Werewolf Academy Book 1: Strays (24 page)

Hearing her name sent a rush of warmth through Alex. It fit her jus
t as Mindi had fit his mother. “I’ve been watching her, making sure she’s recovering okay,” Alex admitted.

“Has she seen you?” Jaze asked curiously.

Alex shook his head. “I’ve been careful. I wanted to meet her, but not without your permission.”

“I appreciate that,”
Jaze replied. The light of curiosity lingered in his gaze, but he pressed on. “Then what happened?”

“I was on my way home in wolf form as usual, when I heard the helicopter. I was almost to the Academy. I tried to run down a wash to lose them, but they shot some sort of a grenade into the dirt and it blew me back. I was surrounded before I had my wits back together.” A shudder ran down Alex’s spine as he remembered. “
Drogan was there.”

Cassie grabbed his hand. He gave her
what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“
I howled for the wolves. When he tried to shoot me, I bit his gun hand.”

“Well done,” Dray said quietly.

Alex remembered the sound of the wolves howling, the way it echoed through the forest, cutting through even the beat of the helicopter’s blades above.

“If it wasn’t for the werewolves, I would have been shot,” he admitted.

“Yeah,” Vance cut in, his tone brusque. “What was that? They were organized.”

Alex nodded. At Jaze’s raised eyebrow
s, he explained, “We’ve been training. We used our night games time to run simulations and battle sequences.”

Surprise filled Vance’s face as though he had suspected something of the sort, but not quite what Alex was saying. “You mean you turned the students into your own private army?”

Alex shook his head quickly at the Alpha’s tone. “No. Not like that. We just wanted to be able to protect ourselves. After the last attack on Cassie and me, we knew we needed to be more prepared.”

“Night games as a training tool. It’s brilliant,” Dray said, giving Alex an approving smile.

“We should know that our students are training to be some sort of militia,” Vance argued. “It’s too dangerous.”

“We don’t have weapons,” Alex told him. “We practice formations and run drills for particular scenarios. It’s really just like hunting with Rafe’s wolves. Everyone knows where they belong and what their job is. The packs are better that way.”

There was a light of respect in Jaze’s gaze when he nodded. “I have to agree. I’ve never seen the packs so united. There are still squabbles between the packs, but they are definitely tighter within. I figured we could attribute that to the new academic schedule.”

Nikki smiled. “We could only hope.”

Jaze leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk. “Someone must have tipped off Drogan. Who knows that you take these trips through the woods?”

“My pack knows, and several other students have noticed. I just tell them that I like to go for runs. There really haven’t been any questions.” Alex thought of leaving to go on his run. His blood ran cold. “Kalia knew I was
going.”

“Kalia Dickson?” Vance asked.

Alex nodded. “She was at the gate when I left. She was the last person I talked to before my run.”

Darkness filled the huge werewolf’s gaze. “If the Dicksons are working with
Drogan, we need to get Boris and Kalia out of here immediately.”

Jaze held up a hand. “We don’t know for sure. Let’s not be hasty.” He turned back to Alex. “Was Kalia anywhere near when you and Cassie were attacked the first time?”

Alex thought about it. “She and I spoke at Jet’s statue while everyone was playing werewolf tag. She probably saw the packs take off into the forest to search for the Alphas.” He felt sick. The girl he had trusted could possibly have been the one to betray him to his worst enemy. Could her icy blue eyes hide true animosity against him and his sister? Perhaps her efforts to talk had only been to get close enough for him to trust her. The fact that Boris was her brother definitely should have warned him.

Cassie gave Alex a searching look, worry in her wide eyes.

“We don’t know anything,” Jaze said softly, his gaze on both Alex and Cassie. “The last thing we need to do is jump to conclusions. No one has been found guilty yet, but we will investigate.”

Nikki nodded. “
Give everyone the benefit of the doubt until we find out who is behind the attacks, but perhaps we need to ensure that you two stay within the walls.”

Alex’s heart constricted.

“It’s alright,” Jaze said, interpreting his look. “Meredith will be safe. In fact, she’s going to fill a position here next year.”

“As a professor?” Alex asked, surprised.

Nikki nodded. “We told her about the Academy, and she’s excited to help. I think the thought of something useful to do has assisted in her recovery.”

Relief flooded Alex’s thoughts. Perhaps he wouldn’t lose his one connection to his mother after all.

“You two should go get some rest. I’m sure your pack’s anxious to ensure you’re okay,” Jaze said.

Alex and Cassie rose.

“We’re glad you’re safe,” Nikki said.

“Thank you,” Alex told her. He put an arm around his sister’s shoulders and walked wit
h her out the door. As soon as they were alone in the hallway, Cassie buried her head against his shoulder.

“I was so afraid,” she said. “I knew it was your howl, and that you wouldn’t have done it if everything was alright. When I saw the helicopter, and those men. . . .” her voice choked
off.

“I’m okay,” Alex reassured her as she sobbed against his chest. “They didn’t hurt me.”

“They could have taken you away like Mom and Dad. Alex, I might never have seen you again.” She looked up at him, her dark blue eyes filled with tears. “I would have been all alone.”

He
gave her a weak smile. “I will never leave you alone, Cass. I promise.”

“They tried,” she said.

He nodded. “And they failed, again. They’re not going to get me, Cass. We have the students, and you heard what Jaze and Nikki said. They’re searching for Drogan. They’ll make sure we’re safe.”

She watched him, checking to see if he believed his own words. He gave her a true smile. “Everything is fine, Cass. Believe me.”

Cassie drew in a shuddering breath and nodded. She wiped away her tears and followed him up the stairs. The rooms they passed were silent at the late hour. Alex was surprised when he pushed open the door to Pack Jericho’s quarters to find their Alpha waiting for them on the couch.

“Everything alright?” he asked, rising on their entrance.

Alex nodded. “As good as can be expected.” He gave Cassie a final hug. “Get some sleep, sis. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded as a yawn escaped her. Alex watched his sister walk wearily to the girl’s rooms and disappear down the hall.

He met Jericho’s gaze again. “Will you keep an eye on her?”

Jericho didn’t look at all surprised at the seriousness Alex’s tone had taken now that his sister was out of earshot. “That bad, huh?”

Alex shook his head. “Things are fine, but I’m tired of getting shot at.” Rage flooded through him, powerful and angry at all the things he hadn’t been able to prevent. “I need this to stop. I can’t keep Cassie safe if they can appear out of nowhere with a dozen guns ready to shoot us down. We need to find out who the snitch is, and I need to end this before it gets worse.”

Jericho nodded. “Let me know what I can do.
”

“Just make sure she’s safe,” Alex
repeated.

Jericho’s brown eyes glittered. “Nothing will get in here. Trust me.”

“I do,” Alex replied. “Thank you.”

He hurried back down the stairs. The door to the closet closed just as he reached the stairs. He hurried inside and knocked on the inner door. The footsteps on the stairs paused.

“Who is it?” he heard Jaze ask.

“It’s Alex,” Brock replied when Alex looked up at the camera.

Jaze’s footsteps returned and the door opened.

“I figured we weren’t done talking,” the dean said, stepping back to let Alex pass.

None of the werewolves below looked surprised when they entered the room together. Alex walked straight to Brock. The human put down the candy bar he had been munching on and braced for whatever Alex was going to say.

“Did you know
Drogan was in Haroldsburg?” Alex demanded.

Brock shook his head quickly.

“Whoa, now,” Chet cut him off. “Take it easy, Alex.”

“They dropped out of a chopper,” Alex replied, trying to control his anger. “They had me surrounded in seconds, and I’m supposed to take it easy? If Cassie had been there, she might have been killed.”

“It sounds like you were the one almost killed,” Vance pointed out.

Alex clenched and unclenched his hands as he fought back the urge to hit something. A hand touched his shoulder. He spun, knocking it away as he crouched in a defensive position, ready to defend himself.

Jaze held up his hands. “Easy, Alex,” he said quiet. “We aren’t your enemies.”

Alex’s heart thundered in his chest. It skipped a beat, making his breath catch. He leaned against the wall, burying his face in his hands. “I can’t do this,
” he said. “I can’t sit here and wait for Drogan to take us out. It’s like I’m sitting on a time bomb, not knowing when it’s going to explode.”

Jaze put a hand on his shoulder. “Alex, you need to calm down.”

Alex shook his head. “I can’t. I’m tired of living on edge.”

“Believe me,” Jaze said softly. “All of us have been there. We know what you’re going through.”

Alex looked up at the dean. The werewolves around the table behind him nodded. Kaynan’s red gaze was stark as if he remembered it all too well. There was steel in Dray’s expression as though he knew just what it took from Alex to be attacked and helpless.

“
Use me as bait,” Alex said. Determination filled his voice as the idea fleshed out in his mind. “We’ll flush Drogan into the open, then you can take him out.”

“That’s too dangerous,” Jaze said, shaking his head. “We won’t let you put your life on the line like that.”

“It’s already on the line,” Alex pointed out. “It’s driving me crazy to know that Cassie is a target and I may not be able to protect her. At least this way we’ll have some control.”

At Jaze’s silence, Vance spoke up. “He has a point,” the huge werewolf said.
He looked at Alex. “But using you as a target?” He shook his head. “We can’t guarantee your safety. It’s a no.”

Everyone looked surprised by the werewolf’s concern.

“You don’t have a choice,” Alex argued. “I’m not losing Cassie the way I lost everyone else.” His throat tightened. “And I won’t risk leaving her here alone, either.” He met their gazes, his own determined. “I’m telling Kalia we’re going to Haroldsburg and she can spread the news to Drogan so he can come after Cassie and me, only Cassie will stay here where she’s safe.”

Jaze held up a hand. “Don’t be hasty. The only way to get to
Drogan is to make sure we have our bases covered. Jumping in without a plan is only going to get you killed.”

“Will you help me?” Alex asked. He hated how small his voice sounded in the huge underground room. He wanted to sound confident, sure of himself, but the thought of being a target for
Drogan yet again stole some of his bravado.

To his relief, Jaze nodded. “Yes, since you’re so determined to do this with or without us. I’d rather us be there than leave you to make your own plans.” He speared Alex with a look. “But we will do this during
the Christmas break when most of the students are gone. That way, we’ll be better able to protect Cassie and everyone else.”

“That’s a good idea,” Alex agreed. “But Kalia will be leaving to go home with Boris.”

Jaze’s expression was serious when he said, “We don’t know for certain that Kalia is the informant. She’s had a rough time here already, and if she isn’t Drogan’s contact, she doesn’t need another reason to want to leave. Tread lightly around her and anyone else you suspect, but don’t accuse someone if you don’t have proof.”

Alex dropped his gaze under Jaze’s stern stare. He nodded. “Okay.” But in his mind, he saw all of the times he and Kalia had talked in a different light. Perhaps she wasn’t really a werewolf. Maybe
Drogan had gotten her into the Academy as an informant, which is why she couldn’t phase. The brief glimpse he had seen of her eyes changing to gold when she looked at the full moon nagged at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away.

“For now, stay within the Academy walls where we can protect you,” Jaze said. He
gave a small smile. “Private werewolf army or not, I’d rather know that you’re safe.”

An answering smile reached Alex’s face at the dean’s tone. He nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

The weeks before Christmas couldn’t go by soon enough. Alex felt more on edge. He couldn’t get past the idea that someone was watching him, that someone was a spy. The fear that Drogan would attack the school to get to Cassie was never far away. It was hard to participate in the day-to-day classes when his mind kept wandering to the forest and the sound of the helicopter that haunted his thoughts and dreams. He could still hear the percussion of the grenade and feel himself flying backward. Alex pretended for Cassie’s sake, but he found it harder and harder to act as though everything was fine.