The Werewolf Academy Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  He dove around the pine trees and rolled, pegging members of Pack Jericho before coming up behind another tree.

  “Okay, we haven’t learned that in class,” Pip said.

  “Show off,” Trent called.

  “You better believe it,” Alex replied. Snowballs hit the tree he hid behind. “I’m outnumbered. I’d better make up for it with showmanship.”

  Jericho snorted. “You call that showmanship?”

  Alex wondered what the Alpha meant until he peeked around the tree trunk to see every member of Pack Jericho standing a few feet away loaded with an armful of snowballs. Everyone, even little Caitlyn, held their chosen ammunition as though prepared to use it. Cassie met Alex’s gaze and laughed, her dark blue eyes sparkling.

  Alex grinned in return and lifted his hands. “Okay, okay. I know when I’m outnumbered.” He stepped out from behind the tree. “I apologize for anything I have done that has led to this death by firing squad. Can you forgive me?”

  Trent’s eyes narrowed. He glanced at Jericho. “Do we forgive him?”

  Jericho’s dark brown gaze held the laughter he fought to keep from his face. The Alpha studied Alex as solemnly as he could manage. “Nope,” the Alpha declared.

  “Wait!” Alex protested as all of his pack mates lifted their snowballs. “Do I at least get to know what I’m guilty of?”

  “Cassie?” Jericho prompted.

  Cassie stepped forward and cleared her throat dramatically. “Alex Davies Carso, you have been found guilty of going for runs without your pack mates.”

  “I didn’t think anyone would want to go,” Alex replied, amazed.

  Cassie grinned. “What’s a pack for? If you’re not going to even invite us, it’s our duty to make you pay.”

  “Fine,” Alex said with a nod. “I accept my punishment.” He closed his eyes. “Make it quick. I prefer a painless death.”

  “You’ll feel every hit,” Trent promised.

  Snowballs pegged Alex from every side. He laughed as the tension fled from his muscles. He couldn’t have asked for a better pack. He thought he was being attacked by Torin or even Drogan for an instant; instead his own pack had created a trial by snowballs. He would take snow over Extremists any day.

  Footsteps warned him before Cassie tackled him to the ground. “Eat snow, Alex.”

  She tried to shove snow into his face, but he grabbed her wrist and turned, throwing her into the white powder. Tennison attacked. Alex ducked and used his shoulder to propel the skinny werewolf into the air so that he landed ungracefully next to Cassie.

  “Die, werewolf fiend, die.” Caitlyn grabbed Alex around the knees.

  Alex had to laugh at the ferocity of her yell. The other members of Pack Jericho joined in. Alex fell over, a victim to Caitlyn’s mock anger. She threw snow at him as he laughed at the tiny werewolf’s onslaught. Jericho collapsed in the snow next to Alex, laughing as well.

  “Who would have thought the most dangerous member of our pack would be an eight year old pipsqueak?” Alex asked the Alpha.

  “Who you calling a pipsqueak?” Caitlyn demanded, throwing more snow.

  Jericho laughed. “I know, right?” He climbed to his knees and picked up the little girl. She squealed when he hefted her above his head. “I sacrifice this little pup to the snow gods.”

  “Oh no!” Caitlyn shrieked, giggling even while she pretended to be scared.

  “Sacrifice!” Marky called.

  “Sacrifice,” Amos echoed in his deep voice. He gave a low chuckle. “Pipsqueak sacrifice.”

  Jericho winked at Alex. Alex backed off a few steps.

  Jericho began to swing her. Caitlyn’s giggles filled the air. “One, two, three!”

  Jericho tossed Caitlyn up. Alex caught her and they fell backward into the snow. Caitlyn laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “You saved me, Alex.”

  “I wouldn’t let mean old Jericho sacrifice you,” Alex replied.

  Caitlyn climbed to her feet and wrapped her arms around Jericho’s legs. “It’s okay, Jeri. I still love you.”

  Jericho dropped to his knees in the snow and gave her a tight hug. “You remind me so much of my little sister,” he told her. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too,” Caitlyn replied.

  Everyone smiled at the little girl.

  “So, still up for a run?” Cassie asked when silence fell.

  Alex grinned at her. “Think you can keep up?”

  “Can you?” Cassie asked. She stepped behind a tree and phased. The rest of the pack followed. When Alex was in wolf form, he grinned at his pack mates. He gave a small bark and led the way down his usual running path. The sound of paws following his own gave him more of a reason to smile than he’d had in a long time.

  ***

  The next morning at breakfast, Alex kept his eyes on his plate of scrambled eggs and sausage. The following day was Saturday and the Termers would go home in the morning. To Alex, it felt like decades had passed since he went to Kalia and Boris’ house instead of just a year. So much had changed.

  “Come on, Kalia. You know you want to.”

  Torin’s voice jolted Alex out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see the Alpha standing behind Kalia on the opposite side of the table. He dropped his gaze, but he felt Kalia look at him a minute before she responded.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” Torin demanded. “You think that loser over there is going to ask you? He acts like he doesn’t even know you exist. Don’t wait for that. Accept a sure thing.”

  “And you’re a sure thing?” Kalia asked.

  “Definitely.” Torin’s tone was hopeful.

  Alex realized in that moment how much the Alpha really was smitten by Kalia. He wondered how he had missed it; of course, he wasn’t exactly the most observant when it came to relationships. Cassie and Tennison were a huge indicator of that.

  “I’m sorry, Torin. I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m going to wait.” Kalia’s tone was kind but firm.

  Alex glanced at the Alpha. Torin was staring directly at him. The hatred in the brawny werewolf’s gaze hit Alex like a battering ram.

  “I’ll kill you,” Torin mouthed.

  Alex was about to rise to the challenge when Jericho grabbed his arm.

  “Don’t be stupid,” his Alpha said in a low growl. “It’s against the rules. Neither of you need detention in the greenhouses.”

  Torin was already walking away. Alex willed his clenched fists to relax. He looked at his food, but his appetite was gone. He rose and grabbed his plate.

  “Alex, wait up!”

  Cassie hurried to catch up to him as he dumped what was left of his food in the garbage before setting the plate in one of the bins on top.

  “Where’s Tennison?” Alex asked before he could stop himself.

  Cassie didn’t appear bothered by Alex’s brusque tone. “He’s helping Marky and Amos with their Economics homework.”

  “So you’ve come to bother me instead?”

  It took Alex a minute to realize Cassie wasn’t following him up the stairs any longer. He glanced back in time to see her hands clench at her sides and her expression turn to one of anger. He had pushed her too far. Cassie seldom got mad, and when she did, he always deserved it.

  “I’m sorry, Cass.”

  “What is with you?” Cassie demanded.

  Alex held up his hands. “I said I’m sorry.”

  “And that’s supposed to fix everything?” his sister asked.

  Alex glanced around at the students who had finished their lunch early and were now staring from one sibling to the other.

  “Can we go somewhere to talk?” Alex asked, unwilling to have everything he said broadcasted to the entire school.

  “Yes, please,” Cassie replied shortly. She turned on her heel and spun to the door that led outside.

  Alex followed her through the Academy grounds to the wall next to the gate. Bushes had been planted there when th
e twins first arrived at the Academy. Now they hunched close to the wall, bowing over to create a tunnel of sorts that ran nearly around the entire school. It used to be one of the twins’ favorite places to go when they needed time to themselves. Now Alex eyed the snow-covered bushes uncertainly.

  “Really?”

  “Come on, Alex,” Cassie replied. “Man up.” She crawled into the hole on her hands and knees.

  “Man up?” Alex repeated. “You mean kid up, right? Because this is the sort of thing little kids do.”

  Cassie gave a muffled reply.

  Alex huffed out a sigh and dropped to his hands and knees. He crawled across the frozen ground in darkness that was peppered by soft light where the sun shone through the thick snow that blanketed the bushes.

  “What did you say?” Alex asked when he caught up to Cassie.

  “I said maybe that’s the point.”

  Alex was confused. “Um, you lost me.”

  Cassie turned so quickly he thought she was going to attack him. He scooted back, snagging the sleeve of his tee-shirt on a bush.

  “Look at you,” Cassie said, but her words were gentler, her expression worried. “You’re defensive around your own sister.” She reached over and helped him untangle the branch from his shirt. When he was free, she sat back and hugged her knees to her chest. “Sometimes I wish we were kids again. We used to be so close, and everything was so simple.”

  Her words sent a rush of agreement through Alex. “At least I only had one girl to worry about back then.” He shoved Cassie’s shoulder.

  She laughed and stuck her tongue out at him. “So you’re really not going to ask Kalia to the dance?”

  Alex shook his head.

  Cassie’s eyebrows pulled together. “Why not? You two seemed so happy together before...”

  He nodded. “That’s it, exactly.” He pulled on a brown leaf that clung stubbornly to one of the branches. “After all that, it’s hard to feel as though something like a dance is important.”

  “It’s important to her,” Cassie said gently.

  Alex sighed. “That’s the problem. I don’t want her to read too much into everything. It’s not like that.”

  Cassie sat up straight as if she suddenly realized what he was talking about. “You mean she’s not the one?”

  Alex shook his head without meeting her gaze.

  “Then I understand.”

  “You do?” Alex asked, giving his sister a searching look.

  She nodded. “Before Tennison, I probably wouldn’t have, but now, I couldn’t imagine going with anyone else. It wouldn’t feel right; it’d be like...”

  “Something’s missing,” Alex finished.

  Cassie nodded. She was quiet for a moment, then she asked, “So if Kalia’s not the one, do you know who is?”

  Alex couldn’t put into words how he felt. He finally settled with, “I’m not sure.” It was the truth. Siale definitely occupied his thoughts, but their conversation had been extremely one-sided, and the circumstances didn’t exactly make for an ordinary meeting situation. Yet just the thought of her was enough to send a rush of longing through him.

  He wished to know if she was alright. The last he had seen of her, she had been unconscious. He wished to talk to her, to hear her speak without pain filling her voice. He wondered what her laugh would sound like, or if she laughed at all. He had a hard time picturing her laughing after all she had experienced. The thought sent a pang through his chest.

  “I’ll talk to Kalia.”

  Alex forced his thoughts back to the present. “Do you think it’ll help?”

  Cassie considered the question. “Probably not, but it’s worth a shot.”

  “Thanks, Cass. I don’t want to hurt her.”

  She nodded and gave him a fond smile. “I know you don’t. Girls can be difficult to deal with.”

  Alex smiled. “Tell me about it.”

  He stayed in the tunnel long after Cassie had left.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  “Okay, class, open to page seventy-five,” Meredith instructed.

  “Math sucks,” Sid muttered.

  Pack Torin snickered.

  Alex rolled his eyes and opened his book to the page his mother had instructed. It was the same thing every time they reached geometry. Someone in Pack Torin complains through the entire class period. Apparently it was Sid’s turn to make interruptions and bother Alex and Cassie’s mom. Meredith wasn’t being singled out. Pack Torin made sure every class they were in was filled with heckling and rude comments. Alex wished Torin would rein in his werewolves once in a while if just for the peace and quiet.

  “If you did your homework last night, this chapter will be easy,” Meredith said with a warm smile. “We’ve already finished the ten-ten geometry class this term and we’re onto twenty-ten. You’re well into completing both of these college courses before this year is out, and if you stay on task, you won’t fall behind.

  Cassie raised her hand. “I did the bonus questions. Will that help?”

  “Definitely,” Meredith answered, smiling at her daughter.

  “Brown-noser,” Sid muttered.

  “Shut up,” Tennison replied.

  Alex glanced at the werewolf beside him in surprise. Tennison was usually quiet and reserved. It made him feel better to know that there was someone else willing to stand up for his sister.

  Sid didn’t feel the same happiness about it. “What did you say?” he growled. His tone escalated the situation from a normal argument to something serious.

  “Cool it,” Jericho said. “You know he and Cassie are together. Say nicer things to people.”

  “Don’t tell my pack what to do.” Silence followed Torin’s deadly tone.

  “What’s going on?” Trent whispered to Terith, his voice close to panic.

  “I don’t know.” Terith replied. “Everyone’s flipping out over nothing.”

  Torin stood, shoving his desk back with a screech. “I’m tired of your pack of rejects butting in where they’re not needed.”

  Meredith stood motionless at the front of the classroom. Academy protocol forbade teachers from interfering with rank duels. She was unable to get involved.

  “Yeah,” Sid said. He glared at Tennison. “Is your little girlfriend too much of a wimp to stand up for herself?”

  Tennison rose but Cassie grabbed his hand. “It’s not worth it,” she said. “He outranks you.”

  Tennison sat back down, but it was clear by his expression that he was still upset.

  “That’s right,” Sid said with mocking laughter in his voice. “I outrank you.”

  Alex was tired of the Second’s tone. He slammed his hands down on his desk in the back corner and stood. “Yeah, but you and I are the same rank, Sid.” He tipped his head to the side. “As I recall, I’ve already beaten you. Care to try again?”

  Sid paled as though he had forgotten Alex was in the room. Alex had missed enough classes lately that it was understandable.

  Sid glanced at Torin. The Alpha’s eyes narrowed. As much as he might have wanted Sid to fight Alex, having his Second lose again would make his pack look weak. Instinct forbade such an action. He gave a small shake of his head.

  Sid’s eyes flickered to Kalia who sat near the front of the desks as far from Alex as she could get and still be on Pack Jericho’s side of the room.

  “You seriously want to go out with this loser?” the Second asked.

  Alex realized at that moment that the fight was a set-up. Torin was trying to make himself look good by goading his pack mates into insulting Alex.

  He could choose to keep silent in the hopes that Kalia would believe Sid and give up on him asking her to the dance, or he could fight back. His instincts growled in the back of his mind, refusing to let him stay silent against the verbal attack.

  Kalia’s eyes flashed. Alex realized there was a third scenario he hadn’t considered when she said, “Better than going out with some pig-headed Stray who thinks he’s bette
r than the rest of the school.”

  Torin looked like he was about to explode. He leaped out of his chair toward Kalia, but Jericho met him in the middle with the force of a battering ram.

  Chairs flew and books were destroyed as the Alphas pummeled each other. The packs ringed the edges of the classroom with Meredith waiting wide-eyed by her desk. Alex knew he was supposed to stay out of it. He waited near the fight, his hands clenching and unclenching with the urge to jump in.

  A book flew across the room and pegged Jericho in the back of the head as the Alpha’s fist connected with Torin’s face. Alex looked back to see Sid heft another geometry book. The fact that the Second was pummeling Pack Jericho’s Alpha with books to distract him from Torin sent rage rushing through Alex’s limbs. He let out a growl that rattled the windows and charged.

  Sid met him halfway like Jericho had, but the build-up was too much. Blue flooded Alex’s vision. Though Alex was in human form, he could feel his muscles pulsing and flexing, expanding his skin as he slammed into Sid. The huge werewolf was thrown backward as though he weighed less than the book he held. Sid hid the wall so hard his body dented the sheetrock.

  Alex struggled to catch his breath. His heart thundered in his chest, giving a powerful beat, then skipping several. Alex put a hand on a desk to steady himself. He glanced down to see the muscles bulging in his arms and thick black fingernails gouging the desk. He picked his hand up and stared at it. He looked from it to Sid’s wide eyes where the werewolf sat on the floor beneath the ruined wall, frozen as though afraid to move.

  “Alex?”

  Cassie’s voice echoed in Alex’s ears. He shook his head. His heart calmed. He could feel himself returning to normal. He glanced behind him to see the two Alphas staring at him, their fight forgotten. Cassie crossed the room quickly, then paused a few steps away as if she was afraid to touch him.

  “Alex, what was that?” she asked with a note of fear in her voice.

  “I don’t know,” Alex said.

  He hated that Cassie was afraid of him. They were all looking at him the same way, as if he had just stepped out of some horror movie. He glanced at Meredith. While there wasn’t fear on his mom’s face, he still saw worry that matched Cassie’s.