“Three wolves,” he said, pumping our hands like we were his long-lost brothers. “Awesome. You just more than doubled our population here.”
“We’ll show you around,” Vance said. “Let them take care of the boring stuff.”
The adults waved us off, and we headed out with the other two wolves. Jose chatted most of the way, filling us in on the school, the food, and the dorms. “You’ll have a lot of classes with Mr. Shin. He’s the only other wolf here, and he’s like a century old. It’ll be cool to have some other people to train with. We know all each other’s moves already.”
“How long have you been here?” I asked.
“I’ve been here five years,” Jose said.
“Three,” Vance said as we entered a long stone building. They introduced us to the resident assistant at the front desk before leading us upstairs to the third floor. We walked about halfway down the hall before the guys stopped and opened the doors to three rooms.
“We don’t mind sharing a room,” Alarick said, his unease with being separated from us coming through loud and clear.
“You’ll be glad for the privacy once you get used to it,” Jose said, flashing us a grin.
“Everyone gets their own room?”
“Not everyone,” Vance said. “But Mr. Wolf’s sons? Yeah, man. You get your own rooms.”
“He’s a big deal around here, huh?” Donovan asked.
“Well, he basically owns the school, not to mention the town,” Jose said. “You must be proud.”
None of us said a word, which led to an awkward silence.
“We’ll leave you to choose your rooms and get ready for tonight,” Vance said.
“What’s tonight?” I asked.
“Tonight’s the party,” Jose said, exchanging a look with his companion. “Whenever we get a new student, we throw a party for them.”
“Dr. Underwood failed to mention that,” Alarick said.
“Oh, he wouldn’t,” Jose said. “It’s not that the adults don’t know, but they can’t condone us partying.”
“And on a school night,” Vance said, pretending to look shocked.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, thanks for showing us around and making us welcome.”
“See you tonight,” Jose said, flashing his dimples. “Be ready.”
When the two students disappeared, the rest of us congregated in the room Alarick walked into, which would now be his.
“I can’t believe they’re throwing us a party,” Donovan said. “I already love this school.”
“It sounds like an initiation,” Alarick said, his dark thoughts pressing in on us.
“What’s that?” Donovan asked.
“A chance for us to show ‘em what we got,” I said, clapping him on the back.
“A chance for them to see what we’re made of,” Alarick said. “We’d better be ready to prove ourselves. I have a feeling we’ll only get one shot.”
9
Alarick
“Who wants to party?” called a sing-song voice from the hall.
I checked in with my brothers internally. None of us knew what to expect, so we were as ready as we could get. Adolf opened the door.
“Ah, and there they are,” said a petite girl with a black pixie cut. She eyed us one by one, running the tip of her pink tongue along the edge of her teeth. She smelled different than a human, but we had never learned to scent out different creatures. Hell, before a few days ago, I hadn’t known there were different creatures. I sure as hell hadn’t known they’d smell like cinnamon toast and freshly lit matches.
“The Wolf boys,” said a tall black girl, sliding into place behind the first one.
Was that our name now? I wasn’t sure if we’d take Mr. Wolf’s name. It had disappeared when we’d gotten adopted, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it back, despite the obvious privileges that came with it.
A redhead with freckles covering every inch of her face joined the other two girls, eyeing us greedily. They were all wearing short skirts, high heels, and tight shirts.
“Is this what I think it is?” Donovan asked.
“Depends on what you think it is,” the redhead said with a saucy smile.
“Um… A party?” Donovan asked.
Adolf laughed, and the girls laughed with him. Of the three of us, he needed this most. He wouldn’t admit it, but he needed it even more than Donovan. He needed to be admired, and I was going to make sure that happened. Which meant tonight had to go just the way we wanted. We couldn’t just let other people pay attention to us because we were new. That wore off. When we weren’t new anymore, the attention would go away, and that would be worse for my brothers than if they’d never had it to begin with. Whoever made up that bullshit about it being better to have loved and lost… Yeah, that person had obviously never had shit to begin with.
Tonight, I was going to have to do something to make sure that we were not simply absorbed into the student body. We had to rise above. We had to stand out. And we had to do it in a big way, from day one.
Too bad I had no fucking clue how to make that happen.
“Let’s go,” I said, pushing past the three girls, who looked taken aback by my abrupt disinterest. “I’m assuming the party isn’t on school grounds, if you don’t want anyone to know about it.”
The rest of the group followed close behind, the redhead clinging to Adolf’s arm. “Your muscles are so big,” she said, giggling. “Here, feel his muscle, girls. Isn’t it huge?”
“Wow,” said the black girl. “Are you this big everywhere?”
“Are you the alpha?” asked the pixie-haired girl.
“What’s that?” Adolf asked. “And the answer to your other question is yes.”
They all started tittering as we made our way out a back door of the building and onto a grey gravel road. A sleek, black muscle car was waiting outside, the headlights off. The moment we drew close, six guys leapt out and grabbed us. My animal side roared to life, but I held it in check, also sending out a signal to the other two.
Stay calm. Don’t fight yet.
The figures wore black ski masks over their heads, and matching school uniforms, so we’d never be able to identify them later. Not that I was going to. We were going to make an impression, not be labeled as snitches. The masked kids pulled bags over our heads, throwing a few punches at our ribs in the process.
“What happened to that zero-tolerance policy for violence?” Donovan asked.
“Oooh, we got a smart ass here,” said a cruel, taunting male voice. “I bet you think we’re going to go easy on you because your dad owns some land. But guess what? We don’t give a fuck who your dad is. That has nothing to do with anyone on campus but the other two wolves.”
I felt the hit as his fist connected with Donovan’s jaw, and my wolf raged inside me, urging me to leap over my brother and rip out this guy’s throat.
“You thought you’d be treated real special because your dad’s a big dog with the headmaster, didn’t you?” asked another laughing voice. “Bet you aren’t feeling quite so special now.”
Someone pushed me into the backseat of the car. “Guess what, little man?” said that first voice as Donovan’s body was shoved roughly against mine. “Daddy’s money won’t protect you anymore. I got plenty of money, too. So does half the school. It won’t get you out of what’s coming.”
It’s okay. We’re together. Don’t panic, and don’t kill anyone. You know the rules.
I struggled to control my own wolf as the car began to move, though. We just had to play along with their dumb game, and we’d be fine. I was one step ahead of these assholes. I’d already guessed this was coming when they told us there was a party. Now I just had to get us through the lame initiation ceremony, and we’d be fine. Compared to what we’d lived through for most of our lives, this was a joke. Whatever little test they devised would be no problem for any of us. My brothers were tough, and I was something beyond that. Unbreakable.
The car m
ade a few sharp turns, at first moving onto a smooth surface and then onto a bumpy gravel road. At last, it rocked to a stop. The front doors opened, and the next second, someone had dragged Donovan out. My wolf was growling protectively, but before I could get out, hands grabbed the front of my shirt and dragged me out. I was pushed onto the ground, but I jumped to my feet, yanking the bag off my head.
We were in a small clearing in the middle of towering pines. A bonfire was set off to one side, but most of the clearing was empty. Bare, packed dirt formed a ring in the center. About twenty people stood around, and right away, I could smell half a dozen scents I’d never encountered before. Behind us, the trunk of the car popped open, and two of the girls who had met us at the dorm popped out, laughing and straightening their clothes and hair.
“Let’s get this party started,” I growled, tossing the bag on the ground.
Another car arrived right behind ours, and a handful of guys and the black-haired girl who knocked on our door piled out of that one.
“Welcome to Ravenwood, assholes,” said the driver of our car. He’d pulled off his ski mask, revealing blond hair and a smug face I couldn’t wait to punch. “Which one of you is the alpha?”
“Take a guess,” I said, my hands balling into fists.
“Whoa, wait a minute,” said the guy who had ridden in the front seat of the car we’d come in. He stepped between us, spreading his arms to push us apart. “Here’s the rules. One fight at a time. All magic is allowed, but no weapons. No interference. The fight goes until someone verbally surrenders.”
“Got it,” I said, straining toward the blond asshole.
“Sam, you’re fighting the alpha?”
My opponent looked like he was about to jump on me without answering, but he paused, his eyes moving to my right and then my left, where my brothers stood.
“No,” he said slowly, a smirk forming on his lips. He nodded at my youngest brother. “I like pussies. I’ll take that one.”
“Bring it,” Donovan growled.
“Shut up,” I growled. I shoved the mediator aside and lunged at Sam. My hands closed around his throat, but before I could squeeze, he disappeared. My hands clapped together around air, and several people laughed. I spun to find Sam behind me, a smug grin on his face.
“I guess I’m fighting you both,” he said, disappearing into thin air when I leapt at him again. “Wouldn’t be the first time I pounded two pussies in one night.”
I dove for him again, but again he vanished, only to reappear a few feet to the right. I spotted the two other wolves in the small crowd, their faces solemn.
“Is that your only move?” I asked Sam.
“No, but it’s so much fun watching your dumb ass dance. I can do this all night.”
“Coward,” I growled at him. “Stop running and fight me.”
“This is too easy,” he said. “Let me break it down for you, since all those muscles are obviously wasted on your tiny brain. I’m wearing you out so I can save some for your brother.”
This time, I struck fast, my fist glancing off his temple before he could disappear on me. He stumbled back, then did the disappearing act before I could strike again. But I’d seen his slight pause before he did it, the moment he gathered his magic. He popped up to my right again, closer to the fire. I had a bad feeling about that fire. If I didn’t get to him before he reached it, he was going to use it somehow. Probably push me into it, but who knew. Not only didn’t I know what he was, I didn’t know what he could do, what magic he possessed, or how it could hurt me.
“You fucked up my face,” Sam said, his skin reddening with anger as he touched the spot I’d hit. “I can’t hide that tomorrow.”
“Cry me a fucking river,” I said. “Don’t pick fights if you don’t want to get hit.”
“You picked this fight,” he said. He didn’t move, but suddenly something invisible slammed into the side of my head. Pain exploded in my skull, and I stumbled, trying to keep my feet. Sam’s leg shot out, catching me behind the knees. I fell onto my back, barely aware of the nervous laughter from the crowd. They’d said no weapons, but apparently, if they were invisible, it was okay.
“Come on, show me your wolf, you coward. Then I’ll show you what I can really do.”
I rolled over, clambering to my feet. Sam was bouncing on his toes, his fists up. I remembered our father saying those words. I had left him for dead. If I let my beast out, and it ravaged this kid who couldn’t recover from a bruise, there would be no question of whether he’d heal in the night. I had almost killed a guy once by accident, and I’d vowed never to lose control of my wolf again. I didn’t intend to let this spoiled private school brat change that.
I’d lost my head already, hadn’t gone straight for a punch before he had time to prepare. Everyone knew the first rule of fighting was to strike first and deal a knockout blow.
“You have a death wish?” I asked, spitting blood at Sam’s feet. I swung again, already on the move toward the fire when Sam disappeared. I had one more chance to surprise him.
The second he reappeared, I swung my fist with all the rage life had put in me. He flew across the clearing, over the fire, and crashed to the ground. The crowd split as I leapt after him, falling on him. His body lay limp, not disappearing when I picked him up. I felt for a pulse, my own heart racing. I’d just promised not to kill this guy with my wolf. I hadn’t meant to do it with my bare hands.
“Forfeit,” the tiny black-haired girl said, running to where I stood. “You can’t hurt him. He’s knocked out. Fight’s over.”
“Take your sack of shit,” I said, dropping his body at her feet. “I wasn’t going to attack a guy while he was unconscious.”
Disgusted, I turned away. The mediator had stepped into the clearing with Adolf. They circled each other, sizing up the other. I slipped over next to Donovan.
“You okay?” he whispered.
“Fine,” I said. “It’s easy. Be mindful of their magic tricks and don’t let them provoke you into losing your cool. You got this.”
Donovan swallowed hard, looking doubtful. Of the three of us, he avoided confrontation the most. Maybe I’d been too protective, guarding him too closely. If he could land a lucky blow like I had, he had a chance. He had brute strength like the rest of us. But he had no practice in the art of fighting, not even the little bit that Adolf and I did.
Adolf circled the slender guy in the clearing, a tall Asian guy with quick, light feet. “You a ghost boy, too?” Adolf asked. “Gonna pull that disappearing shit, or are you going to fight me for real?”
In answer, the guy lifted a hand and threw a burst of flame at my brother.
“Go, Zyon,” a girl cheered, clapping her hands.
Adolf let out a guttural cry of surprise, and the smell of burning cloth filled the air as he swatted out the fire on his sleeve.
Zyon laughed. “You gonna show your wolf, or pull that human shit like your brother?”
I could feel Adolf’s wolf clamoring for control, and I urged him to fight without it.
“Trust me, boy, you don’t want to see my wolf,” Adolf said, lunging at his opponent.
Zyon dodged, shooting another flame at Adolf. This time, the burning smell was flesh. I growled, but Donovan nudged me with his elbow. “No interference,” he muttered.
He was right. I couldn’t jump in and save my brother without making him look weak. I knew he wouldn’t want that. He landed a blow, and Zyon crumpled to his knees. Without lifting his head, he shot a burst of fire from both hands, knocking Adolf backwards. His clothes were smoldering, and charred flesh showed through. By the time he stopped choking on the smoke, Zyon was on his feet again.
I saw my brother’s panicked eyes darting around, felt his wolf about to erupt. Before he could go berserk, I sent him the picture in my head—Zyon’s hands. It was the only thing he had to fight with.
Adolf stepped in to deliver a blow, but this time, when Zyon lifted his hands, Adolf grabbed his wrist and spu
n Zyon around. Grabbing Zyon’s other hand, he held them pinned behind his back. With a cry of rage, Zyon tried to yank free, sending flames shooting at the dirt. Adolf’s shoes burst into flame, but he didn’t let go. He slid his hands around Zyon’s, balling them into fists and squeezing. Zyon let out another shout, this one of frustration, as he tried to yank free.
“Submit, or I’ll rip your flaming hands off your arms,” Adolf growled through clenched teeth. I thought I’d vomit from the smell of his burning shoes and flesh, but he didn’t flinch until Zyon growled out an answer.
“I surrender,” he said, his voice filled with anger and humiliation.
Adolf released him, shoving him away. I tensed, expecting Zyon to turn and blast Adolf’s face, but he stormed away, stomping into the crowd of onlookers. The redhead from our dorm clapped quietly, then slipped from the group and doused Adolf’s smoldering feet with water from her palms. “That was smart,” she murmured, attaching herself to his side as he joined me and Donovan.
“Thanks,” Adolf said, managing a smile as I gave his shoulder a quick squeeze.
The group near the fire stirred, and Sam emerged, one of his eyes already red and swollen nearly shut. He leapt into the clearing, murder in his eyes.
“You can’t fight my brother,” I said. “You’re injured.”
“You think you’ll get rid of me with a cheap trick?” he snarled. “That was just the warm-up.”
I turned to Donovan, who shrugged, clearly not bothered by the idea of fighting an injured guy. Maybe it would level the playing field a bit, since this asshole had combat training and was slippery as an eel. I telegraphed a message to Donovan letting him know how I’d gotten the jump on Sam. He gave a quick nod and stepped into the ring.
A hush fell over the crowd.
I couldn’t tell what they were thinking. If Donovan won against a guy who could barely see out of one eye, would they call him a coward who had beat up a weaker foe? Or were they hoping he’d take Sam down a peg, kick his arrogant ass and show him not to be such an overconfident braggart?
Paranormal Academy Page 21
