by C. J. Cooke
“Yeah apparently,” she murmured. My wolf practically rolled over and begged at the sound of her voice. Poor guy was a goner. “Most people just call me Aria though” she smiled.
She went to grab the box by my feet but I grabbed it before she could. “Don’t worry I’ve got it.” She opened the door inviting me in and we all walked in to put the boxes on her desk.
Sykes walked over to the bed and flopped down “So what are you halfblood?”
She looked confused and leaned closer to me surrounding me with her jasmine scent before stage whispering “Is that a trick question?” to me.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “He means what magic do you have?”
“Oh … I don’t know” she said hopping up to sit on the desk. She crossed her beautiful long legs and leaned back on her hands. By the moon those jeans just clung to her and I itched to run my hands over her thighs. I bet her ass looks amazing in them.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Sykes asked. “Don’t they like test you or something? I heard there was a test.”
I looked up and caught Liam’s eye who grinned, pointed at me and then wiped fake drool from his chin.
“Yeah it was weird or it didn’t work or something. Gave some impossible result.” She shrugged. “What are you?” she asked narrowing her eyes.
Sykes barked out a laugh “That’s not something you’re supposed to ask sweet cheeks”
“You literally just asked me” she pointed out flatly.
“That’s a good point. All three of us are shifters. Most of the students here are shifters because the Academy sits close to the pack lands, hence the name, but we do have a few witches and elementals as well. Me and Kyle are wolves and Liam is a panther.”
“That’s … actually pretty cool.” She said cocking her head to the side. “So apart from being able to shift can you like do anything else.”
“Why do you ask?” Sykes shot back “What can you do?” He asked raising an eyebrow.
“Me, nothing, what … why do YOU ask?” she was totally lying and quite badly at that. It was completely adorable.
Skyes laughed and rolled his eyes “Riiiigggghhhhtttt … well we were going to grab some food because we got afternoon lessons in an hour. You want to come with and we can show you where it is?”
“Sure, that sounds good.” She glanced around the room. “Do I need to take anything with me? Money or something?”
“Nah it’s all covered by the Academy” Sykes laughed.
“Oh, good because I don’t know if I have any money any more, can I even use human money here?”
“Don’t worry about it everything you need is covered by the Academy and Caleb will sort out transferring any money that you want over here” I explained to her. Or at least I assumed.
“Who is this Caleb person anyway?” She asked as we walked out of the room and she pulled the door closed behind her.
“He’s our combat teacher. We have combat lessons two mornings a week. Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll take it easy on you to start with, you don’t have that in human schools, right?”
“No not normally” she shrugged.
We walked down to the cafeteria. Lessons had let out a while ago so the corridors were quiet. Everyone else would no doubt be inside already. It was better that she would be coming in with us for the first time. We need to make sure that the other packs know she’s with us so they don’t start sniffing around. With the way that she looks she won’t be short of interested parties.
Chapter Five
Aria
As we walked through the double doors leading to the cafeteria it was like every head turned to look at me all at the same time. You could have heard a gnat fart it went so quiet. Sykes slipped an arm around my waist and I found myself stepping closer to him as he led us all over to a table. There was something about these three. I saw the way they looked at me. I’d have to be dead not to. But it didn’t make my skin crawl like it would have before. They actually made me feel safe. It was such a strange feeling. When Sykes asked me about my magic earlier I kind of wanted to tell him about it. But I don’t know. I don’t know if I trust this feeling, it’s strange and one I’ve definitely never had before. When I look at them, I get a warm comforting feeling in my chest. Like a sense of belonging. But I met them like ten minutes ago so that was crazy, right?
I sat at the table with Sykes while Kyle and Liam went to get us something to eat. “Why are they staring at us?” I asked leaning into Sykes. I didn’t miss the shiver that ran through him as I did.
“They’re not,” he smiled “they’re staring at you.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better” I had the urge to start scoping out the exits. I hated attention that much.
“The whole halfblood thing has been big news over on our side. Some people don’t want them here, others want to welcome them in. Then there’s the big debate over closing the gates. Most think that the big reveal was a massive mistake. They’re just curious to see what you’re like. I think you’re going to be a deciding factor for a lot of them about what they think should happen.” Sykes explained.
“Oh … so like no pressure at all then.”
“Nah, you got this” he smiled and I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “So, what happened to your face” he asked pointed to his own eyebrow just as a tray of food was slid in front of me. It looked like roast chicken, potatoes and salad and it smelt insanely good.
“What this old thing?” I said pointing at my probably now bruised and cut face “This was the charming invitation I got to attend this fine establishment” I sarcastically added. I poked at the meat on my plate. It definitely looked like chicken but did they even have chicken here. Where even was here? I realised that the others had gone quiet and whilst my joke may not have been one of my best I would have at least expected some response. When I looked up I was kind of happy by what I saw. All three of them looked murderous. Seriously, like they were going to fuck someone up on my behalf. It warmed my heart in a sick, I might need some kind of therapy, way. It was sweet. Was it? Maybe I’d hit my head a bit harder than I thought. “Awwww you all look like you would stab someone for me. That’s adorable.” Ok yeah I had definitely hit my head too hard. Or maybe this last time was just one time too many.
Kyle was the first to crack a smile and shake his head before the other two did the same. Those smiles quickly dropped though when they caught sight of something over my shoulder and we were back to looks that could kill. I was tempted to turn around but it was obviously someone coming over to our table and by the click of the heels that someone was definitely female. Whilst I didn’t want to have my back to someone who I may potentially need to punch in the throat I also didn’t want to give off the impression that I was a frightened lamb in need of protection. Whoever it was had stopped right behind me. I could feel them standing there most likely glaring at me. Everyone else just glared at them. I heard the sound of a feminine cough as if someone was trying to get my attention behind me. Yeah, I was not turning around this was going to be my power play right here. Come to me bitch. I caught Kyle’s eye who was sat opposite me and gave him a half smile while I pretended to be completely absorbed in pushing what I assumed were potatoes around my plate. They definitely looked like potatoes. Were potatoes a cross realm thing? I heard a huff of annoyance behind me and really had to fight the smile from breaking across my face, as what sounded like tiny feet stomped around to the other side of me. When I glanced up and saw the petite blonde in front of my glaring down at me, I saw two options, let her air it out and tell her to fuck the fuck off or, option 2. Of course, it was going to be option 2. Just as she opened her mouth to no doubt spew some mean girl bollocks I let loose.
“Absolutely fucking not!” I raised my voice in indignation whilst staring horrified at her. “No, just no!” Her perfect little face crinkled in confusion clearly having no idea what was happening. As she opened her mouth to no doubt snark something else again, I cut he
r off for the second time. “What is this?” I waved one hand in front of her. Her pretty little face turned bright red and when she opened her mouth to scream, I went in for another. “You cannot be serious. This...” I jabbed a thumb in her direction before turning away from her and back to the guys “this is the uniform? Absolutely not. I am not fucking wearing that! I am not walking around here looking like someone’s wet dream.” I crossed my arms over my chest actually feeling a bit pissed off, albeit not as much as I was perhaps projecting. Seriously though the uniform was like some naughty catholic schoolgirl sex shop outfit. Ok maybe it wasn’t that bad. And blondie had clearly put her own sex shop spin on it but still. It consisted of a white shirt which pulled tight across her breasts and she had left the top three buttons undone which was just enough to flash the hot pink bra underneath, a very short pleated plaid skirt and she had finished if off with a black cardigan and black heels with over the knee socks.
By this point Liam couldn’t keep back his laughter and it was like it all came out in one loud bark. He then descended into what you could only be described as a fit of giggles and the other two burst out laughing at his less than manly display. I glanced over my shoulder at Sex Shop Barbie and dismissed her with a “Thanks, we don’t need you anymore”. She actually stamped her foot and stormed away without a word which only made the guys laugh even louder. Laughter then seemed to ripple through the room as other students joined in who, until now, had been engrossed in what they were probably hoping to be some form of cat fight. I couldn’t help but join in their laughter now because it was downright contagious. After a few minutes I managed to pull myself together “Seriously, stop it,” I forced through my residual giggles “I am not wearing that.”
The rest of the room had gone back to their food and conversations and Liam managed to pull himself together enough to chuckle “Oh my god her face” at the same time that Sykes said “What’s a wet dream?” which just set me off into more laughter. It took me a short while to realise that all three were looking at me waiting for me to answer.
“What?” I pulled myself together again, “You don’t have that here? Well obviously you have that here but you must call it something else?” They were still looking at my expectantly. “Wow, this got awkward real quick.” I said shuffling in my seat and feeling a slight bit of heat creep into my cheeks. Give me a knife and a target and I would happily stab the day away, but I was not woman enough to have a sex talk with these guys just yet. Thankfully at that point some kind of bell rang out and everyone seemed to start getting up and put their dishes on trolleys at the side of the room.
“Ah crap lessons are starting in fifteen minutes; we need to get out of here.” Sykes mumbled gathering up the dishes on the tray that he brought them on. I glanced down at my still full plate disappointed. It had actually smelt nice but I couldn’t get past the what it was part. “You could take that up to your room if you want and bring the dishes back later.” He added catching my disappointed look.
I continued to poke a little at my food “What … what is it?” I asked looking at it suspiciously.
“It’s chicken, potatoes and salad. Have you never had chicken before?” Sykes asked with an adorably confused look on his face.
“Of course I’ve had chicken, I just didn’t know you had chicken. Or rather that there were chickens here. Still not really sure where here is … “ I drifted off looking around.
I had expected the guys to laugh at that but when I looked up at them, they actually looked a bit sad. Urgh it was straying close to the pity looks that I hated so much. “This must be a massive shock for you,” Kyle said sitting down and putting one hand over mine. It was an overly familiar gesture that normally I would have punched someone for but I found that I didn’t actually hate it. “Why don’t we meet you at your room after our lessons finish this afternoon and we can answer any questions that you might have?” That was actually a good idea and a nodded gratefully at him. “Can you find your own way back because we need to run before we’re late?”
“Yeah it’s not far and I have my trusty map” I said pulling it out of my back pocket glad that I had slipped it in there before we left the room.
Kyle stood up and smiled at me. I could hear Liam and Sykes muttering behind him “Dude look it up on that urban dictionary thing.” Sykes pulled a phone out of his pocket and started typing something into it.
“You have the internet?” I asked cocking my head to the side. This place was confusing as hell. We were somewhere else but weird things were exactly the same.
Kyle grinned at me and started to back away. “Yep internet and chickens, although the internet is a relatively new thing.” Just then Liam and Sykes both started laughing again and passed the phone to Kyle whose grin grew even bigger. “You are going to be so much fun to have around.” He laughed as they waved and started to walk away. Liam threw me a wink and Sykes blew me a kiss as they walked out the room and I looked around realising that I was alone. I didn’t see the point of taking the food up to my room. I was actually really hungry and I devoured the food in front of me in a very un-ladylike fashion before placing my dish on the trolley where everyone else had. I barely tasted it, I ate it that quickly, but from what I got it seemed pretty good.
I pulled out my map as I headed towards the door. Thankfully someone had actually marked my room on the map for me. I had a look around and decided to take the long way back to explore a bit more before heading to my room and unpacking. As I wandered down the corridor towards what was labelled as the gym I thought that maybe this place might not be too bad after all.
Chapter Six
My footsteps echoed eerily down the corridor as I followed what I hoped was the right corridor on the map towards the ‘stores’. My welcome package had told me that I needed to come here to pick up my uniforms. Fuck my life that I was back at school making arrangements to get my uniform! I was so not okay with this part of the situation. Yes, abduct me from my only friends and home, but no don’t attempt to make me wear some naughty catholic schoolgirl uniform. For some reason this part of the school just seemed creepier than the rest. Maybe it was because it was so quiet. Everyone else was in class and I seemed to be the only person wandering around. I got the impression that this part of the school wasn’t really used that much anyway, judging by the empty rooms I had passed earlier. At the end of the corridor was a single wooden door with a brass name plate reading ‘Stores’. At least I had made it here without being abducted again. From now on that was going to be the measure that I held my life up against. ‘Don’t worry I made it to the supermarket without getting abducted.’ ‘You fell down into an empty pit. Oh it could be worse, you could have been abducted.’ Shaking my head free of my new apparent craziness I knocked on the door and waited. Was I supposed to just go inside? Was there even anyone in there? After waiting a minute and nothing happening, I was just reaching out to take the door handle when the door suddenly swung open and like the bad ass that I was I let out a high pitched squeak and jumped backwards. What was wrong with me? It wasn’t that long ago that I would have just automatically punched this person in the face. Although looking up at her I was glad that I didn’t. The woman who had opened the door had to be about eighty. She had a tan pair of trousers on with a smart white shirt and a deep brown shawl thrown over her shoulders. A pair of glasses were hanging from her neck by a string of beads and her hair was tied up high on her head in a bun. She looked like an elderly librarian. When she gave me an understanding smile that reminded me of every grandma I had seen in every Christmas movie ever, I was very glad that I had not just punched her in the face.
“Ah Aria,” she said opening the door wider and waving me inside, “they told me that you would be stopping by today.” I walked into the stores and was surprised to find that it was set up similar to a sitting room. There were a couple of comfortable chairs with a footstool, a sofa and an open fireplace with a fire blazing. The coffee table in front of the fire was set up with a po
t of tea and two cups and saucers. There was even a plate of biscuits.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you. I was told to just come along whenever I had time.” I explained.
“Oh, you aren’t disturbing me dear.” She said making herself comfortable in one of the chairs before leaning forward and pouring out two cups of tea. “Do you take milk? Sugar?” She asked.
“Oh … erm … just a bit of milk for me please.” I said awkwardly taking a seat in the other armchair not really sure what was happening.
She passed me across the cup of tea and held out the plate of biscuits. I picked up one that looked like shortbread and sat it on the saucer not sure what to do next.
“Caleb, the dear, always brings me back some biscuits from the human realm whenever he goes. I love these little Viennese whirls” she said smiling across at me.
“That’s very kind of him.” I said. I mean what else was I supposed to say. I tried to subtly glance around the room again. There weren’t any other doors apart from the one that I had come through and there definitely wasn’t any store of any kind in here either. If it hadn’t been for the name plate on the door, I would have sworn I was in the wrong place.