The Haunted High Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  Silence filled the car. I preferred it with the way my head was starting to pound.

  The car finally stopped. I heard the driver shift in his seat as if he was anxious to leave.

  “I’m getting as far away from that vampire as I can,” he muttered. “He stinks like dirt and blood.”

  “You just volunteered to take him to the holding room,” Meg replied in her deep voice. “Jax, help Bruno. Make sure the chains are tight. Stix, you’re in charge of this werewolf. Roundy and Gets, carry in Cooper and Devin.” She paused, then said, “I can’t believe he got the drop on them wearing handcuffs. That’s ridiculous. Tell them they get rounds when they wake up.”

  “Even with the headaches?” someone asked.

  “Maybe it’ll teach them a lesson,” Meg replied.

  Someone picked me up and swung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I hung with my head down his back and my handcuffs in front of me as he carried me in that graceful position into wherever we had ended up.

  “Put a manacle around his neck.”

  “What?” the man carrying me questioned with surprise in his voice.

  “You heard me,” Meg replied. “Manacle him and put another chain on those handcuffs. It’s either that or the cage. I don’t need him phasing and attacking our pack because he’s mad about the vampire. We need whatever control we can get until some ground rules are covered.”

  “Yes, Meg.”

  I was set on a hard surface. The sound of keys caught my ear. I heard metal slide on metal and knew they were close to using the manacle.

  I had survived a manacle in the Mythic Labs. The pressure of the metal band and death by strangulation if I tried to phase had nearly overwhelmed me with the claustrophobia. I refused to fall under someone’s power like that again.

  I forced my eyes open and pushed to my feet. “Don’t touch me,” I growled.

  The werewolf closest to me backed off with a shout of surprise. I felt a wall against my back and leaned against it for support in the hopes that my blinding headache wouldn’t get the best of me. I stood in a hallway of sorts made of huge bricks. Sound echoed from the matching brick floor to the high ceiling that was nearly lost in the shadows. It looked as though I was in the middle of a medieval castle, but that made no sense.

  “Take it easy,” Meg said. Her arms were folded across her chest and she regarded me with a hint of frustration in her steely green eyes. Her gray-streaked blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and from this close, I could see the deep lines around her eyes and mouth along with a scar that ran from her jaw down her neck and was lost beneath her shirt.

  “Where’s Vicken?” I demanded.

  “Safe,” she replied.

  I glared at her. “Not safe enough. You need to let us go.”

  Other men and women began gathering behind Meg. By their scents they were all werewolves. The fact amazed me.

  Meg shook her head. “You’re not going anywhere for a long time. You might as well get used to it.”

  “You can’t keep me here,” I said through gritted teeth.

  She gestured to the thick handcuffs around my wrists. “You’re in no position to make demands.”

  A few chuckles came from the werewolves behind her. The adults I saw had the same wolf head brand on their forearms as Meg. She silenced them with a glance.

  I tried a different route. “You said werewolves aren’t welcome at the Academy, but I’ve been just fine there.”

  “Oh, really?” Meg replied. “No prejudice? No wary glances as though they’re afraid you’re going to kill someone?” She nodded at the embarrassed look I couldn’t quite stifle. “They’re waiting for you to mess up, and when you do, they’ll kill you. It’s what they do.”

  I shook my head quickly. “They wouldn’t kill me.”

  “Oh yeah? What about Conrad Roe? They killed him quickly enough.”

  Relief made me smile. “Conrad’s not dead! In fact, he’s at the Academy right now. He went back to help us!”

  Talking began behind Meg. She glanced back and then at me again. “What are you talking about?”

  “Conrad’s not dead,” I repeated. “He survived. But a demon controlled him, which is why Vicken and I need to return to the Academy. We killed Conrad’s demon, but we have to go after Chutka. It’s the only way.”

  Meg shook her head. “You’re not making any sense. Conrad’s dead. They framed him after vampires murdered other students. They wanted to keep werewolves out, so fear was the best way to do it.”

  I shook my head quickly. “That’s not true at all! You need to let me go. We have to get back!”

  “What you have to do is calm down and settle in. You’re going to be here for quite some time,” Meg replied.

  “I can’t.” I looked around for anything I could use as leverage. The other werewolves were watching me as though I was either crazy or unstable. Their wary expressions calmed me faster than anything Meg could have said. I was used to being careful around dangerous expectations. The Academy had given me plenty of practice. I took a steeling breath.

  “I’m calm,” I told her. “But I need you to understand that it’s urgent for me to return to the Academy. They need my help.”

  A man behind her chuckled. “Like mythics would take assistance from a werewolf.”

  I stared at him. “Of course they would. We’re mythics, too.”

  Laughter rolled through the crowd at my words.

  Meg held up a hand to silence them, but a humored smile showed on her face when she said, “Werewolves are werewolves. Mythics are their own creatures. We aren’t the same.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off. “Do you know of any mythics that change form the way we do? How about werewolves who can perform magic? Or mythics that have animal survival instincts? What about pack hierarchy? Do you think mythics follow the same rules engrained in our nature since the beginning?”

  I grabbed onto her comment about pack hierarchy. “I’m an Alpha.”

  Her brow furrowed and she watched me for a moment before laughter bubbled again from her. “Son, what makes you think you’re an Alpha?”

  Her question caught me by surprise. “Well, uh, I just am.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Why? Because some night owl running the Academy told you so? What does she know?”

  I was at a loss for words.

  Reading my expression, Meg motioned to one of the men who stood protectively on either side of her. “Stix, remove his handcuffs.”

  The man stared at her. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded. “He doesn’t need them.”

  I felt her gaze on me when the werewolf approached. I fought the urge to back off before he could touch me and instead held my ground. His nervous expression kept me still while he slid the key into the thick handcuffs and unlocked them. When the handcuffs were off, I rubbed at my wrists to encourage the circulation to return to my hands.

  “What’s your name?” Meg asked.

  “Finn,” I answered. I didn’t feel like they deserved my entire name. I kept it to myself to pretend as though I at least had some control over the situation. Besides, if they had been told lies about Conrad and the Academy, I didn’t want to think they believed lies about my mother. I wouldn’t give them the chance to disgrace her memory.

  “Come with me, Finn,” Meg replied. “I want to show you something.”

  The crowd parted to let us pass. Their gazes bored into my back as though they seldom saw werewolf strangers. A glance back showed six of them following. A shiver ran down my spine. I returned my attention to where we were going.

  “It’s not a kind life out there for a werewolf,” Meg said conversationally as she led me down the long hallway. Other halls branched off from the one we walked, but she kept us moving forward. She glanced at me. “You’re lucky you survived out there.”

  I figured telling her the truth wouldn’t hurt anything and might be enlightening. I had gone so long without any informat
ion about werewolves other than what I could figure out for myself that I was willing to show a little patience as long as Vicken wasn’t in danger.

  “I didn’t know I was a werewolf until I phased after an accident.”

  She nodded. “Many of us phase for the first time due to extreme circumstances.” She met my gaze. “It must have been hard doing so all alone.”

  The understanding in her eyes was something I hadn’t expected. I cleared my throat and said, “It was a surprise. My mother died when I was younger and my dad’s werewolf gene remained dormant. He didn’t know much about being a werewolf.”

  That last line was an understatement. The amount of knowledge either of us had about werewolves could have fit on a sticky note.

  As if she guessed I was making light of the situation, Meg gave me a kind smile. “You’ve made it this far on your own. That’s saying something. We could definitely use a werewolf like you here.”

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  We had neared the end of the hallway. It opened up into a wide space that smelled heavily of the musky earth scent of many werewolves.

  “Let me show you,” Meg replied.

  When we reached the opening, my mouth dropped. Meg grinned at me and said, “Welcome to the Den.”

  The hallway turned into a ramp that wound down several stories around the outside of the huge cavern. Tunnels lit by warm glowing lights branched away at regular intervals. At the bottom, at least the size of a football field, was an enormous open area where children played on playground equipment while men and women ate and chatted. Teenagers occupied one section where the entire wall appeared to be taken up by game screens and computers.

  “Are those all werewolves?” I asked in shock.

  Meg nodded. “Dormant or active. Both are welcome at the Den.” She motioned toward the children. “You can understand our need for secrecy. I apology for your rough treatment. We have a lot to keep safe here.”

  “I understand,” I replied. And I did. I had fought so hard to protect my friends and the students at the Academy. If anyone could comprehend the drive to keep those who needed it from harm, I did.

  Meg nodded at the men behind me. “We’re fine here, gentlemen. Thank you for your help.”

  “Keep your gun out,” the man named Stix suggested when he walked past her.

  Meg rolled her eyes. “You worry too much.”

  “That’s my job,” Stix replied before he headed down the ramp after the others.

  We watched as two young children detached from the group and ran up to hug him.

  “His wife was killed during a misunderstanding with a vampire coven,” Meg told me. “He’s raising his children on his own.” She met my gaze. “I’m telling you this so you’ll understand why he’s so rough around the edges. He’s been there.” Her gaze narrowed thoughtfully and she said, “I think you’ve been there, too.” Her face took on a motherly cast. “You’re a bit young to carry so many worries on your shoulders.”

  I didn’t know how to reply to that. I definitely hadn’t expected any kindness or understanding from my kidnappers. It unsettled me.

  “I want you to go down there and see how things are before you judge us too harshly,” Meg said. “Maybe you’ll understand why we’ve hidden away from the world.”

  I asked the question that wouldn’t allow me to lower my walls. “What about Vicken?”

  She watched me carefully, her expression guarded. “Is that your vampire friend?”

  I nodded. “My best friend. I’m responsible for what happens to him here, and I need to know he’s alright.”

  She considered this before she said, “You know that vampires and werewolves are natural enemies?”

  “I do,” I replied. I gave her a wry smile. “It’s something we’ve had to address a few times, but we’ve managed to survive it.”

  That made an answering smile touch her lips. She said, “Your vampire friend will come to no harm. He’s currently being kept in a safe room in a state of controlled unconsciousness.” At my worried look, she said, “Don’t worry. He is safe. It’s the first time I’ve ever protected a vampire here, and I’m sure the Pack will have something to say about it, but you have my word.”

  “Thank you,” I told her. I walked toward the ramp.

  “Oh, one more thing,” Meg said.

  I turned to face her.

  “There are no Alphas in the Den.”

  “Why not?” I asked in surprise.

  Her gaze held mine when she replied, “Because there are no more Alphas left in the world.”

  Chapter Two

  Her last words remained at the forefront of my mind as I made my way down the ramp. By the stares that greeted me from children and adults alike, word of my presence had already flooded through the Den. I walked down the path that led from the playground to a lounge area filled with werewolf adults watching football, soccer, and what looked like a singing competition. The looks of distrust I met warred with the occasional smile. I made sure to keep my gawking at a minimum but they didn’t bother to do the same. Talking rose the moment I left any area; my cheeks heated at references to ‘the vampire protector’, and statements like ‘he must be dangerous’ and ‘we can’t trust him’.

  At one point, a girl with silver and pink streaked hair broke the mold of gossip and distrust when she waved me over to join a heated foosball competition.

  “Come play,” she invited.

  The looks of the other teenage werewolves weren’t nearly as happy, but they moved over to make room, leaving me the position of goalie.

  “It’s been a while since I played,” I told them nervously.

  To be honest, the last time I had played a game of foosball was with Sebastian and Drake at the Cleary Recreation Center about two years ago. The thought of Bast laughing when he slammed a goal past Drake’s goalie gave me a pang of sadness.

  Distracted by my thoughts, I let the ball slide by without blocking it.

  “Nice move,” one of the werewolves said. He had dark skin and matching eyes. By the way the other teenagers looked at him, he was in charge. “Way to not do anything.”

  “Sorry,” I mumbled.

  The girl with the streaked hair threw me an apologetic look.

  “Why don’t you use your Alpha skills to tell us how to play?” the teenager continued.

  “Yeah,” one of his friends piped in. “What Rhett said. Make us lose, Alpha. That’d be proof.”

  The others burst out laughing.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. I heard my sullen tone, but couldn’t help it.

  The first boy grinned, showing a gap between his front teeth. “You know, compel us. You say you’re an Alpha. Prove it.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know how.”

  They laughed again.

  The girl glared at her friends. “Shut up, you guys.”

  Rhett glared at her in return. “You’re the one who invited the freak over here, Kiyah.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I thought you’d have a shred of decency toward a newcomer.”

  “You thought wrong,” Rhett spat.

  She launched herself at him.

  I could only stare in shock as she knocked him to the ground and jumped on him with her fists flying. Rhett kicked her off. She stumbled backwards. He lunged to his feet and bowled her over.

  The teenage werewolves around me didn’t interfere. A circle formed around the pair as they brawled. Cheers for each side rose.

  “Teach her a lesson, Rhett!” one of the boys said.

  “Hit him again, Kiyah!” several girls shouted.

  Kiyah appeared to be holding her own for a moment, then Rhett swept her legs and she landed hard on her back. He slammed a fist into her cheekbone with enough force that her head rebounded off the floor. Before he could land another one, I shoved through the crowd and grabbed his arm.

  “Let go of me, loser!” he growled.

  “She’s had enough,” I replied
. “Leave her alone.”

  His eyes narrowed. Kiyah’s expression showed her shock at my interference. Already, a bruise was forming on her cheek where he had hit her.

  “Only curs interfere,” Rhett said. “Let me go!”

  “Only bullies pick on girls,” I shot back, refusing to release his arm.

  “What’s going on here?”

  The werewolves quickly parted and my heart fell when Stix was revealed. He didn’t look pleased to see me there, but when his gaze shifted from me to Rhett who was still crouched over Kiyah, anger simmered in his eyes.

  “Explain yourself, Rhett.”

  Rhett shrugged out of my grip and rose quickly. “Kiyah started it,” he said. “She’s defending the cur.”

  I held out my hand to the girl. She glared at me and swatted my hand to the side before rising on her own.

  “Thanks a lot,” she grumbled.

  Stix glared at me. “If your goal in coming here was to create trouble, you’ve done it.”

  “I didn’t ask to come here,” I shot back. “I was kidnapped, remember?”

  He crossed his arms. “The werewolves here are grateful to be safe.”

  “Well, I’m not,” I replied. “I was safe before they dragged me here. Show me where my friend is and I’ll gladly leave.”

  Gasps and whispers of shock came from the other werewolves.

  Stix glanced at them, then back to me. “Meg wants you to stay, so you’ll stay. Until she lets you leave, try to keep the peace.” He turned his gaze on Kiyah. “Head back home.”

  “But, Dad,” she began.

  He shook his head firmly. “Now, Kiyah.”

  She shot me one more glare before storming off. Stix turned away without another word and followed her.

  “Good job, freak,” Rhett said. “Look what you’ve done.”

  Anger filled me at everything I didn’t understand and couldn’t control. I rounded on him with my hands clenched into fists.

  “You’re the one who hit a girl,” I said. “What kind of werewolf are you? Werewolves should defend their pack, not beat them into submission. I may not be an Alpha, but neither are you.”

  The wolf inside of me struggled to reach the surface. I wasn’t sure what the rules were for being in wolf form inside the Den. No one else was. It took all of my self-control to walk away before I messed up again.