The Werewolf Academy Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  “I never thought I’d find myself in a position like this,” Alex admitted. “Cassie always told me I was going to get myself killed. She says I’m reckless, but it wasn’t recklessness that made me climb down this hole.” He thought about it for a moment. “It was the thought that someone below who had suffered at the General’s hand could survive. I’ve seen so many horrible things that he’s done to werewolves, and while Jaze’s team is able to free some, most are long gone when we find them.” He had to remember not to clench his hands into fists. “I’m sick of what he does to werewolves. He has to be stopped.”

  His words fell away, echoing quietly to the point of nothingness.

  The silence began to press in again when Siale’s voice pushed it away. “You’re going to stop him.” The words were faint, but they were sure.

  Alex’s brow furrowed. “I’m going to try,” he replied, smoothing her hair. “I will do everything in my power to make sure the General and Drogan are stopped for good.”

  It felt like the slight sigh that left her in return was her answer.

  Alex could hear her heartbeat growing fainter. Her breath was shallow. It amazed him that she was still responsive.

  “We’re going to get out of here,” he told her. “Don’t stop fighting.”

  She didn’t respond. Her heartbeat was a mere whisper.

  “Siale, don’t stop fighting,” Alex said, louder this time.

  She didn’t stir.

  “Siale,” Alex shouted. His words echoed back to him with a force that made his ears ring. “Siale, stay with me!” He gathered her in his arms, tipping her head so he could look into her face.

  Her heart gave a stronger beat and her eyelashes brushed open.

  “That’s it,” Alex breathed. “Don’t give up. You’re a fighter, otherwise you wouldn’t still be alive. Don’t make all that fighting be for nothing.”

  Her mouth opened slightly. He had to lean close to hear her whisper, “It hurts.”

  “Pain means you’re alive,” Alex told her. “Stay alive for me. Fight for me. Can you do that?”

  He took the slight tip of her head for a nod. “Good,” he said. He leaned against the filthy wall and held her close to him. “Because I’ll fight for you whenever you stop fighting.”

  Her lips moved. It might have been a smile. It may have been a grimace of pain. Alex smiled back regardless and tipped his head against the wall. Weariness filled his limbs. A fuzzy, hollow sound rang in his ears. He didn’t know how long they had been in the hole, but between the adrenaline that had long ago faded away, and the toll of just being where they were, he could barely keep his eyes open.

  “You’re going to be okay,” he told Siale.

  She gave a slight sound in return, but her eyes didn’t open.

  Despite his efforts, Alex’s eyes slowly shut.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Shouts made Alex open his eyes. For a moment, he couldn’t remember where he was. A sliver of light lit the tunnel around him. The horror he saw made him avert his gaze. He glanced down at the form in his arms. Siale’s head rested against his chest. He couldn’t hear her breath or her heartbeat.

  “Siale,” he whispered, afraid. When she didn’t respond, he repeated her name. He still held the bandage tight against her side. Her head lolled back when he moved. Fear pierced his heart.

  “Siale,” he shouted. He jostled her and his hand tightened on her side.

  A breathy moan escaped her lips.

  “Oh, thank goodness,” Alex said. He held her against him, willing her to heal.

  It was then that he realized he couldn’t hear her heartbeat because other sounds were louder. Scraping, banging, and screeching noises came down from above their heads. Alex peered up, realizing that the small beam of light came from where the ceiling had collapsed on top of the hole.

  “Alex!”

  Jaze’s voice made his heart skip a beat.

  “Down here.” Alex had meant to shout, but his voice came out cracked and brittle from his dry throat. He swallowed and tried again. “Down here,” he said a bit louder.

  “I heard him!”

  The relief in Jaze’s words reflected Alex’s feelings about hearing his dean’s voice.

  “You hear that?” he said to Siale. “They’ve come for us just like I said they would.”

  She didn’t move. He chose to let her rest.

  The light from above grew bigger as debris was cleared away. Pieces fell down, hitting the mass around them with sickening thuds.

  “Be careful,” Alex heard Dray said. “This whole thing could come down on him.”

  “Take your time,” Jaze told them. “Let’s do this right.”

  A few minutes later, a grinding noise was followed by the debris over the hole being lifted away. Alex blinked at the sudden light. He kept his gaze away from what was beneath them and instead focused on the form that swung over the edge of the cylinder and was being lowered slowly down the side.

  “Careful,” Chet’s voice called.

  “Go slow,” Meredith said.

  The sound of his mother’s voice made Alex’s heart lift. He didn’t know what to tell her. It had been a horrible night, or day and night, or however long they had been in the hole. He had no idea how much time had passed. All he wanted was to get Siale out and make sure she was okay, and then he wanted to hug Meredith and Cassie just to reassure himself that he was actually out and that they were safe.

  “You okay?”

  Alex nodded as Jaze’s shoes touched the mass of bodies that had become their floor. The dean grimaced, and Alex knew why. The smell of the decaying bodies was one his nose never got used to. He wondered if it would ever go away.

  Jaze knelt in front of Alex.

  “Hey, you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle.

  Alex nodded again. The dean looked in his eyes and touched the cut on his forehead. Alex had forgotten about the blood. He wondered dazedly if he looked worse than his fight with pack Torin.

  “Is she alive?” Jaze asked, checking Siale’s pulse.

  “Barely,” Alex told him. He showed Jaze the bandage on her side. “If I move it, she bleeds really bad.”

  “There must be silver in the wound keeping it from healing.” Jaze checked over the rest of the wounds quickly. “It’s a wonder she’s alive.” He said the last part softly. He looked up, realizing he had said the words aloud. “You did a good job. Let’s get you both out of here.”

  “Siale first,” Alex insisted.

  “Meredith and Cassie will kill me,” Jaze replied, but at the determination on Alex’s face, he nodded. “Siale first.”

  Jaze took off his harness and worked it carefully over Siale’s legs. Alex held pressure to the wound in her ribs while Jaze tightened the harness around her waist.

  “What about this?” Alex asked. She had lost so much blood that he was worried even the amount of time it took to hoist her up the tunnel could mean the difference between life and death. He hadn’t had enough shirt to tie it, and if he moved his hand, fresh blood welled up. He hoped it was a good sign that she could still bleed.

  Jaze took off his own shirt and tore it carefully along the bottom in a long, thin strip, winding his way up the fabric in one continuous length. He tore it free when it reached the arms.

  “This should do it,” the dean said.

  “Next time, remind me to wear two shirts,” Alex commented.

  The dean’s eyes creased in humor as he wrapped the cloth securely around Siale’s ribs. He tied it tight directly over Alex’s bandages to continue the pressure.

  “What do you think” Jaze asked.

  Alex nodded. “It’s good. It should hold.”

  Jaze nodded in return. He stood, carefully maneuvering Siale in the harness.

  “Bring her up slowly,” Jaze called.

  The harness tightened and Siale began to lift into the air. Her back arched and her limbs hung down. Alex had to keep telling himself that she was alive, that she was go
ing to be alright, and that he had done everything he could. Sitting on the pile of bodies trying to keep her alive had been one of the hardest moments of his life. Now that she was out of his grasp, he felt lost. His knees sagged.

  “Easy now,” Jaze said, catching him.

  “It’s been a little rough,” Alex told the dean. He took a deep breath, willing his legs to hold.

  “I can imagine,” Jaze replied. He kept his arm around Alex’s shoulders, giving him something to lean against that wasn’t coated in body-related filth. “Take it easy. We’ll get you out of here.”

  Alex fought to keep his mind alert. “How did you find me?”

  “Cassie ran back in right after the explosions stopped. She refused to move, saying that we had to clear everything away to get you out.” Jaze gave him a small smile. “She was determined that you were okay. No matter what anyone said, she refused to believe otherwise.”

  “She’s a bit stubborn,” Alex admitted.

  Jaze chuckled. “You both are, and I’m grateful for that.” He looked around the small enclosure. “I don’t think many others could have made it through this, let alone save someone else’s life.”

  Siale’s body was lifted out of sight. A few seconds later, the harness was lowered back down.

  “Your turn,” Jaze said. He held the harness and helped Alex step into the leg loops. When Alex’s hands refused to cooperate with the straps, the dean tightened them and double-checked everything to make sure the student was secure.

  “Take him up,” Jaze called.

  It was a surreal experience, being lifted through the air with the bodies below. Alex knew with the shock and stress of all that had happened that he wasn’t thinking clearly. He felt like he was floating, flying away from the horrible trap he had fallen into. He wondered vaguely if he had died, and hoped that floating upward was a good sign, although it was quite hot and that didn’t bode well.

  “Oh, Alex!”

  Cassie’s voice brought Alex back to the present as he was lifted over the edge of the pit. A dozen hands reached out, helping him to safety. Someone gently removed his harness. The second he was free, Cassie’s arms wrapped around him with the strength of a bear.

  “I told them you were okay,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I told them you’d be waiting and we had to hurry. You’re always a fighter, Alex. You’d never give up. You promised me you’d always come back,” she sobbed with her head on his shoulder.

  Alex was about to hug her back when a glance at his hands made him realize that they were coated in filth.

  “You smell,” Cassie said with a half-chuckle, half-sob. She stepped back.

  Meredith set a soft blanket around Alex’s shoulders. “We’ll get you cleaned up and feeling like yourself again,” she promised.

  A pair of gray eyes filled with pain surfaced in Alex’s muddled mind.

  “Where’s Siale?” he asked. His words stumbled over each other.

  Luckily, Cassie knew him well enough to understand. “She’s on her way to one of Jaze’s hospitals. Lyra went with her and Nikki is going to meet them there. She’ll be okay.”

  The need to know that she was alright for sure pressed against Alex with a force that stole his breath. He tried to make the words clear. “I need to know.”

  Meredith nodded. “We’re going there, too. You need to get looked at to make sure you’re okay.”

  Alex followed his mom and Cassie numbly across the cement floor. It took Alex a few minutes to realize that there was no building above his head. The explosions had brought the entire place down. He had perhaps found the only possible way to survive. He tried to feel grateful for the hole. He could only manage to feel gratitude that Siale had gotten out.

  “Good job, Alex,” Chet said, rubbing Alex’s hair as he helped the student up the ladder to the main floor.

  “Good to see you again,” Dray told Alex as he pulled open the door to one of the SUVs. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

  “What, you think you can just take a break in the middle of a mission?” Trent demanded from the driver’s seat. A closer look showed tears in the werewolf’s eyes.

  “Thought it was a good idea,” Alex managed.

  He sat on the seat careful to touch only the blanket Meredith had given him. She buckled his seatbelt as if he was a toddler, then she and Cassie sat on either side of him.

  “Is he there?” Kalia’s voice demanded over the intercom.

  “He’s here,” Terith told her from the front seat. “He’s okay, as far as we know.” She gave Alex a searching look, her tone uncertain.

  “Are you sure?” Kalia asked.

  Alex gathered his strength. “I’m here,” he told her.

  Kalia’s audible sigh followed. “They wouldn’t let me come.” He could hear tears in her voice. “They said since Brock was helping, I needed to monitor the cameras.”

  “I’m okay,” Alex said, though in the fog of numbness, he wasn’t quite sure. “I’m glad you were helping.”

  Trent started the vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot. The hum of the tires lulled Alex’s weary mind. He closed his eyes. His head jerked as he awakened again.

  “It’s okay,” Meredith said, her voice soft. “Lean your head on my shoulder. You can sleep.”

  Alex did as his mother said. He knew he stunk and that various types of carnage covered his clothes and everywhere else on his body, but he couldn’t keep awake any longer. He shifted the blanket so that it covered his mom’s shoulder before he rested his head on it again. A single thought crossed his mind, the fact that Meredith and his other mother both had the best shoulders to sleep on. He took a breath and let it out slowly as he drifted away.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Alex awoke to the steady beeping of the hospital monitors above his bed. He remembered vague snatches of being helped into a wheelchair, then the checkered lights as they passed overhead. Something pricked his arm and he had fallen into a sleep deeper than any he could remember.

  “Alex, are you alright?”

  Cassie’s voice made him smile.

  “I never could pretend to be asleep with you around,” Alex said, turning his head to look at his twin sister. She waited so close to the bed there was no room between her and the bars.

  Cassie gave him a warm smile. “That’s because you don’t snore when you’re awake.”

  “I don’t snore,” Alex protested.

  Cassie grinned. “I know, but I wanted to see if you did.”

  Alex smiled back. “You’re pretty sneaky.”

  She shrugged. “It must be a Davies thing.” She hesitated and shadows crossed her gaze. “Or what would our last name really be?”

  “Carso,” Alex said softly.

  Cassie let out a breath and nodded.

  “But we’re still Davies, Cass. Don’t forget that. Meredith’s our mom, but so were Mom and Dad. You don’t have to give that up, ever,” Alex told her adamantly.

  Cassie nodded. “That’s what Meredith told me.”

  Alex smiled, hoping to cheer her up. “That’s because we have a smart mom.”

  “Because she said what you did?” Cassie asked uncertainly.

  Alex nodded. “Exactly.”

  A small giggle escaped his sister. She shook her head at him. “You’re impossible, Alex.”

  Alex shrugged. “I know.” He sat up slowly, but didn’t feel any soreness. In fact, he felt completely fine which surprised him after everything that had happened. He frowned down at the hospital gown he wore, realizing that his clothes were gone and his body had been cleaned of the filth. “Who had to undress... Um, you know what? Never mind. I don’t want to know.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed.

  “Are you sure you should get up?” Cassie asked worriedly.

  Alex nodded. “I feel fine.” He lifted his arm where an I.V. poked out. “What’s in this?”

  “Just liquids,” Cassie told him. “They said you were severely dehydrated.”

  Alex p
ulled the needle carefully from his arm. Several drops of blood surfaced. He waited a minute, then wiped them away with a tissue from a box near the bed. The hole from the needle had healed.

  “Where’s my—”

  Voices caught Alex’s attention. He and Cassie both watched the door, waiting for the inevitable. The door burst open and Pack Jericho rushed inside.

  “I told you he’d be awake!” Trent crowed.

  Kalia, Terith, and little Caitlyn gave Alex tight hugs.

  “You’re feeling better?” Kalia asked, looking Alex up and down.

  Alex was suddenly aware that he was wearing nothing but a thin piece of cloth that was probably completely open in the back. He felt behind him, confirming the fact.

  “I feel great,” he said, struggling to tie the gown shut.

  “You should wear that to school,” Jericho said, poking his head in the door. “You could start a fad.”

  “No, thank you,” Alex replied, grinning. “It’s bad enough with all the phasing going on. Could you imagine if Pip wore one of these?”

  They all laughed.

  “Hey!” Pip exclaimed from the doorway. The little werewolf grinned. “It looks comfy.”

  “Don’t get any ideas,” Jericho warned him.

  “Alex good?” Amos asked, crowding the others through the door. He had to hunch over so his head didn’t brush the ceiling of the room.

  “Alex is good,” Alex replied, smiling at the huge werewolf. “Thank you.”

  Amos nodded with a pleased smile.

  Kalia stepped closer to Alex as if she needed to reassure herself that he was alright.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked quietly.

  The concern in her eyes ate at his heart. He knew what he saw in the depths of her gaze, he just couldn’t answer it.

  “You’re not okay,” Kalia said. Tears brimmed in her light blue eyes. “Should I call a nurse?”

  Alex held up his hands. “No, no. I’m just fine. I feel great. I’m just, uh, not dressed for all this company.”