Rosalina's Hope by D.D. Dass (free novel 24 .txt) 📕

looking away from Bastien who'd woken up.

"N-nothing... I was just going to ask him for help on," I glanced down at our chapter, “the vocabulary words..." It was a palpable lie so I didn't mind when Mrs. Dev. tsked me, facing the board to continue the lesson. After a few embarrassing moments the class faced the board again, giving me the chance to gather my wits.

I played with my hands, aware of their shortness. I had a bad habit of biting my nails that I was trying to stop. The class hour continued slowly as Mrs. Dev lectured until the bell rung. With an appreciative sigh I grabbed my bag, pushing my chair in and trying hard to ignore the man beside me.

"Rosa?" He asked keeping pace with me although I was practically running.

"Hmm?" I kept my eyes straight ahead knowing if I looked over, I’d got lost in those beautiful hazel depths.

"Sit with me at lunch.” It wasn’t a question but rather a demand and I stifled a snort. I’d rather choke than watch him and his girlfriend suck faces. The emotions I felt hit me hard in the chest and for a second I couldn’t speak. Was this . . . Surely I wasn’t jealous? No, it was something deeper? Disappointment?

"Maybe another time,” I lied, “I already have a seat..." It was meant to end the conversation but he continued walking beside me, unease masking the atmosphere around us until I could no longer stand it. I stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring up at him but keeping myself a safe distance apart before I melted into him. Why was he so hot?

"Let me drive you home then.” He sounded unsure as his hazel gaze met mine, pleading and wide. Reminding me of a little boy begging for ice cream and I couldn’t help but soften up.

"I have a ride..." My voice had lost its steel though and by the ear-to-ear grin he wore he knew it to. He ran his hand through his messy locks making my fingers twitch to feel those silky strands in my hands. I clenched my hands in my pockets, shocked at my own reaction to him.

"Please Rosa?” My eyes widened at the silkiness of his voice, “It’s just a ride home." Why was he going through so much trouble to drive me home? Didn't his girlfriend need a ride? Yet he had a point it was just a ride home. Yeah, a ride with a gorgeously irritating man…

"Fine,” I mumbled, “now shoo.” I stumbled away, aware of his eyes boring into my back. I suppressed a little shiver hating how that affected me. How much he affected me.

I met up with Isaac then and we chatted the whole lunch hour about anything and everything. I found it was nice as I was lost in conversation, possibly the longest one in a while.

Thankfully I managed to get through third and fourth block without problems, probably because the French boy didn’t have those classes with me.

My mind wandered to Bastien when I walked into the parking lot. Unsure if I should wait, I shrugged, standing beside Iris who impatiently made her way to the car.

"Come on Rosa! I've got a date in an hour and I need to get ready.” I winced but opened the passenger side anyway. Glancing back one last time before sitting inside, still I didn’t see him so… Exactly when I went to close the door I saw Bastien, his eyes narrowed and I closed the door with a wicked grin.

I knew how arrogant Bastien was by one look and dread coiled in my stomach as I realized all to late that tomorrow I’d pay for this.

Oh well, at least you’ll get to talk to him again my conscious sang. The truthful traitor.

Changes Of a Wolf's Heart (Bastien):

 

The Wolf in me internally howled an Alpha’s howl, demanding submission, obedience.

 

 On the inside, the fury was building, spreading as I watched Rosa disappear from sight, like watching the sexy, disobedient girl slip right from my grasp. The rage my wolf felt for disobedience was void in me, because I didn’t really care about that, I cared that I hadn’t gotten a proper conversation with her. The distant attitude wasn’t one I was used to, at all, so it confused me…but thrilled me all the same. This girl was exciting.

 

 Throughout French, she’d watched me in my mock sleep, but then she could hardly meet my gaze when I tried to speak with her. It was frustrating, misunderstanding a simple human, since I’d always been good at reading people.  That was simple! Or it had been.

 

 Growling low in my throat, I fisted my car keys, heading for my F-Type Jaguar, ignoring those who called me out. Only when the familiar voice, Jason, hollered did I tune into reality, looking over my shoulder to glare in his direction. The younger, dressed in demine jeans and a red v-neck attracted the eyes of practically every girl in the school, but, he never once showed interest longer than meaningless one night stands. It was unusual, since male Lycans, especially Alpha young’s puberties where brutal –hormonal overload. Today, his eyes were sharper as he reached the passenger side, pulling a leather jacket from his back-pack.

 

 “You good man? Look kinda tense over there,” he grinned, slightly pointed teeth on display. I nearly snapped at the question, but held onto the last string of control, entering the car and slamming the door as my muscles tensed, preparing for a shift. My wolf was becoming dominant, his view of Rosa wholly different from mine, she was something to conquer.

 

 Willing the feeling away, I rub my hands down my face viciously.

 

 “Seb, get your wolf under control before you expose us all.” I’m trying I thought back angrily.

 

 My canines elongated, but I gritted my teeth until they retracted back into my gums, then before I thought better of it, I sunk my teeth into my wrist, the pain miniscule as the blood welled from the wound. My wolf hissed, all thoughts of rage replaced with self-preservation. Seconds later, the mark healed, making me sigh in relief, feelings replaced with an easy still.

 

 “What is the matter with you!?” I exhaled the breath I’d been holding in. The girl. The girl is what’s wrong with me.

 

“Nothing,” I snapped. “Why didn’t you take your own car?” Jason eyed me suspiciously, but I stared back blankly. It was my business, and I refused to tell it to anyone unless I wanted to, best friend included. Lycans valued privacy.

 

 “Didn’t feel like going home. Just chilled out in True form,” he shrugged, pulling a freakin’ belt from that bag. As I looked, I saw the clothes stuffed inside, rather than school books. How long did he plan on staying away…?

 

 “Jay, you gatta go home tonight. Your Mathine is probably worried.” Instantly, he whipped around, eyes a furious black. I sighed heavily, realizing the mistake in my words before he started in.

 

 “Don’t you get it at all? I can’t go back to that hell-hole where the Alpha tries to suck the life from my fucking soul. With his proper way to talk, proper way to act, proper way to look, proper person to be smitten with! Or…or my mother who silently agrees without a fucking words objection! Oh, let’s not forget my perfect younger brother who says all the right things and likes all the right people.” He paused, letting out a bitter laugh, but I held silent, knowing he wasn’t finished. “He doesn’t fucking love me you know. He loved who he thinks I will be. And I was stupid enough to think you’d get that…Save me the humiliation Sebastian, become my father’s Beta. You’ll be far better at it than I am.”  With that, he stepped out, stalking away, into the forests, leaving me to my guilt. Fuck.

 

 It took a lot of convincing to let him be, but I knew Jason wouldn’t want my pity or company at this point. It was a well deserved insult. Still, I couldn’t understand what he was going through, I’d created something for myself in France, with blood and sweat and pain as motivation, with only the help from one trustworthy Lycan, a Lycan who’d even abandoned me in the end to a chain of business’ I only had put profit too. I shook the memory away; he was in the past, as gone as my bastard of a father. Having an overbeating, protective father sounded better than not having one at all.

 

 Silently, I drove away from campus, through the forests until I was greeted by an empty manor, again. In my room, I undressed, wincing at the sight of my shoes, in two different brands and names. No wonder. No wonder Rosa wanted nothing to do with me, I was a freakin’ dog.

 

 In bed, I lay staring up at the high-ceiling, trying to ward off the nightmares, even as they took me hostage once more.

 ***

The sun was setting once I slammed awake, panting as I looked down at my chest, the stinging gashes making me curse. As I sat upright, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, catching my breath until, after a few more minutes, I left the room to brush my teeth and shower. At the mirror, I found my jaw covered in a five o’clock shadow. I’d have to shave, I realized, or I’d have a full on beard tomorrow, which was irritating enough.

 

 Once that was done, I pulled loosely hung demin jeans and a black v-neck before shrugging into my leather jacket and making sure to grab matching boots. Then, before I grabbed my keys, I pulled my hair back with a leather strap, so it wouldn’t cover my face.

 

 Rosa thought she could get rid of me so easily, but she was very wrong. I was admittedly an arrogant Lycan, confident that I could get what I wanted. And what I wanted was to talk to Rosalina Payne. One way or another, I would.

 

 Exiting the manor, I was grateful for the distance between pack housing. I didn’t have the patience to deal with another wolf’s prying. Using my memory, I drove the short drive, listening to some artist I couldn’t recalled, finding that I actually enjoyed the song a bit. I could relate to what he was singing, especially when the peculiar verse came up, “You got it bad when you’re out with someone but you keep on thinkin’ bout someone else.”

 

 When I’d first arrived here, Hailey had been the most appealing to look at, absolutely breathtaking; but now, with Rosa around…she looked plain. I smirked, knowing if the featherbrained girl had heard that, she’d try to hurt me, but, I knew she wouldn’t dump me. In fact, I already knew she wanted money, which I gave without hesitation. It wasn’t a big deal for me; I had the money, too much actually.

 

 Two streets away, I parked in a vacant drive, walking