Werewolf Academy Book 1

by Cheree Alsop

  “Who?” Cassie asked, looking from Jaze to Alex. Her eyes widened. “Kalia?”

  Alex dropped his gaze and nodded. “I was wrong, and it hurt her. I’ve got to make it right.

  “I trust that you will,” Jaze said. He rose to his feet and held out a hand to help Alex and Cassie up. “I guess we’d better get started in here,” he said, looking around at the mess.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Christmas morning was always a quiet affair at the Academy. Though Alex had fond memories of him and Cassie tearing into presents with their parents looking on, he was grateful for the holiday routine for the Lifers. They woke up at eight o-clock, which was sleeping in at the Academy. The cooks had egg nog, biscuits, and a rich meat gravy ready as the Lifer orphans stumbled into the dining room.

  After breakfast, Nikki and Jaze gave everyone presents. Alex was grateful for his new jacket and pocket knife. Cassie showed everyone the new princess book series Nikki had picked out for her. It was the most outgoing his sister ever became. Alex knew it was because she had grown up with most of the orphans at the Academy. Without the Termers around, she was no longer shy. He smiled as she and Terith looked through their new books.

  “I have something I want to show you guys,” Rafe said quietly.

  Alex looked up at him in surprise from where he was experimenting with his knife on a piece of aspen Jaze had found for him. The teacher of wilderness education very seldom entered the Academy. Colleen, Kaynan, and Grace had flown home to visit their family for the holidays, but Rafe hated confined spaces and usually stayed in the forest.

  “Meet me out back with your sister,” Rafe said. He left through the doors as silently as he had entered.

  Alex hurried over to Cassie. “Come on, Rafe wants to show us something.”

  Cassie left her books with Terith, promising to return as soon as possible. She didn’t ask questions as Alex led her outside. The twins knew how rare it was for the professor to reach out, and neither of them wanted to miss out on whatever Rafe thought they would be interested in.

  Rafe was waiting near the gate already in wolf form. With his dark gray coat, he blended almost perfectly with the bricks of the wall. He vanished through the gate as soon as they saw him. Only paw prints in the snow told where he had been.

  “Let’s hurry,” Alex said.

  They ran to the forest and quickly phased into wolf form. Cassie pranced around Alex, glad to be a wolf again. Alex grinned at her. He knew exactly how she felt. Living in human form without phasing into a wolf felt like eating food without drinking water, or having a day without night. It had been a few days since the siblings had phased, and Alex had truly missed it.

  He took a deep breath of the crisp winter air. The scent of fresh snow, dormant trees, and frozen sap filled his senses. His breath fogged the space in front of him when he let it back out.

  A low bark caught his attention. He looked up to see Rafe waiting for them a few paces away. Neither sibling had heard the wolf return. Alex and Cassie exchanged an excited look before following the wolf beneath the trees.

  They traveled to a different part of the forest they had never seen before. The trees were older and larger. Snow didn’t penetrate to the forest floor in places, leaving patches of white and shadow. The light was fainter. Alex found himself relying on his sense of smell and hearing. He padded quietly past an ermine hiding in its burrow waiting for them to pass, and heard the soft rustle of an owl adjusting its wings on a low branch overhead.

  Alex was concentrating so much on his other senses that he almost ran straight into Cassie when she stopped walking. He looked up to see Rafe pause on a small rise. His head lowered when he met Alex’s gaze and his ears flattened, indicating for the wolves to go slowly and quietly. They padded softly behind him, intent on what was ahead. A strange smell filled Alex’s nose. He ducked beneath a bush, then froze.

  A female cougar stared directly at them. Alex’s heartbeat quickened. It was no secret that the scars that showed in Rafe’s hide were from saving Colleen from a mountain lion. Alex worried for a second that he was about to be attacked.

  Cassie let out a little snort that sounded like a laugh. Alex glanced at her, wondering if she had gone crazy. She was looking intently at something beyond the cougar.

  Alex followed her gaze. Three baby cougars played just beyond their mother. The cubs tumbled over one another on wobbly legs and huge paws. They had spots and were covered in downy tufts of fluffy fur. One chewed on a stick that poked from the snow. The other two saw what had caught its attention and pounced. The tumbling ball of cubs rolled into their mother. She broke her attention from the wolves long enough to lick them before they scampered back to their stick.

  The female cougar yawned. It was then that Alex realized she wasn’t alarmed by their presence, just watchful. Perhaps Colleen and Rafe came often to check on the cougar cubs.

  The cougar’s ear flickered. She turned her head slowly to the right. Alex saw a flicker of movement in the shadows. His wolven eyes made out the form of a cream-colored wolf watching them from the shadows.

  Rafe gave a little bark. The three cougar cubs looked up in surprise. The female wolf lowered her head slightly in acknowledgement. Rafe padded softly back the way they had come. Alex and Cassie fell in close behind. In a few minutes, the cream-colored wolf joined them.

  Her scent touched Alex’s nose. He felt a surge of happiness when he recognized the scent of pine and mint he had learned to associate with his aunt. Meredith followed them beneath the trees to the cave that Rafe and Colleen used as a go-between from the cave further in the woods that was their home.

  Rafe went in first and phased. When he came back out, he gestured to Meredith. “I set out a change of clothes for you. The twins will be happy to wait.”

  She gave another nod of gratitude and disappeared inside. Rafe leaned against a tree, his golden eyes glittering.

  Meredith stepped out, and Alex’s heart skipped a beat. He scolded himself, telling himself again that his mother was gone. It just amazed him how much Meredith looked like her, especially with her dark hair and light blue eyes. She gave them both a shy smile. Alex tried to be patient when Cassie ran in to change, but a tingle ran down his spine. He didn’t know if it was his wolf instincts trying to tell him something, or the crisp breeze that tickled his fur. Either way, when he felt his aunt’s gaze and he turned to meet her eyes, he couldn’t help the happiness that filled him.

  Cassie shocked them all by running straight back out of the cave after she was dressed and wrapping her arms around Meredith in a big hug.

  “Well, hello,” Meredith said with a surprised smile. Her head jerked up when Cassie’s scent touched her nose. She looked at Rafe in surprise.

  Before she could say anything, Cassie burst out, “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve just been waiting so long to meet you. We didn’t know we had an aunt, and Alex has been watching over you; now here you are!”

  “An aunt?” Meredith repeated, clearly shocked.

  “Yes,” Cassie said, her excitement clear in her flushed face and sparkling eyes. “You’re our mother’s sister. When our parents died, we thought we were orphans. We didn’t know she had a sister. I’m sure there was a good reason she didn’t tell us, but it’s so good to see you now.” Cassie paused, aware that she was babbling.

  Alex stared at her. It was more than his sister ever said in the presence of a stranger, even if that stranger was their aunt.

  “Are you going to phase?” Rafe asked, his tone one of polite inquiry.

  Alex realized he had been watching his aunt and sister without moving. He snorted and trotted into the cave. He phased quickly, then pulled on the clothes Rafe had set out for him. It took a few more minutes for him to gather himself before he stepped back outside.

  It felt strange to know that in one moment, he would have family again. Jaze and Nikki had been there for the twins since the Academy opened, taking care of the siblings as if they
were their own, but there was a feeling that came with knowing you had no true relatives, no one who shared your blood and your bond with kin. It was especially painful as a werewolf, because packs were made of families and the blood bond was extremely strong; having no one hurt.

  To know that stepping beyond the cave and truly meeting his aunt for the first time would change that made Alex’s heart give a painful beat. He put a hand to it. He knew he couldn’t stay in the cave forever. He took a steeling breath, willed his heartbeat to settle, and stepped outside.

  The awkwardness he had feared vanished when Aunt Meredith hugged him. He held her tight, denying the tears that burned in his eyes. He realized she had no such reservations as answering tears fell on his head.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said. “I can’t believe you made it.” Her arms shook as she held him. She motioned to Cassie. She joined them in another embrace. Tears showed in Cassie’s dark blue eyes as well.

  “When Jaze told us our mom had a twin sister, we could barely believe it,” Cassie said, sniffing as she stepped back and wiped away her tears with the corner of her sleeve.

  “I always hoped I would see you,” Meredith said. She looked them up and down with a proud, watery smile. “You are so much more beautiful and amazing than I ever could have hoped. Mindi said you were perfect. I never imagined just how much that was true!”

  Cassie laughed. At Meredith’s questioning look, she said, “You called Alex beautiful.”

  Meredith gave him a warm smile. “I meant handsome.”

  “It’s okay,” Alex said, dragging the toe of his borrowed sneaker across the snow.

  “Do you want to join us for Christmas dinner?” Rafe asked.

  Meredith stared at him. “I, uh, I’m not sure if Jaze would want me there.”

  Rafe gave her a kind smile. “Of course he would. Please join us.”

  Meredith glanced at the twins. Alex and Cassie both nodded eagerly; neither wanted to let her leave now that they were together. She finally gave in.

  “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

  “Yes!” Cassie said. She slipped her hand into Meredith’s. “You’ll love Christmas dinner. They always make it so beautiful, and now we have our aunt with us!”

  “That will be nice,” Meredith said. “I’m excited to share it with you.” She walked on ahead with Cassie.

  Rafe smiled at Alex as they followed close behind. Rafe’s wolves fell in around them. Alex let his hand rest on one of the younger male’s backs. The wolf walked beside him as they made their way through the trees toward the familiar silhouette of the Academy etched against the sky.

  ***

  Jaze welcomed Meredith with open arms. As soon as they entered the dining hall, Nikki rushed to greet her. They hugged awkwardly over Nikki’s pregnant belly, then laughed like sisters about it. The rest of the Lifers were introduced, and by the time they sat around the table, it felt like a family group.

  Alex watched Meredith and Cassie talk as they ate. Cassie told their aunt about life at the Academy, and Meredith shared little stories about what she was learning as she lived at the safe house.

  “You should stay here,” Nikki said.

  Meredith looked surprised. “I thought you’d want me to wait until the beginning of the next school year.”

  Nikki nodded. “Jaze’s team has been helping to relocate werewolf families, and our student body has been growing so much each year we’re going to have to take on more staff members if we have any hope of keeping up, so the sooner, the better.” Nikki patted her stomach. “And I’m definitely going to need more help around here when this little guy’s born.”

  “Are you sure?” Meredith asked.

  “Only if you’re comfortable with it,” Jaze replied. At the growing shock on Meredith’s face, the dean continued, “We were going to ask you to move in when this school year is over so we could prepare for the next one,” he smiled at Nikki. “But now’s as good a time as any.”

  Meredith looked from Jaze and Nikki to the twins. Cassie and Alex nodded encouragingly. “I’m not sure if I’m good with kids,” she said hesitantly.

  “We’ll help you,” Cassie replied. “You won’t be thrown to the wolves.” She giggled.

  Alex rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Everyone here is nice. You would make a great teacher.”

  “You think so?” Meredith asked. The answering nods made her smile. “I guess I can try it.”

  “Wonderful!” Nikki exclaimed. “We’ll help you get settled in. It can give you a chance to get to know the students before you start teaching.”

  “I don’t need to stay at the safe house?” There was relief in Meredith’s voice.

  For the first time, Alex realized she might have been lonely there. Jaze’s guards rotated often, but it was probably hard to be away from everything she knew, especially after being taken by Drogan. Alex’s heart went out to her.

  “You are welcome to move in here whenever you are ready,” Jaze replied. “We have plenty of rooms for staff. You’ll be comfortable here.”

  Meredith looked like she wanted to hug all of them at the same time. She settled for kissing the top of Cassie’s head. “That’s sounds wonderful,” she said.

  “We can eat lunch together!” Cassie replied. “I can show you my room, and you can meet the rest of the pack. They’re crazy sometimes, but really nice. I think you’ll like them.”

  Alex found himself watching them so closely he barely ate his dinner. It was amazing to see Cassie open up; it felt as if he was seeing a whole different person. She glowed as she told their aunt about learning history with Professor Thorson, and how much she was enjoying reading ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in Grace’s English class.

  By the end of the evening, sorrow began to crowd the happiness from Alex’s chest. Dinner was over, and everyone was finishing the last remnants of the chocolate mousse pie that was a tradition to close Christmas dinner at the Academy. Most of the other Lifers had fallen away into groups talking and laughing around the room. Cassie and Meredith still sat in their seats, catching up over the last years.

  “It’s absolutely wonderful,” Cassie was saying. “You’ll have to try it. Grace taught me that you don’t always need your sight to create something beautiful.”

  “I’d love to,” Meredith replied. “You’ll have to show me.”

  “I will,” Cassie promised.

  Alex couldn’t take it anymore. He pushed away from the table and walked as calmly as he could manage to the hall. As soon as the door shut behind him, he took off running for the training room.

  He ran straight to a wooden practice dummy, slammed it against the wall, knocked another in the chest with a two-handed punch, and then kicked the first so hard it bounced off the wall again, leaving a dent in the sheetrock.

  “What’s going on?”

  Alex spun at Jaze’s inquiring tone. Jaze leaned against the doorframe with a calm expression on his face. Alex’s chest heaved. He looked from Jaze to the dummies. “It’s not right,” he finally forced out.

  “What’s not right?” Jaze asked.

  Alex gritted his teeth. It was a moment before he could answer. “Cassie is up there telling our aunt all of the things we do here.”

  Jaze’s forehead creased. “That bothers you?”

  Alex shook his head, then changed his mind and nodded. “No. Well, yes. It bothers me.” He took a calming breath and let it out in a rush. “It bothers me that Meredith is there hearing about how much Cassie loves school and my mom and dad should be there, too.” His eyes burned. He blinked quickly. “They should hear about how she’s learning to make friends, and night games, and the time Pip got his head stuck in the banister.” His chest heaved. He felt his heart protest.

  “Do you want me to ask Meredith to go?” Jaze asked quietly. There was no judgment in his voice, only understanding that cut Alex to the quick.

  He shook his head. “No. I’m glad she’s here. I just. . . I just want Mom and Dad to be, to
o.” It was the first time he had spoken those words aloud to Jaze. Jaze and Nikki had tried so hard to make Academy life easy for the twins, and Alex had never complained or told Jaze how much he ached to see his parents again because he knew it would never happen. Seeing Aunt Meredith laughing with Cassie nearly broke his heart.

  “I know what you mean,” Jaze said. The Alpha stepped into the room and crossed to the boxing ring. He leaned against the ropes facing Alex. He met the young werewolf’s gaze. “I wished a million times that I could bring my dad back after my uncle killed him. I replayed his death over and over in my head, wishing I could have been there, that I could have stopped them.”

  The fire left Alex. He sat down against the opposite wall and studied his worn sneakers. “It’s enough to drive someone crazy,” he said in a voice just above a whisper.

  He saw the dean nod out of the corner of his eye. “It really is. But you couldn’t have stopped them. Not all of them.”

  “We can stop Drogan now,” Alex said, looking back up at the dean.

  Jaze nodded. “We can, and we will.”

  “When?” Alex asked. He knew he was being belligerent, but he couldn’t help himself. The words spilled out. “We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else. I don’t want other kids to end up like Cassie and me. I want him locked up or dead where he can’t destroy lives anymore. If he’s gone, this world will be a better place.”

  “It will be a safer place for werewolves,” Jaze concluded softly. At Alex’s nod, he gave the young Gray a searching look. “We know that Kalia’s not the snitch. Can you think of anyone else who might be working with Drogan?”

  Alex shook his head. “I’ve thought through everything I said, and I can’t think of anyone who knew where we were during the times when Drogan attacked. I’ll ask Cassie to be sure, but I can’t figure it out.”

  Jaze nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him. And for now, I think Meredith might be safer here, especially if she’s been wandering the forest on her own.”