Wolf Born: Lunar Academy, Year One Read online

  Wolf Born

  Lunar Academy, Year One

  Alyssa Rose Ivy

  Jennifer Snyder

  Contents

  1. Ryan

  2. Nadia

  3. Ryan

  4. Nadia

  5. Ryan

  6. Nadia

  7. Ryan

  8. Nadia

  9. Ryan

  10. Nadia

  11. Ryan

  12. Nadia

  13. Ryan

  14. Nadia

  Thank You

  Copyright © 2019 by Alyssa Rose Ivy, Jennifer Snyder

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design: Najla Qambar Designs

  Created with Vellum

  Ryan

  I should have shaved. I felt the stubble on my chin and realized my mom would kill me when she got the first-year pictures. Like everything else at Lunar Academy, new student pictures couldn’t be retaken. You got one shot at everything. No exceptions. Kind of like every moment of my life. But luckily I was pretty damn good at doing things right the first time.

  I heaved my large duffel out of the back of my truck and put it over my shoulder before I made my way to the large stone dormitory that would be my home for the next four years.

  I made it less than ten steps before being stopped in my tracks.

  “Hey, Ryan!” Lauren flipped her long brown hair off her shoulder. She had her hand on her hip in a posed way. Lauren was one of those girls who was always ready for a picture. “You finally made it.”

  “Hey.” I pretended to be happy to see her. I didn’t really have a choice. Our families had been allies for generations. It wasn’t changing no matter how annoying she could be.

  “Can you believe it? We’re finally here?” She played with a few strands of her hair.

  “It is kind of crazy, but I’m ready.” At least in principle I was. I could have handled a few more weeks of summer first. Or more than a few.

  “Of course you are.” She inclined her head to the side. That motion held way more symbolism than when a human did it. She knew what she was doing, but I refused to acknowledge it. “When aren’t you ready?”

  I smiled automatically without really feeling it. “Never.”

  I glanced around. The quad was mostly empty. I was even later than I thought. Not a huge deal, but I didn’t have time to waste chatting with Lauren.

  “That’s what I love about you, Ryan. Your humility.”

  “Like you have any?” I threw it right back at her. I knew she could take it. I had to at least give her that.

  “Touché.” She took a step closer to me.

  “I better get going.” I adjusted my duffel on my back and headed toward the tables in front of the dormitory.

  “We’re headed to the same place.” Lauren caught up with me. “Obviously, we’re both in Wolf Born.”

  “Obviously.” There was only one house for us. “Where’s all your stuff? I don’t believe for a second you only brought that bag.” I nodded at the small purse she wore slung over her shoulder. It maybe could have held a phone and lipstick.

  “Very funny. I had one of my parents’ servants bring it to my room. Did you know Alaina and I got the large suite?”

  “Shocking.” I sped up.

  “As if you aren’t predictable. I’m sure your roommate is Finn.”

  “And your point?” I turned to look at her despite not wanting to. Sometimes it was better to engage in a conversation in order to finish it.

  “I’m merely pointing out that my family isn’t the only one who can pull strings.”

  “Who in Wolf Born can’t pull strings?” There were four houses at the Lunar Academy, but Wolf Born had the largest amount of old-line families—it was hard not to. We were the pure-bloods born into what we were. Sure the Wolf Bounds had magic, and the Wolf Bloods were part vampire, but they didn’t come from the stock we did. And don’t even get me started on the Wolf Bittens...

  “Not everyone can.” She nodded toward the twins. Nadia and North were currently checking in at the table. Nadia was small for a wolf, tall, but slender in a way few of our kind were. North didn’t share her slender build, but both tended to keep to themselves from what I’d been able to tell from the social events over the years.

  “She’s got like one suitcase with her. And you know they don’t have servants.” Lauren did nothing to hide the disdain in her voice.

  “Who cares?” I had grown tired of Lauren already. Too bad I’d be spending the next four years in the same dorm as her. I headed to check in right as the twins disappeared inside the large hall.

  “Ah, Mr. Grayson. I was wondering when you would get here.” The woman sitting at the desk needn't have introduced herself. It was no mere administrator helping us sign in. It was one of the highest ranking professors in the house: Professor Blair. She’d been at Lunar Academy since before my parents were students. She looked nice, but I knew enough about her reputation to know better than to underestimate her.

  “Hello, Professor Blair.” I bowed my head marginally. “I apologize for the tardiness.”

  Her expression didn’t change in the slightest: serious and bored. “Can the fake politeness, Mr. Grayson. I can see right through it.”

  “All right, then.” Forget starting off on the right foot with her. “Where do I go next?”

  “Go on up to the fourth floor and drop your stuff off. Your sidekick is already up there. Then get your picture taken for your ID and the house wall.”

  “You mean Finn?” I assumed she had to have meant my best friend.

  “Who else could I possibly mean?” She yawned. Yes. Definitely bored.

  Lauren giggled behind me.

  “Hello, Ms. Addison.” Professor Blair spoke in the same bored tone. At least it wasn’t just me. “You finally ready to check in?”

  I didn’t wait for Lauren. Instead, I headed straight inside the two large doors of Wolf Born Hall.

  I didn’t linger downstairs. Pictures and awards littered the walls, but I didn't pause to admire them. They would just be a reminder of what was expected of me—perfection. I could pull it off, but I also wanted to enjoy my four years of college. After graduation, I’d be working for my parents twenty-four hours a day just like my older brothers.

  I took the four flights quickly and entered the boys’ side of the floor. I found my room all the way at the end. The full moon with my name and Finn’s was a dead giveaway. As Professor Blair had already told me, Finn had beat me in. We hadn’t taken the large boys suite for our year. Someone else requested it, and I told my parents not to worry about it. I didn’t plan to spend a lot of time in my room anyway.

  “Hey, man.” Finn lay sprawled across his bed. Noticeably, he had selected the bed farthest from the window. He may have been my best friend, but he understood hierarchy.

  “Hey. I can’t believe you’re unpacked already.” I glanced at his dresser. Clothes were sticking out of the drawers, so I was using the term unpacked loosely, but his bag was stowed.

  “I thought I’d turn over a new leaf.” He tossed a basketball up in the air and caught it.

  “A new leaf?” I eyed the overflowing dresser. “I kind of doubt that.”

  “Watch and see, man. We’re at the academy now. Anything can happen.” He set aside the ball and spread out his arms.

  “I’ll watch. By the way, meet anyone new yet? The only ones still out there when I c
hecked in were Lauren and the twins.”

  He laughed. “You know Lauren was waiting for you.”

  I’d gathered that by the way she immediately approached me. “I don’t know why.”

  “Yes, you do.” He lay back down and propped himself up with his hands behind his head.

  “Okay. I know why, but eventually she’s got to understand nothing will ever happen with us.” Sure, she was pretty, but that didn’t make up for her bad attitude.

  “Maybe she’ll run to me, then. She’s hot. You have to admit that.”

  “I admit nothing.” I unzipped my duffel and pulled out my sheets. The standard dorm-issued ones already on the bed were scratchy, and who the hell knew who else had used them? “What time is the picture?” Maybe I had time to shave.

  “We should probably go. We wouldn’t want to miss our chance to get immortalized on the house wall.”

  “You know my parents would kill me if I screwed that up.” Appearances were everything to my family—appearances and power. Power was something too.

  “Yes, they’d skewer you. But then again, they’d do the same thing to me for letting it happen.”

  “They know you don’t control me.” No one controlled me aside from them.

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t change anything.” He jumped up. “They’d still blame me.”

  “In that case…”

  There was a knock on the door even though it was open. North Hazel stood there with a frown. “I’ve been told to get you for pictures.”

  “Why’d they ask you to do that?” Finn pulled on his shoes.

  “I don’t know. Does it matter?” North’s frown grew. The guy was perpetually in a bad mood.

  “Not really. Just not sure how you got stuck with the job.” Finn was being his classic self. If he had a question, no matter how stupid it was, he asked it.

  “Me neither.” North turned and walked away.

  “Weird kid.” Finn shook his head.

  “Yeah, I guess.” I didn’t think his reaction was weird. Just typical.

  “Nadia got really hot though.” Finn grinned.

  “You think everyone is hot.”

  “I’m serious. You don’t agree?”

  “I didn’t really see her. It was from a distance and just the back of her.”

  “I could make a joke there.” He waggled an eyebrow.

  “But you won’t.” I really wasn’t in the mood, and any joke he’d make wouldn’t be funny.

  “Fine. I won’t.”

  I gave up on unpacking for the time being and headed out the door. “Lock up behind you.”

  “Giving orders now?” Finn shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  “You’re last out.”

  “You would have said the same thing even if I was first.”

  “I’m not that lazy.” I walked through the doorway.

  “It has nothing to do with laziness.” He followed and closed the door behind him.

  I ignored the comment. I knew exactly what he meant. I also knew he would lock up.

  We made it down the four flights of stairs to find a big group waiting.

  “Finally, Mr. Grayson and Mr. Temple have decided to grace us with their presence.” Professor Blair looked just as happy to see me this time.

  I looked over the group. I recognized at least half of them. Another few I thought I’d seen at one event or another, and the rest I’d never laid eyes on before.

  I was getting all sorts of looks. My guess was even the ones I didn’t recognize recognized me. Lauren was standing with her best friend, Alaina, and they weren’t hiding what was on their mind.

  “Everyone else has finished their individual pictures. If you two latecomers would have yours taken, then we can get on to the group photo.”

  I took my picture, followed by Finn. My mom would be pissed about my stubble, but she’d get over it. At least I hadn’t missed the picture completely.

  I automatically went toward the back row for the picture. Someone walked into me. I looked down. It was Nadia.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled without glancing at my face.

  I took a good look at her. Finn wasn’t wrong. There was something different about her. Was it her hair? No. It was still as long and curly as always. Something else? The more I studied her the more I realized it wasn’t just one thing. It was everything. Maybe I just hadn’t really looked at her before.

  “No. It’s my fault.” I waited for her to look up at me. She’d have to catch my eye eventually.

  “What? Ryan Grayson taking the blame?” Lauren laughed.

  A kid I didn’t recognize echoed her laugh.

  I forced a smile, doing my part for the picture, before glaring at the kid again. “Do you have a problem?”

  “No.” He put a hand in his back pocket. “I just laugh when things are funny.”

  “And you are?” Lauren grazed her lip between her teeth. She made her flirting so obvious it wasn’t even funny.

  “Dameon Miles. Pleasure to meet you, Lauren.” He took her hand and kissed it.

  She blushed. Lauren freaking blushed. “How do you know my name?”

  “Unlike the rest of you, I did my research.” He released her hand, and his eyes set on Nadia next. He didn’t say anything, but she noticed and looked in the other direction.

  “What region are you from?” Lauren took a step to the right to effectively block Nadia from his view.

  “Can’t you tell from my accent?” He wasn’t looking at Lauren anymore. He’d stepped around her and was looking at Nadia again.

  “The UK. I don’t know whose territory though.” Nadia put her chin in her hand.

  Dameon gave a barely noticeable nod. “Any other questions?”

  “All the way over there. Yet you are here. Why not go to school over the pond instead?” I didn’t give a damn how rude I came across. Something about this guy got under my skin.

  “I wanted to go here. I met the qualifications. Why not?” He made complete eye contact. I wasn’t used to dudes doing that. It was almost disarming—but it wasn’t. Nothing disarmed me.

  “Well, we’re glad you’re here.” Alaina put her arm around Lauren’s waist. “Aren’t we, Lauren?”

  “Very.” Lauren reached out and ran a hand down his chest.

  Finn laughed.

  Lauren rolled her eyes at him, and then shifted her full attention back to Dameon. “We are both glad indeed.” Her tongue snaked out to moisten her lips.

  Maybe I’d finally get Lauren off my back. This guy might not be so bad after all. Then, I heard it. A tiny snicker. I looked over to see Nadia trying to cover her face.

  “Ryan?” Lauren snapped.

  “Huh?” I pulled my eyes away from Nadia.

  “I was just telling Dameon that you’ll be president of our year.” Lauren’s gaze moved back and forth between us.

  “Oh.” Already worried about that stuff? “I guess I probably will.”

  “There hasn’t been an election yet.” Dameon stretched out his arms like he was readying for a fight. “We’ll see. I heard they don’t even have it until second semester for first years.”

  “An election?” Finn raised an eyebrow. “Right.”

  I eyed Dameon. I didn’t particularly care about being president, but I did mind some outsider thinking he could step into my place. My parents would kill me if that happened. “Whatever you say, David.”

  “It’s Dameon.” He frowned, deep lines setting in around his face.

  “My bad.” This guy was seriously getting on my nerves. It was best I walked away while I still had control.

  Nadia

  Ryan had a challenger. I hadn’t seen that coming. This would make for an interesting distraction. No one back home would have dreamed of challenging a Grayson. But we weren’t back home. Not that being at Lunar Academy really changed things. He was still a Grayson, and that meant he could get away with anything.

  “Hey, Nadia.” Ryan called my name as I made my way to the dining h
all. “Wait up.”

  After a beat, I stopped and turned around. “Hi.” We’d probably spoken a dozen times in our lives, which meant I wasn’t exactly on his radar.

  I wasn’t sure why I was now.

  “Some great company we have this year, huh?” He nodded toward the group still congregated in the lobby.

  "Eh, just more of the same."

  “Oh.” He seemed to consider his answer. “I guess so.”

  I tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear. I had no idea what to say. He must need something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be talking to me. I wished he would just spit it out.

  “Well, just saying hi. I guess I’ll see you at dinner.” He gave a half wave and walked off ahead of me.

  I blinked. What?

  “What did he want?” North caught up with me. He didn’t hide the venom in his voice.

  “Nothing. At least he didn’t seem to.” I was still trying to figure out what that was about.

  “You need to stay away from guys like that, Nadia. You’re too smart for those games.”

  “You think I don’t know that?” Anger flashed through me.

  “No. I know you do. But it never hurts to remind you.” North stuffed his hands in his pockets.

  “One of these days you’ll stop worrying about me.”

  “Yeah. When I’m dead,” he mumbled.

  “North, you are being an idiot.”

  “I’m your big brother. It’s my job to look out for you.” He looked down and a lock of unruly brown hair fell into his face, partially blocking his eyes. Combine his hairstyle with his all black garb, if North didn’t look like an emo kid, nobody did.

  “You were born two minutes before me. We’ve been over this. That doesn't really make you my big brother.”

  “I was born before you. That means I’m older. What seems to be the problem?”

  “Forget it, North. Just forget it.” I felt around to make sure I had my student ID in my pocket. It would take me a while to get used to carrying it with me, but since it was my meal ticket and the key to my room, I’d better get used to it soon.