High School Bites

by Rachael Alcobia

  “First, I must apologize to Jack, our Alpha, for there’s been a change of plans,” Lucas said, and I followed his eyes to Jack, who looked absolutely pissed but did not interrupt.

  “I am withdrawing my Challenge,” he said before sitting down again and giving a nod to his father. Samuel McGrath stood a few inches over six feet tall and had a bulk to him that was on the border between fat and muscle. His short red hair curled just like his son’s and his eyes were as angry as they’d been at the last meeting when he’d thought his daughter might be sentenced to death. I wondered if his face was always angry or if it was the subject matter of the meetings he didn’t like.

  “I Challenge you, Jack Barrett, for the role of Alpha,” he said with a sneer and gasps rang out among the circle, my own included. Kodi’s hand, which had been resting on my leg, squeezed involuntarily and I didn’t blame him. His father was not at his best and I was now aware that it was as obvious to the rest of the pack as it had been to me. It was clear that Samuel only sought to use Jack’s ailment as an advantage to become the new leader of the pack. I wasn’t sure if that meant he could lead it how he saw fit, but if his daughter was any indication, I shudder to think what that would mean for the rest of us.

  “You son of a bitch!” Ed Trimble stood abruptly and took two steps forward before Travis jumped to his feet and blocked him. I squeezed Kodi’s hand in both nervousness and confusion as I had no idea what to do. I firmly believed that chaos would ensue should Samuel win his Challenge against Jack, and I assumed that’s why everyone else seemed equally upset. Samuel may have an advantage, but I don’t think that necessarily meant he had the upper hand. Jack was recovering steadily from trying to heal me and I could sense the power that lay beneath that pale skin. I wouldn’t fight Jack if he were lying on his death bed hooked up to an oxygen machine. One, because I liked him, and two, because I would still think he could kick my ass.

  “Enough. It’s alright, Ed,” Jack said firmly as he stood once more. Trina’s hand rose to her mouth looking frightened and I couldn’t blame her. Letting go of Kodi’s hand, I wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders, hugging her close. She smiled gratefully at me, but I knew it did little to comfort her.

  “I’ll fight,” said Jack, with a look of anger, causing Samuel to sneer.

  “No, you won’t.”

  Several things happened at once. The McGraths argued with the Barretts, the Barretts argued amongst each other, and I didn’t hear any of it. Everyone else’s words were a blur accept the ones Kodi had just spoken. He was going to fight a werewolf that, as a man, was in the upper half of two-hundred pounds. Immediately my brain started working out all of the scenarios. He could submit, but I doubt a future Alpha would do so. The only hope I had was if Kodi somehow gained the upper hand enough to make Samuel submit. Suddenly, a thought struck me.

  “Trina, may I speak with you in private?” I asked as discreetly as possible, knowing that with her werewolf hearing, I didn’t need to shout over the arguing crowd.

  I led her to a shaded spot underneath a large tree that was far away from the rest of the pack and asked quietly, “What happens if someone tries to interfere during a Challenge fight?”

  Trina’s face quickly warped from worried to stern, her teacher look, and she even wagged her finger at me.

  “Don’t you even think about it, young lady. Each Challenge fight has what’s called a Ringer. A wolf that is Challenged is allowed to choose the Ringer, which is a pack member that may subdue any wolf trying to interfere or attack one of the Challengers.”

  I absorbed the information quickly as I didn’t want to miss anything while we were gone, gave her a nod, and walked back to the crowd. Once I reached everyone else, I found that most of the pack had calmed down and by the looks of things, the Challenge was set to start. Stephen was just walking away from Kodi after shaking his hand, wishing him luck was my guess. I stalked straight to Kodi and grabbed his wrist before continuing to walk past everyone else. I knew now, the pride of a wolf. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that I could ask Kodi not to fight. He was protecting his father; the leader of the pack and I was proud that this brave man belonged to me. I needed him to know that.

  “Are you going to fight?” I asked. I knew, but I had to hear it. He remained silent for a moment and I could sense that he was hesitant because he thought I was going to be angry. Giving him a reassuring smile, I pulled his head down for a kiss and his arms automatically wrapped around me.

  When we separated, he nodded.

  “I have to.”

  “I know.” I smiled again. “I know your strength. I can feel it, sense it, and I have no doubt that you will win. All I ask is that if it comes down to you having to submit or die, you’d better choose the first.”

  A twinkle appeared in his emerald eyes. “Are you telling me what to do?”

  “Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “Prince of the pack or not, you’re my mate, and if you die, I’ll kick your ass.”

  A bark of laughter escaped from Kodi as he pulled me into his arms and squeezed me tightly. I found the pressure mixed with the wild scent of him comforting which was saying something considering the current situation.

  “I love you too,” he whispered, and it was my turn to laugh. I really did love this man and if Samuel killed him, I don’t think I would be able to stop myself from taking revenge. I knew I shouldn’t be thinking such morose thoughts when my mate was about to fight, so I pushed them away. Kodi held my hand as we walked back to everyone else and I caught Simone’s glare as we passed her. I gave her a wink and kept walking. I sat on the log I’d started out on and held Kodi’s hand tightly in my own as Jack announced the Challenge details. He listed the rules and I could tell he was not happy about Kodi taking his place in the fight. Kodi had to let go of my hand to go stand next to Jack as he was called up, along with Samuel on Jack’s other side.

  I now held Trina’s hand as it was our loved one that was in danger and I listened silently, that is, until I heard the word “Ringer”. The moment the word escaped Jack’s lips I jumped to my feet and stepped forward.

  “Me. I’ll be the Ringer.” Several heads turned at that and I knew what they were thinking. How can she stop any of us if she can’t even shift forms yet? I could tell them that I could indeed shift at will but with Maggie’s words in mind, I remained quiet. Jack and Kodi just looked annoyed at me, which was fine because it wasn’t going to change my mind. No one outright protested so my fear that there was something that would disqualify me as the Ringer fell flat and I could breathe again. If anyone tried to interfere with this fight, they’d have to deal with me. I’ve had to overcome a lot of supernatural crap recently that kicked my ass and I had no control over it. It gave me a sense of accomplishment that I would finally be able to dish out some of my own damage should any wolf step out of line.

  “Alright,” Jack said finally. “Challengers, take a moment to prepare and meet in the center of the circle. As Kodi walked back to his mother and me, I looked behind him and watched his burly opponent stalk back to his family. Samuel received a handshake from Lucas and a hug from Simone. Most curious though, was his wife Linda’s reaction. The only other time I’d seen the woman, she’d been crying and had been beside herself with worry for the fate of her daughter. Today she just looked angry. At us? No. At her husband. She sat on a separate log, refusing to look at or speak to her husband. They said nothing to each other, and he turned around, just as angry, and headed into the center of the circle.

  Before I realized it, Kodi was standing in front of me glaring downward with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

  “What?” I asked defensively.

  “You know what. What are you doing?” he asked harshly.

  “I’m taking control,” I said just as coldly and suddenly his shoulders slumped and the fight in his emerald eyes had fled. Had he actually understood what I’d meant by that?

  “You’re not angry anymore,” I said aloud. “W
hy?”

  Kodi heaved a sigh. “I’ve had to watch you almost die twice now. Do you have any idea how angry it makes me that I’ve had to watch you suffer so much pain, and not be able to do anything about it? I couldn’t make the pain go away, I couldn’t take the hurt for you, and I couldn’t punish a responsible party. There was nothing I could do. This fight, I have control over. This is my time to fight for someone that I love so that I don’t have to watch anyone get hurt. I understand why you volunteered as the Ringer but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. It’s dangerous. Lucas or Simone, even both at once, could try to interrupt the fight and you are what stands in their way.”

  “I understand,” I said, and it was only partly true because I hadn’t even thought about having to stop multiple people at the same time, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “I can do this,” I said with the pride and confidence of a wolf. He smiled and pulled me into a hug. I sat back down on the log next to Trina and let Kodi have words with his parents. Trina gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him that if he didn’t come back from the fight, he was grounded. I shook my head with a light laugh.

  Kodi took his shirt off and gave it to me to hold with a smile on his face. I might have smiled back but I wasn’t really sure as I was so concentrated on the lean muscles in front of me. Images flashed throughout my mind of the night I’d been able to explore those muscles and I couldn’t wait to do so again. I looked up to find him watching me with a full-on grin.

  “Do I get a good-luck kiss?” he asked and held his hand out. I took it and had barely risen to my feet when he wrapped both hands on either side of my head and pulled me in for a kiss that I’d consider a little too racy for public.

  “Now I’m definitely going to win,” he said smugly and gave a peck to my nose before walking back to meet the deadly glare of Samuel McGrath.

  Twenty-Two

  I’d once watched a documentary with Sarah about Muhammad Ali, the man said to be the quickest boxer the world had ever seen. Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, the crowds had chanted. Well, I can say with complete certainty that Ali had nothing on the inhuman speed of werewolves, particularly the two presently trading swift blows in front of me. They struck at each other repeatedly, most of them missing due to their uncanny ability to dodge said strikes. Although Samuel was a much larger man, he kept up well with Kodi, which made me even more anxious. Trina and I held hands to support each other but I don’t think it was doing either of us much good, not while our loved one was still in danger.

  I did stay alert, however, often breaking my eyes from the action to scan the surrounding wolves but the only ones I didn’t trust were straight across from me. Almost every time I looked over there Lucas’s eyes would lock on mine and I found it unnerving.

  I cringed when Samuel slammed Kodi down onto his back. The sound of Kodi’s back hitting the dirt ground was palpable and I knew there had to be small rocks and other debris that dug itself into his skin when he landed. Kodi recovered quicker than I’d thought he would from such a fall but recover he did. Almost faster than I could follow he was on his feet on the edge of the circle and ran toward Samuel who waited with an ugly sneer on his face, but by the time Kodi reached him, he was on four legs. Kodi had shifted during mid-run and leapt at Samuel, hitting his chest and knocking him over.

  Kodi stalked back and forth in front of the fallen man with a guttural growl and angry silver eyes that promised pain. He seemed fine so I was able to breathe a little until Samuel shifted as well and it was easy to see that Samuel’s brown and gray wolf outweighed Kodi’s by at least thirty pounds. The wolves circled each other, snarling and snapping at each other. Samuel attacked first. They both reared up onto their hind legs and grappled violently until Samuel grabbed ahold of Kodi’s front leg and they both came crashing back down to the ground.

  They came back at each other biting and clawing and after another ten minutes, both wolves were covered in various wounds and every time one would heal, another would replace it. Kodi’s limbs shook as he stood again, and Samuel took that moment to charge at him. In a move that was so fast it took a few seconds for my brain to register, Kodi turned in a half-circle and body checked Samuel with a loud thud. Samuel went skidding in the dirt for several feet and I watched anxiously to see if he would rise again.

  He was definitely conscious as Kodi leapt over the fallen wolf to growl at him and I knew, he was warning Samuel to submit. I was so focused on what could’ve been the end of the Challenge that I barely saw it in my peripheral vision. Someone from across the way had shifted and was running toward Kodi from behind where he couldn’t see them and there was no hesitation. I grabbed a fistful of my borrowed clothes and pulled with the strength I knew resided within me and shifted as I ran toward the intruding wolf. In wolf form, I instantly recognized Simone’s wolf and I didn’t waste any time. I charged full speed ahead and put my head down as I pummeled her from the side.

  I heard the bones in her rib cage crack from the blow and a loud whine escape from her. She moved to get up, and perhaps channeling a need for revenge that I hadn’t known I harbored, I clamped my jaws down on her neck and squeezed until I tasted blood. She’d heal after all. Simone twisted her lower body to her backside and gave a small series of whines to let me know that she was submitting to me and would not get up again. I released my hold on her and quickly looked back to see what had become of the Challenge fight.

  The first thing I felt at the sight in front of me was relief, relief that Kodi was alive and still standing. The second emotion was fear. Samuel was nude in human form laying on his stomach and at first, I’d thought he was dead. Then, only a few seconds after I’d turned to look, Samuel’s arm moved just enough to raise and sloppily hit the dirt three times. He’d submitted. Both McGraths would live to see another day, which made me happy because though they’d both been beaten, Kodi and I wouldn’t have to feel the guilt that bringing death to others would surely have brought us.

  Suddenly it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. I stalked toward Kodi as Linda McGrath ran to her daughter and Lucas rushed to cover his Samuel’s nudity with his jacket. As he helped his father to his feet, I could see the multiple bruises and bite marks that were just starting to clot and stop bleeding. Others in the crowd came forward to congratulate Kodi, who had returned to human form and quickly donned his basketball shorts. About halfway to everyone, I stopped walking without even realizing it. I sat back on my haunches like a good dog and thought about why I had stopped. As he stood there, receiving congratulatory backslaps and handshakes, I sat, with my dirt covered black fur and my muzzle, stained with Simone’s blood. My purple terry-cloth dress that Trina had bought me and Maggie and warned me to wear was stuck and tangled around my midsection. As always, he was perfect, and I was a mess. The realization hit me like a baseball bat to the spine. The reason I’d gotten angry at first when I’d found out that Kodi was my Bondmate, was that I didn’t think I deserved him. I still didn’t.

  My human insecurities struggled against my wolf’s pride at having defended my mate and I decided that for once, I’d let the first one lose. I would fight for Kodi. I would make sure that as a werewolf, I would be deserving of him. I resumed my steady walk toward the crowd, and it seemed to separate as Kodi came forward with a grin meant just for me. He spread his arms wide and with his werewolf strength in mind, I didn’t hesitate. I ran and launched myself to land in his arms and everyone laughed as he caught me. I panted happily and licked his cheek while he squeezed me tightly and I couldn’t remember when I’d felt such joy.

  Kodi carefully set me down and I followed him as he walked several paces away from the rest of the group. His back faced the crowd and he held his hands out. I think he meant for me to put my paws there, so I reared up on my hind legs and used his hands for leverage to stand.

  “As adorable as you are in this form, I’d like to kiss my girlfriend now. Go ahead and shift, I’ll block you from view and fix yo
ur dress,” he whispered.

  I hesitated a moment but decided to trust him. I focused my energy into receding to human form and almost instantly I was taller. Kodi pulled the top of the dress up to cover my breasts and I wiped the skirt down to make sure my lower half was covered respectfully. When I looked back up, he was smiling. I couldn’t help but grin back.

  “I believe you mentioned something about a kiss?” I reminded him. He took a step closer until we were only inches apart.

  “Indeed, I did,” he replied before leaning in. I brought my arms up around his neck as our lips met and I froze in surprise when I heard applause, plus a few catcalls from Stephen. I was suddenly rushed into the crowd as the Trimbles and Deckers saluted me on my successful debut as the Ringer and told me how beautiful my wolf was. I gave many thanks and after Jack wrapped up the meeting, it was an hour after the fight had ended by the time we finally reached the Barrett home. We took turns taking showers and met in the kitchen for tea and snacks.

  “You didn’t have to take my place, Kodi. Thank you,” Jack said to his son.

  “You did wonderful. I’m so proud of you,” said Trina. Kodi nodded to both of them with a polite smile.

  “Thank you both. It was just me though. I knew I’d be okay with the Ringer watching my back,” he said and turned his head to wink at me. I blushed and looked down as I took a sip of my chamomile tea.

  “He’s right, Meghan, you did great. You had faster reflexes than I’d ever seen. Simone didn’t even make it halfway to Kodi and you put her down quick,” Jack said with pride and I marveled at the feeling. So that’s what it felt like to have a parent’s pride in you. It was a feeling I could get used to. I really did want to be part of this family. I believed now was as good a time as any to say what I’d been thinking for weeks now.