Nerd's Badboy Alpha novel Chapter 10

"What's with all the windows boarded up? Are you guys replacing them with special glass or something? I noticed it on other houses, too."

My uncle had left me to be alone with Alex, my "admirer." I honestly don't know what Alex's deal is. He and I never had any interactions before yesterday, but now he's here, sitting on my uncle's sofa, as a visitor inquiring about my welfare.

"Oh, uh... Our Luna is exploring ways to make our homes eco-friendlier and energy-efficient," I mumble, refusing to meet his gaze. "She's all about the green initiative."

"She'd get along with my stepmom, then," he tells me with a grin. "She's trying to talk my dad and our Luna into installing solar panels on the roofs of the homes of our compounds."

"Your father isn't married to your Luna, either?"

His face darkens as if I'd broached a touchy subject he'd rather not discuss, and he was quiet for a moment, but then he shakes his head, and says, "No. My mother was the previous Luna. But she died from pregnancy complications due to having me and my twin. My dad met my step-mom two years later."

Without meaning to, I reach out and squeeze his arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. You have a twin?"

He shakes his head again. "He died along with my mother." He cocks his head to the side. "I'm sorry if I'm bumming you out. I came over to cheer you up."

Surprised, I laugh with discomfort. "Why? Did you lose a bet? Are you part of the school's new nerd outreach program?"

He chuckles and his green eyes glitter even in the limited light of the den. "No. What are you talking about? I just figured since I saved you from those hyenas, I'm the reason you're alive, so I should look in on you from time to time to make sure you haven't been eaten by a bear or swallowed by an alligator."

"There are no alligators in California."

He squints at me and pokes my side. "That you know of."

I gasp. Did he really just poke me? He just reached out with his index finger and poked the side of my stomach like he and I have known each other for years. This is too weird. "Do you do this for everyone you save?"

He throws his head back and laughs. "I'm not in the business of saving damsels in distress, either. That was a new one for me. I'd lend a hand to a pack member, but that's it."

I chew on my bottom lip, unable to think of a thing to say. People have been ignoring me all my life. In the past twenty-four hours, I've experienced more social activity than I ever have in ten years. "Well, thanks for saving my bacon, anyway. That was really decent of you. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone at school or try to talk to you like I know you when I see you in the halls."

"What are you talking about?"

I scrunch up my nose and stare at him. "You and I are on completely different social strata. You're a shark and I'm feeder fish."

"You're a wolf, too," he says slowly as if speaking to a child.

"Speaking of fish, I killed mine." For some reason, this makes me burst into tears and hide myself under my blanket.

"Melvin?" Alex said warily. "Did you do it on purpose?"

I wipe my tears on the blanket. "No. I must have... I don't know, bumped the fish bowl off my desk while I was having a nightmare last night."

"Can you come out of the blanket, please? Tell me about your nightmare."

Feeling like an idiot, I yank off the blanket from my head. "It was just... bad. Just really bad. And dark."

"Well, it was just a dream, all right? You're a tough old wolf." He playfully punches me on the shoulder.

My lower lip trembles. My cousin Stephanie thinks I'm completely useless and should be labeled omega. "Do you guys have omegas in your pack?"

He gives me a weird look. "Most packs do."