Mr. Temples was standing when I entered the living room, and I nearly tripped over my suitcase. How could someone as tall as him function in a normal building? I wondered idly, as I studied the men who were waiting for me. “I think I have everything,” I murmured, my voice low.
“Good,” Mr. Temples said, turning his dark eyes on Lyle. “If there is nothing else, we’ll be going. It will give Pixie time to adjust to the school while her peers are still attending their classes for the day.” My eyes were wide, my jaw hanging open, as I studied the headmaster. I couldn’t believe he had actually used my nickname, despite Lyle’s obvious discomfort with it.
“Make sure you listen to Mr. Temples and your other professors,” Lyle ordered. “I don’t want to hear about any problems.” He held his arms open as if to give me a hug, but then decided to softly pat my head, causing the both of us to grimace, although he attempted a smile. He opened the door, ushering us all outside, and held out a hand. “Your keys, Penelope,” he demanded, as Mr. Temples approached his car and paused to wait for me. “I’m not sure how quickly the house will sell, but I don’t need the complications of changing the locks amongst everything else I must do.”
I glared at him, but dug my keys from my pocket, handing them over to him. “It’s not like it will sell overnight,” I muttered. “There’s no real need to take my keys away yet.”
“Nor is there any need to keep them when you’ll be away at campus without transportation back here,” Lyle countered. I grimaced as he yanked my keys from my hand and tucked them away. “Be good,” Lyle said, louder than before with a large, fake smile. “I’ll miss you.”
“Yeah, right,” I muttered. I dragged my suitcases over to Mr. Temples’s car, settling them into the trunk with a resounding thunk. My stomach plummeted as I settled against the leather of the passenger seat, unsure of how I would handle the hour drive to the school. At first, he left me to my own sullen thoughts, and I was grateful for both the peace and for the fact that he ignored the tears in my eyes and my occasional sniffle. As we drew closer to our destination, the buildings far behind us now with only trees for company, he spoke up.
“You’ll receive a welcome kit once you have your room assignment,” he told me. “The rules at Lupine Hollow are far different than what you’re used to, so it will be important for you to study them yourself before you interact with your fellow students.” I grimaced. How different could a private school’s rules be? “While you will have some deference for your position, it will still be safer for you to be aware of your rank.”
“Safer?” I croaked. “What does that mean?”
“As I said, things here are going to be different than your old school. It will take you time to learn and accept our ways. You’ll notice that everyone at the academy refers to me as Raff, rather than Mr. Temples. It’s best that you emulate them, despite how you saw your uncle behaving.”
“Raff?” I repeated, confusion causing my brow to wrinkle as I studied him from the corner of my eye.
“It’s my given name,” he explained with a short shrug.
“Wouldn’t they call you Headmaster or something? Isn’t that a bit, I don’t know, casual, for an academy?”
“You will see many things that are different from what you believe an academy should be.” He hesitated for a moment, pulling his eyes from the road to glance at me. “You’re sure your mother never spoke of Lupine Hollow? Or mentioned my name?”
I shrugged, tears threatening again. “It seems like there were several things we never talked about. Or I just wasn’t very good at listening,” I admitted with a self-deprecating wince. “I never thought I’d have to try and remember it all like this.” I chewed on my lip, hoping it would distract me from my tears.
“Pixie, most teenagers have their fits of rebellion without incident. Goodness knows my son has had plenty of his own. He’ll be in some of your classes, and will help guide you around the school at first. His name is Alarick.” He chuckled, though there was no humor in the sound. “Alarick was always getting into trouble, even before his teenage years. Some of his scraps... it’s a miracle he even survived them.”
I made a noise of agreement, unsure of his point. “Did your mother ever mention the time she saved a child’s life?”
I studied his face now, wary and enthralled despite myself. “She didn’t mention it, exactly. I mean, I was there when it happened. How would you know about that though?” I had been about eight years old at the time, and my mom and I had been off on one of our adventures. We had camped that whole week, fishing in the stream for our supper, and staring up at the stars at night, making up stories about the pictures we created in them. Mom had taken a new path one morning, wanting to show me a series of waterfalls, when we heard crying. I’d ignored it at first, thinking it was an animal, more interested in seeing the waterfall she had promised. But she had detoured off the path, leading us deeper into the woods as she followed the noise. A sudden drop off appeared in front of us, and when we cautiously peeked over the edge, a small boy had been curled up on a nearby ledge, cradling his clearly broken leg.
“The boy you rescued was Alarick,” he stated simply.
I gaped at him. How was that even possible? I remembered singing to the boy in my panic, foolish lullabies my mom had sung to me, as my mother had scooted on her belly over the edge until she was able to grasp his outstretched fingers and pull him up. We had never gotten to the waterfall, instead making the long hike back to our car with him resting in my mom’s arms the whole way, and we had driven him to the hospital. I had stayed in the waiting room while Mom had gone into the examination room with him. I knew Mom had said they had found his family, and I had thought about him often when I was younger, wondering if he had ever healed and how he had ended up in the woods. “Ari,” I murmured. “His name was Ari.” That was the only thing he had said to me, a soft whisper amongst his tears.
“A childhood nickname,” Raff explained. “My family was very grateful for his return, and we kept in loose contact with your mother ever since. In return for her rescuing Alarick, we offered any help we could give—a favor, if you will. Your mother was fairly stubborn.” He chuckled then, and I couldn’t help but weakly join him. She had been the most stubborn person I had ever met in my life, although she had often claimed I was the one of the pair of us who deserved that title. “She didn’t want to accept a favor, but she eventually gave in when she realized the favor could be conveyed to you as well. She reached out to us and informed me that, should anything happen to her, she would like you to come to Lupine Hollow if you were young enough, or simply be looked after by my family and me if you were older.”
“So, this isn’t really a scholarship, it’s the payment of a favor.”
“Or you could see the scholarship as the favor,” Raff retorted. “I’m fulfilling a promise to your mother, and, in my own way, trying to help her daughter the way she helped my son.” A stone wall came into view, breaking up the trees. I recognized it from my previous trip, and knew that we would be approaching the school soon. He pulled to the side of the road, letting the car idle as he turned to face me. “Now, there is one main part of this experience that we need to discuss. Once you enter Lupine Hollow, you will be one of us, and you will not be allowed to spill its secrets. Your mother believed this would be the best future for you should anything happen to her.” He reached into the pocket of his suit, pulled out a yellowed envelope, and handed it to me.
“What’s this?” I asked, confused.
“Turn it over,” he instructed quietly.
“Penelope” was written across the envelope in flowing cursive and my breath caught. I had seen my mother’s unique, ribboning writing often enough to recognize it, and I tore the envelope open, pulling out the letter that was inside.
My dearest Pixie,
If you’re reading this, then something has happened to tear me away from you. Know that whatever it was, it had to struggle to take me, as you are and always will b
e the center of my life. I’m struggling writing this letter to you, unsure of what to put, but I knew that if there ever came a time when you needed Raff and his family, you wouldn’t listen to him without proof of what he says. I’m sure Lyle has already gotten involved, and I hope that maybe he has changed in the years since I last saw him. Since I doubt that, I’ll warn you to be wary of him. I don’t believe he would ever harm you, but he likes his own way and isn’t afraid to lie, manipulate, or blame to get it. It took months of convincing for me to accept Raff’s offer, and I want you to know that. It will take you time to accept their help as well. But if I’m no longer in your life, I’m sure they will take care of you. Not as well as I could, of course.
My lips quirked at that, and it was clear to see that my mother had unquestionably been the author of this letter.
Your views of the world are about to be sorely tested, but I truly believe I have raised you to be open-minded, caring, and strong. Even as I write this, I can hear you in the living room, reading to your toys and talking to them about your goals for the future. I hope you never lose that, Pixie. I want you to take the world by storm.
I doubt Raff has shared his family’s secret with you yet, and I’m sure his words will be hard for you to take. Just know that if I can be swayed from my stubborn ways to believe him, you can as well. You are safer and better cared for with Raff and his family than you would be anywhere else. Listen to them, learn from them. Make your mark on the world, I know you can.
No matter what, remember I loved you above everything else in this life—even over my own stubbornness. You are meant for wonderful things, and I’m only sorry I’m not going to be there to see them. I don’t believe in an afterlife, but if Raff and his family exist, then who knows what exists in the great beyond. I’ll find a way to watch over you, my Pixie.
Love,
Mom
Tears dropped onto the paper, one after the next, the ink smearing under the deluge. I blotted them carefully, unwilling to have her final words to me destroyed, before folding the letter gently and placing it back into the envelope. “So what’s this big secret?” I inquired, wiping my cheeks. Raff held out a small packet of tissues for me and I took them with a murmur of thanks, cleaning my face as well as I could. “I still don’t understand any of this.” I shot him a look. “Did you read what the letter said?”
“No, Pixie, I didn’t. I’ve merely held on to it over the years, just in case. She mentioned you were as stubborn as she was, and that you probably wouldn’t accept or believe without her influence.”
I balled up the tissues, shaking my head. She had known me so well. “Just tell me,” I whispered.
He sighed and reached up to muss his hair in irritation. “There’s more to this world than you know. When your mother waited with Alarick in that exam room, she was inadvertently exposed to our family’s closest guarded secret.” Images of bloody knives and kidnapped children flashed through my brain, and I shook my head to dislodge the thoughts. My imagination had always been active, but I couldn’t see these folks being criminals if my mom thought it would be a safe and happy place for me with her gone. “We’re werewolves, Pixie.”
“Werewolves,” I repeated, checking to make sure I hadn’t suddenly lost my ability to comprehend the English language. “As in, you turn into a wolf during the full moon?” What kind of Harry Potter Kool-Aid had my mother been drinking?
“We don’t need the full moon to change, although it’s special to my kind.” Okay, so Twilight Kool-Aid rather than Harry Potter. I opened my mouth to deliver a sarcastic retort, but he held out his hand to silence me. As I watched, his hand morphed into dark brown fur covering a paw far larger than a normal wolf’s. Yelping, I dropped the letter from numb fingers, as I watched his hand transition back to tan skin. “Alarick didn’t have full control, you see. It was commendable that a pup his age was able to withhold the change in front of humans for as long as he did with his injuries. When exhaustion began to get the better of him, and with the presence of other wolves nearby as my family joined him, he lost control and shifted into his wolf to help him heal. Your mother was in shock, of course. A closely guarded family secret, something that could reveal our very existence to other humans, had been exposed. Yet we owed your mother a deep debt. She was sworn to secrecy. Not all of my kind were happy about it, mind you. Some called for her death.” When I hissed between my teeth he merely nodded. “Drastic to you, I know. We are very protective of our secret. Humans are not known to welcome what’s different. As Alpha of the Lupine Hollow Pack, and as Alarick’s father, I made the decision to trust her.”
“If she hadn’t rescued Alarick, would you have killed her?”
He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Possibly. Only a few humans are aware of our existence.” I shuddered at the idea that I could have lost her years ago, and only because she had wanted to help an injured child.
“So why tell me at all? I mean, doesn’t that just put me at risk?” I asked, unsure.
“It does. Lupine Hollow Academy is a school for werewolves—the only one of its kind in the country. Packs from all over send their pups to us. Your admittance has been a bit...” He hesitated as he searched for the correct word. “Contentious. Some packs withdrew their children over the issue, that’s how serious it became. But I made a promise to your mother, a pledge of protection and care for you. Vows like that are sacred to our people, and breaking them is just as serious of a violation as exposing our kind. I will not back down. Your mother proved trustworthy, and it is my belief that you will as well.”
I was shaking when he finished speaking. “I don’t have anyone to tell, and it’s not like anyone would believe me if I did. I don’t relish the idea of being put into a mental institution for the rest of my life. I may not know exactly what my goals are, but I can guarantee that’s not what my future holds.” I took a deep breath and picked up the letter that had fallen to the floor. “If this is what Mom wanted, it’s what I’m going to do. I’ll keep your secret.”
“Good.” Raff sent me a smile before turning his attention back to the road and pulling us forward. “Then we can proceed.” The sign for the academy came into view and I gripped the letter tighter, hoping for some of my mom’s courage. I may be small, but I wasn’t going to be anyone’s Little Red Riding Hood—I was going to face these werewolves head-on.
Chapter Four
Raff pressed a button on his visor, and the wrought iron gate slid open to allow our car to pass through. I shifted restlessly in my seat as we wound down the twisting, scenic driveway. My brain was buzzing with all of the questions I wanted to ask, but fear, both of the school we were approaching and of the man—wolf? —sitting beside me, stayed my tongue. I had a penchant for the paranormal, and had read book after book, always interested to see the ways authors would twist the common lore. Werewolves had been a personal favorite of mine, and a little spark inside me was completely thrilled to have the world of my dreams come alive around me. Another part of me wondered what the catch was, since in most paranormal books those who found out about the hidden species died in terrible, painful ways, or at the very least were grievously injured, which I desperately wanted to avoid.
“So, if you’re all werewolves,” I mused, unable to hold my tongue any longer, “why does school even matter?”
“We want to integrate with humans as much as we possibly can. We’re able to make money, improve our status, and stay ahead of anyone finding out about us. It’s easier to dismantle a sighting if we have someone up high enough. We also simply want to be educated and allow our pups the greatest chance at a successful, enjoyable future.”
I murmured my acknowledgment of his words, and it did make sense. “But are you genetically different from humans? I mean, like, are you weak to silver, or do you only eat red meat, or can you heal supernaturally fast?” My mind was spinning as I tried to recall all of the different legends I’d come across over the years.
Raff chuckled. “Of course we�
�re different.” I blushed at his obvious amusement, but stuck out my chin, hoping he’d continue. “There are many things you will learn about us, and telling you everything now would simply overwhelm and concern you. Also, having always been a wolf, things I take for granted may be odd to you and I wouldn’t think to inform you of them. To answer your questions, however, we do not have a weakness to silver. We prefer meat—we are carnivorous, as are our alters—although most of us do tend to have an omnivorous diet. Even some wild wolves are known to eat plants, berries, and other foliage. Personally, I have a weakness for strawberry shortcake.” He sent me a wink and the corners of my mouth twitched as I swallowed back a smile. He seemed to have greatly relaxed after revealing his secret, and it was interesting to see such a different side of the large man. “Our healing is superior to humans, but much depends on what our rank and general health is.”
“Rank? Like being the alpha?” I inquired, cocking my head to consider him.
He nodded. “I’m the Alpha of Lupine Hollow Pack, and my pack in and of itself is stronger than most of the packs across North America. Therefore, many of us will heal faster, move quicker, or be stronger than even alphas of smaller packs that are scattered across the country.”
I nodded slowly, considering him. “So the stronger your body is, the higher your rank, and the more additional skills you may potentially have. If you’re of lower rank, you may only have the abilities of, say, a human.”
“Correct.” He glanced sideways at me as the school came into view. Imposing buildings of brick and marble were sprawled across the wide clearing, the trees neatly trimmed and maintained to allow the towering building to show to its best advantage. “Welcome to Lupine Hollow, Pixie. I do hope you’ll be happy here.”
I gulped and nodded. “So do I.”
“The academy is home to wolves from all across the country, but anyone from my pack will be denoted with our crest on their jacket. You will also wear my crest while you’re here. It’s important that you not forget that. I have claimed you as one of our own, and I will have you treated as such.” He paused for a moment as he parked the car, letting the engine quiet. “We are animals as well, and you must never forget that. There are ways we behave that are going to be foreign, even violent, in comparison to what you may be used to.” I shuddered at his warning. “My pack’s crest will help make your path a little easier, but it’s only a badge of warning. Some may challenge you in an attempt to raise their own rank, or try and diminish mine.”
Flower Moon Rising (Lupine Hollow Academy Book 1) Page 3