THE REJECTED ALPHA

3.WHO GIVES A SH*T?

CHAPTER THREE

IAN’S POV

WHO GIVES A SH*T?

The last day of school isn't doing much to lift my spirits. You'd think that with the demons finally gone from town, things would feel lighter. Safer, maybe. For a while, we all thought we'd finally get a chance to breathe. The werewolves still walk around like we're waiting for the next disaster to strike. Manayah might be gone, but the fear she left behind hasn't disappeared with her. The demoness managed to carve herself so deeply into the packs’ collective nightmares that even now, weeks later, everyone still looks over their shoulder as though she might crawl out of the shadows at any moment.

Nobody trusts peace anymore. Least of all me.

I'm grabbing my math book from my locker when someone slams it shut. I don't even need to look up to know who it is. Amber is leaning against the locker beside mine, blowing a bubble with her gum. When it pops, she barely reacts, simply chewing the gum back into place as she studies me with that confident little smile.

“You're coming to my birthday party.”

I stare at her.

“I don’t think so, Amber,”

She rolls her eyes. “And I’m telling you that you're coming.”

“I don't think you've noticed, but I'm not exactly welcomed anywhere these days.”

“And someone told you I give a s**t?”

A laugh escapes me. There is something almost refreshing about Amber's complete disregard for everyone else's opinion. That has always been er strong suit. Now that I think about, I have never seen her scared of anything. She could stare death right in the face and just flick her ponytail, while striding away in full confidence. She pushes away from the locker and adjusts her bag which I’m certain is some limited designer one.

“Starts at seven tomorrow,” she says, then pauses. “Unofficially, ten. Don't be late.”

“Why invite me at seven if I'm not supposed to show up until three hours later?”

“Because you're going to show up at seven anyway, Mr. Punctual,”

“I might surprise you.” I try even though I know clearly that won’t be the case. She is right. Amber is always right.

“You won't.”

She flashes me a smug smile before walking away, her usual entourage falling into step behind her. I shake my head and shove my math book into my bag. Then I turn, ready to head to class. That's when I feel her. My wolf reacts before I can stop him, the familiar prickling sensation spreading across my skin as her scent slips through the hallway and straight into my senses.

Faith.

Don't turn around.

I keep walking, but her voice reaches me before I make it three steps, “Ian.”

I stop and glance over my shoulder. She's standing a few feet away, smiling at me. After everything she's been through, I'm surprised by how effortlessly she seems to carry herself. Maybe that's what makes seeing her harder than it should be.

I glance behind her, “Where's your boyfriend?”

Her smile falters for barely a second, “Lucian is talking to some of his basketball teammates.”

She shrugs and falls into step beside me as we head toward class.

“How have you been?”

The question catches me off guard. There are a dozen honest answers I could give her, but none of them belong in this hallway. So I settle for the easiest one.

“Good.”

She studies me like she knows I'm lying. Maybe she does. But she doesn't push.

“That's good. “We reach the turn toward her classroom, and she gives me another small smile, “Well, catch you later.”

Then she jogs off to join Leon. I watch her disappear into the crowd before forcing myself toward my own class. My wolf stirs beneath my skin, but I ignore him.

She has Lucian and she will always choose him.

Whatever the Moon Goddess intended when she made Faith my mate, it doesn't change the one fact that matters: she's with someone else. And there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. Of all the cruel jokes fate could have played on me, this one might be the worst. It gave me the right girl at exactly the wrong time.