by Jen L. Grey
He chuckled as he crossed his arms in front of him. “No. I think it’s you who should be trying to make a good impression.”
“If this is some kind of joke Ian is playing on me, tell him to go jump off a cliff.” That’s the only way this would make any sense.
“Hey, whoa.” He approached me slowly as if I was a rabid animal. “I swear. This is no joke. I don’t know why you’re assuming I’m here for …” He paused and tapped his finger to his lip. “What’s his name again?”
“Greg,” I growled in my throat and then took a steadying breath. I couldn’t let this asshole know just how riled up he was getting me. “You called his father last night to tell him you were coming to meet him.”
“Wolves.” He chuckled and smirked. “People say vampires hear what they want. Every supernatural is guilty of it just like Greg’s father.”
“Okay, so what did he misunderstand?” Instead of arguing the fact, I decided to turn logic around on him.
“Well, I did call him ...”
“See.” I interrupted him and cheered in my head.
“You didn’t let me finish.” Cole lifted a hand and waved it in circles. “May I continue?” His eyes filled with mirth.
“Fine.” If he was going to play games, so could I. “You may.”
“But I only said I was coming to meet one of his pack members.” He dropped his hands, and any trace of mirth vanished. “As I said; you’re the one we want.”
My heart picked up, and my stomach felt as if it was performing somersaults. “Me … But why?”
“Do you ever feel like you’re battling something inside of you?” He moved so there was only an inch of space between us. “That you want to become unhinged?”
That’s exactly how I’d been feeling lately. Like if I didn’t contain my inner animal, I would explode and raise havoc. “Yes.” Something inside me felt freer. Like I was stepping away from my denial and accepting a small portion of what I tried to keep hidden.
“We’ve all been there, and that’s what the academy is really about.” The sparkle in his eyes vanished, and he touched my cheek with his fingertips. “You’re stronger than any of us realized. For you to keep your wolf contained must be a constant struggle, and not one many people could handle.”
Unease filtered through me. I’ve tried so hard to keep her contained, and it was disconcerting that he could read me that easily. “How will going there help?”
“Your natural instincts are to be on top of the hierarchy.” He dropped his hand, but his eyes still held me in place. “Bloodshed will encourage you to rank higher and to finally become one with your supernatural side.”
“But I know my wolf.” He acted as if I were clueless about myself. “She’s a part of me.”
“It’s hard to explain, but you’ll see soon enough when you get there.” Cole patted my arm like I was one of his college buddies.
“I didn’t say whether I would go or not.” I didn’t like how he was making my decisions for me.
“If you don’t, your wolf will get stronger, and you won’t be able to contain her.” He closed his eyes and shuddered. “Believe me, I’ve seen it happen once, and it wasn’t pretty.”
“Are you trying to scare me?” This random guy … no wait, vampire, just showed up and invited me to Bloodshed Academy. It was hard to believe. He had to be up to something. Even though I tried to convince myself to be suspicious, my wolf instincts were getting excited.
“I wish that was it.” After a brief pause, he took a step back. “Look, I came here and scouted you out. You’re legit even if you’re out of sync with your wolf. I’ll be back after graduation to pick you up.” He turned so his back was facing me.
“You don’t know my answer, though.” What kind of school just assumed you were going to agree?
He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. “You’ve got a lot to learn. When someone gets invited to Bloodshed, there is only one answer.”
“I know most people would kill to get in there. Most jump at the opportunity as soon as it permits.” This arrogant asshole assumed he knew my answer, which made me ornery as hell. “But I’m leaning toward no.”
A smile slowly grew across his face and then turned into a smirk. “It’s cute that you think you can truly make the decision.”
It was my future to decide even if I chose to stay here and be miserable. “Of course, I do. It is my choice.”
His ice-blue eyes somehow seemed colder. “No one can reject Bloodshed Academy. There are dire consequences if you do.”
“Are you threatening me?” He’s a fucking vampire and on my turf. He had some nerve.
“No, I’m not.” His sweet scent seemed to turn a little sour. That happened when vamps got angry. “But no one rejects the academy and survives. You best learn that now.” He took a step back and scowled. “I’ll see you next week.” And just like that, he disappeared.
I stood there breathing heavily with my wolf taking control. I was about to shift, but I couldn’t do that here and now.
Loud cheers from the crowd rang in my ears, and everything began to blur. If I didn’t get my act together, Cole’s words could come true. My wolf instincts were calling me, and it was hard resisting the pull. I fell to the ground and curled into a ball as the war within me fought for dominance.
Chapter Four
The sun shone into my room, causing me to pull the blankets over my head. Today was the day I graduated, which meant a later start, but dreams had been plaguing me since that night at the baseball field.
It didn’t help that Sheila wound up taking me home because Greg was upset that the recruiter never showed. He was arguing with his Dad, thinking he must have blown it for him. If I had added that the recruiter had shown but wanted me, things would've escalated more than it already had.
You’d think I’d have been excited to put high school behind me, but right now, time seemed to be moving too fast. I just needed to get through the day in one piece.
I got up, dressed, and put some makeup on, but my mind seemed to be elsewhere. I was only going through the motions.
A knock on the door startled me. Damn it, a wolf should never be taken by surprise. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts, ignoring the world. A light vanilla scent floated into the room. “Come in.”
“Hey, honey.” Mom opened the door and entered the room. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her forehead was lined with worry. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?” It probably didn’t help that I had been jumpy the past few days. Almost as if I thought Cole was going to appear out of thin air.
“Ever since you came home from the baseball game, you’ve been acting strange.” She pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on her black slacks. “Even Greg has said something. I just want to make sure you’re okay. Did anything happen?”
I’m surprised that Greg noticed how I’d been acting. He’d been so obsessed and angry about the scout never showing. I didn’t want to lie to Mom, but at the same time, I felt like the truth should stay hidden. “It’s a little surreal. I mean my whole life changes today.”
A tight smile flitted across her face. “Yes, it does. Have you figured out what your next steps are? You haven’t talked about it for a little while.”
Well, that’s because apparently, I’m going to a school that no one can refuse. How the hell did that work when I never applied? Although, how peculiar my parents got when the academy was mentioned made me pause. They seemed stressed, and I didn’t want to add to their worry until I had to. “I’m thinking fate always has a way of finding you.”
Mom’s body stiffened and her fingers stilled. “Some things are better kept hidden.”
“What do you mean?” They were definitely hiding something from me, and I didn’t like it.
Mom took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. “I’m sorry honey.” She stepped in closer and grabbed my hand. “I’m just having a hard time with you growing up.” With
her free hand, she reached and tapped the quarter-moon crescent of my necklace. “The necklace looks perfect on you.”
I gave a small smile and paused, making the words I nearly slipped out sit hard in my stomach. I wanted to reassure her, but I didn’t want to outright lie to her. If Cole was serious, then he could show at any moment and take me away to the school. For some reason, I didn’t think he was kidding either. “It’s strange.” That was the best I could muster due to the situation.
“Raven, it’s time to go.” Dad’s voice called from the foyer. “We’re going to be late.”
“Oh, no.” Mom dropped her hands back to her sides and sniffed. As she wiped underneath her eye, she chuckled. “Now, look what I’ve done. Upset us, and if we don’t hurry, we’ll be late.”
At that point, I wasn’t sure what to say or do. It felt as though we both were keeping secrets from one another. So I said the only words that were completely safe and true to say. “I love you.”
“Baby girl, I love you too.” She wrapped her arms around me, giving me one last quick hug before tugging me out the door. “I will say that’s the ugliest outfit I’ve ever seen you in.”
To say otherwise would have been a straight out lie. I hated the long red, graduation gowns and hats they made us wear. “Don’t get me started.”
As we made our way down the stairs, Dad smiled. “Look at our daughter all grown up.”
“Hey now, don’t start on her.” Mom reached over and lovingly squeezed my arm. “I’ve already cried once. We need to go.”
“Fine.” Dad walked over and hugged me once. “Let’s get going.”
Parking was horrendous at the school. The graduation was scheduled to begin in ten minutes, so I was later than what the teachers had required. The parking lot was full, which meant a lot of family and friends were attending the ceremony.
Dad made his own parking spot at the end of the lot, wedging himself between two cars.
I was going to complain, but that wouldn’t have done any good.
As I slid out from the backseat, my eyes landed on a shiny, red Audi that had the words Bloodshed Academy written in gothic letters on it. I reread the sticker over and over again, hoping I was only seeing things. Still, with each blink, the words didn’t change no matter how hard I wished.
“Rave, are you okay?” Dad moved beside me and followed my gaze. His face paled, and he took a step back. “Liz …”
“What are you two gaping at?” Mom turned her head and took a sharp intake of breath.
What was I going to do? Maybe it was someone other than Cole that was coming to meet Greg. I mean, he is the strongest alpha next to his father in our pack. Maybe it was all a mix-up or a cruel joke. That definitely had to be it.
“I guess they’re here to meet Greg.” Mom took a deep breath and shook her head. “We better get going before they don’t have any seats left.”
“Are you …” Dad cringed.
“Yes ... Yes, I am.” Mom cut him off, and her stance was rigid once more. “Now let’s go. Raven can’t miss her only graduation.”
The rest of the way into the gym was in awkward silence. Each step of the way, I kept saying over and over in my head that they were here for Greg, not me. That was the only thing that made sense. By the time I reached the double doors that entered the gym, I’d lied to myself that they couldn’t be here for me. That was until I took my first step into the gym.
He was right there, leaning against the wall only a few feet away.
A smirk spread across his devilishly handsome face as he raised his hand in the air and wiggled his fingers at me.
That’s what he did to me the other night at the baseball game. The image had been burned into my mind.
His blond hair was styled in spikes in the front, and his black shirt hugged his athletic frame. He was hot and knew it, just like every vampire did.
A large, muscular guy beside him turned and faced me. His chocolate eyes seemed to burn into me, and he took a step toward me before stopping. He clenched his hands, and his shaggy brown hair fell into his face a little.
Damn, Cole brought a wolf shifter here. Why would he do that?
“You better hurry and take your seat.” Mom glanced over at the two guys that had captured my attention. “Let’s go sit on the other side, honey.”
“Sounds perfect.” Dad placed his hand at the base of my back and guided me to the center of the gym. “Knock ‘em dead, honey.” He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.
“You do realize I’m only walking across the stage?” I tried to make a light joke, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that both of the Bloodshed recruiters were staring straight at me.
Dad ignored my comment, and both he and Mom headed in the opposite direction, looking for a place to sit.
“What’s wrong, Raven?” Greg appeared in front of me and smiled brightly.
“Nothing.” I couldn’t help but steal a glance over my shoulder. Of course, both Cole and his friend were still standing there.
“Oh, okay. Good.” He reached up and placed his thumb under my chin, turning my head back in his direction. “Guess what Dad and I saw when we were walking in?”
A growl wanted to emanate from my chest, but I held it in. I hated when Greg treated me like a doll instead of a person. However, there was a growl from behind me.
The muscular boy who was with Cole appeared at my side, staring down Greg. “You should respect her more than that.”
“Whoa.” Greg lifted his chin and showed his teeth. “Why don’t you mind your own business?” Who the hell is this guy, Raven?
I’ve never met him before. To be fair, I had no clue why this guy was acting this way.
“Hey, now.” Cole appeared in between the guy and Greg. “It’s getting late. Why don’t you two go find your place?”
“Oh, you’re the recruiter?” Greg tilted his head and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cole pushed his friend in the shoulder, making him back away.
“Well, then we have a problem.” Greg’s blue eyes began to glow. “Since we hadn’t approved any of your kind to come here.”
“Thanks, man.” Cole glared at his friend for a second before spinning back around to face us. “Yes, I am. But right now, you both need to go and find your seats.” He pointed behind where the teachers were climbing the stairs onto the raised platform. “We’ll talk afterward.”
Any trace of anger was removed from Greg’s face. “Of course.” He turned around and headed to the seats with a little bit of a skip to his step.
Not wanting to attract any additional attention, I headed straight to my seat, which happened to be right next to Sheila. Right as my bottom hit the seat, she turned my way. “Greg just told us that the vampire from Bloodshed is here now. I can’t wait to see what happens after graduation.”
Our principal stood at the podium and gave a large smile. “We’re glad to have so many people here today to witness their loved ones graduating high school.”
Do you think they’ll take him right after graduation? Sheila moved in her seat and flipped her hair back. I thought we’d have him all summer, but if they’re here now … well, maybe they’ll take him right after this.
I have no clue. My stomach was already in knots knowing they weren’t here for him, but I didn’t want the shit to hit the fan. I’d gladly trade places with her. My wolf side cringed at that thought.
For the rest of the ceremony, I couldn’t pay attention to anything. It was an hour later, and the whole time, I focused on what may happen when this was all over. Granted, I’d always known I wasn’t going to be able to do everything I wanted because as a pack, we needed to stay together. Still, I’d have some kind of say in my life whether it be that I became a nurse, teacher, or even an accountant. Now it seemed as if any control that I may have had was gone.
Raven, aren’t you coming? Sheila patted me on the arm and took off after the front of the line.
I jumped out of my seat and followed behind her. Thanks.
What’s wrong with you? Sheila glanced over her shoulder and frowned. You’re not acting normal.
Yeah, I bet she’d like to know. Nothing, it just feels surreal.
It wasn’t long before it was my turn to go up the stairs. I climbed halfway and waited as they announced Sheila.
“Sheila Wilburn.” The principal called out and clapped her hands as Sheila walked across the stage and grabbed her diploma.
“Raven Wright.” I can do this. I hit the platform and headed straight to the principal. Mom and Dad cheered while Greg clapped down below.
There were only two other people after me, and the graduation would be over. Now, it was time to face my future.
Chapter Five
“Oh, honey. We’re so proud.” Mom was by my side in a flash.
My heart was pounding too hard. I needed to calm down, or everyone would know I was apprehensive.
“Baby, can you believe it.” Greg appeared behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “We’re free from this hell hole.”
“It’s bittersweet.” Jerry shook his head and tilted his head toward mom. “Our babies are grown up, but at least, yours will be staying close.”
“That’s very true.” Dad reached over and slapped Jerry on the back. “But you’ll have a fighter when it’s all said and done.”
“He’s already an amazing fighter.” Ian appeared beside me but didn’t even acknowledge my presence. “I can’t wait until he teaches me everything he learns from that school.”
“Unfortunately, he’s not going to have that opportunity.” Cole sauntered over with his buddy right behind him.
“If that’s the case, why are you here?” Jerry turned around, and his nostrils flared.
“Because we’re here for someone else.” The muscular guy stepped forward and towered over Jerry. His mere presence was commanding.
“Oh, really?” Ian’s eyes lit up. “Is it me?”