Chapter8

---Hectic Day “You didn’t save him from the rogues.” My mom declares it as a fact. She doesn’t look away from the road as she is a very careful driver. We’re on our way home, just the two of us, because Cora returned home with her brother, but she'll be coming back next week. I cough and scratch the back of my head, shifting in the passenger seat. “Don’t bother to lie.” Her voice holds a tone of warning. I sigh under my breath and prepare myself for hours of rigorous interrogation. “No, mother, I didn’t save him.” Lying to my mother is utter foolishness. She has an internal lie detector. If anyone ever lied to her face today and she found out the truth the next day, then that person should know better than to show up ever again. A wise person does not get on my mother’s bad side. My mother is pretty even-keeled, but she hulks out when it comes to people lying to her. She makes a turn into our street. “You like him, don’t you?” “I don’t even know the guy.” And that’s the truth right there. “Then what was with the weird vibe between the two of you back there?” She won’t ever let this go till she gets the answer she wants. “Look, Ma, I was telling the truth when I told you I met him when I was out on a run. Honest to Abe.” Obviously, there are key facts I’m omitting here, but I really don’t want to get into it right now with her about this. She taps her finger on the steering wheel as she looks at me with consideration. “You know you’re going to be in bigger trouble once I find out the truth, right?” “MOM.” I groan and slump in my seat. As long as she doesn’t have an inkling of what’s going on right now, I’ll be okay. I just need to figure things out because even I don’t know what the hell is going on. My dad didn’t come home that night, so it was just my mother and me at dinner. I asked her why dad was always needed by the Pack and she said it’s because he’s the top enforcer. Sure, but there’s always been a part of me that wondered if there’s anything more to the story. What exactly does my dad enforce? I woke up the next day to find my dad puttering around the kitchen with my mom. He was trying to steal a kiss from her, but she wasn’t in the mood, so she was chasing him around with a spatula. They were both laughing. I wish I could have that someday. Which only brings to mind that green-eyed douchebag who haunts my dreams and ruins my good mood. My dad came over to the kitchen table where I was sitting and kissed me on the forehead, taking my mind temporarily off of my dysfunctional whatever it is. “Morning, sweet pea.” I responded by hugging him tightly around the waist and burying my face in his chest. “Good morning, papa.” “Well, we all know you love your dad more,” my mom said with a fake sniffle until my dad reached out and pulled her into our family embrace. “You two are my life,” he muttered, holding on to us as if this were our last time together. Whenever we have moments like this, I never want to let go of my parents because I’m afraid if I do, we’ll never have another one like it again. I just want everything to stay the way they are. We cuddled like this for another minute before mom freaked out because she thought she smelled breakfast burning. After a quick meal together, we parted ways with my dad dropping me off at school. My day was boring with no Cora, and Gia didn’t show up to school today. They’re the only two I hang out with, so when neither of them is around, I walk around campus like a regular Nelly No-Mates. At lunchtime, I decided to go to the library and start on my homework. The librarian looked up and lowered her glasses as though she were trying to figure out who I was even though I’ve been attending this school for four years. I never really go to the library. I preferred to study under the trees with my friends or in a secluded corner on campus. However, since my friends weren’t around, the library was my refuge today. Looking around, I saw Quinn and other eleventh-grade girls hovering around her like satellites. She was happy and cheery. Based on my werewolf hearing, they were talking about her Future Alpha boyfriend and his douchebag friends. I could brush off what I was hearing, but Alera wasn’t. She was simmering with jealousy and wanted me to rush Quinn and strangle her with her own weave. I couldn’t stay where I was, obviously. Alera’s rage might bubble over to the point that I couldn’t contain her. With a huff, I stood up, grabbed my books, and took off to find myself a tree I could sit under. Today was one of those long days when every class seemed unbearably long, and I could barely keep myself awake at my desk. I trained my eyes on the clock, waiting for it to strike 3 pm, so I could go home. At 3 pm, I was motorin’ and ready to go, but my history teacher announced we’ve got a review session since everyone did so poorly on the last exam. I wanted to scream or, better yet, slide under my desk and belly-crawl my way out of class, but that’s not really my M.O. Though it hurt my heart to do it, I called my dad and told him to pick me up at six pm. I hate this teacher, I grumbled to Alera. I thought she was your favorite, she huffed. Not today. I stood up and moved to a desk closer to a window and watched the other students leave school for the day, while the unfortunate few of us had to stay behind. I’m taking U.S. Government and Economics, an Advanced Placement class, which only fifteen other people in the school study. Ms. Caluver teaches it and is pretty strict. She’s not even from our pack; she’s from the Moonridge Pack. Just as Ms. Caluver was warming up to her favorite topic, the Electoral College, awful heavy metal music blared into the classroom from somewhere outside. Ms. Caluver was trying to explain our pack’s contribution to congress and the election of party leaders in the Council Circle when the hooting and hollering began. I was outraged on her behalf because I really wanted to know how the East Coast werewolves influenced the last election so that the worst possible candidate became the president. Every time she tried to speak above the din, the music got louder. “Adassah,” she said, giving me a pointed look. “Get out there and ask whoever is making that racket to lower the volume or even better, vacate the school compound.” I sighed heavily as all of my classmates eyed me with interest. In our grade, I’m one of the four prefects who help enforce school regulations among the student body. And I’m the only prefect left on campus, so really, that makes me the law. These people were counting on me to set things straight. As soon as I exited the classroom, I dashed down to the first floor and ran at full speed from the staircase to the source of the racket. I stopped a few meters away and saw the perpetrators. Cursing under my breath, I punched a metal pole. Ouch. It hurt a lot, but it gave me back my focus. Mission abort, abort the mission, Alera was screaming at me. Stop this foolishness right now. I agreed with her on this one and was about to retreat when I looked up and saw my teacher and classmates with their heads out of the window watching me with expectation. We can make a mad dash for the gate and go home. I’d take detention over this shit. Alera thought this was a good plan and for once we were in sync. “Well, what do we have here, ladies and germs?” Fuck me up the ass. Alera groaned and covered her eyes with her paws. “Future Alpha, I’m sorry to disturb your lovely gathering of intellectuals, but you see, we are currently in the middle of intensive studies. We can’t hear our teacher very well because of your… erm, music and joyous laughter. As you might know, sound travels and you’re drowning her out. If you would like, I can draw you a diagram to show you how it works. I ask kindly, Future Alpha, if you would please turn down your racket because you’re interrupting our class.” Alera whimpered. You do have a death wish. Nice knowing you, bitch. “Umm, actually, it’s after school, and you literally have no business here.” Like nails on a chalkboard or fork scraping a plate. That’s what her voice sounds like to me. Rip her face off, rip her face off, my wolf chanted before howling. “Quinn.” Her eyes widened as though she were surprised I actually dared to address her when her boyfriend the Future Alpha was watching. I forced a big saccharine smile on my face, but my voice was firm and resolute. “Your current standing as the Future Alpha’s chew-toy doesn’t excuse your ass from being in detention for an entire week.” The males watched avidly, but none of them spoke. The other Bratz Dolls stopped smiling. One of them visibly swallowed her gum. “You know what happens when you’re in detention and I’m on duty.” I stared Quinn down until she dropped her gaze to her feet, which made Alera snicker. “And that goes for the rest of you here, ladies.” I gestured to her minions. I don’t normally abuse my power and I hardly ever pull rank, but sometimes I just gotta remind everybody that I’m HBIC—head bitch in charge. When the HBIC in me comes out, I don’t suffer fools and I don’t hesitate to dole out my pimp-slap. A hulking muscle-head goober in a Kings College football jersey stomped up to me and tried to intimidate me with a sneer. I crinkled my nose from the whiff of testosterone and Alphahole musk emanating from him. Future Alpha and Skeezeball Beta just stood there, observing like uninvolved parties. I was surprised Matteo didn’t tackle me at once. I was bullying his lady love. Football Jersey clamped his meaty mitts over my shoulders and lifted me from the ground before giving me a good shake. “Who the fuck do you think you are to talk to us like we’re punks? Do you know who we are? What gives you the right, bitch?” I tried to pry his fingers from my flesh, but they only dug in deeper. Within me, Alera was ready to come out and tear out his throat. But I’ve learned to pick my battles. I pictured Antarctica in my mind along with an igloo and some penguins as I regulated my breathing back to normal. “Like, I’m literally a prefect in this school and you assholes are trespassing on school property while class is still in session.” I copied Quinn’s voice pitch and accent, then I dropped it and brought the boom. “You’re on campus grounds, which makes it my territory, and I don’t care what pack you come from or who you are. I represent my school and uphold the law here. I was going to ask you nicely to turn down your music, but since you’ve all proven to be belligerent, I demand you get the hell out of the school compound. Now.” Oh shit, oh shit, we gonna die, Alera whimpered. Where’s your bravery now, ho? I asked her. You stupid bitch, you’re trying to fight an army, she screamed at me. Meathead clenched his fist and pulled it back, getting ready to punch me, but Jay jumped up and grabbed his elbow. “Whoa, bro, it’s not cool to hit a lady.” Meathead tried to shake Jay off, but he wouldn’t budge. “She’s no lady. She’s a bitch.” I sneered. “That’s right. The head bitch in charge and don’t you forget it.” Meathead hulked out and shoved Jay out of the way. “Oh, you’re dead, bitch.” He returned his attention to me and raised his fist this time, like a gavel, to smash my head down. “Kevin, let it go.” Matteo’s voice was cold and as sharp as the whistle of a bullwhip in the air before it cracked. Meathead dropped me on the ground so that I landed on my ass, then whirled around and beat the shit out of a tree trunk until his fists were bloody. I sprang up to my feet and dusted my butt. “Good dog, Kevin.” I was running on adrenaline and hubris. Alera stayed silent because she believed we’re seconds from death. Kevin faced me again and his mug was a caricature of male fury. “Watch your back.” I should be scared. A normal person would be, but I wasn’t a normal person. I’m a wolf. Someone’s future Luna, if only my mate would only sack up and take responsibility for the continuation of his bloodline. “You…” He stabbed his finger in my direction. “I’m going to fucking kill you.” In a flash, Matteo was standing between us and shoving Kevin away. “I said, let it go.” The meathead growled and stomped toward the cars like a child throwing a tantrum. Matteo turned to face me. “Never disrespect my girl again.” He gave me a haughty stare that was supposed to scare me. I made a gesture like I was jerking off and tossed it in his direction. We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, breathing hard. Then I heard Thunder through the mind-link. Come on, Matteo. Let’s go. The fury didn’t dissipate from Matteo’s eyes, but he didn’t say anything else to me before he walked away to join his minions and his ho-bag girlfriend. As soon as they were gone, I nearly pissed myself in relief. Above my head, my classmates cheered, whistled, and clapped. “Good job, Miss Prefect,” Ms. Caluver shouted. I raised my thumbs up, muttering “prefect my ass,” while I trudged back to the classroom with Alera yipping hysterically in my head. A couple of hours later, I hung out at the main gate to wait for my father, who was unusually late. Forty-five minutes later, he still hadn’t shown up and I didn’t have any messages from him on my phone. I started kicking pebbles on the ground in my irritation as my feet were getting tired and I was cold and hungry. My house was eight miles away from the school. Son of a bitch. Just as I was gearing up for a long walk, I finally spotted his Mercedes. Oh, yay, he remembered, Alera said sarcastically. It pulled up right in front of us. I yanked open the door because I was freezing and jumped into the front seat. The first thing I did was hold my hand over the heater to warm them. “Dad, why are you late?” I was busy rubbing my hands together. I rolled my eyes when he didn’t reply. That meant he had no good excuse. Ugh, what a day I had. Why couldn't I get away from Matteo? Even in my father’s car, I could smell him. The little hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. “Dad?” I turned around and screamed in my attacker’s face before I threw myself at the door.