His Trouble Maker

Chapter 9

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JESS

“AAAAAAH!” I scream at the top of my lungs, loud enough to rattle glass and probably kill birds mid–flight.

Logan nearly jumps out of his skin beside me. “Shit, Jess–what the hell?”

“It’s our fucking break,” I snap, dragging both hands down my face like it’ll peel the memory off. “Where the fuck is our teacher? I’m about to lose my mind.”

He raises a brow. “You mean more than usual?”

don’t answer. Because the truth is: I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t. Not with him in my head. In my blood. In every inch of my skin.

I clenched my thighs three times this morning in the shower and nearly cried from how wrong it felt.

“You good?” Logan asks again.

I blink at him. No. I’m not good. I’m not even close to good. But I can’t say that.

I can’t say that Grayson Westwood broke into my room last night and told me I was his.

“I’m fine,” I mutter. “Just tired.”

Logan studies me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Worse.

I saw the monster in the woods and he saw me.

The bell rings. I shoot out of my seat so fast I nearly knock the chair over. Logan grabs his bag and follows, jogging to catch up as I storm into the hallway like movement might erase the last twelve hours.

The halls are crowded. Loud. Smelling like sweat, wet grass, and too much cheap cologne.

No Grayson.

Good.

I don’t want to see his face. I really, really don’t.

“Are we going to the caf?” Logan asks.

“No.”

He blinks. “Cool. Love that. Super specific.”

I don’t answer. I just keep walking–fast, aimless, heart pounding like I’m late for something I don’t even want to show up

to.

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Chapter 9

“You wanna sit outside for a bit?” he tries again.

“I said no.”

slap. I wince and

silent for

I ask

it

He snarts. “Serious question.”

“Wow, rare.”

is Grayson walking

1 stop

of the hall. One

“What?”

a goddamn zoo exhibit. “Right there. Past the chem lab. He’s–oh yeah, he’s

No.

No no no.

don’t want to

I really don’t.

But I do.

where Logan pointed.

by the time my eyes lock forward,

I kicked him square in the

Mine.

word echoes in my skull like a

the heat of his chest, the pressure of his thigh, the sound of

jaw, but my

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Chapter 9

beside me.

can’t answer. I can barely

going

It’s like everyone heard the only Grayson asking if I’m

answers him. ” Yes, Alpha!

Us.

I nearly choke.

I widen my eyes–warning

read a room to

Or mine.

grins. “We were gonna hit the cafeteria–unless,

it meant getting out of this moment. I don’t look at Grayson, but I feel him shift.

at once. “No,” he says, finally. “I don’t have anything Alpha to

awkwardly. “Cool, man.

Cool, man.

swear to the fucking moon goddess, I will murder him

a

Just one.

my body snap tight like pulled wire. My lungs forget how to function. My legs forget whose side they’re

finally look at

he’s already looking at

Me.

okay with

I blink H–Huh?”

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