A slow grin stretches across my face. “Alright. I’ll try and remember that.”
“Be sure that you do.”
I demolish my food. Shapeshifter metabolism has me burning through fuel faster than I can replace it and within minutes Des, Jordy, and I have all cleared our plates, but I notice Isa has barely touched hers. Maybe half a chicken strip and a few fries. She catches me staring and looks away.
“I thought you were hungry?”
She shrugs. “Yeah. It’s not really sitting right with me.”
That doesn’t sound right and it sure as hell doesn’t smell right. I can scent the lie on her without even trying. I haven’t known Isa long, but she looks thinner than she did when she first arrived at Hellbound High, but I brush it off. I’m not her mom and I’m not her Alpha. She can take care of herself, though even as I think that, my wolf rakes his claws beneath my flesh, angry that we’re not making sure she’s fed.
“So, Isa, you coming to the Hellbound football game this weekend?” Jordy asks.
She perks up in her seat and when Penny returns to clear our plates, Isa passes her unfinished food to her with little concern. I frown but don’t comment. The girl needs to eat, but maybe she’ll grab a bite when she gets home? She might be one of those girls who doesn’t like to eat in front of people. Usually shifters don’t care about things like that but, I don’t know, maybe she’s different.
“I wasn’t planning on it…” she begins.
“You have to come. If you’re one of us, then you gotta represent. No excuses. The game is Friday night at seven. Plan on being there.”
She worries her bottom lips then freezes when my thumb pulls down on her abused lip, my eyes meeting hers. “Come to the game.”
“Is that an order?” she quips.
I run my tongue along my teeth. “If it is?”
She shrugs, tearing her napkin into small little squares. “I might have other plans.”
I growl and pull her against me. I don’t know why it’s suddenly important that she be there, but it is. “You don’t have any other plans. You’re coming. End of discussion.” She doesn’t say anything else, but I catch the small smile playing on her lips and triumph floods through me. She’ll be there.
21
Isa
Islip into English class with seconds to spare when an unfamiliar face pauses beside my desk. “Um… you’re Isabella, right?” a girl asks.
“Isa,” I correct her while nodding and she slides into the seat beside me. I instantly know she’s a shifter. A feline of some sort.
“I’m Meiying.”
I frown. Something about her feels familiar but I can’t quite place it. “Uh, okay.”
The bell rings and the last of the students claim their seats, but there’s no sign of Mrs. Brookes anywhere, and as soon as the rest of the class realizes she’s MIA, they all begin talking, visiting their friends’ desks, and tossing crumpled paper balls around in a game of catch.
My gaze wanders over the heads in the room and I meet Rafael’s stare. I swear it burns right through me. Heat flashes through my chest with each passing second and my heart rate picks up before Meiying draws my attention back with a small wave of her hand. “So, yeah. Hi.”
I raise both brows. “Hi.”
“I know we haven’t talked before. I kept meaning to introduce myself but you seemed a little standoffish and”—her eyes dart around the classroom—“well, anyway. I was just wondering if you had a thing for Zheng Liu?”
I scowl at her. Was she for real right now? “Why? Doyouhave a thing for Zheng Liu?” I don’t need to turn to know that Rafael’s stare is still boring into me, but I decide to ignore it, giving Meiying my full attention.
She chokes on a laugh, her black curls bouncing around her heart-shaped face as she claps her hand over her mouth. “What? No! He’s my brother.”
“Your brother?” I take a breath. She doesn’t smell like him. There are some similarities sure, but like they come from the same Clan. They’re both cats. Not in the way blood siblings would smell.
She laughs. “Yeah, sorry. I probably should have led with that. I kind of assumed you knew.”
I’m shaking my head. “No. I didn’t. He never mentioned he had a little sister and you’re not …” I trail off not wanting to offend her.
