The Alpha Can't Know I'm His

#2 - Roommates

Quinn

I own you. No matter how far you run, I'll get you my little flower, my Queen.

My stomach twisted as I thought about Maddox's last text.

My disgusting, much older, forced husband—was still out there. Hunting me.

It didn't matter that there had been no vows spoken between us. I was his even if I had run.

"A promise is a promise." he had told me in a text. Even if that promise had been made by Crystal.

But he wouldn't find me. Not here.

For the past week, my new number had been blissfully silent, and now that I was hidden at Lycadale—the elite alpha training academy belonging to Stormhowl Pack, the strongest pack in our region—there was no way he'd think to look for me here. No one would expect weak, odd me to actually earn a spot at a place like this. But I had. Because sometimes, wanting—no, needing—something desperately enough made all the difference. And apparently, so did an obsession to solving puzzles in whatever form. My score had been among the highest on the written entrance exam.

"Pull up your socks, Quinn!" Coach's sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"This is not your mama's kitchen, and you are no mama's girl around here!"

I bit back a groan as the guys around us burst out in laughter. Perfect. Just what I needed—more locker-room teasing. Then again, being the smallest among the new entrants already made me a walking joke. But that was fine. As long as they only saw Quinn—not Halo, not the runaway omega, and definitely not Maddox's missing 'bride'—I was safe.

My chest burned as I pushed harder, running uphill through the dense forest surrounding the academy, reminding myself that hiding here and following the rules kept me safe. Sure, disguising myself as a boy wasn't the brightest idea. It worked perfectly, don't get me wrong, but it also meant twice the effort, endless disgusting guy talk, and zero breaks.

At least after this, I'd get a little cozy space in my dorm where I could risk being myself. Which meant nothing more than being able to freely take off the baggy clothes I wore to hide my curves and freeing my ample chest, which I kept tightly wrapped up to avoid suspicion.

"Oops! My bad."

My foot caught on something —someone?—and before I could react, the ground rushed up to meet me.

Dirt. Face. Impact.

Laughter rippled around me, but I barely heard it. Because standing over me, grinning like he owned the world, was none other than Ryker Voss.

I shouldn't have known who he was, being new at the academy, but when his name had filled every excited female chatter in almost every space I'd been, and having his face plastered in almost every hallway at Lycadale, holding some prized trophy, it was impossible not to. Even coach Talon's welcoming speech had began with his name before we were basically told to be like the guy.

Ryker Voss was the god of Lycadale— all muscle, sharp jaw, soul-piercing eyes. A Greek god on legs. And also, a jerk. A fact he'd just solidified a few seconds ago by his actions.

I glared at him, about to curse him all the way to hell, damn being invisible when somebody interrupted me. Thankfully.

"Ooh, who's the latest pet?" A sultry voice purred, followed by the longest legs in the world's shortest skirt. She appeared at Ryker's side, grinning.

"Who cares?" Ryker smirked, not even glancing my way before grabbing her by the waist and crashing his mouth onto hers.

My stomach twisted for a whole different reason. I hated seeing that. I shouldn't have, but I did. And not just because it was disgusting— but because it made my chest ache in a way I did not understand.

What the hell?

"No touching, Voss!" Coach's voice cut through the moment, making them break apart.

"Yes, Coach," Ryker shouted back, his smirk shifting— this time directed at me.

A series of flutters ripped through my stomach, leaving me blinking at my odd reaction. This was so not me. Especially with Ryker's type—the stupid, popular, full of themselves type.

"Why don't I help you up, little mutt?" he offered, stretching out a hand. And like the gullible little girl I could be sometimes, I accepted.

The second my fingers brushed his, sparks shot up the length of my arm, then I was falling. Again.

My butt hit the dirt hard, Ryker chuckling above me. "Sorry, Coach said no touching." And with that, he strutted off, his perfect behind putting on a show all by itself.

Which I—Quinn, the guy— was definitely not supposed to be watching.

"Jerk," I muttered under my breath.

"You got that right. I don't care how awesome everybody thinks he is, the guy is insufferable." A hand came into my view. "I'm Reese by the way, and no, I don't run with the popular crowd." he said, helping me up.

"That's kind of funny because that is exactly what you are doing right now." I gestured at the group up ahead, my gaze barely keeping from finding Ryker.

"Oh, you know what I mean, smarty-pants."

I stretched my hand out again to shake, smiling when Reese did too. "I don't know about being smart, but I'm Quinn."

"Nice to meet you Quinn, and it smarty-pants, not smart. There is a difference—which you should know when it comes to the popular crowd around here."

"How so?" I said, paying extra attention. Because it felt like I was about to get a survival lesson here.

"Be smart, avoid them and you might live. Be a smarty-pants and you'll end up with more than a black eye—and maybe live after."

I cringed. "They are allowed to do that?"

"Nope, but no one will discipline the royalty of Stormhowl Pack and Lycadale. At least not to the degree you'd expect."

"Well, thanks for that," I said, rocking on the balls of my feet. "We should go—"

"Do you want to be friends?!" Reese blurted, startling me. "I'm sorry for coming on too strong, it's just that, God—" he bit his lips, looking anywhere but me.

And I finally really looked at him.

Definitely bigger than me— because, of course he was a guy—but nowhere near alpha male big. So an omega. Just like me. Probably why he picked up on my situation so quickly. I banished that thought as quickly as it came. Because he cared enough to help me when no one could. Not because of our common low wolf status that we held in our packs even though mine had actually been much lower.

"Yes. I could really use a friend." And family, but even I knew that was a dream that was as impossible as hell freezing over. So I settled on a friend, that was actually in front of me and wanted me.

"Is it weird that I'm already hoping we get paired in the same dorm?" Reese suddenly asked and I cringed, because I was really hoping for a single room, no matter how small. Somewhere I could exist as myself... and not Quinn Adler.

"Sorry, weird, too fast, I know," Reese winced.

I felt like a jerk, so I pasted on a smile and bumped him. "Totally not weird. I would love that."

"Really?" Those expressive eyes grew wide, and I was definitely going to hell for lying.

"Really," I smiled. "You are a good guy." At least that wasn't a lie. Somehow I knew we'd be good friends.

But as we jogged uphill again, I prayed—hoped— that the moon goddess would grant me just one more favour.

A room.

A small single room where I could just exist.

I made sure to let her know too in my heart that I was grateful for granting me a spot at Lycadale. Away from the hell I had left behind.

"Ryker Voss and Quinn Adler!" Coach Talon's voice rang through my ears, sending my eyes flying open wide.

"What?!" I squeaked, snapping my head towards the coach. I was going to be roommates with Ryker?

"Oh, hell no." Ryker roared, his voice doing funny things to me. If I had my wolf, I had no doubt I would be baring my neck to him in submission instead wanting to get close and sniffing him.

It had been down to the two of us and I had prayed that him being double alpha royalty, he'd get his own room, then it would just be me, but moon goddess, what the actual hell?

"Just because I tripped mama's girl here, that's the punishment I get? A wimp for a roommate?"

"Hey you aren't exactly my type either." I spat without thinking.

Sexy brows shot up. "What, are you into that kind of—"

"No!" I flailed, horrified at what he was insinuating. "What I mean is, I'm not exactly excited about you either. Yeah, that," I stretched to my full height and folded my arms. It was so not enough, but I simply kept at it and glared.

There was no way in hell I would let him intimidate me. Alpha royalty or not.

He closed the distance between us in a flash, eyes blazing. "I wouldn't dare defy me if I were you little mutt," he whispered so close, a moan threatened to escape from my throat. What in God's name was going on with me? This was so not me.

"Settle down, boys," Coach Talon ordered, but there was no way that was happening. Not after Ryker lit something in me. Something dangerous.