Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty-Seven

Claire

Kerry stood over Claire as she turned the page in her history book, casting a shadow over the pages. She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. "Do you mind? You're blocking my light."

He stood back and pulled out the chair next to her, glancing around the library as if he may see the lycan. Claire read over her chapter, trying her hardest to block out the eyes over her shoulder.

She felt like she sat underneath a microscope with eyes judging her. She knew that wasn't true. Kerry seemed like a nice guy, but it made Claire feel scrutinized. "You know there are tons of books upstairs," she said in a whisper, keeping her voice down. "I'm sure you could find one that you like?"

Kerry lifted a blond brow and chuckled. "Am I making you nervous? I'm sorry," he said, turning toward the row of computers positioned behind her. "I'll just check my email or something."

Claire bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. He didn't seem like the kind of person to have an email, to be honest; he was a Beta, which meant he was pretty busy in the pack, and him searching through spam for anything important made her want to laugh.

At least it gave her time to herself. She finished her chapter, answered the end-of-chapter questions, and closed her book. Kerry turned to look at her and turned off his computer. "Riveting stuff on the internet," he said sarcastically. "I can't imagine half of it is true."

She lugged her backpack over her shoulder. "It's not, believe me. How long has it been since you checked your email?"

Kerry chuckled. "Years. I went all the way back to 2008 when I was graduating high school, before I was appointed Beta."

"Thought so. You don't seem the email type. Honestly, none of you do. I'm somewhat jealous. I'd love to not worry about technology, to have a greater purpose, ya know?"

Kerry opened the library door for her and gestured her forward. "Well, you don't have to wait long. You're going to be the pack's Luna in a few years, once Axel steps up at Alpha. You'll have tons of responsibilities, and you won't have time to worry about technology very much."

Claire couldn’t imagine being in charge of anyone, especially an entire pack of wolves. She tucked her hair and pointed toward the café positioned in the corner of the library's building.

She opened the glass door and walked into her shift thirty minutes early. "You drink coffee?" she asked.

"Don't need it," he said. "I wouldn't mind one of those sandwiches though."

She walked to the counter and ordered from another barista. She sat down with Kerry and took a sip of her coffee while he unwrapped his sandwich. The coffee shop door opened a few minutes later, and a few sweaty football players walked inside.

Claire realized Axel would be there any minute and felt relieved. She didn't mind Kerry's company, but she was anxious to see Axel, and it scared her a little bit. She'd never dated, but she wasn't sure she needed to feel this much of an attachment to him so quickly.

Or maybe it was because of the mating bond.

"Look who it is," someone said.

Claire casually glanced up at the tall football player standing in front of her, his hair dark from the sweat of practice, so she couldn’t truly tell the color of his hair, but she'd noticed him before. At that table where she tossed tea on Axel's face.

"Can I help you?" she asked quietly, ignoring the looks of the other people in the coffee shop.

His gaze shifted toward Kerry, and then back to Claire. "Normally I would tell your boyfriend that you're sitting here with another guy, but since your little boyfriend is an asshole who has something to do with Cash's disappearance, I won't. However, you are going to tell me what you know about Cash and the party. For some reason, he was looking for you, and then he disappeared."

Claire moved uncomfortably in her chair and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I didn't see him," she said softly. "I was with Axel the entire time—"

"Did he text you that so your stories would line up?" he asked, reaching for her phone on the table.

Kerry snapped forward and slapped his hand away. "Touch her stuff and we're going to have a problem."

The two other guys with him looked ready for a fight, which neither of them needed, because Kerry wasn't a student, and they would most likely force him to leave. They needed his help.

"I haven't spoken to Axel since before practice. I don't know what you're talking about."

He went to grab her phone again, but Kerry stood up quickly and blocked him. "I said, get lost," he said quietly.

Claire couldn’t see his face, but she assumed his eyes changed colors because the guy took a step back.

The coffee shop door opened, and before Claire knew officially who it was, she felt relieved. Axel stepped around the guys and tugged the football player back. "Piss off, Tibbs. I've already told you that we don't know anything about Cash."

Kerry stepped in front of Claire, blocking her view from Tibbs.

"I don't believe you," he said, drawing more attention when he shoved Axel's shoulder. Claire noticed from around Kerry that Tibbs' fingers curled into a fist.

"Touch me again, and I’m going to embarrass you in front of everyone in this room."

The door opened, and seconds later, she heard, "Is everything okay here? Do I need to call campus security?" Sydney asked.

The group of boys broke up, and Axel turned his attention to Claire. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm fine. What was that about?"

Sydney walked over. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything is fine," Claire said. "This guy is just accusing us of knowing where the missing boy is."

She furrowed her brow. "You two?"

Axel nodded. "Supposedly, he went looking for Claire at the party before he went missing, and now the entire football team thinks I hurt him."

"Jeez," she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "If he continues to harass you, I will reach out to the chancellor," she said, eyeing the clock. "It's almost time for you to clock in. Are you ready?"

Claire slurped the rest of her coffee and tossed it into the trashcan. "I am," she said, tying her smock around her waist. "Is it okay if Axel hangs out here so I don't have to walk to the parking lot by myself?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Michael is meeting me later to walk me. I'm filling in for Delia; she called in sick."

Axel sat down where Claire and Kerry had been. "Is that the little girl that stared at me your last shift?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's her."

"I just saw her at the football field in the bleachers," he said.

Sydney frowned. "That's not like her to lie. I'll have to look into it."

She walked toward the counter, and Claire turned to Axel. "Let me know when you get hungry. I'll whip you something up."

Axel nodded and watched her walk toward the register to clock in. Kerry sat back down. "So he thinks you're behind the missing kid?" he asked.

Axel slid his palm down his face. "Yeah, he's gathered some of the other players against me too. Practice should be interesting."

Kerry sat back in his chair. "I haven't come across anyone today with Claire that has smelled or seemed off to me. It's so odd that the scent led us all across campus, and then when I'm here, there is nothing."

"What do you think? It was a decoy?" he asked.

Kerry shrugged. "I don't know what to think right now." He searched his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Your dad needs me. Can you handle it from here?"

Axel nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you back at the house."

Kerry nodded and started toward the door.

"Hey, Kerry," Axel said.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

The rest of Claire's shift went by quickly. They both ate when she took her break, and Axel sucked down a coffee out of the pleasure of the taste rather than necessity.

When Claire clocked out, she tossed her apron underneath the counter and met Axel at the door. She waved bye to Sydney, who met Michael at the other door on the other side of the shop.

Axel interlaced his fingers with Claire's and tugged her close. "Today has been a long day," he said. "Do you have homework?"

She shook her head. "I did it at the library with Kerry. You?"

"Nothing I can't do tomorrow. I'm ready to go to bed, to be honest."

"Ditto."

She noticed him staring at her and felt a blush crawl up her cheeks. "Maybe I can keep you company tonight after my mother goes to bed," he whispered.

She smiled at him. "That'd be nice."

He held her gaze for a few steps before they stepped down from the sidewalk onto the parking lot. She noticed Axel become alert, and he halted, searching the lot for anything out of the ordinary.

Claire's heart rate picked up, the sound of the wind rang through the trees, and she waited for a few moments, seeing Axel dismiss his instinct. "What is it?" she asked.

"Paranoia," he mumbled, walking them toward his truck.

Then it hit again, and this time Claire felt it somehow. The sprinkle of being watched. The feeling of fingers on the back of her neck. She spun around, seeing from across the courtyard, someone watching them.

Claire gasped loudly and covered her mouth.

Cash stood underneath one of the willow trees, staring at them from the distance. She couldn't see anything but the moonlight brightening his face, but he must have noticed something that she couldn’t see.

"Oh my god," he mumbled. "He's a lycan."