Derek sat in silence, lost in his thoughts, replaying what had just happened.

  Did his little witch just speak to his beta over the phone? He couldn’t believe it.

  When had they even exchanged contacts? They all left her place together that day… or did he go back afterward?

  The questions flooded his mind until he felt a dull ache behind his temples—almost a headache. That in itself was strange; their kind rarely experienced those.

  “He must have gone over to her place yesterday. That dork,” Maru cussed.

  Derek exhaled sharply. That made sense.

  He remembered asking Claire, when she’d visited him yesterday, where her twin was. She’d told him Clem had gone to see a friend.

  He had pressed further, hoping to tag along—anything to avoid another minute with a girl who wasn’t his mate—but she’d shrugged and said, “He didn’t tell me.”

  “So he went to see my little witch,” Derek muttered, anger flaring. Shane had even mentioned that Clem got back by seven last night.

  Did he spend the whole day with her? What were they doing?

  His nostrils flared as an unwanted image of his beta kissing Emma flashed across his mind. “No, no… she wouldn’t do that,” he muttered, fists clenching and unclenching.

  “Hey, can you hear us?” a female voice interrupted, snapping him out of his spiral. “We’re inviting you to our housewarming party this Friday night…”

  He looked up to see one of the girls who’d clung to him earlier—the one with a mole beneath her lip—holding out a card. He barely glanced at it. He had only one thing on his mind: finding Emma.

  Swinging his backpack over his shoulder, he strode out of the classroom without another word, ignoring the disappointed pouts and whispers trailing behind him.

  “Hey!”

  “He’s so full of himself.”

  “I don’t blame him. I would be too if I looked like that.”

  “I hope he comes to the party.”

  “He won’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “He didn’t take the card, dummy. He won’t even know the address.”

  “Then I’ll just try again tomorrow.”

  Derek tuned them out completely as he walked down the hall. Human girls could be so desperate.

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  “…Except our mate,” Maru murmured.

  “Yes. Except our mate,” Derek agreed softly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he remembered their first meeting. His little witch had been fire incarnate—feisty, defiant, impossible to ignore.

  If only she had a wolf, he thought wistfully.

  As he turned the corner toward the school’s main courtyard, his steps slowed. There, under the wide shade of a tree, sat Clem and Emma laughing like the world had no teeth.

  His heart clenched at the sight.

  “Perhaps you should tell him she’s your mate.”

  “He wouldn’t believe me,” Derek muttered. “We’re not supposed to recognize our mates until we’re eighteen.”

  “Then tell him the full story,” Maru pressed. “He’s your beta. He’ll keep it secret.”

  Derek thought about it, and for the second time that day, he found himself agreeing with his wolf. Clem deserved to know.

  The truth might keep Clem from doing something stupid—and save his title in the process.

  He was about to walk over when a hand yanked him back. His head snapped around, irritation flashing through him—only to fade into shock.

  “Claire?”

  She smiled brightly, tossing her blonde curls over her shoulder.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, frowning. “Didn’t you say you weren’t starting classes anytime soon?”

  “I came to see you,” she said with a pout. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

  “I… am,” he stammered, caught off guard. “But you said you’d rather train for now.”

  “Yeah, I know.” She shrugged, still smiling. “I changed my mind.”

  Derek cursed inwardly. Perfect. Just perfect.

  If she was telling the truth, that meant she’d be hanging around campus—and he’d have to keep his distance from Emma. He couldn’t risk Claire catching wind of who his mate really was.

  His gaze drifted back to the bench. Emma was still talking to Clem, laughing softly, her hand brushing his.

  What are they even talking about? Shouldn’t she be doing her assignment? He mused, anger prickling under his skin.

  “What’s that dummy human doing with my brother?” Claire asked suddenly, following his line of sight.

  Derek froze, then forced his face blank. “Who?”

  “The human,” Claire said with a sneer. “What’s she doing with Clem?”

  “Oh. Her,” Derek said evenly, pretending disinterest—even as fury coiled in his chest at the sight of Clem holding Emma’s hand.

  “She’s an asshole,” Claire continued, satisfied that he wasn’t defending Emma. “So full of herself. I don’t know what my brother sees in her. Can’t he just wait for his mate? Our birthday’s only two weeks away.”

  “You are—” Derek turned away from the annoying sight, then bit his lip hard, forcing himself to stay calm. He couldn’t defend Emma. Not now.

  “I’m what?” Claire pressed.

  “You’re right,” he said finally, the lie burning on his tongue.

  Claire smirked in triumph.

  “She’s a dunce and a leech,” Derek added, forcing the words out even as something inside him twisted painfully, even as alarm bells went off in his head.

  “So that’s what you think of me?”

  The voice, soft but trembling with hurt, came from behind him.