Reba


    Sleeping for only four hours before school is something I don''t need to repeat. I''m tired as hell after my first ss.


    I''m standing in line inside the cafeteria to grab food. Laughter and loud voices fill the air. It adds to my tiredness. Why is everyone so chirpy?


    A yawn leaves my lips as I follow the herd.


    My eyes tiredly scan my surroundings,nding on a table filled with werewolves.


    William is among them. He smiles at me but quickly seems to remember himself and averts his eyes. My heart falters. I told him to stay away from me, yet I want him to keep... Looking at me, I guess?


    I like his attention and the flooding warmth I feel around him. It was fun talking to him on the phone.


    But who knows-maybe William is only ying mind games with me or something over text messages I can''t trust him yet. It''s better if he stays away for now.


    I take a seat by an empty table. Greta will arrive in less than ten minutes, but I''m too hungry to wait.


    My fork digs into my chicken, and I notice a few guys watching me from a distance. They shove forward one of their friends. Heughs and snorts before making it to my table. Huh?


    What is happening?


    People never approach me.


    I lift an eyebrow at the guy and repeatedly blink when he sits by the table without asking. He smells like something that isn''t human, but I haven''t met one like him before.


    He smells like incense and smoke.


    I tilt my head, and he looks up from his food.


    "My name is Chris," the guy says, grinning from his seat. He is good-looking, but there is no attraction felt from my side. No tingles or quick heartbeats. "I''m a dragon-shifter, and... I heard you rejected your mate. Alpha William, right?" I narrow my eyes. "How do you know that?"


    "Every supernatural creature on campus knows about it... You''re Reba Smith, right?"


    I nod.


    His grin widens.


    "Alpha William has warned every supernatural creature on campus not to hurt you. He said you rejected him but would murder anyone if they looked at you the wrong way." What?


    Really?


    William did that?


    When?


    "Oh..." I blush but try to hide that I''m ttered by shoving more chicken into my mouth. "I see..."


    "I don''t understand why he cares so much..." Chris says, more to himself than me. "Because you did reject him, right?"


    "I did."


    "Interesting."


    What does this guy want?


    I eat more chicken. "If you say so..."


    Chris breathes augh. "I''m sorry... I will get to the point: I don''t like alpha William very much."


    I continue eating. "I see..."


    "And it would piss him off if I went out on a date with the only girl in school that doesn''t want him-the mate who rejected him. Alpha William would be so pissed." Slowly, I raise my eyes to his. "I''m not going out with you."


    A smile curls his lips. "Why not?"


    "You''re not my type."


    Heughs as if not quite believing what I told him. "Please. I''m everyone''s type. I y baseball, and every cleat chaser on campus wants to bed me. I''m quite famous." "I''m not a cleat chaser."


    "No, but most girls love athletes, and I''m quite a fine specimen if I may say so myself."


    I rake him up and down.


    Chris is big and muscr. Smooth skin, not a pimple in sight, and cleanly shaven. He looks good, but I feel nothing around him. Not even a sparkle of attraction. Nope. I don''t want him and sigh heavily. "Look, I don''t want to date anyone right now," I stand up from the table, pressing my tray to my chest. "It was nice meeting a dragon, though. I''ve never met one before." "Wait!"


    I move to walk away, but Chris grabs my wrist. It startles me, and the tray falls from my hands.


    One bounce, and the tray flies away. Chicken spills over the floor. Water sshes out of its ss, and I freeze. This day couldn''t get any worse!


    All eyes immediately travel to us. I look around, embarrassed, and blush in bright red at the unwanted attention.


    Chris, however, doesn''t even flinch or care that people are staring at us with wide-blown eyes.


    "Go out with me on a date, Reba. Just one little date be fore you turn me down. I will pay for your food."


    I re down at him. His fingers dig into my arm, and a hopeful smile spreads over his lips.


    Yet I won''t change my mind. A respectful guy wouldn''t be pestering me like this and preventing me from leaving. "No."


    "Why not?"


    "Because I''m not looking to date."


    "We both know that''s bullshit."


    My nostrils re. "It''s not, and besides, you''re way too clingy for me to date, and I don''t even know you."


    "Chris Jackson."


    "That name tells me nothing, and I still won''t go out with you. Now, would you mind releasing me?"


    "Hmm," he hums, oblivious to my difort. The bastard is even smiling at me. "Are you ying hard to get?"


    "No, I just don''t want to go out with you."


    "Seriously?"


    "Will you please let me go?!"


    "Rx, it''s not like I''m hurting-"


    Chris turns pale, and I watch his eyes widen into saucers. His hand releases my arm at the same time that I feel tworge handsnd on top of my shoulders.


    I shudder violently.


    Without looking, I know it''s William standing behind me. No other person has this effect on my body.


    And holy s**t, he is tall!


    My head is inches from backing into the top of his abs. His pecs are higher up than where my eyes can reach, and even without speaking a single word, he has earned Chris''s respect. William is the alpha around here.


    Yet he still opens his mouth. "Do we have a problem here?"


    Chris visibly gulps, staring down at the floor. I can tell therger male frightens him. Chris might be a dragon, but Wiim is an alpha mixed with three different creatures: vampire, werewolf, and demon. I wouldn''t mess with him.


    William is massive, and his presence is enough to make the entire cafeteria tense and quiet.


    "No..." Chris mumbles. "There isn''t a problem."


    "Good," I can hear the smile in William''s voice. "Then we are done here. Enjoy your lunch."


    Before I can look at William, he walks away from me, returning to his table without speaking. Is it because I told him to stay the hell away from me? Probably.


    I take a deep breath before turning around, staring at William.


    He is shoving chicken into his mouth, and I silently admire the thick column of his neck. I lose myself a little, absorbed by his features: ck hair. Skin tanned from the sun. Tattoos hug his massive, bulging biceps as he eats.


    I want to squeeze them, and my heartbeat quickens. William''s fat pecs are visible through the ck fabric, and I can''t peel my eyes off his lips. Kissable. Smooth.


    He is gorgeous.


    Dammit.


    "Earth to, Reba?"


    I shake my head, blinking up at Greta. She grins at me knowingly, as if understanding precisely what I was up to.


    Her lips even curl into a teasing smile. "If you''re still hungry, I bet you could have him for dessert."


    My eyes widen. "Greta! Not in here! What if someone heard you?!" I look around nervously, exhaling in relief, when I notice William is talking to someone. "Thank the moon goddess..."


    Greta snorts. "You''re so smitten."


    I re at her. "I''m not."


    "Whatever... Have you eaten? I''m starving."


    "Oh, I lost appetite a few seconds ago... But I could keep youpany while you eat?"


    "Cool!"


    I follow Greta to the line, blushing when I catch William lifting his eyes to mine. He waves at me, and this time, I wave back.


    A smile touches his lips, but it turns into a snort when I flip him the bird and stick out my tongue.


    I have not yet fallen and don''t intend to do it either.