by Belle Harper
It was the guy from this morning, the one the students parted for… Wait, he was my teacher?
Chapter Seven
Galen
I received a call yesterday from the case worker Shelly, who often sends wolf shifter kids to us up here. Usually they were under the age of ten, but she sent her first teen here. The packs didn’t like the older ones; they were harder to bring in and ended up a lone wolf without a pack more times than I could count. That was why it was best if they were younger when we got them, before their first shift was always the best.
I was told about Rafferty because the Alpha of pack Kiba was worried about him. The other packs were warned about a teen shifter and to leave him alone. I tried to keep an eye on him yesterday, but he was great at evading. I had heard from Grayson last night that Rafferty had come home covered in blood from a fight. I was hoping to help him, but when I found him this morning, he wouldn’t speak to me.
Shelly also told me about a young woman who was also staying with Jack and Grayson Rawson. She told me smelled almost like a shifter, but she had never scented one like her before and she wasn’t sure if she was one. When she couldn’t compel the young woman, Shelly knew she needed to be up here. Alexis was alone, living on the streets of Seattle while she worked at a strip club and put herself through school. The fact that she still cared enough about her education meant she was at least determined to have a better future.
But Alexis wasn’t a shifter, that had been clear from Jack when he spoke to me last night. He said he could tell from her scent she wasn’t one, but it was a confusing scent. At times she gave off an almost-shifter smell, then other times, she almost smelled that of a vampire. But most the time he said that she smelled like neither, it was very confusing and bizarre. And no one knew what she was.
She didn’t know anything about the shifter world, and everyone was warned not to speak to her until we figured out what she was.
Females were never born as shifters—wolves and even bear shifters had the same curse. A shifter in their animal form had to bite the female and inject her with the shifter venom that would turn her into a shifter. Then, she could produce shifter sons, but never daughters. The only shifters I knew that weren’t affect by this were the big cats—panther and tiger shifters still bore females but at a much lower ratio to the males.
There weren’t a lot of female wolf-shifters around since most females died during the transformation process. It didn’t happen very often that a woman was made a shifter, and often the female would be mated to a few strong males in the pack. Not always, but most the time this was how it worked with wolf-shifter packs.
I have worked for Pack Kiba for the last five years in exchange for settling here safely. The elders were happy with my presence and enjoyed my protection as I have theirs. I could compel humans to forget seeing a wolf or when the boys here at school would fight and shift into their wolf form. That was why I held a position at the school as it was where most incidents happened and I also enjoy teaching. The shifter kids didn’t like me here, but that was in their nature to be like that. Humans were different—they were drawn to my presence but didn’t know why.
The packs could have started an all-shifter high school, they could have separated the humans from the shifters like other packs often did. The problem was they couldn’t make those connections with the females. They needed to build those foundations, relationships, find a potential mate.
When I walked into school this morning, I didn’t know what I was smelling. It was clean, sweet, and it drew me in like never before. I had walked toward it before I could stop myself. Then I saw her and knew this was what they were all talking about, the scent.
Alexis Turner.
I was all but frozen at her sight. She was beautiful, her hair a light golden brown, it was up in a loose messy bun, little whips of it fell around her amber eyes. I had never seen eyes like that in all my life. It might mean something, a hint at what she was and that I didn’t know. I held my breath but I couldn’t help it, I wanted another hit of that sweetness. Her scent was strong, even through the glass doors. My fangs slid out and my body hummed with need to taste her.
That had never happened before, and I was embarrassed I didn’t have better control of myself. I quickly left to my office where I took a shot of whisky and calmed myself. I had fed earlier, so I didn’t need to feed again. But this reaction to her was worrying. Shelly never mentioned having this reaction to her, but come to think of it, if all vamps had this reaction around her, she wouldn’t be here right now. They would have taken her a long time ago. No, this was something that just affected me.
And now she walked into my class. I knew she would be in my world history class. I had seen her transcripts and altered them so she would be here. I wanted to keep her safe. But I was sure I wasn’t prepared for this.
“Welcome, Alexis. Please take a seat.” I held my breath. I watched as she looked like she was going to speak to me. But instead, she darted around and seated herself right in front of me. I wanted to quietly ask her to move to the back of the class, but I didn’t want to call her outright to move. I knew if I was that close my fangs would descend again, and I didn’t want to draw attention to the fact this petite young woman was affecting me. The shifter students would hear about it, that she was a sign of a weakness for me, and I didn’t want to subject her to that.
I turned my back on the class and got everyone to open their books. I took a deep breath; her scent surrounded the room. At least I seemed to have control of myself now. I must have just been caught off guard this morning.
I heard the door slam open, and I knew that scent anywhere. I hissed low enough just for him to hear. He was the only shifter in this class. Most avoided world history because I taught it, but not Ranger Lovell. He took this class because of me.
I turned to him, his big playful grin from ear to ear. I rolled my eyes—he made me laugh and infuriated me at the same time. But he was forever smiling and joking.
“No need to get grumpy with me, Galen. You know you love me.”
I wanted to smack him upside his head. He liked to push my buttons and in a teasing way, which was even more maddening.
“Take a seat at the back.” I pointed to two spare seats back there. But Ranger had already spotted Alexis… and she noticed him, too. When he walked over to her in what was known as the “Ranger swagger” , she rolled her eyes at him and looked away. I wanted to laugh, it was funny seeing that he didn’t affect her. The female students were usually falling over themselves to be noticed by Ranger. He sat beside her and leaned over.
“Hey, pretty girl.” His voice had a seductive tone about it. She didn’t look at him. I could see the confusion on Ranger’s face through the corner of my eye. Damn, I chuckled to myself. I think I really like this girl.
“I saw my twin brother noticed you at lunch today… You must be special because no girl has ever turned his head before. I was starting to think he was gay or something.”
That had her expression change and not in the way Ranger had intended. His smile still there like she was going to fall into his arms and profess her love for him.
“So what if he is gay or straight? Do you have a problem with that? Because I don’t. I have a problem with you. There is something wrong with you. Fuck, I feel sorry for your brother having to be related to such an asshole.” She was loud and the whole class watched on, some of the girls faces fell in shock that she was speaking to Ranger like that. Not me though. I enjoyed watching him being taken down a notch and enjoyed the fire within her.
“You’re a fucking prick,” she hissed under her breath. A normal human wouldn’t have heard that from here. But I wasn’t human and Ranger knew that, too. He turned to me as if I was going to say something about her language.
“Ranger, move now.” I couldn’t compel shifters, but I could call his father and tell him what his pack had been doing to this poor girl today. The packs needed to back off; they were obviously affect
ed by her scent. She didn’t understand this, so having these huge grown ass men—because most were eighteen and had the bodies that no eighteen year old human would normally have—chasing and stalking her around the school was not going to work. I had been told she was a runner. This was going to have her running. And I wanted her to stay here. I wanted to help her, protect her.
I could hear Ranger grumble about me being an asshole and to go fuck myself. I just smiled and started class.
Chapter Eight
Lexi
I couldn’t wait to leave for the day. As soon as the bell rang, I was up and out the door. I could hear the teacher, Mr. Donovani, call out my name but I didn’t turn around. I just kept going forward. He was the one Grayson had told Raff to speak to this morning if he was to get into any more trouble. Which was even worse. This teacher would have known my background. And I didn’t want to see him give me the same sad eyes you get when someone finds out you were an orphan and foster kid. No, thank you. Not today.
I would have to talk to Jack or someone about being transferred from this class. But funny enough, I learned a lot today. I found it really interesting. I was a little disappointed that I never thought to take world history before. But then again, it could have been the teacher. He was so young to be a teacher. I really thought he was a student.
“Hey, pretty lady, wait up.” Ugh, I ran. Ranger. Who the fuck calls their kid Ranger? Honestly, it was a dumbass name for a complete dumbass asshole. And the asshole had no idea how rude he was about his brother’s sexuality. It shouldn’t matter who turned his head, as long as he was being treated with respect and was loved, no one cared. This was the twenty-first century for fucks’ sake.
I pushed my way past everyone and noticed some of those tall guys standing near the bus I needed to take. They weren’t on there earlier. Were they waiting for Raff? Or me? I didn’t want to wait around and find out. I pulled my hoodie over my head to keep the chill out and started walking away from the bus. I remembered the way back to the foster house from the drive in, so I would walk back, maybe clear my head… or I could walk into town and take the bus back to Port Angeles. After the shitty day I just had, that sounded like the best thing to do—get away from this messed up school.
I started to walk toward the main township of Port Willow when I felt someone following me. My heart sped up a little, and when I glanced back, I caught the silver hair of Raff. But I wasn’t headed back to the foster’s, so why the hell was he following me?
I stopped suddenly and I heard his feet shuffle to a stop.
“Why are you following me.” I demanded, putting my hands on my hips. I looked him right in the eyes. He didn’t speak, he just stood there. After an awkward moment, he looked away and brushed past and continued walking into town.
“Fuck you then,” I called after him and started to walk the other way, back towards the foster house. Fuck it, the food was nice and the room was warm. It was a nicer day today; the sun broke through the clouds for all of five minutes, but it didn’t rain and it was only going to get colder as the day turned to night. I really had to stop thinking of running away.
I only have what… like just over two months left of high school then I was done. I would turn eighteen, graduate, and figure out something from there. Save up, find somewhere to live, and eventually go to college. That was the plan, but I needed a new job since I now wasn’t working at The Landing Strip. I was definitely not going back to working in a strip club anytime soon.
When I felt Raff behind me again, I rolled my eyes as I looked to the sky and the clouds above. What the hell was his problem?
I turned around and pinned him with my finger right into his chest. His very hard chest.
“Are you supposed to make sure I get back to the foster house? Is that why you’re following me?” When he started to walk past me again, I reached out and grabbed his arm. He jumped and shook me off violently.
“Fuck off,” he hissed. I looked up and saw his eyes were almost glowing. Then he stilled and shrunk away from me like I just burnt him with my touch. What the hell happened to him?
“I… Shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you. That was wrong. If anyone knows that, it’s me.”
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, and after a few moments, he shrugged. His head hung low, his hair now fallen over his eyes. I could see dried blood on his neck. I moved toward him, and he kept still as I slowly peeled down the edge of his top. There were nasty gashes, like some animal had just ripped his shoulder open with long claws. My stomach dropped. Fuck, this was bad.
“How bad is this?” His eyes flashed to mine, the same pretty color I had come to know. This guy was a little rough around the edges, but what these assholes at school had been doing to him and what they had done was not acceptable. He shrugged and walked off. I followed him. I was now his shadow, but now… I was worried.
Raff kept flicking his gaze back to me until we were walking up the driveway to the foster house. Jack opened the door with his hand on his chest, breathing rapidly.
“Oh, you’re home,” he panted, turning back into the house. “Grayson, they are home! Call off the search.”
I stop just outside the door as Grayson came running out. His hands went to his knees and he started taking in deep breaths before he stood. “I’m sorry. I get worried easily. The bus just drove past and it didn’t stop. I panicked, thinking that something had happened to you both. I called Jack to come home from work. Can you call me if you’re going to walk home? Please. My heart is getting old. If you need a lift, just call me, I will come get you.”
I was a little stunned. Actually, I was more than stunned. I didn’t know what to say. Grayson wasn’t angry, he was worried. About us. Raff was watching the scene unfold just like me. I wanted to point out that I didn’t have a phone, try to brush off the strange feeling in my chest over this. So, I did what I did best… I deflected.
“Raff got hurt,” I said as I walked past Jack and Grayson and into the house. It smelled amazing again. I heard Raff behind me as he stomped past, Jack following him, asking him questions. I stopped and looked at little Joshua laying on the carpet in the living room. His little legs were kicked up in the air and his hands held his head up to watch a cartoon. His face lit up when he saw me. I couldn’t help but smile back. He was one of the lucky kids that got a good foster home straight up.
“Alexis, do you want to watch with me?”
I walked in and dumped my bag on the floor with a loud thud. I got down onto the floor and lay on my tummy next to him, kicking my legs in the air and my hands under my chin, and he giggled.
“I have never had a sister before. Do you like Teen Titans?”
I smiled. No one had called me their sister before. I never cared enough about staying around long enough to make friendships or relationships with foster siblings. But right now, with Joshua, I wanted that with him. I would be that big sister he never had. I decided then, that for the next few months, I would be here for him. He needed all the love and support he could get. That was something I had never had, even when my parents were alive.
I bumped my shoulder into his. “I like having a little brother. I haven’t seen this show. Is it good?” His little eyes lit up when I call him brother and he threw his arms around my neck in a hug.
“Oh, yes, it’s very funny, Alexis.”
I hugged him back awkwardly with one arm. “You can call me Lexi. Only special people can call me that.”
He pulled back and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. “You smell so nice, Lexi.”
Grayson called out that the muffins were ready and that they were nice and hot. I had never had a muffin fresh from the oven. Joshua and I sat together eating the muffins and watching his cartoons. They weren’t too bad, the cartoons that was… The muffins were amazing. Grayson really knew how to cook.
I had been in my room for the last hour just thinking, something I should really stop doing. I was worried about Raff, and I was worried about s
chool. I did not want to be part of whatever the assholes at school were playing at. The weird stalking shit, it needed to end. And it would tomorrow. I let them have today. I didn’t want to draw attention. But tomorrow… fuck them.
I heard Raff’s door open. I rolled over, trying to stop myself from getting up. He was fine; Jack said he was when Raff didn’t show at dinner. I rolled over again, then again. Until I gave up and flipped the covers off. I had on a tank top and the sleep pants I got from Shelly. I had thrown the bra off hours ago.
I pulled the elastic band from my wrist and pulled my hair up into a messy bun. Then, slowly padded barefoot across my dimly lit bedroom and unlocked the door. The lock was loud. Shit.
I looked and I could see the bathroom light was on and the door wide open. I snuck down the hall to see… you know, to make sure he was fine. I didn’t know why I cared so much about him. Okay, that was a lie.
I peered in and could see Raff slumped over the basin. He was topless and was only wearing tight black boxers. I bit my lip to stop myself from speaking. I could see the all of his tattoos, head to toe covered in ink, they went all the way under his boxers. I wondered if everything was covered in tattoos. Oh man, my mind was going places it probably shouldn’t right now.
Was he crying?
A dressing covered his shoulder. So that at least answered my question, I could sleep now. I went to sneak back but it was too late, his eyes flicked up to the mirror and he saw me. I froze as air escaped my lungs, and my heart sped up. Just from that look alone.
He turned, his whole body on display. Well, not all of it. I couldn’t help but sweep my eyes over his chest. I tried not to look at his boxers and what was hidden beneath them, but when I got to his legs, I could see a large white dressing on his upper right thigh.
