails scraping against a board in that moment, and he quickly untangles himself from her.
"I’ll be back in ten minutes. I need to use the restroom."
Then he presses a kiss to her cheek to make it look convincing.
The moment Adrian steps outside, Nyra’s faint scent--roses and honey--hits him with full force, sinking into his blood and igniting the same kind of madness from yesterday.
Since last night, his wolf has been restless, clawing to break free and finish what it started yesterday.
He finds her and Julian sitting under a tree in the middle of the open space. Julian whispers something to her that makes her throw her head back in laughter.
’A laughter that should only belong to me.’
His wolf thinks, rumbling in his chest, clawing to storm over there and rip her away from that Alpha-- to show her and everyone watching exactly who she belongs to.
Before he can take two steps forward, Jason grabs his arm and shakes his head.
"If you do whatever I think you’re about to do, Anna is going to lose it."
Anna. Right. His girlfriend.
Her name is supposed to calm him down, but right now it does absolutely nothing.
Adrian is literally fighting the demons inside him at this point. He takes in deep breaths, but it does nothing to calm the beast inside him.
If he goes over there right now, he will definitely make a scene. "I need you to help me deliver something."
He glances back at the both of them again, feeling his blood boil. "I can’t face her right now." freewebnøvel.coɱ
"It’s probably for the best." Jason nods in understanding and takes the card. "Just wait here. I’ll help you give it to her."
Jason takes the card, feeling Adrian’s gaze burn holes into his back as he walks over with a charming smile.
Julian instantly tenses when he sees him, already entering protective mode, but Nyra shakes her head to calm him down.
"This one is nice to me," she explains.
Julian doesn’t look convinced, but he gives Jason a chance as he reaches them.
"Hi!" He waves at them both, pulling out the black card.
"Adrian asked me to give you this. The Luna sent it."
Neither of them look in Adrian’s direction, even though they know he’s watching.
Nyra stares at the infamous black card.
Anna used to talk about it all the time--how the future Luna gets her own upkeep account once the mating rites are complete.
She stares at it in disbelief, her fingers hovering over the card. Accepting it feels strange, like accepting a title she never asked for.
But the thought of finally owning her own account now... it feels surreal.
"Thank you, Jason."
She finally picks the card up, already excited about changing all her old, ragged clothes.
"I’ll thank the Luna later."
Jason hums in response, the smile on his face completely gone now. He had noticed the faint hickey peeking through the collar when she leaned down to take the card.
He looks like he is about to say something, but swallows it.
Good choice.
Julian definitely notices. He shoots him a warning look as Jason walks away without another word. He is no longer smiling.
Julian quickly changes the subject before things can get awkward.
"You know what? Let’s go shopping today with your new card. I’ll throw a party tonight at my place; you can pick out whatever you need."
"I just got the card, Julian." She tilts her head. "It’s probably just a small amount for upkeep. I can’t splurge like that."
Julian rolls his eyes and grabs the card.
"Honey, this is a black card. It’s definitely not a small amount for upkeep."
Nyra sighs."Okay, whatever you want. I need to shop for school clothes too, anyway."
Julian is delighted. "Don’t worry, I’m going to make you the prettiest tonight. They’re going to be so jealous."
He quickly types on the general academy site.
Pool Party Tonight. 8 PM. Everyone’s invited. Dress to get wet.
Around school, phones begin vibrating one after another, discussing invites and the outfits they would wear.
Julian smiles at the result, taking another bite of his food.
"After I’m done with you tonight, let’s see if anyone will be able to keep their eyes off you."
