Page 12 of The Alpha’s Chosen Mate

“So I can ask him to call her in under the guise of discussing her grade last semester. Brad, you’re a genius.”

“I shall mark this day on my calendar. The day you admitted I’m more than just a pretty face.”

I can’t help it. I have to laugh a little. But I don’t let him know his joke worked. “Get to class,” I growl through the mindlink.

“Yes, Alpha.” He gives me a mock salute from his station near the school’s entrance, then heads inside.

I wait until the vans from Lupine River leave the loading zone, then I head into the school, mindlinking Mr. Martin. I don’t give him the specifics of why I want him to pull Emily out of her class, but since he’s a member of my pack, he doesn’t question my motives.

I sign in at the front office, telling them I have pack business on campus. Luckily, since most of the staff on campus are werewolves from Crescent Lake, Silver Ridge, or Amber Forest, none of them really question or care what my business there is.

Thank the Goddess no Lupine River pack members work here.

I keep my pace in check as I walk the halls to Mr. Martin’s classroom, even though my lycan urges me to sprint. There’s no need to rush. Mr. Martin won’t call Emily in until I’m in his room, and I don’t need to draw attention to myself.

As soon as I enter his classroom, Mr. Martin picks up his classroom phone to call Emily’s teacher for this period. I tuck myself away in the corner furthest from the door. I cross my arms and plant my feet so I remain out of sight of the hallway and the windows.

It doesn’t take long for Emily to show up. She comes into Mr. Martin’s room still bundled in her winter gear that is way too heavy for a werewolf to be wearing inside a heated building.

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Martin?” Her steps are timid, but she puts on a brave face and a fake half smile as she speaks to him.

But I see through it all. I see how her hair hangs limply around her face. Her gray eyes, which usually sparkle with her personality, have no life or hope left within them. The dark circles beneath them are proof that she’s gotten little rest over her holiday break. Her skin is paler than it should be, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s lost weight.

“Emily.” I take one step towards her—just enough to draw her attention to me—then stop.

My lycan urges me to run to her and hold her. But I don’t know her. Not well enough to initiate an embrace. We’ve become friendly over the months she’s pretended to tutor Brad, but I don’t presume to be someone she’d want or accept a hug from.

Her expression cracks when she sees me. Tears line her eyelids, and her lip trembles. “Harrison…”

The soft, broken noise that follows my name has my lycan howling with sorrow. Emily sprints down the row of desks towards me and throws herself against my chest with a sob. I wrap my arms around her and hold her as tightly as her thick, navy blue puffer jacket lets me.

Even with the fabric’s density, my hands graze against the rippling of her rib cage.

She’s definitely lost weight.

Emily cries into my sweater. I sway her gently, holding her close and letting her release her hurt and anger and frustration without interruption.

I just wish I could do more for her. I wish I’d done more for her.

“What happened?” I ask as her tears slow. “Why didn’t you come to Brewed Awakenings on your birthday?”

She sniffles and lifts her head from my chest, but she doesn’t leave my arms. “I couldn’t. Alpha Justin… he—he found my money and…”

“Did he alpha command you?” I refuse to say that bastard’s name.

“Yes.”

Now that she’s closer, now that her face isn’t buried in my chest, I see how drawn her face is, how the circles under her eyes are so dark they might as well be bruises.

“What was his command?” I growl, unable to keep my anger in check.

Even in her state, even with everything that’s happened, she doesn’t flinch away from my fury.

She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.

“I can only leave the pack to go to school, and I can only leave school to go home to the pack.”

Fuck. Even without throwing her in a cell, he’s made her a prisoner.