Vengeance Reborn

Chapter 12 ~ Michael McGarland

Michael’s POV

Someone is snoring.

Loudly.

I c***k one eye open and glare at the ceiling before turning toward the noise. Ingrid is sprawled across my bed, platinum-blonde hair covering half her face as another awful snore escapes her.

Beautiful woman.

Terrible sleeper.

“Ingrid.”

Nothing.

I shove her shoulder.

She rolls away. “Go away.”

“My bed.”

“Don't care.”

Of course she doesn't. I glance at the clock. We're already cutting it close. Not that I care about class.

My father does.

Apparently, Michael McGarland repeatedly skipping university reflects badly on the entire Golden Elite Pack. Personally, I think having enough money to never need a degree should excuse me from sitting through lectures I couldn't care less about.

Dad disagrees.

I throw off the covers. “Get up.”

“No.”

I grin. Fine.

A few minutes later, Ingrid is fully awake after I drag her into the shower with me. Our shower takes longer than necessary, but by the time we emerge, she's flushed, glaring, and complaining that I've ruined her hair.

“You'll survive.”

“You're an asshole.”

“You knew that before you got into my bed.”

Her glare follows me while I dress. Ingrid and I aren't mates. We're having fun. She gets Michael McGarland on her arm, and I get a gorgeous woman in my bed whenever I'm bored. Fair trade.

At least until my mate finally appears.

And whoever the Goddess chose for me had better be worth the wait. I need more than beauty.

I need power.

Being the second son of former Alpha Willis McGarland is a special kind of bullshit. I'm strong, wealthy, connected, and charming enough to talk myself into almost anything. But none of that changes one inconvenient fact.

Finn was born first.

My older brother inherited Golden Elite.

Alpha Finn McGarland.

Responsible, disciplined, honorable.

The f*****g golden child.

Council law favors the firstborn qualified heir. Finn was healthy, powerful, properly trained, and annoyingly competent, so there was never a legitimate reason to overlook him.

Doesn't mean I have to like it.

I should be Alpha.

Maybe not of Golden Elite.

But somewhere.

That's why my mate matters.

Give me an Alpha daughter. An heiress. Someone whose position places me beside her at the head of a powerful territory.

My own pack, warriors, authority.

Money gets me women, charm gets me loyalty for a while, and fear gets me obedience.

But real power?

That requires a title and people willing to stand behind it.

I intend to have both.

---

Breakfast is waiting downstairs. Dad sits at the head of the table out of habit, despite Finn being Alpha now. Mom sits beside him while Finn reads something on his tablet between bites. Ingrid enters hooked around my arm.

Dad looks at the clock.

Then at me.

Here we go.

“Morning.”

“You're late.”

“Good morning to you too.”

Mom sighs. “Michael.”

I sit. Finn barely looks up. That irritates me more than if he'd insulted me.

“Busy Alpha morning?” I ask.

“Yes.”

One word.

Asshole.

I pour coffee. “You know, conversation is generally considered polite.”

Finn finally glances up. “You're going to class today?”

“I preferred you silent.”

Mom hides a smile behind her cup. Dad doesn't. “You are going.”

“I heard you the first six times.”

“And yet you've missed more classes than you've attended.”

“Maybe university isn't stimulating enough.”

Finn snorts.

I look at him. “Something funny?”

“You slept through an entire lecture last week.”

“I was unstimulated.”

“You were hungover.”

“Allegedly.”

Dad sets his fork down.

Everyone quiets.

“Michael, your behavior reflects on this family and on Golden Elite. You are the former Alpha's son and the current Alpha's brother. People watch what you do.”

“Sounds like their problem.”

“Make it yours.”

His voice hardens. I could argue.

I've learned there are battles worth fighting and battles that only result in Willis McGarland turning into the stubborn bastard who raised us.

“I'll go.”

“You'll stay.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

Ingrid brushes her foot against my leg beneath the table.

I glance at her smile. Maybe university won't be completely useless.

---

We arrive late.

Obviously.

Ingrid checks herself in the mirror before finally climbing out. Her long platinum-blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail, heavy makeup sharpens her features, and bold red lipstick emphasizes her pout. A tight green tube dress hugs her body while black stilettos click across the pavement.

Students look. I smile.

There are advantages to reputation. She loops her arm through mine.

Then stops. Her attention locks onto some guy heading toward the entrance.

“Who?”

“No one.”

That means someone.

“What did he do?”

“He embarrassed me.”

“How?”

“He rejected me.”

I wait. “And?”

Her eyes narrow. “He acted like he was too good for me.”

Something tells me that's not exactly what happened. I don't care enough to investigate.

Ingrid presses closer to me and starts forward. The guy notices her and immediately looks uncomfortable. Then Ingrid deliberately shifts into his path. Their shoulders collide. She stumbles dramatically against me.

“What the hell!”

The guy freezes. “You walked into me.”

Ingrid gasps. “I did not!”

I step forward. “You calling her a liar?”

His gaze lands on me. Recognition flashes.

Good.

“No. I'm saying she bumped into me.”

“That sounds like calling her a liar.”

He tries to walk away. I shove him. He stumbles, then pushes me back.

Wrong move. My fist connects with his jaw.

People start gathering. The guy swings wildly. I dodge and hit him again. Seconds later, he's on the ground. I place my shoe over his hand. He grimaces.

“Apologize.”

“For what?”

I press harder.

Ingrid folds her arms beneath her breasts, looking satisfied.

“For disrespecting my girlfriend.”

“I didn't do anything!”

I laugh. “Wrong answer.”

I lift my foot. One hard stomp ought to fix his attitude—

Power explodes across the courtyard.

I freeze.

What the f**k?

The air turns heavy around me. Not normal Alpha authority.

Something else.

Ancient. Powerful.

My wolf snaps to attention. My head jerks up.

And I see her.

Golden-hazel eyes.

For a second, nothing else matters.

Coco-brown skin, auburn curls threaded with blue.

Beautiful.

But beauty isn't what makes me forget the guy lying beneath me.

It's the way she's staring at me.

Her golden-hazel eyes begin glowing brilliant blue.

Power rolls from her body.

Windows rattle. Students retreat.

Even my wolf hesitates.

Who is she?

I have no f*****g idea.

The girl's face twists with hatred so intense that I almost take a step backward.

She's looking at me like she knows me.

Like I've hurt her.

Like she wants me dead.

Have we met?

Impossible.

I'd remember her.

Her lips part.

Fangs descend.

What the hell is she?

Wolf?

Vampire?

Something else?

I inhale, trying to catch her scent.

Then silver flashes beside her.

A man with silver hair catches her.

Vampire.

Before I can process anything, they're gone.

Literally.

One second she's there.

The next there's only disturbed grass and confused students.

“What the f**k?”

I breathe in again.

Grass.

Dirt.

Perfume.

Sweat.

And vampire.

My mouth twists.

I've never liked them.

Dead things pretending they're equal to everyone else.

But even that irritation can't pull my attention away from where the girl disappeared.

Her eyes.

That power.

That hatred.

Something about her feels important.

And I want to know why.

“Michael.”

Ingrid sounds strange.

I ignore her.

Movement nearby catches my attention.

Another girl.

Brown skin.

Long blonde braids.

Warm brown eyes.

She's holding the golden-eyed girl's bag.

So they know each other.

Interesting.

She's beautiful too.

Actually...

I glance briefly at Ingrid.

Then back at the blonde.

Prettier.

Less artificial.

Maybe university has finally found something worth my time.

She's on the phone, speaking quietly while repeatedly glancing toward the forest where the other two disappeared.

Definitely knows something.

Maybe she'd tell me.

And if conversation went well afterward, I could think of several ways to make the day more entertaining.

I remove my foot from the guy's hand.

“Lucky day.”

He scrambles away.

I don't care.

The blonde lowers her phone.

Perfect.

I start toward her.

“Ingrid, stay here.”

Her fingers suddenly clamp around my arm.

Hard.

I look down.

“What?”

She's gone pale.

Not angry.

Afraid.

I follow her stare.

A vehicle stops near the entrance.

The driver's door opens.

A tall, broad man steps out.

Carmel-brown skin.

Long black hair pulled into a low ponytail.

Golden eyes.

Authority rolls from him even across the distance.

The passenger door opens.

A woman emerges beside him.

Coco-brown skin.

Long auburn curls.

Ocean-blue eyes.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Dangerous.

Conversations around us begin dying.

I recognize them immediately.

Everyone connected to supernatural leadership knows who they are.

Alpha Sebastian Knight.

Luna Sophia Knight.

Leaders of the Silver Lunar Pack.

Ingrid's nails dig harder into my arm.

“Ow. What is wrong with you?”

She doesn't answer.

Sebastian scans the courtyard.

The injured student.

The crowd.

The blonde.

Then me.

His expression changes instantly.

No diplomatic smile.

No polite acknowledgment.

Only cold.

My wolf goes still.

Sophia looks at me next.

Her reaction is different.

For a second, something painful moves through her ocean-blue eyes.

She looks at me like she knows something I don't.

Like she's already watched something terrible happen because of me.

What the f**k?

I've never met these people.

At least I don't think I have.

Sebastian starts toward me.

Slowly.

Sophia remains beside him.

Students instinctively move out of their path.

I straighten.

Ingrid goes rigid against my arm.

Suddenly, I don't care about class.

Or the guy I beat down.

Or even the blonde I'd planned to approach.

Because Alpha Sebastian Knight isn't walking toward me for a friendly conversation.

And somehow, I know this has everything to do with the golden-hazel-eyed woman who disappeared into the forest after looking at me like I was the devil himself.