To Reject a Mate: Redwood University #1 by Ireland Poppy

Author:Ireland, Poppy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Romantasy Publishing
Published: 2023-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Nicole

So far, my attempts at mingling and making friends hadn’t been working. I’d introduced myself to every Beta Phi I saw, and all of them snubbed their noses up at me and giggled with their friends. It was discouraging, and many times I’d asked myself why I was trying so hard to be liked by people who would never accept me, but I was stubborn.

Stubbornly sitting alone in an inner tube while floating down the river. Everyone else had tied their tubes together and had created little islands of partiers. I tried to keep up as I clutched my beer and paddled closer, but they always floated farther away. It was like a stupid game of cat and mouse.

I’d appreciated the fact that Alexei and Corbin weren’t interfering. I made it clear that I wanted to do this on my own, but now that I was watching him, I was regretting that. Women flocked to Alexei, and not just because he had the floating cooler with all the beer. They craved his attention—his approval—and it made me sick.

My tube bumped into a guy’s, and he laughed. “Looks like we’re both stragglers.” He had bright red board shorts and messy ash-blond hair. His long legs were slung over the outer rim of the tube as he kicked. “Didn’t expect anyone to talk to me, but still annoys the hell out of me. One of the perks of being born without a wolf, I suppose.”

My mind raced with information, and I gasped. “Wait… you know about the wolves?”

Did this guy get spelled like I did?

He laughed. “Of course. My parents are wolves. So are all of my siblings.”

I frowned, rolling that around in my head. “So, you’re adopted?”

“I wish. Being human would’ve probably been less shameful than having wolf-shifter blood running through your veins but not having an inner animal. No offense.” He winked with a lopsided smile. “It’s a genetic defect. Happens every once in a while, but scientists have never been able to figure out why.”

I hadn’t realized it was possible to be a shifter without an animal counterpart. I couldn’t imagine being in the shifter community but not truly being a part of them.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“I have a confession to make.” He smiled conspiratorially. “I wanted to meet you when I heard you got an information download. None of the shifters here will talk to me because my very existence makes them uncomfortable, and no other human understands pack politics.”

“Why would your existence make them uncomfortable?”

He shrugged. “I dunno… because I remind them it’s possible for their future children to be just like me, which would bring shame down on them?”

“That’s terrible.” I frowned.

“Eh, I’m used to it.” He shrugged again. “So… what do you say? Wanna be my friend?”

Hell, I wasn’t really in a position to turn down friends—or potential allies.

“I’m Nicole.” I raised my beer can in the air in greeting.

“I’m Hunter. Nice to meet you.”

“Are you rushing?”

He let out a puff of air and took a drink.

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