by Cheree Alsop
“Are you sure?” Jericho asked with a hint of concern.
“Drogan’s locked up and the General’s too busy laying false trails for Jaze and the GPA while he tries to track down his son. Even Jaze agrees we’re safe for a while,” Alex told him.
Jericho nodded. “Alright, then. We could use a run to stretch our legs after Cook Jerald’s barbecue ribs and potatoes.”
“Rub it in,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.
Cassie slipped her arm through Tennison’s. “We’re in.”
“If you can keep up,” Tennison said.
The tall, skinny werewolf was the fastest Alex had seen. He grinned at the challenge. “Oh, I’ll keep up.”
“Let’s go,” Jericho called, his voice reaching down the halls of Pack Jericho’s quarters.
Marky, Von, Trent, and Terith appeared.
Trent grinned at Alex. “Another term together, huh?”
“Hopefully with fewer helicopters,” Terith said, following her brother into the room. “I don’t know if I could survive another of Trent’s landings.”
“I’ve been practicing,” Trent protested.
Terith shook her head. “There is no way I’m getting in another of those machines with you.”
Jericho held up a hand to stop the argument. “I agree with Terith. Fewer helicopters would be a good thing. We never know where the term is going to take us.” He looked around at his pack. The tall werewolf’s brown eyes showed pride when he said, “Let’s make this the best term yet.”
A cheer went up from the pack.
“First order of business, a run through the forest,” Jericho commanded.
The cheer intensified. Everyone disappeared to their rooms to phase in privacy. Alex was almost to his door when he remembered that Kalia couldn’t join them. She was the only person at the Academy who was caught between being a human and a werewolf. Her older brother Boris was the Alpha of his pack, but he and Kalia didn’t exact get along. Her ex-Extremist parents sent Kalia to the Academy out of fear because her eyes changed gold whenever she got upset or worried. They thought it might be a sign that she was going to phase, and Jaze supported their placement of her at the school.
That left a girl who wasn’t a werewolf but didn’t fit into the human world, either. Even though she had first been afraid of the werewolves, her time at the Academy had changed that. Alex hated that she felt trapped between both worlds. He wished there was something he could do to help.
Alex jogged back up the hallway and found Kalia sitting on the couch.
“I’m sorry. I should have remembered that you couldn’t go,” he apologized.
The frustration on her face vanished at his words. Kalia gave him a warm smile, something that was becoming more of a constant since Alex spent Christmas break at her house the previous term.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said.
Alex sat next to her on the couch. He took her hand, surprising himself with his forwardness. The feeling of her fingers in his stole what he was about to say. “I, uh, well, I...”
He let the words die away, knowing how stupid he sounded. He knew he was supposed to be doing something, but he couldn’t remember what it was. Sitting so close to her suddenly made him shy, nervous, and happy all at the same time. She smelled so good, a mixture of clover and honey that was better than anything he had ever smelled before. He felt torn between wanting to run away and never wanting to leave.
He couldn’t understand how things had changed. The first term, she could barely stand him and he had destroyed what there was of their friendship when he accused her of feeding information to Drogan. The second term, even though she had only begun to trust him again, she had invited him to her home during Christmas to protect him from Drogan’s attacks. By the time the term ended and she went home, they had truly been friends.
This term felt different. Since the moment Alex had seen Kalia again, he felt like he was using only half of his brain as the other half was constantly wondering where she was and what she was doing. He had only been near her less than an hour and already he felt like he was swimming through a fog, a blissful, honey and clover scented fog, but one that muddled his thoughts and made him feel confused.
He stood. “I, uh, I’ve got to go. The others are waiting for me.”
That wasn’t true. Nobody had appeared from the bedrooms yet. The encounter with her had only taken a few minutes at the most, but they felt like hours. Alex tripped as he hurried around the couch. He hit the floor on his hands and knees and rolled back up in a move that, while quite awesome, probably made him look like an idiot in its ridiculousness. He didn’t dare look at her.
“I’ll, uh, see you after the run,” he said, ducking into his room.
Alex shoved the door shut and leaned against it. His heart pounded as if he had run twenty miles. Every dozen beats or so, it skipped one, making his breath catch in his throat.
“I’m an idiot,” he whispered. He banged his head softly against the door. “I am such an idiot.”
The sound of wolves running into the common room caught his ears. He blew out a loud breath and pulled off his shirt.
Chapter Three
“Did you have a nice run?”
Alex turned with a smile. “Hi Meri-uh, Mom.” Finding out that the woman he had thought was his aunt last term had turned out to be his mother changed everything in his life. The General had used her and thrown her away. When her twins were born, she had given Alex and Cassie to her sister and brother-in-law to raise and protect after their own son Jet had been stolen. It made Alex determined to show her his gratitude by accepting the truth about their relationship.
She was his mother, and she had done everything she could to protect him and Cassie. She loved them enough to let them continue believing that her sister Mindi and husband Will were the twins’ parents because that is what they had grown up believing, and to her, it had been enough just to be a part of their lives again.
Yet when Drogan revealed the truth of Alex and Cassie’s heritage, it took so much from Alex. He still reeled at the thought of what it all meant, and grasping at the fact that they had a mother who was still alive had given him something to hold onto amid the chaos.
He smiled. “It was a good run, although Tennison beat us all back to the Academy. I’ll have to let him know that in a normal pack without an Alpha as easygoing as Jericho, it’d probably be best to let the Alpha win.”
“You don’t think Boris or Torin would have taken the loss so smoothly?” Meredith asked.
Both of them stood in a silence for a second until Meredith’s lips twitched into the smile she couldn’t hold back. They burst into laughter.
“Yeah, right,” Alex replied, grinning at her. “Tennison would have toilet duty for a month.”
Meredith nodded. “That’s putting it lightly.”
She leaned against the door where Alex looked out at the courtyard lit by the glow of the lamps that ringed it. Jet’s black wolf statue stood in the middle of the grass near one end, overseeing to the safety of the Academy.
Alex glanced at his mother. “You’re up late. Is everything alright?”
She smiled. “I could say the same about you, but I’ve learned that you’re a night owl.” She tipped her head toward the medical wing. “Parker and Sid got into a rank duel. Sid broke Parker’s arm and Parker broke Sid’s nose. They’ll be fine in the morning.”
Alex shook his head. “Parker sure gets his arms broken a lot.”
Meredith nodded. “I thought not having Amos in his pack would be good for him. Turns out he goes looking for it.”
“Do you know who won?” Alex asked her curiously.
Meredith thought about it for a moment. “Boris and Torin dragged them both in here. Neither looked too pleased, so I’d say it was a draw. Usually you can tell a victor by his Alpha.”
Alex gave a snort of amusement. “Jericho was pretty happy when I beat Sid in a rank duel last year.”
“Be
tter keep an eye on Parker. Apparently he’s come back thinking Termers are better than the Lifers,” Meredith warned. “It wouldn’t take much for him to come after you.”
“I’ll be ready,” Alex replied. “Thanks for the head’s up.”
Meredith patted his shoulder. “It sounds like you guys had quite the rescue. I’m proud of you saving those people tonight.”
“Thanks,” Alex said, touched.
Meredith gave him a quick hug, then left back up the hall to the medical wing.
Alex appreciated the fact that she never pushed being a mother on either him or Cassie. During the summer, Meredith and Cassie had gotten extra close. Cassie especially warmed to the idea of having a mother at the Academy. Losing the parents who had raised them had left her a bit lost at times. Alex had shielded her from seeing their deaths, and the memory refused to leave his mind.
He pushed open the door and walked out into the night. The moon brushed the tops of the trees; its light settled on his shoulders like a warm blanket as he made his way to the statue. Alex was almost to it when he realized someone else sat on the other side.
“It’s alright,” Jaze said, his voice welcoming. “You can join me.”
Alex smiled as he walked around and found the dean sitting in the grass with his back against the base of Jet’s statue.
“I don’t want to intrude,” Alex began.
Jaze shook his head, his brown eyes warm as he smiled up at the student. “You never intrude, and you have as much right to be here, if not more.”
Alex sat down against the base and let his thoughts settle for a moment. Jaze gave him his silence, something the young werewolf always appreciated.
“I don’t know if I have as much right,” he said quietly.
He felt Jaze glance at him, but kept his gaze on the grass beneath his bare feet.
“You mean because of the General?”
Alex nodded. “General Jared Carso is my father.” The words felt thick in his mouth and tasted bitter. He never wanted to say them again. He stared hard at the grass. “What do I do with that?”
Jaze was silent for a moment before he said, “None of us can choose our parents.”
Alex looked at him. “At least your parents wanted you.”
Jaze nodded. “Yes, they did. I had great parents.” Sorrow filled his gaze. “But they were still taken from me. My dad was murdered by my uncle Mason, and my mom was shot when I refused to kill werewolves on television to prove to the world that we are animals.” He tipped his head back against the statue. “Life isn’t always what we choose for it to be, Alex. But it’s up to us to make the best of what we have.”
“You made all of this,” Alex said, his heart aching at the pain in the dean’s voice. Jaze was always so strong, so solid. It was very seldom that he opened up to Alex about the past. Alex knew he only understood the very tip of what had happened to the dean. He couldn’t imagine the iceberg Jaze held buried beneath his calm exterior.
Jaze nodded. “The Academy has definitely saved a few.” He threw Alex a smile. “Jet would be proud of that. He gave up his life hoping we would be able to save our race, and we’ve done what we could.”
“We’re still doing it,” Alex replied, thinking of the werewolf rescue.
“Yes, we are,” Jaze agreed. He ran a hand along the cool grass. “So the General is your father and Meredith is your mother. At least one of your bloodlines is good.”
Alex couldn’t keep back the smile that crossed his face. “You share the General’s bloodline, and the mom and dad who raised me are blood because they were my aunt and uncle.”
“And Jet was your cousin.”
The thought sent a pang through Alex’s heart. He sighed. “But it’s not the same. He was my brother.”
Jaze let out a slow breath. When he spoke again, the bare truth in his words held Alex. “Jet was my brother, too. We didn’t share blood, but we bled for each other. We didn’t share parents, but we survived the same horrors and became stronger because of them. It doesn’t take blood to make a brother.” He put a hand over his heart. “It’s in here. Brothers share a soul, a heartbeat; they bleed together, fight together, and have each other’s backs. When Jet was with me, I was never afraid. I knew he had my back, and he never let me down.” His voice softened. “I used to wonder if I let him down the day he died.”
Silence filled the air between them. After what felt like an eternity, Alex dared to ask, “Did you?”
Jaze’s smile was tempered by the tears in his eyes as he shook his head. “He asked me to let him make his sacrifice. He knew what he was doing. I would have let him down if I’d held him back.”
“Why?” Alex asked quietly.
“Because so many more werewolves would have died that he fought to save. He gave his life to protect those families, and he saved them. To Jet, it was worth dying for the werewolves he fought to free. He was the best person I have ever known, and I am proud to call him my brother.” He smiled at Alex and wiped away a tear that had broken free. “You should be, too.”
Alex nodded, his throat tight. “I am.” Warmth filled him at the words. Nothing could take away the time he and Jet had shared. Lying on the grass eating ice cream, the first time he and Cassie had phased, sneaking out at night to run as wolves through the countryside; nothing could erase those memories.
A thought occurred to Alex. “If the General’s my dad, and he’s your uncle, what does that make us?”
“Cousins,” Jaze replied.
Alex laughed. “But you’re so much older than I am.”
Jaze grinned. “I’m not that old.”
Alex moved down so that he lay with his back on the cool grass. Jet’s statue loomed above them, blocking out half the sky. It was Alex’s favorite place. He took a breath of the crisp night air colored with the sweet tang of fresh grass, the rich loam of the forest, and a hint of mineral damp that whispered of fall rain.
“How’s the new term starting?” Jaze asked.
Alex thought about it. “Good. Really good.” His mind shifted to Kalia. “Although it’s promising to be confusing.”
Jaze chuckled. “Can I guess by your tone that you’re referring to a girl?”
Alex stared up at him. “How did you know?”
Jaze shrugged. “The time I was the most confused in my life was when Nikki became a part of it.”
“And now?” Alex asked.
The dean let out a laugh. “Sometimes it’s still a bit confusing, but marrying Nikki was the best decision I ever made. And now we have William. I’ve never been happier.”
That filled Alex with warmth. Jaze and Nikki had pretty much taken over as Alex and Cassie’s family when their parents were killed. Hearing him be so happy gave Alex hope that he would someday feel the same.
“Just try to keep your wits about you,” Jaze recommended.
“That’s harder than it sounds,” Alex muttered.
Jaze laughed. “Yeah, I remember.” He winked at Alex. “But maybe that means you’ve found the right girl.”
Alex thought of the way his heart flipped every time he heard Kalia’s voice. He couldn’t think when her scent touched his nose, and he could barely speak two words in the proper order when she talked to him. If everything stayed the same, it was going to be a very strange term.
“I’d better get to bed,” Jaze told Alex. “William was up late with teething and I sat up with him to give Nikki a chance to sleep. He fell asleep on my pillow with Nikki’s hair clutched in one hand and I didn’t have the heart to move him.” He smiled. “His toddler bed’s a bit small for me, though.”
Alex smiled at the thought of the dean crammed on William’s tiny race car bed. “Good luck with that.”
“Thanks,” Jaze replied, standing up. He stretched, then set a hand on the wolf statue’s shoulder. “’Night, Jet.”
Alex listened to the dean’s footsteps as he made his way back to the Academy. The door swung closed with a quiet snick, leaving Alex with the c
rickets, the brush of the breeze that tangled in his black hair, and the comforting presence of the wolf statue that had become such a constant in Alex’s life.
Chapter Four
It was unusual for the students to have English first, but they filed obediently into Grace’s class. A few minutes before the bell rang, Jaze entered the classroom. Whispers rose from Pack Miguel and Pack Jericho as Jaze and Grace spoke quietly at the blind professor’s desk.
“I agree completely,” Alex heard Grace say.
Jaze nodded, satisfied. He turned to the class. “Good morning, students.”
“Good morning, Dean Jaze,” everyone replied.
Jaze smiled at them. “Welcome to your first class of the term.” He tipped his head toward Professor Grace. “You couldn’t have asked for a better teacher to begin the school year. However, I’m afraid I must borrow a few students for a specialty class we are trying this term.”
Alex’s breath caught when the dean called his name.
The dean looked down at the paper in his hand. “I also need Jericho, Cassie, Tennison, Trent, Terith, Kalia, and Pip.”
The students rose uncertainly. Now that their names had been called, they seemed concerned about leaving their classmates.
“Let’s go,” Alex said quietly.
They followed him as he trailed out the door after the dean. As soon as the door shut behind them, loud speculation erupted from the students who remained behind.
“The dean has the final say,” Grace reminded them. “Let’s turn our attention to diagraming sentences. Marky, what is a noun?”
“Amos is a noun,” Marky said; his words turned up at the end as though the answer was more of a question.
“I like being noun,” Amos replied, his deep voice booming through the door.
“Amos is a noun,” Grace confirmed.
Her voice died away as they followed Jaze down the hall. He led them to his office and waited until everyone had filed inside so that he could shut the door behind them. He then leaned against it and crossed his arms.
“Any guesses as to why you’re here?” he asked.
