Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen

Claire

What was happening?

Claire stared at Axel as he walked from the library door, leaving her inside where she assumed he thought she was safe. That touch … it'd sent fire down to her toes. Nothing about Axel had ever made her feel wanted, or cared for, and he swooped in and changed everything.

Had he even meant to touch her? On reflex, she jumped away from him because on the very few occasions when he touched her before, it didn't feel like that.

Claire found her seat in the library and pulled out her bag. She didn't want to dwell on the past because she had forgiven him, but the memory banged in her head, suffocating her.

***

Claire stared over the book she held in the library, searching to make sure she was alone. The quiet had become her solace over the last year, her safe haven the library because no one came in there during their lunch hour.

She snuggled down into the beanbag in the corner of the small room and curled her legs inward. She'd finished her tuna sandwich fifteen minutes ago, which gave her thirty minutes to fall into the current book she'd picked up a few days before.

Halfway into her chapter, she heard the library door open, and soft giggles filled the air. "Axel, we're going to get caught," someone whispered.

Claire immediately felt dread at the mention of his name. She grabbed her shoes from the floor and scurried behind a bookshelf to her right, hunkering down out of sight.

Axel carried some cheerleader over his shoulder toward the back of the library where Claire hid. She slunk down as low as she could and hid behind a book cart, waiting on them to pass so she could bolt.

Axel's heavy footsteps drew closer, making her heart hammer against her ribcage. His figure passed by her aisle, and she let out a deep breath, but when she got to the end of the aisle, he stood there, staring at her.

How had he even known that she was there? There was no way he noticed her behind the cart. He always sensed her like some kind of animal.

"Look what we have here," he said, the girl with him staring at her with wide eyes.

"Were you watching us?" she asked. "Ew. Get a life, Claire."

Claire held her book tight to her chest. "I was here first," she said softly. "I wasn't watching you. I was trying to leave without … interrupting."

The corner of Axel's mouth tugged into a deep scowl. "I think you're right, Abbie. She was hiding because she wanted to watch us. Is that what you want, Claire? You want to watch us because no one ever touches you like this?"

Claire's cheeks turned a deep red, and she felt her body curl into itself. "I wasn't hiding. I want to leave—"

She went to turn, but Axel stepped in front of her, blocking her exit. "You think I want you watching me?" he whispered, pressing an index finger into her shoulder. "Do you fantasize about me, Claire? You think I'd ever touch you in that way?"

Tears began to gather in the corners of Claire's eyes, and her gaze shifted to Abby standing in the corner, her arms folded across her chest and a smirk on her face. "I want to leave, Axel. Move—"

"Who is in here?" someone asked from the front.

Mrs. Libby, the school's librarian, walked around the corner of the nearest bookshelf and stopped. "What's going on here?" she asked. "Students aren't allowed in the library during lunch. Out. All of you."

She didn't have to tell Claire twice. She raced out of the library, leaving Axel and Abby in the dust.

***

Claire shook her head, coming back to the present, swallowing the memory like acid. She hated reliving anything that happened with Axel. But that memory made her wonder what changed for him?

He once said he'd never touch her, and now, he touched her in a gentle way. A different way than he touched Abby and those other girls. With care.

She sighed and opened her History book. She didn't have time to dwell on it; plus, it only put her in a bad mood, and she'd had a good day for the most part.

Claire studied for a few hours until her eyes began to cross, and she felt herself grow tired. She shut her book and headed toward the coffee shop. She was lucky enough to get Friday afternoon off, and she was thankful because she wanted to see the game.

Regardless of if there was a stray lycan running loose on campus, she wanted to live college to the fullest, and what screamed college experience more than a home football game?

Sydney worked behind the counter when Claire walked in; her black hair was tied back with a green and white ribbon, the university’s colors.

"Hey, girl," Sydney said. "Stopping by for some afternoon energy?" she asked.

"You bet," Claire said, sliding her university card her way. "I want a macchiato. Hot."

"You got it," she said, turning to ready her drink.

"Hey, Sydney?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, hon?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"How long have you worked here?"

"Let's see. I started in ‘05. So, a long time," she chuckled. "I just love the atmosphere and the kids. Why do you ask?"

Claire drummed her fingertips against the counter. "You heard about these attacks going on around campus. Has anything like this ever happened before?"

"No, not at all. They came out of nowhere. They've never happened before," she said, sliding Claire's coffee across the table. "The provost held a meeting with the heads of the departments about it. I believe we're going to have a mandatory meeting soon."

Claire bit the side of her thumbnail, wondering why the attacks had just started. Had a lycan started in the university, or did the lycan just pass through? What were the chances of Axel showing up, being a wolf, and then this lycan coming a week later?

"Don't be worried about it, honey. Just stay with someone, and don't go out at night."

Claire nodded and sipped her coffee. "Oh, I'm not. This is so good. Thank you. Are you sure you don't need any help tonight? I'd hate for you to be alone after it gets dark …"

"Oh no, sweetie—"

"She's not going to be alone."

Claire looked over her shoulder at a tall man standing in the doorway. He was dressed like a professor, but he didn't look older than thirty-five. His dirty blond hair was neatly parted, and his teeth reminded her of a toothpaste commercial.

"Oh, Claire, this is Mark, my … friend. He is head of the Mathematics Department."

Claire raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Mark. I'm glad she won't be alone tonight, especially with all of the attacks on campus."

Claire realized he most likely kept Sydney informed about the attacks and their plans on campus due to his position.

"Absolutely, and you be careful yourself, Ms. Claire."

Claire waved bye and pulled out her phone. She wasn't supposed to leave without Cat, and she didn't want to walk over by herself. She dialed Cat's number and waited on the front steps of the library.

Cat answered with a wild yell that made Claire pull the phone away from her head. "What in the—"

"It's my mating call," Cat cackled.

"Oh my God, I'm not going to the game with you if you're going to do that."

Cat chuckled. "I'm outside of my dorm room. Where are you? Are we going back to your apartment to get ready for the party afterward? I'm so stoked."

Claire started toward her dorm room and scratched her nape. She hadn't expected Cat to ask about the party so soon. She needed more time to get her lie together.

"Well—"

"No backing out," Cat hissed. "I'm not going to this party alone, Claire. You need to get out and have fun. This is your first official party since Axel ruined the last one."

"I want to go, but I promised Axel I would go with him. He … is trying to redeem himself from his behavior in high school, and I want to let him. We can all go together."

Cat huffed. "You shouldn't let this jerk pull you along. Do you trust him enough to be alone with him? He did bully you."

Claire didn't need a reminder; her memory was just fine.

"I think he's changed, and he really is sorry."

Cat rounded the corner of the dorm room and locked eyes with Claire. "Are you sure?" she asked, putting her phone into her over the shoulder bag.

"I'm sure. Plus, we can all go together. You'll beat him up if he gets ballsy. Won't you?"

Cat slung her arm around Claire's shoulder. "I'll beat him in the balls. How about that?"

Claire chuckled. "Sounds good to me."

They drew closer to the football field, and Claire stopped. "No mating calls," she said, pointing her finger at her.

Cat chuckled. "I'll do my best, but if I see a hottie, no promises."