Rebellion

1

** Please be advised this is unedited. My editor will fix all my uh-ohs, but I wanted to put it up as I wrote so you guys can read it before I have to pull it. **

Cole

I slipped out of bed and padded into the main room of our shared dorm room, closing Clementine's door behind me as softly as I could. She needed to sleep. After confronting her rapist last night and admitting that she was my mate, she was exhausted.

My two best friends and betas sat on the couch watching some shit on TV and sipping water bottles. They both turned toward me when I stepped out. I put a finger to my lips and nodded toward the door. We locked it behind us as we went downstairs to the main room. One look at my face and everyone down there scattered.

I was fucking pissed.

No, that wasn't the right word. Enraged. That worked better.

"How is she?" Jackson asked as soon as we sat.

"Not good." I ran a had through my hair. It needed a cut. My mother would nag me to death if she saw it. "She woke up screaming all night. She's exhausted."

"We heard." Leo's green eyes hardened. "I only wish we could have beat Levi to within an inch of his life."

And there was the crux of my frustration. Levi Gamble was the son and heir of the second biggest wolf shifter pack in North and South America. My father ruled over them all, but he had strict rules about attacking the others. If I'd done what I wanted to, it would have meant declaring war against the Silverback clan.

As it was, I might not even have a pack left. Levi would waste no time in letting my pack know I'd claimed a half-breed mutt as my mate. I'd be ostracized from the only family I'd ever known.

But Clem was worth losing everything for.

"Don't worry about shit that ain't happened yet." Jackson gripped my shoulder, knowing all about my fears. "And even if it does, Leo and I got your back. Fuck 'em all if they can't see how special that girl is."

I thought I'd had my life planned out perfectly. Cole Walker, college football star, future teacher and football coach. I'd marry a hot chick down the road and my life would be that easy.

Life was never that easy though. Clementine Mae Townes proved that. That little fluff of nothing that smells like sugar cookies destroyed every ideal I'd ever had as soon as her scent hit me. I tried so fucking hard to deny the mate bond, but it was useless. That girl owns me even if she doesn't realize how significant that is.

And that was why I was so angry I couldn't stand to be in my own skin right now. I couldn't make what happened to her right, couldn't make the fuckers who raped her pay for it. It burned in the pit of my stomach.

"There's got to be something I can do. Letting them get away with what they did to her..." I trailed off, unable to finish the thought. It made me sick.

"We'll figure something out." Leo's hand squeezed my shoulder. "They won't get away with it."

"He's right. We won't let this go," Jackson agreed. "Those fuckers are gonna pay even if we have to hire outsiders to do it."

This is why I loved the guys beside me. They were my family no matter what. My own brothers wouldn't have my back the way Jackson and Leo did.

Jackson's phone buzzed and he ignored it;

"You gonna get that?"

"No."

My spine stiffened at the thunderous look on his face. "Who is it?"