Lost silver falls univer.., p.3
Lost: Silver Falls University, page 3
If I survived this, I promised myself that I would never be cold again.
That was the last thought that crossed my mind before everything went black.
A shiver ran over my skin, reminding me just how cold and scared I’d been, making me feel blessed by the Goddess to even own a pair of shoes and a jacket. I knew avoiding the cold, especially in the start of January in Wisconsin, was impossible, but I would forever be attempting to get as warm as possible, no matter what time of year. It was somewhat ironic, because the wolf that resided inside of me absolutely loved the cold.
After all, I shifted into an arctic wolf. She and I were intrinsically tied, something that I found amazing. Those around me, though? The fenrir wolves who didn’t shift? Not so much. Then again, I couldn’t expect them to understand something that was such an individualistic and beautiful bond.
As I said, when Gerald had first explained to me what the savage bite mark on my neck meant, it had been confusing because I couldn’t tell them when the attack had even happened. Everyone’s best guess was that I’d been attacked and the trauma from the experience had removed my previous memories. It made me wonder if anyone was looking for me out there. If anyone was sad that I’d never come home.
Probably not.
As I had come to accept, they weren’t lying about the attack. I had learned that there were several major species of wolf shifters in the world. Up until that time, I had assumed they meant I had been attacked by a literal wolf. Then I had gone through my first shift and experienced just how different I truly was.
Of course, my wolf had forced the first shift while we were outside in the snow and insisted we play in it for around an hour before Theresa had finally made me come inside. The human side of me had spent hours warming up again, and I still had gone to bed freezing. Not that it mattered to my wolf in the least!
My wolf could be… difficult.
She was also the other half of my soul. It was why when the other kids bullied me for being like I was, I almost felt bad for them. They would never experience what I had. I mean, it didn’t change the fact that their bullying hurt, but there was a small part of me that still felt bad for them. I may have been considered weak in our society, but I wouldn’t have traded strength for the magic inside of me. For my wolf’s calming presence, despite her being pushy.
Plus, I couldn’t blame my wolf type for the reason I’d been bullied. Not completely. It was somewhat inevitable, considering how I looked, that I would stand out, especially around fenrir wolves. Differences made people uncomfortable and mean, and I was very different looking. Colorful, almost, and not just because of the artistic liberties I took with my clothing.
First, I was far smaller than most humans. I was only around 5’2”, and that was while wearing sneakers. I had a smaller, more delicate frame. I was lean with curves and slightly toned legs, arms, and abs, which didn’t match the women I had grown up around. They had all easily been over 5’8’’ and made of toned muscle like the fitness models you saw on packaging for healthy food.
I was actually a fan of how I looked, but I was made fun of a lot, so it was clearly not a shared opinion. I had even been called a ‘runt’ our freshman year of high school, along with everything from ‘soft’ to ‘thick.’ It was something I didn’t understand—I was smaller than them, for sure, but I think they may have been referring to my hips when talking about the other two aspects. I mean, sure, I didn’t have mile-long legs and I had a bit more hips and butt than they did, but I had never viewed it as a bad thing. Luckily, on my few trips to the pack grocery store, I had come across women on magazine covers that had a few more curves like myself. It had been a marginal win, and while I’d been upset I wasn’t allowed to purchase the magazines, it had made me feel better for sure.
It didn’t matter how healthy I ate or if I worked out constantly. Your body type was your body type, and there was nothing wrong with that. I knew that, even if it was hard to remember sometimes. I just happened to be a bit more compact than the other women in my pack.
Secondly, on the more colorful aspect, my mass of wavy hair was bright. Naturally. It was lilac, filled with pale periwinkle, light blue, and lavender that brought eyes to me even during the most inconvenient of times. Hence why I was currently wearing a beanie with my hair tucked underneath, trying my best to be invisible. Some of the girls in my pack had accused me of dying my hair, but I had never even cut my hair, which was why it was down past my butt when I brushed it out fully.
Speaking of which, I was starting to think that I may need a haircut, because most of the women I’d come across had shorter hair, and the braids I’d done my hair in under my beanie, just to keep it hidden, were starting to tug on my scalp uncomfortably. At least if it was short, I could hide it easier.
I was always trying to keep attention off myself, but I had a feeling I was pretty bad at it. None of this had been a problem when I’d been in my room by myself. Maybe I could hide out in my dorm or wherever they were going to have me stay. Before anything, though, I needed to figure how to get to campus in the first place. I frowned, really starting to feel some resentment towards Theresa, Gerald, and Alpha, who had thrown me into this without any direction. Jerks.
Letting out a small yawn, I winced as bright sunlight hit directly off the face of the frozen lake in the distance, hurting my blue eyes. I needed sunglasses. Not that I could afford them, but I very much needed them. Also a coat that was far warmer than this one. Looking down at my outfit and threadbare bright-green jacket that was splattered with paint, I wondered if I could somehow make it warmer. Maybe another sweater underneath? I knew that the person had donated it to our pack’s thrift store because they assumed the paint ruined it. Personally, I thought it added some character.
Maybe I would find someone at Silver Falls that agreed with me. One could hope that I’d find someone in this large world that would celebrate quirkiness. I mean, there had to be someone willing to be friends with me on campus… right?
Goddess, I hoped so, or this was going to be a very lonely experience.
My wolf huffed, rolling her eyes as if I was being ridiculous. It didn’t surprise me. In her opinion, we didn’t need anyone. But what if we wanted someone? What if I wanted a real friend? There was nothing wrong with that, right? Sadness hit my chest as my wolf offered a small whine of concern that I swallowed down. No. I was not going down that rabbit hole of emotions.
I would find friends. I could do this.
Nibbling on my bottom lip, I ran a hand under my beanie and attempted to loosen the braid against my scalp slightly. My headache was getting worse, and there was a tension running through my frame, making me want to lay down. Self-preservation kept my eyes open and my body alert, though, because until we had somewhere to lay our head down tonight, we were not safe.
“Now arriving—Kirkwall.”
Suddenly, I was wishing it had taken longer. I wasn’t ready for this at all. Standing up a bit too fast from the train seat, the plastic-like leather creaking under my butt, I swayed slightly, feeling dizzy. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning, so hopefully campus would have something? Apparently, my scholarship came with ‘room and board,’ so I assumed that would include food? Maybe? I believe that was what the term meant.
I pulled my duffel bag over my shoulder as I stumbled into the aisle, attempting—and failing—to hold it in a way that wouldn’t aggravate my bruised ribs. It was heavy enough that I let out a small grunt as I positioned it behind me, leaning forward slightly as I tried to handle the weight of it. How did other students get all of their stuff to school?
My memory flashed to a movie I had seen about six months ago where the main character’s parents had dropped her off on campus. A family that was nothing like mine sending their child off to a campus that, if I had to guess, was nothing like this one.
Panic filled my chest as I considered the indisputable fact that I knew no one here. I was starting a semester later than other freshmen, and everyone would already have their friends. It was very possible people wouldn’t even notice my arrival, and maybe that was good? I was very torn on how to feel.
As I made my way to the part of the train where the doors were, I winced as the strap of the duffel dug into my shoulder uncomfortably. I may not have a lot, but it sure felt much heavier the longer this day went on. Then again, I had barely gotten an hour of sleep last night, far too anxious and worked up about this morning, so of course it was unsurprising that I felt so fatigued.
“Can I help you with that?”
The question came from a warm, deep voice that echoed from behind me. The relaxed nature of the question and the man’s tone were almost purposefully calm, as if he was worried I would startle. Despite his attempt, I jumped slightly and turned quickly, nearly stumbling under the weight of the bag to see who was close enough behind me that I could hear them.
My head fell back, and I found myself looking up into the face of a very handsome and tall man. Taller than most men I knew, and attractive enough that I could feel my ears heating and my entire body freezing up.
“What?” I asked sincerely, needing him to repeat his question, because wow—I couldn’t focus on anything but his face.
Oh no. I had no idea how to interact with this man. This was going to be awkward for everyone. I wonder if I could apologize in advance.
“I was wondering if I could help you with your bag.” His small smile was understanding and filled with an affection that glinted in his gaze. I swallowed nervously, not knowing how to respond and wondering briefly if he was only acting nice because he wanted something. Gerald did that a lot. I felt my brow dip as he continued to look over my expression, his eyes darkening as if he saw something that upset him.
Was I that transparent? It was possible. I wanted to know what he thought of me. Why did I care? I was curious, though. I felt an electrifying sense of awareness going up my spine, trying to alert me to something. The train swayed to a stop before I could even respond, arriving at the station, and leaving me feeling even more impossibly awkward.
What did I do now? No, seriously—not only was I terrible with social situations, but I felt like my mouth wasn’t working. Words weren’t coming out, and I was staring at this man like a fish, my mouth slightly open as if I had never been around someone of the male species before. To be fair, he was exceptionally handsome and smelled amazing…
The doors dinged open and I blushed, realizing I was still staring at him. I was such a weirdo. The man flashed me a smile, two dimples appearing against his tan skin, as my heart literally stuttered in my chest.
Oh, that was bad. What was that about? Maybe I was having a heart attack. I had been around ‘attractive’ men before… they had piss poor personalities, but physically, they had been pretty.
This guy? Well, I hadn’t realized I had a type until I was standing toe to toe with him and his freakin’ dimples. Which meant I needed to run. Fast. Because hadn’t I just been saying this was the last thing I needed? Also, considering the massive change I was going through? This wasn’t welcome.
His angular, chiseled jaw and stunning face were a warm, light golden tone that was contrasted by a wave of dark, almost navy hair that seemed to highlight just how beautiful he was. Like some type of angel. It also brought to attention how far away his face was from me, making him far over a foot taller than myself. I didn’t know if he was muscular, but he sure seemed like it, and that was with him wearing a vintage-looking jacket with jeans and vans. My eyes flickered to his chest, the shirt tight against his form, and I nearly sighed, confirming my prediction that… he had muscles.
What really caught my eye, though? The faint silver bite mark on his neck. Was he a bitten wolf also? The scent of raw earth filled the space around us as people pushed past to hop off, no one touching me, luckily, because I was positive I would get knocked over.
Still, I couldn’t find it in myself to look away from his golden brown eyes that flashed and swirled with black heat before returning back to normal. Swallowing hard, my pulse jumped, making me feel a bit fuzzy. Something was going on here.
Also, had I really still not said anything yet? Still? Seriously. This wasn’t completely my fault, though. Why did he have to be so handsome?
A chuckle broke our staring contest, and I looked down at his sculpted lips, seeing a flash of a tongue piercing briefly before he lightly pressed a hand to my waist and nodded towards the door.
“I will take that as a compliment, preciosa.”
I blinked before swearing under my breath as I realized I had said that out loud. I turned, stepping down onto the platform, my face blushing bright pink as I considered making a run from my embarrassing slip. The icy wind from the lake slapped against me, but thankfully my body temperature ran a bit higher than the humans who were racing to get inside, making it bearable as I made the stupid decision to stay and talk to the man who no doubt thought I had problems.
“Did I really say that out loud?” I squeaked out.
“Oh yes.” He flashed me a stunning smile before reaching over and removing my bag from my shoulder, instantly making me sigh in relief. I found myself in a bit of a hazy, lust-induced bubble being so close to him that I didn’t even try to stop him from helping me out.
Did he have some type of magic? That would be the only explanation for why I felt so weird. I had never in my life reacted to a man like this.
My wolf blinked her eyes open as she finally registered his proximity and scent. It was very clear she didn’t view him as a threat either, because instead of reacting defensively, she went very still, turning her head in a small tilt. I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt the weird surge going through us, the tightness of the connection, because as if sensing my wolf’s attention, the man literally paused, a weird expression crawling over his face before he shuttered it.
I tightened my hands into fists as a low rumble broke from his throat. I wanted to feel that vibration under my fingers. I wanted to touch him more than I’d ever wanted to touch a man before.
I also found myself glad he was holding my bag, because it had my scent on it, which meant he would smell like me… Oh Goddess, what the actual heck was happening here?
I finally managed to get out some semblance of a coherent question. “You’re a bitten wolf?”
His eyes filled with a bit of understanding as he nodded, seeming to now be the one that couldn’t talk. Instead, he intertwined our fingers, carrying my bag over one shoulder as if it was nothing as he led me towards the stairs that left the platform. I had to jog a bit to keep up with him, feeling like I was on some rollercoaster. I had never felt so exhilarated, confused, and overwhelmed at once.
“Sorry, I’m walking too fast for you.” He frowned, coming to a full stop and looking down at my shoes before making his way up my frame. My body lit up under his gaze. “Goddess, you’re a small thing, aren’t you?”
Insecurity hit me hard. Did he think I was too small? He probably was used to dating women like the ones from my pack. I hated that. I hated the concept of him dating anyone.
Wait, why did I care about him dating?
My lips twisted slightly. “I didn’t exactly ask to be this small.”
His eyes warmed as he squeezed our intertwined fingers. “Don’t worry, preciosa, I think it’s cute.”
Oh. Well… that was a bit better. Did I want him to think I was cute? The men in my pack had always used way more crass terms. I don’t think I’d ever heard a man use the word ‘cute’ or ‘beautiful’ to describe a woman outside of a book.
“My name is Effie, by the way,” I offered as we continued walking, sneaking a look at him as we made our way down the cement staircase. “If you wanted to know.”
It was completely possible he had no interest in knowing my real name, but I literally had no idea what else to say to him. Plus, we were holding hands, so I couldn’t exactly avoid him. I examined our hands briefly, knowing that this wasn’t normal. I mean… I didn’t think it was. Then again, my wolf seemed okay with it, so maybe this was more normal than I realized.
His smile grew, flashing dimples. “I did. I love the name Effie. It suits you.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.”
Alright, this man was authentically very sweet. It was like the Goddess had heard my inner ramblings and decided to prove me wrong. My wolf offered a small worried noise, looking around for his wolf, who we had yet to meet. I could feel him pacing inside of this man, but he wasn’t fully out. Why was he hiding him? Could I ask that without being weird? Probably not.
“My name is Julian,” he explained before we walked back outside on street level, an assortment of taxis and cars pulling to the curb. A rush of excitement hit me as I got my first view of Kirkwall, the snowy streets glinting off the light reflected by Lake Michigan in the distance. A splatter of blue and gray on the horizon had me wishing I could somehow capture the moment. I may not love being cold, but winter landscapes were absolutely stunning. I just preferred to look at them from a window, wrapped in a blanket with a warm mug of coffee or tea.
“Do you have a ride to campus?” Julian’s voice was soft and near my ear, making me realize he was looking down at me with interest, watching my reactions.
“No.” I offered him a slightly shy look. “We can share a taxi. I mean, if you are going there. You don’t have a bag, so I shouldn’t assume.”
His eyes filled with heat that had me letting out a small, almost dreamy sigh as he cupped my jaw, the touch heating my skin. “I would be normally, but I have something to do… unfortunately.” I could see the disappointment in his gaze, which went a long way to make me feel as if he was being honest. “Let me grab you a cab. I am meeting someone in five minutes, but I need to know you got to campus in one piece.”
Why wouldn’t I arrive in one piece?
