Werewolf Academy Book 1: Strays (10 page)

Kaynan’s nose wrinkled
at the scent of blood. “Is everything okay?” he asked.

Alex nodded. “Just a bit of hazing. No one got hurt.”

“Are you sure, Alex?” Kaynan pressed, his red eyes searching the meeting room.

“I’m sure,” Alex replied. “Are we late for class?”

Kaynan nodded. “About ten minutes late. Grace is waiting to teach you guys English, then you have Mouse and Lyra for Biology. Pack Maliki is already down there.”

“We’ll hurry,”
Alex promised, amazed he must have missed the bell with everything else that was going on.

Kaynan hesitated, but Alex gave him a reassuring smile. Kaynan nodded and left the room.

“A bit of hazing?” Jericho said, entering the meeting room.

Alex shrugged. “A bit.”

“If that’s a bit, I don’t want to know what a lot of hazing is,” Jericho replied with a shake of his head.

“Someone’s still holding a grudge against your hunt,”
Trent told Alex.

Nobody had to say who had done the dirty work.
Though Shannon and Shaylee had been the most vocal about it, they must have told Boris. His scent was mixed with the blood in Alex’s room. The Termers were holding true to the Academy tradition of hating Lifers. They were banning together. Alex realized it didn’t matter if he was a Lifer underneath an Alpha who was a Termer; the target was still on his back.

Alex led the way to the classrooms. Jericho was content to follow, learning the hallways of the Academy. Alex liked the Alpha’s quiet ways. He had been under a few Alphas who insisted on pushing their leadership on everyone, making sure each knew who was in charge. Jericho accepted that he was one of the newest members of the Academy, and it didn’t seem to bother him to ask Alex for advice. Alex’s views on what made a leader were changing.

“Welcome to English,” Grace said from the front of the classroom. Her long dark brown hair swayed around her waist as she turned to smile at them with sightless blue eyes.

Alex took a seat and smiled at her even though she couldn’t see him. Grace had lost her eyesight due to experiments during the same time Kaynan was made into a werewolf. Somehow, that linked them. Grace could see when Kaynan was in wolf form beside her. She taught without needing to see, however, and was one of Alex’s favorite teachers.

“We thought it would be interesting to begin the term learning about ‘The Call of the Wild’,” Grace said. Several students in the class laughed. She held up the book. “Prepare to be educated by Jack London. This story was originally published in serial form in a magazine, with one portion being released at a time. We’ll follow the same format as we read.”

Alex glanced at Cassie. His sister was already ten pages into the book. He sighed an
d opened his own. Reading wasn’t his favorite thing, but he would humor Professor Grace and attempt it.

Professor Lyra looked just like her husband in that she was small and skinny with big glasses, but Lyra also had long blonde hair pulled back in two braids. She wore a lab coat and smelled faintly of cleaning agents. Her room was the cleanest in the entire school.

Biology began with Professor Lyra showing the muscle breakdown of a deer on the screen. Everyone in Alex’s pack moaned. Alex stifled a laugh.

“We just saw that,” Terith complained.

Professor Mouse adjusted his glasses and gave her a surprised look. “If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time I’ve taught animal musculature,” he began.

Von spoke up with a finger in his nose, “Professor Rafe’s wolves killed a deer while we were in wilderness education.”

Trent nodded. “It was a first-hand encounter with the deer’s musculature,” he said.

Mouse fou
ght back a smile at the students’ dismayed tones. The professor glanced at Pack Raynen’s side of the classroom. “Did you happen to have a similar experience?” he asked.

Raynen shook his head. “The deer was pretty much eaten when it was our turn. We saw mostly bones.”

“Lucky,” Terith said quietly.

Mouse glanced at Lyra. “Wish I could have been there,” she stated.

Terith shook her head and let out a loud sigh. “You’re all sick.”

Mouse chuckled. “Well, since you’ve already seen this up close, you’ll know the answers to the questions I’m about to ask.” He pointed with a laser pen to the hind leg. “What is the name of
this muscle?”

“The rump roast?” Pip replied.

Several members of Raynen’s pack laughed, but Jericho’s wasn’t amused. Alex shot him a grin, surprised at the small Second Year’s bravery. It he wasn’t careful, the Termer was going to be hazed next.

Mouse rolled his eyes. “Very fu
nny, Pip. We’re going to go with the biceps femoris muscle. Can anyone tell me why this is important?”

By the time the pack was dismissed, Alex’s page was filled with notes. He shut his notebook and followed the others into the hallway.

“What next?” Pip asked.

Jericho gave him a stern look
as Pack Raynen walked by. “Are you trying to get on the other packs’ bad side?” he asked.

Pip ducked his head as protocol dictated and scuffed his toe on the ground. “No. I’m sorry.”

Jericho couldn’t keep his stern expression long. “I’m just trying to protect you,” he told the younger werewolf. “You might want to keep that mouth in check if you don’t want to become the center of attention around here, especially with the kind of attention our pack has been attracting.”

“Okay,” Pip agreed. He glanced at Alex. Alex was surprised to see the boy’s search for approval. He couldn’t keep a stern expression, and when he smiled, Pip grinned back and followed at his side to history.

Alex grimaced at the sight of Torin’s pack already seated on one side of the room. The Lifer Alpha looked just as excited to see Pack Jericho walk in.

“Great, the rejects,” he muttered.

Several members of his pack laughed.

“Hope you enjoy Pack Loser, Amos
,” Sid, Torin’s Second, said.

“It’s good,” Amos replied.

“It’s good,” Sid mimicked, imitating the werewolf’s slow speech.

Amos looke
d at Jericho.

“Ignore him,” the Alpha commanded. Amos nodded and looked away from the laughing pack.

“Good morning, Professor Thorson,” Cassie said as soon as he entered the room.

“Good morning, Miss Cassie.”
The smile the human professor gave her warmed Alex’s heart.

Cassie and the elderly professor had become fast friends during the
ir first years at the Academy. Professor Thorson was learning how to work with werewolves, and Cassie hadn’t opened up to anyone besides Alex since their parents were killed. Given Cassie’s keen interest in history, and Professor Thorson’s ability to teach facts all day without referring to a book, it was a friendship forged the moment she had stepped into his classroom as a First Year.

“In this class,
we’re going to begin with werewolf mythology and how it ties into the fears we encounter today,” the professor began.

Tori
n sat up. “How is that history? Werewolf mythology isn’t made up of facts.”

“Are you sitting here today?” Professor Thorson asked.

“Does it look like I’m sitting here today?” Torin retorted in an obstinate tone.

“Yes, it does,” the professor answered simply, obviously used to stubborn students. “And you are a werewolf.
Because werewolves are born, and not made through bites and other methods of spreading lycanthropy as some myths detail, werewolves have a past just like humans. Therefore, werewolf mythology must contain some facts, otherwise you appeared from nowhere.”

“Poof,” Pip called out.

The look Torin shot the Second Year was filled with threat.

Professor Thorson held up a hand. “Alright. Let me prove it to you. Open the books
in front of you to page thirty. There are many accounts of ancient gods changing mortals into wolves. In fact, one of the oldest known written works on earth is called “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, in which the goddess Ishtar turns a man into a wolf.”

He smiled and sat on the edge of his desk. “
In the human world, Lycanthropy is defined as a mental disorder in which the patient believes that he or she is a wolf.” Several students laughed. The professor continued, “However, we know a lycanthrope is a werewolf; the word comes from the Greek lykos, meaning wolf, and the Greek anthropos, meaning man. This word can be found throughout history, and in some of the oldest accounts of mythology.”

He indicated the
page he had instructed them to turn to. “In ancient Greece mythology, the King Lycaon of Acadia attempted to feed human meat to a visitor, who turned out to be none other than the god Jupiter. Jupiter transformed Lycaon in to a wolf. Lycaon’s name and the word Lycanthropy come from the root of the Greek word lykos, meaning wolf. So you see, the myths are connected.”

“So the Greeks believed in werewolves?”
Torin asked. There was a hint of interest in the bored tone he tried to maintain.

“Very much so,” Professor Thorson replied. “
Many civilizations have their own werewolf stories. Did you ever hear the story of Romulus and Remus?”

“I have,” Cassie said.

Alex smiled. It was unusual for his sister to speak up in class.

At the professor’s nod, Cassie recited, “Romulus and Remus
are a part of Roman mythology. Their mother, Rhea Silvia, conceived twins by the god Mars. When the twins were born, they were thrown into a river by Rhea Silvia’s jealous uncle Amulius. The twins were saved by a wolf who raised them. Remus was later killed, and Romulus founded a great city, and named it after himself.”

“Rome,” Pip said, his eyes wide.

Professor Thorson nodded. “Very good. The she-wolf who suckled the twins became an iconic symbol for the city and the legend.”

“But they weren’t directly werewolves,” Torin pointed out.

“True,” Professor Thorson conceded. He smoothed a hand down his thin white hair. “Don’t forget that I am new to werewolf lore myself. I had to do research to teach this class.” He smiled at Cassie. “It isn’t often that I’ve had to do research in order to teach.” He pointed to his head. “It’s all in here. That’s why I’m going bald. All the knowledge I’ve learned has taken up too much room so my hair can’t grow.”

Alex chuckled. Torin rolled his eyes.

Professor Thorson held out a hand. “It used to be thought that people became werewolves by putting on a piece of clothing such as a belt made from wolf skin. Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands have such legends. If it was that easy, I think everyone would do it.” He became sober. “But in Europe, tales of werewolves began to increase. People began to fear for their lives and for their livestock. A man named Peter Stubbe was one of the first captured werewolves. Unfortunately, he was tried and convicted of murder, putting a very black mark on the werewolf name.”

The students were becoming more interested with each story. Even Torin had forgotten to keep his bored expression and was sitting straight in his seat, intent on what the professor was saying.

Professor Thorson leaned forward with an arm on his knee. “It’s those kinds of acts that forced werewolves to go into hiding. Many civilizations have their own tales of werewolves. There are legends of skin-walkers among the Native Americans, Scottish and Irish folklore detail men and women turning into wolves and seals, and Ancient Egyptians worshiped and feared their wolf god Ap-uat. Throughout our history, tales of wolves flourish, but the werewolf race has been very good at hiding.”

“Until now,” Alex said quietly.

Professor Thorson nodded. “Until now. As you know, Jaze Carso, the founder of our Academy, revealed werewolves to the world six years ago in order to protect our race from the Extremists who attempted to wipe it out. It was our only option. However, our allies turned against us, and genocide of the werewolf race was almost successful. You’ve been forced to go into hiding once again.”

“History repeats itself,” Cassie said.

The professor’s gaze was sad. “Yes, it does. But maybe this time we can find a way to solve the werewolf problem.”

“What problem is that?” Terith asked.

The professor adjusted his glasses and leaned forward. “You are such fearsome creatures that every time you are found out, society tries to annihilate you.”

Smiles showed on all of the faces at his scary storyteller tone.

“That is a problem,” Jericho said.

Professor Thorson nodded. “It’
s a problem for your generation to solve.”

“What if we just take all power?” Torin asked.

“Yeah,” Sid echoed. “What if we take over completely?”

The professor watched everyone with an interested expression. At his silence, Torin pressed, “Well?”

“You tell me,” the professor invited.

“We become exactly what society fears,” Cassie said.
She fell silent when everyone turned to look at her. At Professor Thorson’s encouraging nod, she continued in a quieter voice, “They fear us because we’re the more dominant species.”