Claimed - (Cedarwood Book 3)

Megan

I’m right in the middle of my third year of college. So far, I’ve been having a blast. I’ve gone to more parties than I can count, and I’ve been very involved in the social scene.

My big brother Bran keeps telling me that it’s time to settle down and get serious, but it’s not like he has his life together yet, so I don’t listen. I’m having way too much fun being wild and free.

Boys love me almost as much as I love playing with them. If flirting were a profession, I’d be the CEO. I have mastered the art of the college party and haven’t encountered anyone I can’t handle.

Right now I’m on my way to the student union to find something to eat for lunch. I can feel that someone is walking up behind me, but when I turn around, I see that it’s only Silas.

My relationship with Si is the very definition of friends with benefits. He’s hot, gorgeous even, he’s one of those unique looking guys—fair skin covered in freckles, but still, he somehow has a tan. His hair is brown but also red, and his eyes are bluer than the sky.

I’m not interested in him romantically, though, we are straight-up friends who shouldn’t drink together. Even though we hook up, we’ve managed to keep our relationship platonic without any gross jealousy so far, and he’s actually one of my closest friends.

“What’s up?” I smile.

“Party tonight,” he winks.

I tilt my head, pursing my lips. “Was that an invitation?”

“Don’t be a snot, you know you’re invited, you’re practically a Lambda yourself,” he chuckles.

He’s not wrong, especially since my brother became the President of his fraternity this year, they’ve all accepted me like a little sister. But it’s still fun to mess with Si. “I don’t know about that, you all smell like gorillas.”

“That’s not what you said last weekend,” he smirks.

I give his arm a playful swat. “Hey! You turd!”

“See you tonight?” He pouts.

“Yeah, see you then,” I concede.

He heads off in the opposite direction, and I keep walking, grinning to myself. Once I round the corner and he’s out of sight, I slow my steps.

I definitely want to go, just not alone. Pulling out my phone, I type out a text to my best friend Quin.

[Megan]: Will you be on campus today?

[Quinny]: I have class at 3, what’s up?

[Megan]: There’s a party tonight, you can stay with me. 👯‍♀️🍻🎊

[Quinny:] Okay, perfect. I’ll see you after class.

Quin has been my best friend since Kindergarten. The two of us know each other like the back of our hands.

Since I live in an apartment near campus, it’s easy to crash at my place, and it’s always more fun to get ready together. I haven’t seen Quin in a few days, so I need to catch up with her too.

I finish my walk to the student union, grab a bagel with cream cheese, and go to my favorite spot to sit, right by the window that overlooks the sports field in the Greek village. The frat boys are always outside playing some kind of sport or running. Sometimes I get lucky and they’re settling a beef between houses with a wrestling match.

After I finish my eye candy and lunch, I make my way to my last class of the day: Accounting. Numbers and math don’t usually bother me, but today’s lecture is literally mind-numbing, and it is so hard not to fall asleep.

As soon as class is over, I decide to go back to my apartment and wait for Quin.

After I’ve been home for a few minutes, I hear a frantic knocking on my door. When I look out, I see Quin, so I swing the door open. “Whoa! What’s wrong?”

“I need to talk, like best friend talk, right now,” she says frantically. “Please tell me you’re not busy.”

“Come on, you know I’m never too busy for you,” I say, opening my arms.

She walks into them.

“This calls for a treat,” I grin as I coax her into the kitchen.

She just paces in circles while I make us some hot chocolate. She looks like she’s totally panicking, but hot chocolate is the best medicine—I don’t care what the problem is.

When I hand her a warm mug, she scoots her feet as she walks to the sofa and sinks into the “comfy” corner she likes. It’s comfy because it’s broken, and it can basically swallow us whole.

When I sit next to her, I can’t help feeling a little bit worried. “What’s wrong, Quin? I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”

She lets out a puff of air and tosses her ginger hair over her shoulders, then goes on to tell me about her sister, Wren, dating a famous rock star. I try to play it cool, but I most definitely already knew about this. It’s been all over Instagram on every star spotting blog.

Quin goes on to tell me that they went out to La Cava last night as a group. I’m jealous because it’s only one of the hottest nightclubs in the city. But I’m happy because, of course, she had the time of her life, but none of this makes me understand why she is so upset.

“So far, none of this sounds bad.” I tilt my head in thought, then an idea strikes me. “Oh, please tell me you hooked up with some famous guy and now he wants to marry you.”

“No, seriously, how do you come up with these things?” She laughs, and it makes me giggle.

“Books,” I shrug my shoulders.

She goes on to tell me that Wren’s friends, Gael and Declan, went too. It’s not hard to figure out her problem now. It’s Declan, and she’s confused. This sounds like delicious gossip, and I can’t wait to hear it.

“Start at the beginning,” I say as I get comfortable.

She tells me that they danced, but it was more than platonic dancing. She thinks he’s gorgeous, even though she’s known him forever, and she just noticed. Quin is not shy about making moves on a guy, usually, but even though he took it upon himself to cuddle her while she slept, they haven’t kissed.

She’s worried Wren will be pissed, but that doesn’t seem like her. I don’t know Wren all that well, but what I do know is she loves the hell out of Quin. Every time there was an event to attend for school or anything, it was Wren I remember seeing there, not her parents.

It seems like Quin really likes him. I haven’t seen her this whipped up over a guy probably ever. She’s waiting for him to text her about tonight, but I’m sure he’ll text. If he is friends with Wren, he owes Quin that much respect.

“You know him really well, and your sister obviously likes him. He knows your family,” I list off, trying to reassure her. “It’s not a bad thing if you catch feelings.”

“What if it doesn’t work out?” She looks at me, and her blue eyes are glassy. “Everything I know would be so messed up, Wren would hate me.”

“She could never hate you. She’s your sister, and you are her whole world,” I remind her while taking her hand.

“I guess I just need to talk to him, I hope he’ll text. If he doesn’t, I think I’ll be a little heartbroken, I let myself want this too badly.” As she said it, her shoulders slumped.

“You could always just text him.” I try to give her an encouraging smile.

“Ugh, you know I usually would, but with him, it’s different, I’m a little intimidated,” she admits, pushing her hands through her hair. “He’s not like the guys we meet at parties. He is older, successful, and runs his own company. He’s a really good man. I don’t know how to date a man.”

“It’s probably easier than dating the dweebs we find at parties, no bullshit, no games,” I remind her.

“I guess you’re right.”

“I know what will get your mind off of this for a while,” I sit up a little straighter and smile. “Let’s go get ready. If you’re going to see your boo tonight you need to look hot.”