3. Best Friend

Zev’s pov

I had no clue why Raiden invited the poor girl. She’s not the type of girl who hangs around him. Not the type of girl he invites back to our room.

Not that Raiden’s very picky. As long as they have boobs and a pretty face, he's game. That man is an ass man, though. If the girl has a good butt, he’ll try extra hard for her to like him.

Not that he really has to try. Raiden is one of the most well-known Alpha heirs. People want to hang around him all the time, either to try and get a meeting with his dad or to be friends with the next Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack. Alliences with our pack are like covited treasures.

I guess I’m lucky. I don’t have to do anything. I’m born to be his best friend. Our mothers were best friends. They became pregnant together and even gave birth to us on the same day.

Mom died when I was young, and ever since Luna Grace and Alpha Ethan took me in.

They’re like my parents in a way. I’m lucky to have them in my life. Grace, Ethan, Raiden, and his little sister Joy aren’t my blood, but they have done more for me than anyone else has.

“Zev, maybe you could help our little mouse out.”

I had no clue why Raiden kept calling her that. Atalanta might not look like the typical student here, but she was pretty in her own way. Very shy, though, which isn’t a common trade for these high-ranking wolves either.

Although I’m officially one too, I am not here at the Ardale Academy because I’m studying to become the next beta or alpha. Or even gamma. I’m here because Raiden is here and because it’s one of the best schools in the country.

“Help with what?” I asked. Was this some ploy to get me alone with a girl? Because I’m not interested.

It’s not that I don’t think about sex or want it. It’s simply that I first want to find my mate and reject her. I never want to be attached to another person like that.

And what if I fool around with a girl, develop feelings, and she turns out to be my mate? It will be so much harder to reject her then.

Besides, I am not the casual sex type, especially not for my first time. Raiden didn’t even really like the first girl he slept with. He told me everything about it.

How awkward it was. How she squeezed his junk too hard. Everything I didn’t want to know from my best friend.

But we share everything. Well, almost. I don’t share the letters I write to my mom with Raiden. It was the Luna’s idea, actually. But they’re private letters, and I am not planning to show them to anyone. Ever.

Raiden smirked at me, “show her the ropes. Teach her everything she needs to know... about our pack, I mean.”

Goddess, he’s annoying.

Her big eyes, which kept looking down to the floor, looked up at me with an expression I couldn’t decipher. Her eyes are gorgeous.

She is gorgeous.

So this is the wrong thing to do. It would be extremely stupid to get involved with her. I’m too busy with my own studies anyway. And it’s obvious a ploy from Raiden to make me fall for Atalanta.

My head began shaking no as the words, “sure.” left my mouth.

Sure…. I said sure!

Raiden clapped his hands, making Atalanta flinch. “Great! That’s great. Now that’s that out of the way, let’s eat!”

He looked at Atalanta and Suzie, “what can I get you two?”

One of Raiden's best qualities is his generosity. He never lets anyone pay. Not even me.

At the Ardale Academy’s cafetaria, we’re able to buy breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although most eat breakfast in their room.

“Something with chicken, please.” Suzie replied.

Suzie wasn’t really part of our circle, but she had started here around the time we did, and we shared many classes. Whenever we did interact she was friendly and direct. Something I always appreciate. Plus, she doesn't drool whenever she sees Aiden, like a lot of other girls do.

Atalanta shook her head and pulled something out of her bag. It was an old paper bag with not even half a sandwich.

“No way you’re eating that poor excuse of a sandwich, “ Raiden said.

“It’s fine.” She said in a timid voice.

What happened to this girl to be so scared? Would I have turned out this way if it weren’t for Raiden and his family?

Raiden got up and motioned for me to follow, “We’ll be back. And when we’re back, I better not see you eating that thing you call lunch, little mouse.”

She nodded her head and looked down, while Raiden sighed.

He hates weakness. It sometimes makes it hard for me to talk to him. He’s a great guy; he’s just never experienced anything difficult. He’s never been hurt or alone.

He sees things in black-and-white, but life isn’t always that simple.

“Why do you keep calling her that?” I asked as we walked to buy the food.

“She’s timid, scared, and little like a mouse.” He replied, shrugging his shoulders. “It fits.”

“So why ask her to join us then? If she annoys you.”

Raiden smirked and wiggled his eyebrows, “because she doesn’t annoy you, does she?”

“You do, asswipe.” I replied, smacking him on the arm.

“Yet you love me, Zev. Besides, you can put tutoring a charity case on your resume. It will look great.”

I know he was only teasing me, but I felt a growl coming up and the need to punch him. Why did he need to be such an ass?

He bit the tip of his tongue, staring at me. “You’ve got it bad, man.”

“I’ve got nothing. Just be nice, Shepard.”

“Ooh, using my last name. That indicates you mean business!” he said with a chuckle, grabbing a tray and filling it with everything that he walked past.

That man could eat like nobody I knew. It’s probably why he’s such a giant.

I grabbed a hamburger, some cookies, and a few bottles of soda. I grabbed extra in case Atalanta or Suzie wanted a cookie too. Okay, who was I kidding? It was mostly for Atalanta.

After Raiden had paid, we walked back. It was a surprise that nothing had fallen off the tray on the way there, because there were several plates balancing on top of each other.

Raiden dropped a chicken salad in front of Suzie, and I put the different sodas across the table for everyone to choose from.

Then Raiden picked up some pasta, a thick sandwich with several layers of bread, and a roll and placed them in front of Atalanta. He reached over and grabbed one of the cookies on my tray.

“Eat up, little mouse, and when you’re all finished, you can eat the cookie Zev got for you as a reward.”

Of course, he knew that I grabbed extra for her. Intuitive bastard.

Atalanta’s eyes grew even bigger as she stared at the food.

“Eat. You’re too skinny,“ Raiden said, before taking a big bite out of his burger.

I started to eat too, but at the same time, I was curious to see if Atalanta would eat everything. If she even could.

Raiden and Suzie were thinking the same thing I was, because I noticed all of us staring at the same big-eyed young woman who was taking small bites of her food.

Raiden nudged my shoulder, “she even eats like a mouse.”

Suzie glared at my friend, “at least she doesn’t eat like an animal. Have you ever heard of chewing? It’s like you’re trying to swallow that burger whole.”

I chuckled. Raiden did eat like a caveman.

Once Raiden was finished, he moved all of his plates to the side, tore a piece of the cookie, and brought it to Atalanta’s lips.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she slowly opened her mouth. Her lips closed around the cookie, grazing Raiden’s fingers. I wonder how soft those lips feel against your skin.

“Good girl,” Raiden muttered softly before looking at the food that was left over on the table in front of Atalanta.

He grabbed the rest of the food and began stuffing his face. That man is like a garbage can. No food is ever left behind.

Atalanta looked at Raiden and the food and swallowed hard. Honestly, she looked like she was about to cry.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

She nodded, with a fake smile.

Okay, Zev say something to make things better.

“So, when are you free to study together?” I asked, because I couldn’t think of anything else on the spot.

“You can use our room when I have alpha training,” Raiden said with his mouth full of food.

Atalanta blushed, her face unsure.

“The library will be fine,” I suggested instead, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Tomorrow?” she answered in a question.

“Yeah, tomorrow after class. That’s perfect.”

“Perfect.” Raiden said, smirking again. I was going to make him pay for this. I wasn’t sure how yet, but I would find a way to get him back.

It appeared we had a lot of the same classes with Atalanta, and every time we ran into her, Raiden made sure to pick a table behind her or next to her. He would whisper things to her during class or find excuses to touch her.

And every time he did, he gave me a look, as if he were expecting me to growl and claim Atalanta as mine. Wolves are possessive, and if there is one thing we don’t like, it’s another person flirting with the one that's ours.

But all his flirting had no effect on me. Well, it did make me feel pity for poor Atalanta, who didn’t seem sure how to respond. It almost seemed like this was the first time any boy had flirted with her, but that seemed odd considering the way our kind is.

We’re a flirty bunch and very affectionate. Every time Raiden, Joy, or I enter a room, we cough or knock because all of us have seen the luna and alpha in a position we didn’t want to see. They take every opportunity they have to touch each other. It’s a surprise they don’t have a litter of pups running around.

Suzie protected Atalanta as best as she could, and I tried to distract Raiden, but it was like he had made up his mind that it would be his mission to make Atalanta as uncomfortable as possible today.

And while I felt sorry for Atalanta, it wasn’t my job to protect her. I would help her study, and I would be nice to her while I did, but nothing more.

My plan hadn’t changed. I would not get involved with anyone until I had rejected my mate. Even if that meant I’d stay a virgin for a little while longer.