Shay glanced at me; the angry cut of his mouth dissolved into a grimace. I shifted uneasily, looking from Ren to Shay.
Ren suddenly grabbed his bag. “No problem. She’s all yours.”
My heart lurched. “No, wait!” I said, catching his hand in mine.
The alpha stilled as I turned toward Shay.
“You and I have nothing to discuss.” I watched my words cut him like the broken glass that had sliced my own palm.
Shay’s fists balled up when I drew Ren’s arm around my waist.
“Walk me to lunch?” The bell rang as the words passed my lips.
“Of course.” He guided me away from our station, leaving Shay fuming at the table.
When we were out of the classroom, Ren glanced at me. “What was that all about?”
I felt a twinge of disappointment when he dropped his hand from my waist.
“Nothing.” I had to fight not to tremble as I formed the lie. “He’s just a little starstruck after the ‘muggers’ attacked us on Friday. Been hovering around me too much.”
“Is he bothering you?” he asked.
“Come on, Ren.” I lightened my tone. “He’s the Keepers’ boy; you can’t bully him. Besides, you know I can kick his ass just as easily as you could. He’s a little annoying, but it’s no big deal.
“Anyway . . .” My heart picked up speed. I still didn’t trust Shay’s desire to get closer to me, but I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed his attention. “He’ll get the right idea now that the word’s out that we’re dating.”
Ren pulled up, catching my upper arms in a gentle grasp. “You’re going to start calling me your boyfriend?”
“If you think it’s a good idea.”
“If I think it’s a good idea?” He ruffled his hair with one hand. “I just don’t get you, Lily.”
When we arrived in the cafeteria, our packmates had already congregated at our usual tables. Seven young wolves laughed at Neville, who stood on top of a chair singing “If I Were a Rich Man” at the top of his lungs. He was dressed in his regular open-mike-poetry all-black ensemble, making it one of the most bizarre scenes I’d ever laid eyes on.
Ren and I exchanged a puzzled glance. I couldn’t imagine what Nev was doing; I’d always thought of him as one of the shyest wolves, with the exception of Cosette, who was so quiet she barely seemed animate.
“If I were a weal . . . thy . . . man!” Neville bellowed, and then jumped down from the table, collapsed into a chair, and buried his face in his hands.
Mason, grinning like the Cheshire cat, leaned over and patted him on the head.
“What gives? Did Nev finally go off the deep end?” Ren caught the chair Dax slid toward him. He flipped it around, sitting in it backward.
“He lost a bet,” Mason said. Neville raised his face and glared at him.
Mason sighed. “It’s so sad to see an indie guitarist do show tunes. What have you been reduced to?”
Neville brushed off his arms as if to sweep away unpleasant remnants of his performance. “You know it was my personal hell. That’s why you picked it.”
“A bet?” I raised my eyebrows.
Mason grinned. “We got into an intense debate on Friday night at Eden. I was right, Nev was wrong.”
“Your brother has better moves than I thought,” Neville said, tipping his cap at me.
“What’s this?” Ren popped open a Coke and looked at Neville, who jerked his head toward Ansel.
I wheeled on my brother and Bryn, who sat close together at the far end of the tables, dreamy expressions locked on their faces. Jealousy tightened my belly. Even if they were taking risks, they’d still been able to choose each other. And with Ren and me as alphas, their romance would probably be safe.
Mason and Nev, Dax and Fey, they all had a chance at real love. Ren and I were the only ones who had no choice. Was that the reward for being an alpha?
Ren looked at the pair for a long moment and then a sharp laugh rolled out of his throat.
“I said to keep that quiet, you two.” My teeth flashed in warning, knowing that envy as much as irritation made my canines sharpen.
Bryn cowered, but Ansel came to her rescue. “Of course, from everyone else, but it’s not like we could hide it from our packmates.”
I sat down in the chair that Fey pushed toward me, banging my forehead on the table. “You guys are killing me. We’re at school. There are too many eyes to see you.”
I cringed as I looked at Ren. “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you later today, I swear.”
He just shrugged. “Your brother is right. You can’t hide anything from packmates.”
The Bane alpha spoke in a lower voice as he turned his eyes back on the new couple.
“Listen to Calla: keep it quiet outside our circle. Not a word to other Guardians. You don’t want to step on the wrong toes.” Then his lips split in a broad grin at Ansel. “Congrats, little man.”
My brother beamed and looked at Bryn adoringly. She sighed, twirling her fingers through her ringlets.
I quickly looked away from her and focused on peeling my orange.
“Neville, I hope you’re not thinking of leaving us to try to make it on Broadway,” a cold, silky voice murmured from behind me.
All conversation at the table ceased. Bryn and Ansel jerked away from each other as if a geyser had erupted between them.
I turned in my chair to see Logan Bane smiling at his future pack.
“You have a wondrous voice, my friend,” he continued. “My companions and I certainly admire it; you projected all the way to the other side of the cafeteria. Very impressive.”
“Thanks.” Neville threw him a nervous smile.
Logan circled the table to where Neville and Mason sat, stopping behind Mason’s chair. The Keeper rested a hand on my packmate’s shoulder. Mason tensed and glanced at Neville, whose face paled.
Ren began to rise, but Logan stilled him with a nonchalant wave of his hand. “No, please, just relax.”
The Keeper leaned forward. “As no doubt your alphas have informed you, it has been decided that I will inherit the rule of your new pack come October thirty-first.” He waited until each head bobbed in affirmation before slowly pacing back to Ren’s side. “I’d like you to gather in the commons after school today. I’ll meet you there.”