by Cheree Alsop
Alex’s blood ran cold. He debated whether to run for his bike or take the man down.
Ruse held up a hand. “Easy now. You don’t have to flip out. My boys and I were having a debate. It’s no big deal.”
“Admitting to being a werewolf would be a big deal,” Alex replied evenly.
Ruse shook his head. “What am I going to do? Call the cops? You’re not the only one looking over your shoulder, if you know what I mean.”
Alex knew he shouldn’t trust the man. He had already tried to steal the motorcycle, forcing Alex to almost reveal himself to the students at the café. Yet his instincts were silent; he felt nothing threatening about the man as long as he kept his distance.
Alex finally nodded. “I’m a werewolf.”
“I knew it!” Ruse whooped. “Wait ‘til I tell them!”
Alex stepped into the street, but Ruse held up a hand.
“I don’t mean right now. You can stick around.” Ruse shook his head. “Geesh. A little touchy, aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t you be?” Alex asked a bit defensively.
Ruse was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “If the whole world was trying to use me for target practice? Yeah, I guess so.”
Alex studied the car. “So what’s wrong with it?”
Ruse crossed his arms and glared at the engine as though anger would make it suddenly start working. “I don’t know, but my shift starts in a half hour and if I don’t make it, I’ll lose my job. My ma’s sick and we’re behind two months on rent. One more and we lose the apartment, too.” He glanced at Alex. “Know anything about cars?”
Alex shook his head, then paused. “I don’t, but I have a friend who does.”
He jogged across the street to the motorcycle and shoved the helmet on his head. “Hey Trent, you there?”
“Yes, I am,” Trent said in a relieved tone as if he was worried Alex had disappeared off the face of the earth. “What’s up?”
“I need help fixing a car,” Alex said, crossing the street again.
“A car? What’d you do?” Trent asked, his voice nearing panic. “Did you wreck into someone? Do they know you’re a werewolf? Is this going to be on the news?”
“Slow down,” Alex told him. “No one wrecked, and no one knows what I am.” He grimaced at the lie, but didn’t need Trent worrying even more. “I just found someone who’s having problems starting their car and I thought you could help.”
“What, you’ve turned into some sort of superhero now?” Trent asked wryly. “Rescuing the meek so they can drive through the snow?”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Exactly.”
Trent snorted. “Alright, tell me what we’ve got.”
“I’ll have Ruse tell you. I’m not the best with cars.”
Alex took the helmet off and handed it to Ruse. The man took it and put it on with an amused expression. “Who’s this?”
“Who’s this?” Alex heard Trent demand from the other end.
“Ruse, uh, Roosevelt Gans,” Ruse replied. He glanced at Alex and gave an embarrassed smile.
“Okay, Roosevelt, what do you drive?”
Alex leaned against the building and watched Ruse walk through the instructions Trent gave him. He wondered if Trent was enjoying ordering the man around. Ruse checked everything the werewolf told him, tinkered with a few parts, and in a couple of minutes, the engine turned over.
“Yes!” Ruse shouted. “Oh, sorry,” he said, pulling off the helmet. He handed it back to Alex. “Your friend’s a genius.”
Alex grinned as he crossed the street. “Don’t tell him that. It’ll go to his head.”
“No it won’t,” Trent replied, his voice muted as Alex set the helmet back on the foot peg. “At least someone appreciates me.”
“I appreciate you,” Alex replied.
“You better,” Trent said.
Alex chuckled as he crossed the road back to Ruse. “How’s it running?”
“Great!” Ruse exclaimed. “Your friend even figured out how to fix the power flow problem so the starter doesn’t give out on me again. He said he could increase the fuel efficiency if I had a few more minutes.”
Alex smiled. “Maybe next time.”
“Yeah,” Ruse said. “I’ve gotta run.” He hesitated, then held out a hand. “Thanks, man.”
Alex shook it. “Anytime. Just try to keep from stealing other people’s stuff. You’ll find a way to make ends meet.”
“I will,” Ruse said, climbing into the car. “Come by sometime. My mom makes a mean pot of spaghetti.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” Alex said.
He walked back to the motorcycle and watched Ruse pull away. The man stuck a hand out the window and waved before he turned the corner and disappeared from view. Alex waved back even though the thug could no longer see him.
“Who was that?”
Alex picked up the helmet and put it on. “A street thug.”
“Seriously?” Trent demanded. “I just helped a street thug?”
Alex smiled at the high pitch Trent’s voice had taken. “Everyone needs help once in a while.”
“You need help,” Trent muttered.
Alex laughed. “We both agree on that. I’m heading home.”
“You better be,” Trent threatened.
Alex smiled and turned off the headset.
Chapter Twenty-one
Anxious for a run to clear his head, Alex stepped out of the gate. Before he could pull off his shirt, something hit Alex so hard he stumbled forward. Every sense flared as he searched around for signs of his attacker. Another object soared through the air. Alex ducked and it hit the tree behind him. Alex stared at the snow coating the tree trunk.
“Almost hit Alex.” Amos’ deep laughter rang out through the trees.
“He won’t be so lucky this time,” Trent replied. “Fire!”
A dozen snowballs flew through the air.
Alex fought back a laugh as he dove behind a tree. The snowballs peppered the ground around him.
“You missed me,” he yelled.
A snowball pegged him in the chest when he stepped out.
“Gotcha!” Cassie called out triumphantly.
Alex grinned and crouched, packing several snowballs as he searched the trees for his attackers. A flash of a pink shirt caught his attention before disappearing behind a grove of pines. Alex scooped up his snowballs and ran behind the trees, careful to cross the snow silently the way Rafe had taught him when he was young.
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 the 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.”
