Werewolf Academy Book 1

by Cheree Alsop

  She nodded as a yawn escaped her. Alex watched his sister walk wearily to the girl’s rooms and disappear down the hall.

  He met Jericho’s gaze again. “Will you keep an eye on her?”

  Jericho didn’t look at all surprised at the seriousness Alex’s tone had taken now that his sister was out of earshot. “That bad, huh?”

  Alex shook his head. “Things are fine, but I’m tired of getting shot at.” Rage flooded through him, powerful and angry at all the things he hadn’t been able to prevent. “I need this to stop. I can’t keep Cassie safe if they can appear out of nowhere with a dozen guns ready to shoot us down. We need to find out who the snitch is, and I need to end this before it gets worse.”

  Jericho nodded. “Let me know what I can do.”

  “Just make sure she’s safe,” Alex repeated.

  Jericho’s brown eyes glittered. “Nothing will get in here. Trust me.”

  “I do,” Alex replied. “Thank you.”

  He hurried back down the stairs. The door to the closet closed just as he reached the stairs. He hurried inside and knocked on the inner door. The footsteps on the stairs paused.

  “Who is it?” he heard Jaze ask.

  “It’s Alex,” Brock replied when Alex looked up at the camera.

  Jaze’s footsteps returned and the door opened.

  “I figured we weren’t done talking,” the dean said, stepping back to let Alex pass.

  None of the werewolves below looked surprised when they entered the room together. Alex walked straight to Brock. The human put down the candy bar he had been munching on and braced for whatever Alex was going to say.

  “Did you know Drogan was in Haroldsburg?” Alex demanded.

  Brock shook his head quickly.

  “Whoa, now,” Chet cut him off. “Take it easy, Alex.”

  “They dropped out of a chopper,” Alex replied, trying to control his anger. “They had me surrounded in seconds, and I’m supposed to take it easy? If Cassie had been there, she might have been killed.”

  “It sounds like you were the one almost killed,” Vance pointed out.

  Alex clenched and unclenched his hands as he fought back the urge to hit something. A hand touched his shoulder. He spun, knocking it away as he crouched in a defensive position, ready to defend himself.

  Jaze held up his hands. “Easy, Alex,” he said quiet. “We aren’t your enemies.”

  Alex’s heart thundered in his chest. It skipped a beat, making his breath catch. He leaned against the wall, burying his face in his hands. “I can’t do this,” he said. “I can’t sit here and wait for Drogan to take us out. It’s like I’m sitting on a time bomb, not knowing when it’s going to explode.”

  Jaze put a hand on his shoulder. “Alex, you need to calm down.”

  Alex shook his head. “I can’t. I’m tired of living on edge.”

  “Believe me,” Jaze said softly. “All of us have been there. We know what you’re going through.”

  Alex looked up at the dean. The werewolves around the table behind him nodded. Kaynan’s red gaze was stark as if he remembered it all too well. There was steel in Dray’s expression as though he knew just what it took from Alex to be attacked and helpless.

  “Use me as bait,” Alex said. Determination filled his voice as the idea fleshed out in his mind. “We’ll flush Drogan into the open, then you can take him out.”

  “That’s too dangerous,” Jaze said, shaking his head. “We won’t let you put your life on the line like that.”

  “It’s already on the line,” Alex pointed out. “It’s driving me crazy to know that Cassie is a target and I may not be able to protect her. At least this way we’ll have some control.”

  At Jaze’s silence, Vance spoke up. “He has a point,” the huge werewolf said. He looked at Alex. “But using you as a target?” He shook his head. “We can’t guarantee your safety. It’s a no.”

  Everyone looked surprised by the werewolf’s concern.

  “You don’t have a choice,” Alex argued. “I’m not losing Cassie the way I lost everyone else.” His throat tightened. “And I won’t risk leaving her here alone, either.” He met their gazes, his own determined. “I’m telling Kalia we’re going to Haroldsburg and she can spread the news to Drogan so he can come after Cassie and me, only Cassie will stay here where she’s safe.”

  Jaze held up a hand. “Don’t be hasty. The only way to get to Drogan is to make sure we have our bases covered. Jumping in without a plan is only going to get you killed.”

  “Will you help me?” Alex asked. He hated how small his voice sounded in the huge underground room. He wanted to sound confident, sure of himself, but the thought of being a target for Drogan yet again stole some of his bravado.

  To his relief, Jaze nodded. “Yes, since you’re so determined to do this with or without us. I’d rather us be there than leave you to make your own plans.” He speared Alex with a look. “But we will do this during the Christmas break when most of the students are gone. That way, we’ll be better able to protect Cassie and everyone else.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Alex agreed. “But Kalia will be leaving to go home with Boris.”

  Jaze’s expression was serious when he said, “We don’t know for certain that Kalia is the informant. She’s had a rough time here already, and if she isn’t Drogan’s contact, she doesn’t need another reason to want to leave. Tread lightly around her and anyone else you suspect, but don’t accuse someone if you don’t have proof.”

  Alex dropped his gaze under Jaze’s stern stare. He nodded. “Okay.” But in his mind, he saw all of the times he and Kalia had talked in a different light. Perhaps she wasn’t really a werewolf. Maybe Drogan had gotten her into the Academy as an informant, which is why she couldn’t phase. The brief glimpse he had seen of her eyes changing to gold when she looked at the full moon nagged at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away.

  “For now, stay within the Academy walls where we can protect you,” Jaze said. He gave a small smile. “Private werewolf army or not, I’d rather know that you’re safe.”

  An answering smile reached Alex’s face at the dean’s tone. He nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  The weeks before Christmas couldn’t go by soon enough. Alex felt more on edge. He couldn’t get past the idea that someone was watching him, that someone was a spy. The fear that Drogan would attack the school to get to Cassie was never far away. It was hard to participate in the day-to-day classes when his mind kept wandering to the forest and the sound of the helicopter that haunted his thoughts and dreams. He could still hear the percussion of the grenade and feel himself flying backward. Alex pretended for Cassie’s sake, but he found it harder and harder to act as though everything was fine.

  As Jericho Pack made their way down the stairs to combat training, Alex paused at the sight of snow falling past the windows that lined the hallway to the training room. The sight sent a shiver of anticipation through his body. Wilderness education was the one exception to Jaze’s rule to stay within the Academy walls. At least when he was in the forest with Rafe’s pack, he could put everything behind him.

  “It’s going to be cold in wilderness education,” Trent noted on his way past.

  “You’ll be wearing a fur coat,” Terith replied.

  Everyone groaned.

  “What?” Terith demanded. “He set it up perfectly.”

  “You still shouldn’t have said it,” Pip replied.

  Terith tried to hit him, and the young werewolf ran down the hall with the Lifer close behind.

  Alex itched to go outside. Wilderness education couldn’t come soon enough. He needed to run or hit something.

  “Who volunteers to fight Boris?” Chet asked as Alex followed Cassie into the training room.

  It was a joke, the same joke Chet had said every day since combat training began. No one was stupid enough to go up against the Termer Alpha, and only another Alpha matched him for strength,
so there really was no question.

  But this time, Alex raised his hand. “I volunteer.”

  Cassie elbowed him in the ribs. “What are you doing?”

  Alex shrugged. “Volunteering,” he said simply.

  “Alex, Chet was kidding,” Dray pointed out. “Jericho will fight Boris.”

  “Steven got dish duty for throwing plates at a bird that got in the Great Hall,” Pip told the professor. “The bird got away, but Professor Nikki said he has to work off the damage by cleaning dishes for the next two weeks. Jericho volunteered to help him get it done faster.”

  Boris rolled his eyes. “He’s an idiot.”

  Chet looked at Dray. The werewolf quickly shook his head. “No way.”

  Chet shrugged. “It might be interesting.”

  “Alex could be killed,” Dray replied.

  Chet looked at Alex. “You willing to risk that?”

  Alex rolled his shoulders. He might have been a Gray, and it was entirely against his instincts to fight the Alpha, but the frustration centering on Drogan had built to the point that he needed an outlet somewhere. “Sure.”

  “Alex, no,” Cassie protested.

  Alex ducked under the ropes of the fighting ring. Even Boris looked surprised at the Gray’s actions.

  Alex stepped from foot to foot, warming up. “Come on,” he said to Boris. “Afraid?”

  A growl escaped the big Termer. He climbed under the ropes and glared at Alex. “I’m not afraid of anyone.”

  “I don’t know,” Alex replied. “You look a little scared.”

  A vein bulged out of the side of Boris’ neck and his face turned red with anger.

  “You should probably get that looked at,” Alex continued. “You don’t want to explode or something.”

  “Why you little—”

  “Gear,” Chet reminded them. He tossed up a pair of gloves and a sparring helmet. The gear hit Boris square in the face and fell to the floor as he fumbled to catch it.

  Alex caught his and pulled it on smoothly. He avoided looking at the students who watched them. The room was filled with complete silence. He knew he was being stupid, and he didn’t need to read it on their faces. All he knew was he wanted to hit something, and Boris had volunteered to become a punching bag.

  Time slowed down. Alex heard every strong beat of his heart. A soft brush of a bare foot on the plastic mat surface warned him that Boris was going to be as dirty at fighting as he usually was with Jericho. Alex pretended not to notice the advancing Alpha. He flexed his right hand, then pretended to have all of his attention on adjusting the straps a bit tighter.

  One more footstep. The students in front of him tensed. He could tell someone wanted to cry out a warning, but in werewolf fights, it was strictly between the two on the mat. Any interference would be viewed as a weakness and a lack of discipline by both the fighter and the pack.

  The step slid again. Alex dropped to his knee, spun, and connected with Boris’ right leg as the Alpha attempted to punch him in the head and end the fight before it even started.

  Caught off balance by the punch that met only air and the kick to the leg, Boris stumbled sideways. Alex jumped up and slammed a fist into the Alpha’s jaw.

  Gasps flew through the packs. Pain surged up Alex’s hand despite the protective gloves. He watched in horror as Boris rubbed his jaw, then met Alex’s gaze. The fury in the Alpha’s stare was enough to send ice through Alex’s veins. Not only had he hit an Alpha, he had made the Alpha look bad to his pack. Alex knew he was going to die.

  Boris’ steps sounded like thunder as he advanced on Alex. Alex scrambled back to the ropes. He spun to the right when Boris threw a fist. Boris landed the second on the back of Alex’s shoulder. The Gray flew against the ropes. He managed to protect his face with his forearms for the next two hits, but forgot to breathe out when the third slammed into his stomach. Alex fell to the ground gasping for air.

  Boris grabbed the back of his shirt and hefted him to his feet. Alex gathered all of his strength. The Alpha clenched his fist; when he drove the punch forward, it was with the intention of slamming it into Alex’s jaw and ending the fight once and for all.

  Alex wasn’t ready to be beaten. He ducked at the last second, catching only a glancing blow on his eyebrow. He felt the punch split his skin. Warm blood began to drip down his face. Alex righted himself on the ropes, took a steeling breath, and began to jump from foot to foot again.

  Boris’ eyes widened. “Seriously, dude?” he asked.

  “Bring it,” Alex replied.

  For the first time in weeks, no thoughts of Drogan Carso occupied his mind. He felt alive, free. He still felt free when the strength of the Alpha slammed him against the ropes again. He felt perhaps a little less alive at a foot to the ribs, and argued to himself that perhaps the thoughts weren’t so bad when another fist connected with the back of his head.

  He lay on the mat trying to fight the dark spots that clouded his vision. His heart skipped a few beats, reminding him that he was pushing it.

  “That’s enough,” Dray called from outside of the ropes.

  Boris was grinning at his pack as though he had defeated an entire army.

  The look sent a surge of rage through Alex. A growl of pent-up anger tore from his lips as he leaped at the Alpha, bowling him into the ropes. He slammed a fist into Boris’ kidney, wrapped his arms around the Alpha’s right shoulder, and twisted as he picked up his feet, slamming the Alpha to his back on the ground. He landed two punches to Boris’ face before the Alpha threw him off.

  Alex waited near the ropes, his heart thundering in his throat and blood dripping into his eye.

  Boris clambered ungracefully to his feet. He studied the Gray. Purple hinted around one eye and there was a small split in his lip. Boris touched the cut, then looked at the blood. To Alex’s surprise, a hint of a smile crossed the Alpha’s face.

  “Not bad, Stray.”

  Alex smiled back. “Someone had to try.”

  “I’m not so sure about that,” Boris replied. “But you did good.”

  He crossed to Alex and held out a hand. Alex warily accepted the handshake.

  “You got guts,” Boris said.

  Pack Jericho cheered, and soon Pack Boris joined in. Alex pulled off his headgear and gloves, handing them to Chet as he stepped out of the fighting ring. “You might need to wash those,” Alex said.

  His pack surged forward. Reaching hands patted his back and tousled his hair. He pushed through to the back where the drinking fountain was. He took a big drink, then sank down against the wall next to it.

  “Here.”

  Alex looked up to see Kalia holding paper towels.

  “For your head,” she explained.

  There was a hint of something in her light blue gaze. Was it worry that Alex had figured out she was the informant? Since his talk with Jaze, he hadn’t been able to help avoiding her. Alex couldn’t forgive her if she had something to do with the danger Cassie was in. When he saw her walking down the hall, he turned the other way. If she was out at Jet’s statue, he went somewhere else. It amazed him how many of the places he cherished she had come to occupy.

  Kalia crouched down, her eyes meeting his. “Take it, Alex. I’m only trying to help.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Alex demanded, unable to stop himself.

  Kalia looked taken aback. She rose, her expression unreadable. Cassie stepped around her and handed Alex a paper towel that had been dipped in water. He accepted it and held it to his forehead. Kalia shook her head and turned away, tossing the paper towels at his feet.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  “You told Kalia we were leaving tomorrow for Haroldsburg to do Christmas shopping?” Alex asked Cassie.

  “Just like you told me,” Cassie replied. “Though she looked surprised that I was talking to her.”

  Alex felt a pang of guilt, but if he was right, things would be resolved soon enough. He and Cassie stood at the top step of the Academy wa
tching the Termers load into the buses and cars that had come to pick them up for the holiday break. For the first time, he was glad he didn’t have anywhere else to go. He had a chance to help Jaze take care of Drogan. Having a family to go home to and a place away from the Academy no longer mattered.

  Cassie waved to Pip and Marky. The werewolves waved back before climbing onto the bus.

  “I’m going to miss them,” Cassie said.

  “I know,” Alex replied. “But they’ll be back soon.”

  “See you guys. Take care and try not to burn the place down while I’m gone,” Jericho said on his way past.

  “We’re not making any promises,” Alex replied.

  The wheels of Jericho’s suitcase made double lines in the snow as he made his way to his dad’s truck. He tossed the suitcase in the back, then climbed inside.

  “It’s not like there’s a reason for me to come back.”

  Alex turned at the sound of Kalia’s voice. She was arguing with Boris as she pulled three sets of suitcases down the stairs.

  “You have to come back,” Boris replied, his voice level as though he had repeated the same answer many times.

  “No, I don’t,” Kalia spat. “I hate it here, and I’m not a werewolf. You can tell that to Mom and Dad.”

  “If they even notice I’m there,” Boris replied soft enough that Kalia didn’t hear it over her grumbling about her stubborn luggage, but Alex heard it.

  He glanced past them to the limousine that waited as close to the exit gate as it could get. A woman in a white furry hat and coat stood near the limo’s door along with the driver in his uniform and hat.

  “I brought everything,” Kalia pointed out. “That way I don’t have to come back.” When her suitcases hit the last step, the top piece of luggage flew off and hit the stairs. It opened, spilling clothes everywhere.

  Kalia dropped to her knees in the snow. She reached for a shirt, and glanced up at Alex. His heart stilled at the sight of tears rolling down her cheeks. Boris grumbled about delays as he gathered items and shoved them roughly back into his sister’s suitcase.