River & Her Royal Mate novel Chapter 3

All of the make overs, adventures, and prerequisite reading in the world couldn’t prepare River for the first day of college.

Grandma Lucy and Klara had insisted on a tour some weeks before, so she knew exactly where she was going. She came to the open house to meet her professors, even if she did skip out on every other freshman welcoming event meant to break the ice.

But there were so. Many People.

The local university was a half hour away - technically in the next town - but the line between the two was fairly vague for the local residents. For the students moving from high school into their freshman year, the line was far more distinct and meaningful.

Additionally, the university pooled from two other smaller towns farther out, not to mention out of state kids who got accepted and moved to live on campus.

So, there were a ton of students.

More people than she had ever had to hustle through in her life.

Even the concerts Klara took her to every summer didn’t have this packed-in, feverish salmon-run that poured through every hallway of the sprawling campus.

River tried to act like she wasn’t looking around like a deer in the headlights. She checked her map and kept her head down as she walked.

A passage mostly cleared out heading out toward the science building.

Pausing for a breath and to grab a snack from the vending machine, she looked at herself in the reflection of the glass.

She looked good. Better than she ever had.

This summer really helped her find herself.

Between rigorous exercise, finally letting Aunt Klara and Grandma Lucy teach her how to put on makeup, and finding a balance of comfy and fancy in her wardrobe, River felt…almost confident.

The challenges she had given herself and been given had forced her to make some changes.

Most importantly, they helped soothe the pain of the broken bond. The memory of the pain remained, but she had overcome it. The thought of seeing Clay no longer filled her with abject terror.

Not that she was exited to run into him just a few minutes later in the grassy courtyard outside her first class. Of all the rotten luck.

The blond, feathered hair and the once-dreamy brown eyes noted her before she could turn away. Followed by the thin, but muscular male bobbing his head at her as he approached.

“Yo, Landon. I was wondering if I’d see you around.”

“Had to happen eventually,” River snipped a little too tightly.

“Whoa, summer sure did you a lot of favors.”

She wondered if he meant her bold tone or her new look until he eyeballed her up and down appreciatively.

Gross.

River cleared her throat pointedly.

“Are you…in this class?” She finally forced out to fill the awkward silence.

“Yeah, we got Mason’s class together Monday and Wednesday.” He thumbed over his shoulder at the double classroom door.

“That’s what you meant when you said we’d be seeing a lot more of each other.” The realization clicked in her head. Stupid girl. She pushed the embarrassment away.

“Yeah. I thought you had seen the class roster, too.” His half grin used to make her nervous in a good way. Now it just made her want to slap it off his face.

Slap it off?! Who was she turning into, exactly?

“So, no hard feelings, right? Just pack business, you know?” He tried to fall into step beside her as River shrugged past him into the classroom.

“Yeah, sure. I certainly didn’t lose any sleep over it,” she lied. River wouldn’t have bought her own fib if she hadn’t noticed the flash of hurt that passed across Clay’s face. Score one for River.

The surge of satisfaction at his reaction that followed took her off guard.

Clay fell a step behind as she entered the big, lab-style room. Pairs of chairs matched to long desks ran in three rows down the length of the class to the massive white board and projector at the front.

River quickly swept off toward the side near the back and slipped into an open seat next to a hunched over student. His head buried in the folds of his hoodie-swathed arms across the desk.

The last thing she needed was to get stuck next to Clay. Or as lab partners if the seating arrangement was permanent.

Unfortunately, the seat across the aisle was open and captain-cocky tried to act nonchalant, making a show of looking around before he “noticed” the seat and took it.

River had made a point of arriving early, but now she was regretting it.

“You know, my mom was pissed,” Clay started, clearly wanting her to engage with him and ask why.

“Why would she be pissed about you picking your girlfriend?” River tried to keep her voice from sounding bitter or the least bit interested.

“Because of the rules, tradition. She said I really fucked up passing you over. Maybe she was right about the mating bond. Can’t argue with how the way you look is makin’ me feel…” He rubbed his chin between his finger and thumb like he was choosing what flavor of ice cream he wanted.

River could feel his eyes crawling over her again. Something reared up deep inside her and almost had her slinging a textbook into his stupid face before she could stop it.

The urge sent a thrill of shock along her spine. It also kind of make her feel sick.

Confrontation always did.

Instead, she took a long, hopefully bored-looking breath, before she turned to glance at him. “What mating bond, Claybourne?”

She may as well have punched him in the balls.

All he managed in response was a shoulder-bouncing huff.

The young would-be Alpha’s jaw worked a couple of times before he closed his mouth, his face flushing beet red as he breathed hard through his nose.

After a few seconds he stood upright, grabbed his bag and shuffled off, attempting to look casual about it. He rolled his shoulders and only glanced back once.

River fought back a smile.

There were benefits to being ignored in high school and at pack community events. And short of the times when certain stuck-up bitches singled her out for torture, River was virtually invisible outside of passing remarks about her family.

When no one knew or cared that you were standing nearby, or listening, they said all sorts of fun little facts about each other. For example, Clay detested his full name and did everything in his power to keep anyone from finding out about it.

He was also known for being able to get any girl he wanted.

Rumor had it, even while dating Victoria.