Werewolf Academy Book 1: Strays (19 page)

Professor Thorson nodded, his expression pleased.
“It appears that way.”

Nikki pulled a string on the ball, unthreading it as all of the wolves watched. The ball opened. Something glinted in the middle. Alex’s heart slowed at the sight of another medal. Jericho glanced at him. Pride surged through Alex as his Alpha stepped forward to have the med
al placed around his neck. The metal chinked against the others he already wore.

Alex felt like laughing. He had cost his team on
e medal, then gotten them another. His blunder had been repaid.

“No one has ever followed the wolf before,” Nikki informed the watching werewolves. “
The sixth sense of a wolf is instinct. We’ve had Rafe’s pack waiting for someone to follow their instincts and earn the medal ever since our first full moon games started.” She smiled at Pack Jericho. “Now we’ll have to come up with another one. Keep your eyes open next year!”

With that, the packs were dismissed to run or do whatever they wou
ld like until the moon set. Pack Jericho roamed the Academy grounds. Alex was content to be within the walls where he didn’t have to worry about Cassie. She pranced happily beside him, her pride in her brother evident on her face. She nipped at his leg, then took off running. Soon, all of Pack Jericho was involved in an extensive game of tag. It wasn’t long before the other packs joined in.

Alex’s leg began to ache. It had been a while since it had bothered him, but with all the running, jumping, tackling, and
chasing down the challenges, he had definitely pushed it too far. He climbed to the top step and settled on his stomach to watch the games below. A familiar scent touched his nose; he turned his head and spotted Kalia leaning against the wall.

“Wore yourself out?” she asked. She paused a minute, then smiled and said, “The strong, silent type, huh?”

Alex watched her, wondering why she was out at night when she wasn’t a werewolf and hadn’t been exactly silent about her dislike of the race.

“I can’t sleep,” Kalia said, coming to sit across the steps from him. “I figured watching the wolves run around would be boring enough to make me tired.” She hesitated, then gestured toward the moon that hung just above the treetops. “But I think that’s the reason I can’t sleep.”

As Alex watched, her icy blue eyes turned golden for the briefest second as she looked at the full orb that bathed the courtyard in gentle light. The color change had been so fast he wasn’t even sure he had seen it.

Kalia
shook her head, unaware. “Whatever’s going on, it’s annoying being stuck in the middle. I wish my body would just figure it out so either my parents can fear and despise me, or I could go home. As it is, I’m not sure how Christmas break will go.” She glanced at Alex. “You’re a great listener,” she said mockingly.

Alex snorted softly with humor.
She studied him, and he watched as emotions filled her eyes. He recognized them as sorrow and regret.

“I guess you don’t go anywhere for the break, do you?” she asked quietly. “I shouldn’t really complain about my family. Everyone knows what happened to Jet’s parents. He protected you, didn’t he?”

Alex’s stomach clenched. In his mind, he saw that night again, his parents dead, Drogan’s mismatched eyes watching the twin werewolves as he sliced their mother’s throat. He let their mother fall to the ground and took a step forward. The lamplight glinted off the knife he held. The dark red sheen of blood looked fake, like it had been dipped in molasses. Alex willed himself to believe it.

Sights and sounds become unnaturally harsh to Alex’s senses as he held Cassie. He would protect her with his life against the man with the mismatched eyes. At eight years old, he was willing to die if it meant she would live.
Drogan took another step; Alex rose slowly. Cassie clung to his arm. Alex pushed her gently behind him. Her sobs filled the air.

Drogan
’s eyes narrowed at Alex’s defiance. He lifted the knife. A soft footstep sounded on the porch. Two thumps followed as bodies fell. Drogan froze. The door burst open, and Jet was there.

“I’m sorry,” Kalia whispered. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

The memories cleared enough for Alex to realize she had scooted next to him. Something was smoothing the fur on the top of his head. He realized with a twist of amazement and humor that she was actually petting him.

He gave her a look of surprise.

She paused with her hand in the air. “Uh, yeah,” she said with embarrassment. “This is a bit awkward. I, uh, have a dog at home. I guess I, uh, well, I’ll be going.” She stood and hurried into the school.

Alex watched her with a huff of humor. He had definitely never had anyone pet him before. He tried to imagine her doing the same thing while he was in human form. The thought made him laugh inside.

A slight tingle ran down his limbs. He glanced up to see that the moon had vanished completely behind the trees. The power of the moonlight was gone. They could phase back.

He stretched slowly and was bombarded by werewolves running up the stairs in wolf form. As great as being a wolf was, it was the early hours of the morning and everyone was eager to catch some sleep. They reached the doors, and Alex realized that Kalia had shut the door that was normally propped open for the wolves.

“I’ve got it!” Pip yelled.

The Second Year had phased and was running completely naked up the stairs. Everyone let out groans and shielded their eyes from the sight as he pulled open the do
or and propped it with the doorstop left there for that reason. Pip phased again and gave a wolfish grin, his huge ears comical with the look of pride on his face at what he had accomplished.

Boris shook his massive head and padded past the werewolf into the Academy. The other wolves joined him. The hustle to get down the stairs had been replaced by a sedate climb back up as exhausted werewolves made their way to their quarters. Alex reached his room and phased, then pulled on the cotton pants he slept in. He walked back to the meeting room and collapsed on one of the couches. Several of the pack were already there
, sprawled on the couches and the thickly carpeted floor.

Cassie fell onto the couch next to Alex and laughed. “You had to follow Rafe’s wolf.”

Alex grinned. “It felt like the thing to do at the time.”

“Maybe you are a wild wolf,” Trent said. Everyone laughed.

Jericho came back in carrying the five medals. The pack sobered as he hung them on the wolf statue that sat on the mantelpiece. The statue fell from the weight. He caught it with his fast reflexes and grinned. “Guess we got too many.”

Answering grins spread around the room.

The Alpha hung them on the corner of a picture of wolves lounging on a mountain shelf overlooking a snow-covered valley. When he turned back around, there was pride on Jericho’s face. “Well done, Pack Jericho.”

Applause went up. Pack mates slapped each other on the shoulders, and the girls smiled at everyone.

“I thought we lost it,” Jericho continued. He looked at Alex.

Alex’s heart fell. “I almost lost it for you,” he apologized quietly.

Jericho shook his head. “I know what happened back there. You aren’t to blame.” His eyes creased. “Besides, you made up for it with this,” he said, pointing to the fifth medal. It hung on a red ribbon that made it stand out from the white ribbons on the others. “Well done.” The Alpha leaned against the mantle and crossed his arms, viewing his pack with respect.

“Awesome job,” Trent said.

“You followed your instincts,” Pip exclaimed.

“Yes,” Jericho said, smiling at Alex. “I’ve learned never to doubt Alex’s instincts.” He gave Pip a surprised look, “And never to doubt your hearing, apparently.”

Everyone laughed. Alex patted the little werewolf’s shoulder. “You said you would lead us on the sound challenge.”

“And I did!” Pip exclaimed. He pointed to his ears. “They’re like sonar!”

Jericho chuckled. “From now on, Pip will now be known as Sonar.”

“Sonar,” Pip repeated. His smile was so big it looked like his face could barely contain it. “I like that!”

“And you, Amos, nobody could run like that with their eyes on the trees. You didn’t even look down!” Jericho said.

Am
os gave a deep chuckle. “I hit tree,” he replied, his words slow. The grin on his face made everyone laugh.

“Then we figured out how to protect you.” Jericho
replied. “I’m sure the professors have never seen anything like that.”

Amos laughed. “You little wolves pushing me around. It was fun.”

Everyone laughed again.

“Cassie’s got the soft paws,” Marky pointed out.

“That’s right,” Jericho said with a smile at Alex’s sister. “You found the place to dig. Pack Torin was right behind us. And poor Terith had to drink soap.”

“It was nasty,” she replied, making a face. “And the taste of an apple in wolf form isn’t much better.”

“Try the lemon,” Alex said.

“That’s right!” Jericho exclaimed. “I forgot you had to carry that.”

“I had to make up for my mistake somehow,” Alex replied, his cheeks burning slightly at all the laughter. “But it was horrible.”

“I think that’s why Pack Shannon fell so far behind,” Von pointed out with a finger in his nose. “They couldn’t decide who had to carry the lemon.”

Everyone gave weary laughs.

“Alright, Pack Jericho. Get to bed. We’ve got another day of school in the morning,” Jericho reminded them.

“Can’t we tell the dean we slept in?” Trent whined.

“I don’t know where the professors went when the full moon rose, but I can guarantee Chet and Dray will be there ready for combat training, and I don’t want to spend the morning scrubbing mats if we’re late,” Jericho replied. “Get some sleep.”

Everyone rose and stumbled to their rooms. Alex was about to follow, but something in Jericho’s comment stuck in his mind.

“I wonder where the professors disappeared to,” Alex mused aloud outside his door.

“Don’t know,” Jericho replied, walking into his own darkened room. Alex heard him sprawl on the bed. “But I’m getting some sleep. You should probably do the same.”

The sound of Jericho’s snores arose before Alex could even make up his mind. He fought back a smile and crossed the meeting room to the hall door. He was tired, but instincts told him to investigate. After following Rafe’s wolf, he wasn’t going to ignore those instincts.

“Where are you going?”

He glanced back at Cassie’s voice. “There’s something I need to check out.”

“I’m coming with you,” she said; though she looked exhausted, her firm tone gave him no chance to argue.

Alex gave his obvious exhausted sister a chance to go to bed. “I’m not sure I’ll find anything.”

She smiled and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “I’ve know better than to sleep when you have a hunch.”

“Fine,” Alex replied, glad to have her company. School this year had been so different. They didn’t have as much time together as they usually did. He valued the time he could have with her.

They walked quietly down the stairs. The Academy was completely silent. The twins’ footsteps echoed along the wooden hall as they made their way to the closet.

“You’re going back down there?” Cassie whispered.

“I’m just wondering why none of the other professors were at the full moon games. Last year they even participated,” Alex explained. “I’m worried something’s up.”

Alex
stepped inside, waited for Cassie to follow, then pulled the door shut behind them. He reached for the back door. It was locked. He knocked on it. The sound seemed unusually loud in the enclosed space.

Silence filled the closet. Alex looked up at the camera. He gave a little wave and knocked again.

“Who are you waving at?” Cassie asked.

“You’ll see.”

A few seconds later, he could hear footsteps below. The door opened a few inches. “What do you want?” Brock asked, his voice tired.

“
We were just wondering if the professors were below,” Alex replied.

Brock shook his head, his messy hair visible in the shadows. “No one here but me.”

That spiked Alex’s curiosity. He pushed the door open, giving Brock no choice but to step back.

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Brock
said, waving the piece of pizza he carried in protest.

Cassie agreed. “We probably shouldn’t go down there,” she said, worry clear in her voice.

Alex jogged down the stairs. “I’m not going to hurt anything. I swear. I won’t even touch. See.” He held his hands in the air like he was under arrest. “No touch.”

“This is top secret,”
Brock replied with Cassie close behind.

“
We won’t tell,” Alex answered with what he hoped was a winning smile.

Brock gave a frustrated sigh and collapsed back on his chair. “I don’t have the brain power to argue with you
both right now. There are more important things going on.” He took a bite of his pizza and scooted back to the screens he had been monitoring.