Rebellion

2

Clementine

Pesky sunlight beats at my eyelids until I groan and roll over. I don't want to wake up. I'm tired, sore, and a headache the size of Texas has descended. Honestly, it feels like I've been on a two day binge and I'm only just now realizing the hangover is so much worse than the joy of getting shit faced drunk.

Only I haven't been drinking. I don't drink. My sister died because of drinking and driving.

Yawning, I stretch and a scent tickles my nose. A scent I know well—Cole.

Opening my eyes wide, I look around, but he's not here and my muscles tense. I need him here, but why? Everything in me is screaming to seek and hunt and find.

Then the memories of last night slam into me.

Levi Gamble.

He was here. Him and his buddies.

They raped me and they'd shown up here last night because of the football game. It was home game so UCLA came here. Shuddering, I push away the memory of their hands on me, their hot breath, and everything else.

I'd sought out Cole, knowing he'd keep me safe, that he'd protect me. Because he's my mate. I'm part wolf. Two things I'm still having a hard time accepting.

If I hadn't had a built in GPS to Cole last night, I might not still believe it. It was like the moment I admitted who he was to me, my whole being centered itself around him and I knew exactly where he was. It's weird, but oddly comforting too.

And right now, that inner sense is telling me something's wrong. That I need to go find him. Maybe Levi came back with his goons and jumped him? Just the thought has me up and running barefoot.

His scent hits my nose the second I open our dorm room door and I follow it downstairs.

And boy do I find him.

A man has him by the throat, suspended in mid air. Oh hell no.

Without thought I launch myself right at the guy and hit him with such force he drops Cole and falls. I roll out of his reach and stand up, right in front of Cole, daring the man to get near what is mine.

A low snarl escapes me when the man stands and his lips curl in disgust.

"Don't," Cole warns as he steps from behind me. "Don't you fucking dare."

"Is she worth what you're losing?"

"Yes."

I glance at Cole and he shakes his head, not willing to discuss it.

"What will he lose?" I ask the man who's glaring at us both.

"His pack." The man dusts his pants off. "Choosing you, a mutt, will force him to lose his pack."

I turn toward Cole. "You never told me that."

"Because it's not as important to me as you are." He cups my cheek and runs his thumb over my lip. "Clementine, you are the only thing that matters. I can rebuild a pack or I can join another one. I don't have to be in my father's pack. I don't want to be anyway. If they can't see how truly special you, then they don't deserve to know you."

"This is your father?" My gaze sweeps back to the man shooting daggers at me with the force of his anger. He doesn't necessarily look like Cole, but there are similarities. They have the same color of eyes, the same nose, the same stubborn streak.

"You'll lose me, your mother, and your brothers. Are you willing to do that?"

"No." I put a hand on Cole's arm to stop his rant. "You don't understand what you're giving up. I know what it means to lose your entire family, what it feels like. I would never ask that of you. The pain is too much, Cole."