I stared after Lee, watching him until he disappeared through the dining hall doors. What the hell had he gotten himself into already? We’d only been at the academy for a few weeks.
Axel
It was my last class of the day, and honestly, I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I wanted out of my scratchy uniform. Well-worn jeans and a plain cotton t-shirt were the only uniform I ever wanted to wear. Button-downs and ties weren’t my thing.
I stepped into Meditation and Spiritual Release. The teacher was a little woo-woo, but she was growing on me.
Somewhat.
As I entered the large classroom, I noticed the back doors were open as usual, but instead of the grassy area being empty, everyone sat on tiny pillows with their legs crossed and their palms facing up on their knees.
Shit. Was this the meditation part? Yoga I could handle. I didn’t have to think too much about it. All I had to do was exactly as Professor Trinity did and listen to the tinkling music. While down dog wasn’t my favorite position—I mean, who really wanted their ass in the air like that for an extended period of time—I managed.
Meditation. Quieting my mind. Sitting in silence for an undetermined length of time.
That I couldn’t handle.
There would be no noise to quiet my inner demons. No noise to quiet my thoughts, and the voices that came with them. It would just be me and my memories.
Which sounded like hell.
My palms grew sweaty as I stepped farther into the room. Professor Trinity motioned for me to grab one of the tiny pillows and make myself comfortable on the grassy area with the others.
“Loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves, kick off your shoes,” she said as I chose a gray round pillow to sit on, and stepped through the open doors into the sunshiny area. “Relax. Relax your mind. Relax your body. Relax your breath.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I made my way to the back of the grassy section. If I did this, it wasn’t going to be up in front or in the middle where everyone could stare at me.
The sound of wind chimes blowing in an unfelt breeze floated to my ears.
I had no clue where it came from. It had to be done with magic, because there were no speakers from what I could see. Again, I wondered if Professor Trinity was from Wolf Bound. She was a hard person to read. Her hippie-dippy ways made it impossible to distinguish which house she was from. She didn’t color code herself like everyone else either. She’d said during the first class that she didn’t believe in it. She claimed segregating us by breed type was a perfect way to create hostility instead of uniting us as one.
I agreed with her. Also, I hated this fucking uniform.
Professor Trinity stepped into the grassy area with us as the last person entered the room. “Please have a seat. Close your eyes. Relax your jaw. And, focus on your breath.”
I tossed my pillow on the grass, kicked off my shoes, and rolled up the sleeves of my white button-down before loosening my tie.
I could already feel myself relax.
I crossed my legs like the others, but I didn’t close my eyes right away. Instead, I took stock of where everyone else was first. It was an old habit I found hard to break. I always knew the placement of people in my surroundings when I was in a state of vulnerability—like sitting with my eyes closed. Once I felt as though those around me were relaxed enough and in the zone themselves, I closed my eyes and tried to slip into the zone. I focused on my breathing—the way it flowed through my lungs, forcing them to expand and contract—like Professor Trinity said. As soon as I felt I was doing it right, a piece of paper appeared in the palm of my hand out of thin air.
I jolted at the feel, opening my eyes.
My gaze drifted to the others around me. Everyone seemed to be in their own state of meditational bliss.
Who’d given me the paper, then?
I glanced at Professor Trinity, taking note to her position and making sure she wasn’t paying attention to me now that I’d opened my eyes. She wasn’t. Her eyes were closed, and her head was tilted toward the sky, the slight curve to her lips let me know she was locked in that perfect state of bliss she always talked about. I unfolded the piece of paper and the scent of magic floated to my nose. It was strange and unfamiliar, but magical nonetheless; there was no mistaking it. Words were written in thick, bold lettering. I read them.
Woods. Midnight. And so it begins.
As soon as I read the words, the paper disintegrated in the palm of my hand. In seconds, the only trace of it left behind was the lingering scent of magic across my palm. I thought about what the paper said and smiled.
Anticipation burned through my veins. Come midnight, I’d be duking it out with someone who better know how to throw a fucking punch. I closed my eyes, and for the first time since arriving at the academy, felt more zen and in control of myself than ever before.
* * *
Lee sat at the desk, hunched over whatever he’d been researching forever when I stepped into our dorm.
“Hey, man, did you get an invite for tonight by chance?” I loosened my tie as I crossed to my bed.
“Yeah.” He barely glanced at me.
I cracked a grin as I tossed my tie on my bed, and then unbuttoned my starchy button-down. “Jesus, dude. Don’t sound too excited. I know it’s not your thing, but you think you could be a bit more pumped than that?”
“I am. I mean, I guess I’m as pumped as anyone can be knowing they’re about to get the shit beat out of them for fun.” Lee sighed and leaned back in his chair. His fingers ran through his hair, and I knew something was up. He’d been acting strange lately, obsessive with whatever he was researching. “I just… I don’t know. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
“You’ve got a case of nerves.” I didn’t understand it, because it wasn’t something I’d ever experienced myself, but I didn’t say that. I tried to be supportive. “You’ll be okay. You just need to go out there and start throwing punches.” It was true. Once you got the first punch in, the rest was a blur.
Anticipation leaked through my veins, bringing my heart rate up and making me look even more forward to tonight’s events.
Lee let out another sigh. He picked up the pen he’d been jotting down notes with and tapped it against the desk. “I know. I’m not scared. I just have a bad feeling about Bryant.”
I undid my slacks and slipped them off before I reached for my worn jeans on the floor. “Why? Because of his tattoo?” I teased.
“Yeah.” He flashed me a look that said go to hell.
I buttoned my jeans and then held up my hands in surrender. “Sorry, I just don’t understand why you’re flipping out over a tattoo. Is he in a gang you’re scared of?”
Was that even a thing? It probably was, but who knew. Maybe I should’ve went with the word pack instead. Rival packs were everywhere.
“No. More like a pack, or a clan.”
Shit. He was serious. I could tell from the way his brows pinched together and his eyes dipped back to the research he’d been doing. Was he researching the tattoo?
“What have you heard?” I asked, curious for more details. If Bryant was part of something like that, then it might be good to know a few things about the group before getting mixed up with them.
Lee shook his head. “Nothing. It’s stupid. Don’t worry about it. All I’m saying is I don’t have a good feeling about him. I think he’s shady.”
“I think you’re right. He doesn’t seem like a trustworthy character on all fronts, but I think he’s all right when it comes to fight club.” I wasn’t sure why I was putting so much trust in him or this situation, but I was going with my gut on it.
Bryant seemed as though respect and rules—to a certain extent—were important to him.
“I’ll be there at midnight though,” Lee said. His unease leaked through his words. Nothing a little liquid courage couldn’t fix. Maybe we should head to Last Call for a drink first.
“Damn right you will. I’m not letting
you weasel out of this. I think it’ll be good for you.” I slapped him on the back and flashed him a smile before pulling my t-shirt over my head. “All right, now that I’m changed, I’m going to head to the dining hall for something to eat. Want to come?”
“I don’t know why you hate the uniform so much. It’s really not as uncomfortable as you make it seem.” He smoothed a hand down his shirt. “Also, it makes me feel fancy. Especially the tie.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Something isn’t right with you.”
“Whatever.” Lee stood and pocketed his phone. “Sure, I’ll head down with you. Try not to slam the door behind you this time, though. Each time you do, it jars my special card in the closet and knocks it over.” He nodded toward where it was in the closet.
I rolled my eyes. Him and his damn comic crap. It was like rooming with a kid.
“I’ll try.”
We stepped into the hall and made our way to the staircase. I crammed my hands in my pockets as I maneuvered through the crowd in the hall. Everyone seemed to be making a mad rush for the stairs too.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, I ate lunch with your girl today,” Lee said as we started down the first flight of stairs.
“My girl?” I knew who he was talking about, but I tried to pretend I didn’t.
“Oh, come on. Don’t act like you don’t know who I’m talking about.”
His words didn’t faze me. I continued to do just that—act as though I had no fucking clue who he was talking about.
“Anyway, she’s in my essential class—like I’ve said before—which means we also share lunch. I ate with her and Nora today. She’s actually a really cool chick. I think the two of you would be a great couple, if you both would let go of your past a little.”
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that. I had sensed something broken in Faith. Hell, I’d said so to her before. There was a part of me that wanted to know what had broken her. I’d never ask though. I knew better than anyone a person would tell you their story when they damn well felt like it and not a second sooner.
Even if you asked.
“Cool,” I said, using my nonchalant voice. I didn’t make eye contact with him, even though I could feel his gaze on me. “But, the two of us getting together isn’t going to happen.”
“Sure it isn’t,” he said in a sing-song voice.
I huffed at him. Two more flights to go, and then we were finally at ground level. Hopefully, this conversation would be over before then.
“Her roommate, Nora, is cool too,” he said after a little while.
I glanced at him. “You’re into her. Aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “She’s cute. Smart. A little neurotic, but funny. And, she likes to read. I know comic books aren’t necessarily your standard paperback, but it is something we sort of have in common. I do read my comics. I don’t just get them to look at the pictures.”
“Says every guy who’s ever been busted holding a dirty magazine before.” I winked. “Sure you read the comics. You don’t just get it for the pictures. Uh-huh.”
“That was a good one,” some guy behind us said, offering me a fist bump. I’d seen him around campus before and knew he wasn’t a first year like the rest of us. He must’ve started down the steps behind us from one of the previous floors.
Would he be who I was fighting tonight?
If so, I was confident I could take him. He was muscular, but not overly so. A few inches shorter than me. And had a hipster vibe about him. He was dressed in skinny jeans and a cotton t-shirt. With long hair and an ugly as sin pair of shoes on, I expected him to pull out a vape pen and blow the scent of donuts or banana pudding into the air.
I fist bumped him instead of leaving him hanging, and then turned my attention to the others around us. Would I fight someone from my house or another one? Would it be Lee?
I hoped not. If that was the case, then this whole thing wasn’t for me. There was no way in hell I’d go against him. Not because I was scared of him, but because I was scared of what I would do to him. Once I saw red, it was over. I barely remembered half the fights I’d been in, but I damn sure remembered the rush of adrenaline while in the middle of one.
That was what I lived for, and I was counting down the hours—the minutes—until I could feel that sense of liveliness again.
Faith
Someone bumped into my table as they walked by. I flipped the page in my Moon Phases textbook and took another sip from my coffee without looking up. The dining hall was a madhouse, but I didn’t mind. The noise helped me focus. We were only supposed to read chapter five and write a five-hundred-word summary listing three fascinating things we learned from the chapter, but I’d read ahead. I hadn’t done my paper yet, but I planned to this afternoon. Once I stopped reading.
Was this how Nora felt when she was reading one of her books?
I couldn’t stop. My eyes refused to leave the pages. My finger kept flipping, allowing me to read just one more page. The entire concept of our werewolf side being ruled by the moon was fascinating. I had no idea the moon had eight phases, and that each affected our wolf. I’d always thought there were only four—new moon, waxing moon, full moon, and waning moon. I didn’t know there were others stacked between that would make certain sensations and feelings of my wolf last longer.
According to the book, during the new moon, our werewolf abilities were easier for us to control. It was easier to shift and easier to maintain control over our wolf. The closer we came to the full moon, the more irritable and unpredictable our wolf was.
It made sense.
I often found my wolf to be more irritable at certain times of the month than others. While I’d never paid much attention to the moon, I would say I’d noticed I had more control over my wolf when we weren’t close to a full moon. The closer the full moon was, the more she was in charge of me. She’d always been unpredictable and wild, feral in a sense, but those traits about her came out more when the moon was full than when it wasn’t.
My throat pinched tight as a flashback from the night Xavier attacked me shifted through my mind. It had been a full moon. I was glad.
My wolf paced as the memories continued to barrel through my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my lungs to pull in a deep breath. Time ticked away as the noise of the dining hall grew louder around me. My breathing hitched as the sensation of someone staring at me prickled across my skin. I glanced around, hoping to lock eyes with whoever it was. I needed a place to direct my emotions and anger.
Axel.
He was standing at the entrance of the dining hall with Lee, dressed in dark-washed blue jeans that probably fit his ass like a glove, biker boots, and a plain t-shirt. His tattoos were on display, as were his muscles. He looked mouthwatering. I held his stare longer than I should, but I couldn’t help myself. My eyes were drawn to him.
He looked away first when Lee nudged him in the ribs. Lee smiled and waved. I planned on waving back—I started to—but my phone chimed with a new text. My eyes dipped to see who it was from, and suddenly my entire world froze as my heart kick-started it in my chest.
Call me.
Two words. One simple command. That was all it was, but somehow it was enough to make my heart race and my palms sweat.
I stared at my phone, waiting for another message to come through. Nothing else came. There wasn’t anything else that needed to be said. What he wanted was direct.
It also scared the shit out of me.
Had he found out something about what I’d done? Did he know why I did it? Was trouble brewing within the nest because of my actions? Was my mother, or someone else, coming for me? Was he?
Shit. Was he here now?
I scanned the faces of those around me. Van being among them somewhere wasn’t as unlikely as one would think. It wasn’t like this place had security. At least not any I knew of. It would be easy for him to find the place, to find me.
My teeth sank into my bottom lip. It was time I put my b
ig girl panties on and told him at least the barest details of what happened. He wasn’t going to go away, and he damn sure wasn’t going to let me without any answers.
It had been dumb to even think that was an option.
I gathered my stuff and crammed it into my backpack, deciding now was the time to call him. I was alone. Nora was still at the library, figuring out her newsletter stuff with the librarian, and classes were over for the day. There would be no better time than now. Especially, since I was feeling brave.
“Hey, leaving so soon?” Lee stood behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at him as I zipped my backpack up. There was a tray of food in his hands and a wide smile on his face. “We were going to sit with you.”
We? Meaning, he and Axel? Not happening.
My gaze drifted over his shoulder in search of Axel. He stood in line, waiting to pay for his meal. He didn’t look my way, but I noticed his back stiffen when my eyes landed on him.
I hoisted my backpack over my shoulder and gripped my cell tight. I grabbed my coffee cup and flashed Lee a small smile. “Sorry. I have to go. You can have my table, though.”
Skepticism pooled in his eyes. He was observant; I knew this about him, which meant he most likely knew my smile was fake. I dashed away before he could call me on it, and before Axel reached us. I couldn’t afford to get lost in his eyes again, and I damn sure couldn’t afford another person seeing right through me. Axel had already done that once, in Strength Training. This time he’d see through my cracks to a place that lived deeper inside me.
He’d be able to see exactly how broken I was, and I couldn’t let that happen.
The door to the dining hall flung open before I could push against it, a group of people coming in. I maneuvered around them, not caring when they flashed me nasty looks and scoffed at my rudeness. I dropped my coffee in the trash, and didn’t stop walking until I made it to the woods beyond the academy.
Wolf Blood: Lunar Academy, Year One Page 8