Alpha Ever After: The Series

Thundering footsteps woke me.

I peeked one eye open, the one that wasn't smashed against my soft pillow, and sunlight greeted me from a crack in our curtains. The clock hanging on the far wall read 6 AM.

Who is up this early running in the hallways? Don't they know I need at least 8 hours, or my inner hag comes out?

My roommate, Abigail, swung our door open and halted in the doorjamb.

I could tell she had the tea because she wore that twinkle in her eye. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head, showcasing her flawlessly constructed face. Her sports bra and leggings told me she'd been out for her morning run.

She normally didn't come back with news that caused such a scene.

When she slammed the door, I glared at her. "This better be the best gossip I've ever heard..."

"The hurricane hit Alpha University. All twelve hundred alphas are on their way here."

I sat up, my head spinning from the movement, and searched for my breath.

Alpha University, the university that held every alpha in the southern states, was coming here? To Luna University?

My gaze shifted toward Abigail's big brown eyes. "You're joking? Should I pinch myself because this feels like a fever dream? Grab that trash can. I may puke."

Abigail sat on her bed, grabbed her shoe, and began removing it. "I'm not joking. Some runners were talking about it at the crosswalk. I can't freaking believe this," she mumbled, tossing her shoes and socks wildly at her closet door.

My eye twitched, but I swallowed it down.

This is her room, too, Sweeny.

My ADHD screamed at me to pick them up during her shower.

Abigail braced her elbows against her knees, her brown eyes studying mine as they often did. "I don't know whether to be excited or scared. Alphas, Sweeny? In our university. In our dorm rooms..."

"Wait a minute," I barked, pulling back my covers. "Our dorms? We are packed. How are they going to fit them in here? We have like five empty dorms on the entire campus."

Abigail gave me a knowing look. "Looks like they are going to shove as many as they can in the practice basketball gym."

I watched her smile grow. "What aren't you telling me? Where are the rest going to sleep?"

Abigail's grin broke across her face. "With us. They are shoving one more bed into the middle of each dorm room. Looks like we're getting an alpha roommate."

My heart stopped as Abigail walked toward her closet to grab a change of clothes. She was good with guys, but I was not. If awkward had a face in the dictionary, it would be mine.

Abigail looked over her shoulder at me. "It won't be that bad. I can think of worse things than having an alpha in our room."

"Really?" I asked, standing up to grab my cell phone. "Because I can't."

Abigail laughed while I checked my notifications. Sure enough, I had a new email from the administration. "They'll be here tonight at 7. We have a meeting at the gym then." I groaned and hit the phone against my forehead.

"We may find our mates. I don't know why you're torn up about it," she said, putting T-shirt options against her chest.

A rush of heat settled in my stomach at the thought of finding my mate. Wolves dreamed of the day they found their match since childhood.

At least, I did.

The thought of finding my other half, the person who could and would fulfill me in every way, rushed me with an unimaginable heat.

Shaking the thought away, I grabbed my bathroom caddy and turned to Abigail. Her gaze caught mine in the mirror. "What is it?"

I nibbled on my bottom lip. "Tomorrow is my combat test. I don't need the stress of a new roommate."

Abigail looked over her shoulder. "You're going to be fine, Sween. We'll practice a bit before the alphas arrive. I promise."

The irony of a clumsy werewolf wasn't wasted on me. Wolves were supposed to be stealthy, smooth, and strong. I held none of those characteristics, but sadly, I had to pass my combat class to complete the semester.

"Thank you," I said, walking toward our dorm room door. "I'll run by the café and grab a bubble tea for us after lunch."

Abigail held up two different shirts. "Which one should I wear for the alpha's arrival?"

I smiled. "The red one makes your boobs look bigger."

"Red it is."

The showers were oddly empty of rushing she-wolves. I grabbed the best shower in the far corner and turned on the heat. Slipping from my T-shirt, I ran my fingertips along the crescent moon on my shoulder. Every Luna was born with one.

It was how we knew which university to attend.

Where I wasn't a super strong Luna, I was smart—book smart, at least. I wasn't experienced with men, seeing as I'd lived with all women in this university for the last three years.

Most of the she-wolves went to parties at local bars on weekends.

I rarely joined them. My wolf was quiet. She was happy to wait for our mate. So was I, most days. Some days, I wanted the touch of rough fingertips against my skin.

Untying my dark brown hair, it fell against my back as I stepped into the hot shower.

The water drenched me, waking the morning grog from my bones when I felt it.

A sharp pinch hit the middle of my stomach, making me stumble against the shower wall and flail to catch myself.

With my forearm braced against the tile, I placed my palm against my stomach and stared as water dripped down my face.

This wasn't happening. It wasn't time.

Another cramp rolled deeply in my stomach.

Fear laced its fingers around my throat, and I swallowed the inevitable.

My heat was coming and so were the alphas.

"Move your giant leg before I break it."

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Jason knew good and damn well that he couldn't break my leg if he wanted.

I'd known him since we were kids. His pack neighbored mine; oddly enough, we'd ended up as alphas. Adjusting in the cramped seat of our charter bus to our new home, I groaned.

"God, this is worse than combat boot camp. Are we almost there?" I shouted toward the front of the bus.

Our RA, Shawn, tossed up the middle finger over his shoulder.

I was sure he'd grown tired of that question over the last eleven hours. Seeing our entire university was destroyed in the recent hurricane, it wasn't like any of this was ideal.

We'd also lost a few alphas who didn't make it to safety in time.

Tossing my head back against the headrest, I groaned. My wolf was restless. He wanted off this bus to move and search our new home for the next year. Smiling, I looked over at Jason's stoic face. "Something tells me the drive will be worth it."

He chuckled. "A university full of she-wolves? I could think of worse things. Though I hope I don't get a room in the basketball gym. A nice dorm room between two she-wolves sounds much better."

My wolf pushed around to gain the forefront. He'd been on edge for weeks, but this was different. For the last thirty miles, he'd been on his toes.

Something felt wrong.

Jason shoved his elbow into my ribs making me growl. "Stop it with the elbow before I give you one back."

"Like I'm scared of you," he said, attempting to stretch out his legs.

The Welcome to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, sign passed our window. The swampy town was home to over seven thousand people, the Luna University tucked into the back corner, surrounded by a swamp and alligators.

It was the perfect diversion to keep nosy townspeople away. They knew what the university wanted them to know, which was very little.

The alphas on our charter began to clap and holler at our arrival.

The excitement of my meddlesome wolf shocked me. He was dominant and rarely saw anything that made him do a double-take. The fact that a middle-of-the-semester move had him happy shocked me.

Or it was the potential of meeting our mate.

I watched the swampy bayou as we crossed a small bridge leading toward a gothic iron gate. Two she-wolves pushed it open, which stood taller than our bus. The university reminded me of a medieval castle—not that the setting made it any better.

Our Florida University was built close to a private beach.

Luna University was just depressing.

"Wow, this place really brings the sun out, doesn't it?" I mumbled.

Jason snorted. "Hopefully, the inside isn't as gloomy. What's the suicide rate here?"

Our bus halted to a stop, and Shawn stood at the front. His bleach-blonde hair was pushed back with enough gel to clog any shower drain. He wore his usual uniform, an Alpha University Polo and khakis. He had the typical surfer stereotype down.

It was a stark contrast to me. My hair was ebony black, my eyes green. The sun had kissed my skin over the years, and the combat classes had built me into the machine the wolf world wanted.

Alphas were supposed to be unstoppable. I was. I'd come out on top of each of my classes every semester. I studied because I wanted to be the best.

So, I'd become the best.

"Okay, alphas. We have a meeting with the Lunas in twenty minutes. There, we will find our sleeping arrangements and schedules. This move is going to be hard. We've lost everything. It's going to be an adjustment. Living with she-wolves will be tempting. If I hear of anyone from my dorm harassing or touching a she-wolf who doesn't want it, you'll be expelled. We will conduct ourselves with dignity and show the she-wolves respect..."

My gaze shifted out the window as shadows danced along the trees. She-wolves watched from underneath the nearest cypress branches.

Their whispers echoed in the back of my mind. Jason chuckled lightly beside me, following my line of sight when I felt it.

The ache in my stomach.

It tightened and twisted into a painful knot. My wolf's ability to control me had disappeared over the years. I hadn't lost control since I was a child.

Until now.

My head twisted, allowing my nose to lift into the air and sniff. The scent made my mouth water, and my fingers tightened around the edge of the seat in front of me.

Jason became still, watching me as I fought inwardly with my wolf. "What the hell, Statton," he mumbled.

Pressing my forehead against the back of the seat in front of me, I tightened my fingers until my knuckles turned white.

"Statton," Shawn's voice sliced through my racing thoughts. "It'd be nice if you paid attention."

"I'm listening," I groaned.

But I wasn't. I couldn't. My wolf shoved and fought, clawing at my insides until a loud growl vibrated through my chest. I could subconsciously feel everyone staring but my wolf didn't care.

I stood swiftly, my body humming with adrenaline.

That scent...was it her? Was she in heat? Why was it so damn tasty on my tongue? It felt like water after days in the desert.

Shawn's glare seared the human part of me. Not my wolf. He was determined to get where he needed to go. To see the she-wolf who held this scent.

"Statton..." Shawn's voice drifted.

I took involuntary steps over Jason, down the aisle, and toward a startled Shawn. This was out of character. Yes, I was dominant, but I followed the rules.

My wolf did not. Shawn put his palm up. I slapped it away, slipping between him and the driver. My feet hit the ground, my nose tingling with a scent not far from here.

"Statton!" Shawn yelled.

The other charter buses were arriving. One of them held the dean. My wolf wanted to get to her before he got to us.

My fingers curled into tight fists. A lust-filled craze took over me.

And I ran toward the smell of an ocean breeze calling to me like a siren begging to be ravished amongst the waves.