Wicked Wolves and Tangled Truths: An Urban Fantasy Romance (Blood and Magic : Hellbound Book 1)

other guys or each other—”
“We’re not gay.” Des deadpans.
My cheeks heat. They’re not? “Umm…” I lick my lips.
I have no idea what to say.
Des sighs and shifts to face me. “What Jordy meant to say—” he pauses and smacks him upside the head.
“Hey!”
Des scowls at Jordy and continues, “…is that it’s our senior year. We don’t have time for females. We’re focused on Pack. So, if you’re trying to get with Rafe— ”
“I’m not. Oh, my god, I’m really not.” My cheeks are flaming by this point, but I don’t want anyone here getting the wrong idea. “I’m his punishment. That is literally the only reason I’m here right now. Something about him having to show me around this week to avoid detention.”
Jordy whistles and eyes me up and down like I’m a piece of meat before turning to Rafael with a wide grin on his face. “How’d you manage to get a hot piece of ass as punishment?” He says it like a joke but there’s a certain level of concern in the question.
“It’s not a big deal. Just Mrs. Ford being Mrs. Ford.”
Both guys groan. I ignore what’s said next and decide to check my cell.
It was buzzing on and off during first and second period, but I didn’t want to risk looking at it and having it confiscated. I don’t know how strict the teachers are here. Back home, Emmett or one of the other Clan Alphas would have taken it in a heartbeat.
I scroll through my text messages. I have three from my ex, Oliver.
Oliver: Baby, I know we broke up but I miss you.
Oliver: Let’s make plans soon to meet up.
Oliver: I miss your kiss. The way you taste…
Gross. The last includes a photograph. A dick pic. Wonderful. What an asshole. He broke up with me. The day my mom died. Who does that? And he cheated on me. The asshole even had the nerve to try and play it off like some normal shifter growing pains bullshit. That his beast—a freaking coyote—made him do it. I’m not that gullible and none of these texts are an apology. Not that I’d forgive him even if they were. Instead he treats me like some booty call he still has skin privileges with as if I’d want a stupid picture of his pencil dick. No, thank you.
I delete his messages, not bothering to respond and move on to the other two waiting for me.
Selena: I know I messed up. I’m sorry. Talk to me? Please.
Delete.
Josué: If Selena messages you, I’d ignore her. She and Oliver are still fucking like rabbits.
I sigh. At least he doesn’t sugarcoat it.
Me: Thanks for the heads up.
His response is almost immediate.
Josué: I’ve always got your back. Miss you Chica.
Me: Miss you too J.
Josué’s been my best friend since we were seven. Ever since Raquel Johnson stole my ice cream cone in the woods behind our Clan house and called me stupid. He told her she was a fugly hyena that would never find a mate and that my stolen ice cream would make her fat. We’ve been thick as thieves ever since.
J knows me inside and out and I know he’s always got my back. Only now he’s got it from two states away. I hate the distance between us, but I just need to make it through this year. Emmett promised I could come back to the Mountain Spring Pack when I was eighteen. I just need to bide my time.
With a smile still on my face, I shove my phone back in my pocket. When I look up, Rafael is staring at me. He doesn’t say anything so neither do I. The other guys seem to consider me and then Jordy asks, “Hot boyfriend?”
I snort. “No. Just some people from my old Pack,” I tell him. There’s no reason to lie.
He lifts a brow as if to say, elaborate.
When I don’t, he says, “You get dick pics from people often?”
Oh, my god. He saw that?
“What? No.” I hide my face behind my hands and all three chuckle. “It’s not what you think. God. No.” I shake my head and they laugh harder.
“Damn, vanilla. No judgment here. You can have all the dick pics you want. Tell you what, I can go in the bathroom right now and take one for you. Give me your digits and we’ll make shit happen.”
Mortification rolls through me. “It’s not…” I shake my head in a definite no before exhaling an exasperated sigh. “My ex is trying to get me back. Sort of.” I frown. “I’m pretty sure what he really wants is a booty call but that’s not happening. So, no, I don’t get dick pics often. He’s just a stupid coyote and hasn’t realized it’s over. And no, I don’t want pictures of your dick, either. Thanks.”
“Holy shit, vanilla. Your life is the prequel to a telenovela. What else you got?”
I snort. “Nothing. My life is not exciting.” A little tragic, maybe, but no one else needs to know those parts.
The guys talk Pack business the rest of lunch. All three belong to the same Clan which isn’t surprising since they’re all wolves. I guess there’s something going on with the local vampire coven but I don’t bother paying much attention. Not my Pack. Not my Clan. Not my problem.
I instead let myself get lost in memories of Josué and I. When we used to watch movies together and just hang out. How secure and comfortable my life had been.
Oliver always seemed to have something going on with his Clan on movie nights. Looking back, I wonder if he really was just hooking up with Selena behind my back. Maybe that was why he was so busy these last few months.
None of that matters now.
As the guys talk, I learn Des is hunter born and in training should his Pack ever lose their current Hunter. That might explain his broody behavior. Being a Hunter isn’t something any shifter asks for. It’s a