by Cheree Alsop
It was the same joke he told every year, and worked to bring a few smiles to the faces of the werewolves watching from below.
Jaze waved a hand to indicate the building. “Welcome to your new home.”
Applause from both the students and faculty rose in the courtyard. Alex gave a few halfhearted claps to support Jaze. The dean glanced in his direction and smiled. Alex wondered if the smile was meant for him or for the statue he leaned against.
Jaze’s wife stepped forward. Professor Nikki’s long black hair was caught back with a headband that sparkled in the sunlight. Her blue eyes creased with her smile as she watched the students below. “We’ll now invite the bus drivers and parents to depart so we can commence with the Choosing Day Ceremony,” Nikki told the crowd.
Alex watched as the parents who had traveled with the buses gave hearty goodbyes. Many students looked sad to see their parents go. A few appeared glad. One in particular, a girl with white-blonde hair, glowered at both her parents and the school. Her mother looked anxious to get away from the forest, casting glances in all directions as if the trees were going to crawl over the walls attack her at any time. Her father sat in the car and merely nodded when the tall boy standing near the girl waved.
Alex’s heart sank. The tall, blond-haired boy was Boris, a Sixth Year and the Alpha leader of the Termers. Alex had hoped the boy wouldn’t return. It looked like instead of fulfilling his wish, Boris had brought his sister. Alex felt at least a bit of consolation at the fact that the sister didn’t appear pleased with the arrangement, either. She stomped to the car and tried to open the back door, but the driver locked it. Her father watched impassively from the back seat, giving the merest wave of his fingers to thwart off his angry daughter.
“Kalia,” her mother called. The girl crossed her arms and glared at the ground. Her mother threw her arms around her daughter despite her stony expression. “Maybe they can fix this and you can return home,” Alex heard the mom say.
“I’m not like them,” Kalia replied, her disgust clear as she gestured flippantly toward the group waiting in the courtyard. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me here.”
“We talked about this,” her mom said.
Her father unrolled the window. “Get in the car, dear,” he called before rolling it back up again.
“It’s not fair,” Kalia protested. Her blonde hair swished just above her shoulders when she shook her head. “You can’t do this.”
“Kalia, I—”
Her mother was cut off by the opening of the back window. “Marnie, now,” Kalia’s father said in a stern tone.
Kalia’s mother kissed the top of her head before hurrying to the car. Both Kalia and Boris watched it follow the path the buses had already taken. When the car reached the wall, two staff members shut the wrought iron gates intricately worked in the shape of two wolves howling at the half-moon on either side that connected to make it full when the gates closed. The sound sent an ominous chill through the new students, while Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Though his home was overrun by students, at least they were through with the bombardment.
“Take this time to mingle with your fellow students,” Professor Nikki encouraged the group. “This will become very important in the Ceremony. Get to know those you want to have in your pack. The contacts you make now may very well become your pack later. Learn the Alphas, learn the Grays. Everyone is important in a pack. I’ll encourage you to not waste this time.”
The Alphas began to mingle through the crowd as was expected of them. Alex watched Grays and younger years talk with enthusiasm, hoping to catch the eye of someone who would watch their back at the Academy. Alex had long ago given up mingling. He only hoped Raynen would hold true to what he had said. Trepidation filled Alex’s chest at the thought that things might stay as they always had been.
“What’s your name?”
Surprised, Alex glanced up from his brooding to see a tall, brown-haired boy watching him. Alex hadn’t seen the werewolf before. He must have been a First Year, but the way he held himself said that he was an Alpha.
“Alex,” he answered.
“I’m Jericho,” the Alpha replied. He tipped his head toward the statue. “That’s awesome.”
Alex nodded without speaking.
“You been here long?” Jericho asked.
“Six years,” Alex replied.
Jericho nodded. Another werewolf caught his eye and he wandered away. Alex clenched his hands into fists, then caught himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.
A few minutes later, Professor Nikki climbed to the top step of the Academy again. “Let’s adjourn to the meeting hall for the Choosing Ceremony,” she said. She and Dean Jaze held hands as they led the way through the huge front doors. Alex trailed behind the crowd. His patience was rewarded when Cassie eventually gave up her vigil at the edge of the forest and joined him.
“There are so many of them,” Cassie whispered.
“It’s just for the term,” Alex reassured her. “They’ll go home soon enough.”
“I sure hope so,” she replied.
Chapter Two
Alex fought down the rush of anxiety he always felt at the Choosing Ceremony. His efforts to find an in with Torin’s group had failed miserably when he tripped on the forest path. He had put his trust in Raynen. If the Alpha didn’t pull through, Alex would have to resign himself thought of being chosen last and staying with the same group of Lifers he had been with every term since he was eight.
Dean Jaze waited until everyone found a seat on the cushioned red chairs. Rows of the comfortable seats had been set out in a semi-circle around the dais that took up one end of the Great Hall. It took some time for the new students to find seats and for the group to quiet down. The Lifers kept to one side of the hall while the Termers sat as far away from them as the seating allowed.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” the dean warned with a smile that made it a joke. “You’re going to get shuffled around soon enough.” He nodded at the dark-haired, red-eyed werewolf near the middle of the stand. “I’ll turn the time over to Professor Kaynan for the Ceremony,” Jaze said.
Kaynan smiled at the group. Many of the new students looked uncomfortable under his red gaze, but Alex smiled back. Professor Kaynan taught English and art with his wife Grace. He and his sister Colleen, a wilderness education teacher, were also the only two genetically created werewolves as far as Alex knew.
He wasn’t sure of the specifics except that when he was younger, he had asked Kaynan how it happened. The look of sadness that filled the werewolf’s face was enough to prevent further questions, but Kaynan’s kindness had helped Alex through a few rough times and he was grateful for the werewolf.
“Wolves run in packs,” Kaynan began. “Werewolves run in bigger packs.” Laughter rang through the room. Kaynan held up a hand. “Here at the Academy, your pack is your safety net, your security blanket, your go to, and your family. Your pack is your support and your biggest cheerleader. Starting with a strong connection to your pack means you will have a good year. Choosing Day is the most important day of your term here at the Academy.”
Kaynan glanced over his shoulder. “Sorry, professors, but it’s true. Your classes only make a strong second.” They chuckled with the camaraderie of true friends. He turned back to the students. “Packs in the wild are not forced; they are made of family units who have each other’s backs and work together for the defense of their territory and security of their members. Here at the Academy, the Alpha students will choose you.”
Kaynan’s voice lowered, “You have the right to refuse your pack, but you do so at the risk of not being taken in by another pack. If that is the case, you will become part of a pack that has the fewest members. We will have ten packs led by ten Alphas, thanks to the addition of Jericho, our new First Year Alpha. Choosing will go in order of years at the Academy.”
Kaynan motioned for Torin to step forward. As a Lifer, he was given precedence over Boris
for the first choosing. He crossed to the center of the stage.
“Sid Hathaway,” he called without hesitation, choosing the werewolf who was always his Second. The linebacker-built werewolf crossed calmly to stand below his Alpha.
Boris took the stage. “Parker Luis,” he called.”
Though the choosing of the Alpha’s Second was expected, Alex caught a hurt expression on Boris’ sister’s face. Kalia crossed her arms and stuck her feet on the back of the chair in front of her. The student who sat there turned around and gave her a disgruntled look, but she ignored him.
Kaynan motioned to Maliki, a Fifth Year Alpha, the second from the Lifers.
“Jordan Smith,” the Alpha called.
Shannon, the Fourth Year Alpha, walked up to the dais next. She looked out over the group and a smile crossed her face. “Shaylee,” she called.
The duo was twins, the only other set of twin students Alex knew of beside him and Cassie. The sisters were actually Alphas, but chose to stick together instead of making eleven packs at the Academy. Shaylee practically ran to the stage to join her sister.
Raynen was called next. After Alex’s mishap with Torin’s group, his only hope of being a Second was with Raynen, the last Alpha of the Lifers. Alex hoped the Alpha wouldn’t let him down. He had never been a Second before, but both he and Raynen had spent a lot of time tagging along at the back of Torin’s group trying to fit in. They were the same age. Perhaps the Alpha would pick him.
Raynen’s eyes flitted over the crowd in his usual anxious way. He met Alex’s gaze for a moment, then moved on. Alex’s chest was tight. As a Gray, the highest position he could ever hope for was a Second. He hadn’t cared about it before; it surprised him how much he wanted it this time.
“Cherish Mayland,” Raynen called out.
Alex’s heart fell. He slouched in his seat and glared at the worn knees of his pants. He had never needed new clothes. His needs had always been provided for by the Academy; but it was hard not to compare his clothes to the brand new shirts and pants worn by the Termers.
“I hate this,” Cassie said in a whisper.
Alex nodded without looking at her. No doubt they would be chosen as the last two of Raynen’s or Miguel’s packs. It wouldn’t matter either way. The Alphas chose their pack mates based on familiarity. Alex wished he was an Alpha like his brother had been so he could show them what a true pack should look like. Strengths needed to counterbalance each other. Torin and Boris made their packs out of the physically strongest Grays, ignoring the fact that some of the weakest had strengths in areas other than physique.
Drake chose, then Jessilyn and Kelli. Miguel was silent for several minutes, but Alex didn’t look up. The Second Year Alpha had formed a close pack the previous term. There was no doubt he would make the same choices again.
“Daniel Adamson ,” he called. The round Second Year hurried up to the stage.
None of it made sense to Alex. Miguel and Daniel had pretty much exactly the same skillsets. Why choose someone like that as a Second? Different points of view meant better decisions for the pack. It was easy to choose someone who would be a yes man and never second-guess decisions, but isn’t that what a Second was for? Obviously they needed to take Rafe’s course on pack survival again.
“Alex Davies.”
Alex’s head jerked up. Jericho, the new First Year, was on the dais. Surely there was another Alex in the group of new students. But when Alex looked at the stage, Jericho was staring directly at him.
“He called you,” Cassie said, her whisper loud in her amazement.
“He did?” Alex questioned. He didn’t want to be the one who stood up only to be laughed at when the Alpha was referring to someone else.
Jaze caught Alex’s eyes and motioned for him to step forward. Alex obeyed numbly, making his way between the chairs and then down the aisle without realizing he was doing so. He stopped in front of the stage and looked up at Jericho. The Alpha gave him a tight smile. By Alex’s estimations, there was at least a two year gap between them, but the older boy gave Alex a nod as though grateful he had accepted.
Alex had never been a Second. It was unusual for a Termer to pick a Lifer to be his Second. Generally, the two groups didn’t mix. Actually, the two groups never mixed. They were rivals, and fierce ones at that. Alex had always viewed them as separate entities. He realized he could learn something from Jericho as he surveyed the assembly. It was strange watching the crowd from the front of the Great Hall instead of the back. Everyone looked anxious and tried to cover it up by whispering to their friends or ignoring whoever was up next, but when Torin took the stage again, all eyes locked on him.
“Brace Jacobs.”
Everyone followed the Lifer’s path to the stage.
“Boris,” Professor Kaynan said.
The Alpha Lifer sounded almost annoyed when he called out, “Kalia Dickson.”
She made her way to the front without glancing to either side; it was as though nobody existed but her and her brother. She made a face when she reached him. “You pick me after Parker? Really?”
Boris motioned for her to be quiet. A slight hint of embarrassment showed on his face. Alex wondered if the Alpha regretted choosing his sister at all. At least Jericho’s pack wouldn’t have to worry about ending up with her. She turned with a sharp shake of her head that sent her hair swishing across her shoulders before she glared out above the crowd, oblivious to those who watched her as if pretending they didn’t exist would make it happen.
“Boris,” Professor Kaynan said.
The Alphas went through the choosing cycle again. When they reached Jericho, the Alpha surprised Alex by leaning down and asking, “Who should I choose?” Whispers rushed through the crowd at the unprecedented event. No Alpha had ever asked his Second who to pick in a Choosing.
“Cassie Davies,” Alex said.
“I choose Cassie Davies,” Jericho repeated.
Cassie’s face flushed with relief as she made her way to the front. She stood there next to Alex with her head bowed so she didn’t have to look at the faces watching her. He could see her trembling. It was the same every Choosing. As much as she hated crowds, she had to stand there. He knew she fought the urge to phase and run away.
“It’s okay,” Alex whispered softly as Boris chose his next pack mate.
“It’ll be better when it’s over,” Cassie whispered back.
Alex studied the faces of the werewolves still waiting to be chosen. If Jericho asked him who to choose next, he needed to be ready. His gaze fell on Trent. The Sixth Year was great with numbers, but poor socially. He could help out in the classroom, but they would need someone to counterbalance him when they were outside of the Academy.
“Who next?” Jericho asked on cue.
“Trent Rushton,” Alex replied without hesitation.
The werewolf’s face lit up when his name was called. He hurried to the front, excited because he had never been chosen so early. Alex saw something in the boy’s face that surprised him. There was a measure of self-esteem there as if being called so early gave him a bit more respect for himself. The grin he gave to Alex when he reached the group was relieved, but also carried a hint of pride. Alex made a note of that. If he could instill pride in his pack mates by helping them know their place, perhaps the pack would be stronger.
The rounds were gone through again. For the first time, pack mates who had been chosen began to submit requests to their Seconds and Alphas for others from the crowd. Brothers and sisters from lesser years joined their older siblings. The younger kids began to find places among the packs. Alex glanced back at the professors and staff members watching the Choosing. Jaze caught his gaze and gave him a thumb’s-up. A smile spread across Alex’s face as he turned around again.
“Terith Rushton,” he said when Jericho asked him.
Trent’s younger sister skipped through the waiting students. Everyone smiled at her. It was hard not to with her curly blonde hair and sweet smile. She w
as the counterpart to Trent’s antisocial bookworm disposition. Perhaps having her in the pack would help Cassie as well, Alex hoped.
Alex went next with Von and Amos. Von was great in Biology despite his tendency to pick his nose. Amos was a huge, hulking werewolf who had much more in the way of brawn than brains, but would be a big asset when it came to defending the scrawnier members of the pack.
Torin glowered at Alex. The Alpha usually chose Amos as his ninth or tenth pick. Alex ducked away from the glare as he was supposed to being a Gray, but he didn’t feel a bit sorry about messing up the Alpha’s plans. Perhaps choosing Amos sixth would boost the behemoth’s self-esteem as well.
Raynen was up next. “Pip Jacobs,” he called.
Alex found the small Second Year werewolf at the back of the Great Hall. The boy stood, but instead of walking forward, he hesitated. Alex’s senses sharpened. The boy looked like he was going to be sick.
Instead, Pip shook his head. “I deny the Choosing.” His small voice rang clearly across the Great Hall. The twelve-year-old looked as though he wanted to disappear into the floor when one hundred and fifty-one heads plus the faculty and staff turned to stare at him.
“That’s never happened before,” Alex heard Professor Thorson, the human history teacher, whisper loudly.
“It is his right,” Kaynan replied so the entire assembly heard. Alex glanced back to see the professor nod. “Your decision stands,” Kaynan concluded.
Pip quickly sat back down and disappeared within the mass of taller bodies.
“Fine,” Raynen replied with a hint of anger. “Tessa Mathews, then.”
When it came to their turn, Alex told Jericho to choose Pip. The werewolf was a Termer, and it was odd to mix Termers with Lifers, but Jericho had done away with that precedence when he chose Alex. The Alpha hesitated, worried at being denied, but at Alex’s encouraging nod, he declared, “We choose Pip Jacobs.”