Hunter's Alpha (gxg) ✓

17. I Won't

Mikayla is looking at me though this should be obvious. As though her being down here, a gang member, is nothing short of ordinary.

"What are you doing here, Jude?" she whispers.

"Oh, I'm being held here against my will," I whisper back cheerfully, and the blood drains from her face. "Kidding! Kidding."

"Coffee later?" Her eyes dart to Professor Lunetta, who looks like a vulture ready to flay us alive for talking in her class. "Or . . . hot chocolate?"

I'm always down for hot chocolate. "Yes!" Too loud. "Yes, definitely."

After class, instead of narrowing straight to the shop, I hesitate outside the classroom. I saw Mikayla pass by already, caught in conversation, and I know I'll meet her.

But I remember what she said, almost two weeks ago, about Professor Lunetta.

"Professor," I say, as Lunetta finally notices me. Her sharp eyes sweep over me. "I had a question."

"Yes?"

Okay. She's going for the hostile approach. No problem.

"I wanted to do extra credit," I blurt out. "Is there anything you could have me do or . . ."

She raises a single eyebrow, and the ice melts away. "I'll think about it, Miss . . . ?"

"Jude Barrow," I supply.

"Find me after your next class."

"Okay. Okay, I will," I say, backing into the door. I stumble out of the classroom, wondering why I feel so relieved she didn't skin me alive and feed me to a goldfish.

In the corridor, I see the professor of sculpture lingering outside. As though . . . she was waiting for me.

As soon as she sees me, I have another flashback: the easy confidence of her helping me up, asking me my name.

She knows. She remembers. One look, and I can tell.

"Jude," she says, as though she's testing it out. "You're . . . are you alright?"

I don't know how to answer that one. Fine, maybe I was taken here against my will, but it's me who's choosing to stay―at least until the Alpha gives me the chance to prove myself. Because until I get my revenge, I'm going nowhere.

At least I'm finishing my degree in the process.

"Um, yeah," I say. My hands shake a little, and I edge away from her, ready to bolt. Without Gianina here as a safety net . . .

But then she says, "I heard you talking about extra credit with Lunetta."

"Uh, yeah. She seems to hate me, so . . ."

Her brows raise, and her mouth curves into a dazzling grin. For a moment, I consider taking a sculpting class, just to have her as my teacher.

"I have an idea," she says. "Will you help me on my project?"

"Your project . . ." She must be who Gianina was talking about―the ex-Mafia boss who is renovating a floor for her fiancé. Lucky guy.