Werewolf Academy Book 5: Lost (14 page)

“Give me Cassie and I’ll let your precious werewolf students live,” Drogan said. “Come on Jaze, Cousin, are you willing to sacrifice an entire school for a single person?”

“All of these students have sacrificed enough. Your war is antiquated, Drogan. Werewolves and humans can learn to live in peace. We’ve done so before, and we’ll do it again. Get over your prejudice,” the dean said.

“Prejudice?” Drogan roared. “Was it prejudice that made my brother Alex tear the heart out of my father’s chest?”

Shocked whispers rose around Alex. He willed his heartbeat to remain steady.

“It was prejudice that drove your father to kill his parents and brother,” Jaze replied. “Unless we learn to live in peace, the killing will continue on both sides.”

“Then let’s hope we never learn to live in peace,” Drogan replied in a low growl. “Say goodbye to your precious Academy, Jaze.”

“Drogan, you’re surrounded,” Jaze said loud enough that the humans behind Alex could hear.

Drogan scoffed. “Surrounded by your kids? Whelps with guns? Am I supposed to be afraid?”

“Surrounded by soldiers,” Jaze replied.

At Alex’s motion, the humans and werewolves around him shot their guns into the air. Alex took careful aim for the location his ears told him Drogan was at. He squeezed the trigger, careful not to jerk the gun back as he did so.

Swearing erupted from the place Drogan stood. A grin of triumph spread across Alex’s face. On impulse, he put his hands to his mouth and howled.

Suddenly, howls erupted all over the forest. Alex heard the voices of Rafe’s wild wolf pack. The werewolf students from behind the Academy walls lifted their voices as well. To Alex’s surprise, voice roses behind him as the humans who had come to help him save the students joined in the cry. The entire forest echoed with the calls of the wolves.

“Retreat,” Drogan shouted.

The beat of helicopters came from above. Alex ran forward, firing toward the sound of the voices. Ropes fell from the sky and forms latched on. The helicopters pulled away through a rain of bullets from the Academy and forest.

“We did it!” Trent crowed in Alex’s ear. “The Academy is safe!”

Shouts of triumph rose from the Academy. The humans around Alex cheered and slapped him on the back.

Jaze’s voice came through his earpiece. “Good job, Alex. The Black Team is circling around to cut off any who didn’t make it to the choppers. Brock and Mouse are following them with the drone in case they decide to circle back. The GPA is on the outskirts; we’ll have them set up defensive positions so that your humans can make it back safely.”

“Good to hear. Thank you, Jaze,” Alex said. He smiled, relieved that he had been able to make a difference in the fight.

Chapter Sixteen

Alex reached a decision. He wasn’t sure how it would be met, but it was time something drastic happened. He faced the humans that had come with him. “Come on,” Alex told them. “I want to introduce you to the werewolves you helped save.” He pushed the button on the earpiece. “Trent, open the gate.”

“Uh, Alex, do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Yes, I do,” Alex replied firmly.

“I’ve got to clear it with Dean Jaze.”

“Have him meet me there.”

Alex led the way to the gate. He could smell the nervousness of the humans at the prospect of entering the Academy grounds.

“Don’t worry,” he said, trying for humor. “They won’t bite.”

“Are you sure?” Josh asked from Alex’s left side.

Alex didn’t reply that he was only mostly sure. “Wait here,” he commanded. He left the humans on the road.

“Alex, Trent told me what you want to do. I’m not sure it’s good idea,” Jaze said quietly from the other side of the gate.

Alex put a hand on the iron bars. “They helped save the Academy, Jaze.”

“We appreciate it,” the dean said. “But they know too much about us already.”

“It’s time for some trust,” Alex said, holding the dean’s gaze. “You said yourself that the only way to live in peace is for humans and werewolves to learn to trust each other. I trust these humans and the werewolves that came with me from Greyton. It would be good for the students to see that there are good humans out there, and what better way than for them to meet the humans who help to save their lives?”

Silence filled the air. Footsteps sounded behind Alex.

“Uh, if I may?” Tanner asked. At Jaze’s nod, the human took a steeling breath. “You don’t have to worry about us, sir. We came to help. Alex has done so much for Greyton that we wanted to do something to pay him back. If you don’t want us inside your walls, we understand.” He paused, then said, “I felt the same way about werewolves before Alex saved us from those gangs. Now his war on the Saa has changed everything in Greyton. He’s given us our city back. We’re no longer afraid.”

Alex set a hand on Tanner’s shoulder. He met the dean’s searching brown eyes. “It’s time for werewolves to stop being afraid, too.”

After a moment, Jaze nodded. “Open the gate,” he said.

A werewolf rushed through the gate as soon as it opened. Siale’s long brown hair and soft gray eyes were the most beautiful things Alex had ever seen. He caught her in his arms and spun her around.

“I’m so glad you’re back and you’re okay,” she said, holding him tight.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Alex said, bringing her close. He kissed her on the lips, unable to hold back any longer.

“This must be Siale,” Cherish said from behind Alex.

Alex gave an embarrassed chuckle and lowered her back to the ground. He turned and smiled at his friends. “Siale, these are my friends.”

“Dang,” Josh said.

Jen elbowed him in the side.

“What?” Josh replied, wincing. “I just don’t know how he could leave a hottie like her back here and spend all his time with us.”

“I’ve definitely been torn,” Alex replied.

“For good reason,” Tanner said. He held his hand out to Siale. “I’m Tanner and this is Sarah.”

“Alex saved my life,” Sarah told Siale. “I’m so grateful you let us have him for a while.”

Siale smiled up at Alex. “He cares a great deal.”

He squeezed her hand. “I definitely left my heart here.”

“Aw,” Jen said. “Why don’t you say things like that to me, Josh?”

Josh sputtered, but Jen pushed past him with Sarah in tow. “Let’s go see this place. I’ll bet there are a ton of hot werewolves.” She threw a look back at Josh. “Since Alex is already taken.”

“Hey,” Josh protested.

“Sorry, man,” Alex apologized.

Josh grinned and shrugged. “I’m used to it, believe me.”

The others followed the girls through the gate. Alex waited for Cherish and her mother.

“Dean Jaze, this is Mrs. Summers. She’s been kind enough to let me crash on her fire escape these last couple of weeks.”

“Only because he refuses the couch most nights,” Mrs. Summers replied. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Carso. Your legend precedes you, though I never pictured the Academy quite on this grand scale.”

Other werewolf adults from Greyton stood close to Mrs. Summers. It was clear by the awe and respect on their faces that meeting Jaze was something they had never dreamed of doing. He began telling them the history of Vicki Carso’s Preparatory Academy, and the adults crowded in, eager to listen.

Alex was pleased to see the students from the Academy coming down the courtyard to greet the humans.

At first, the humans and werewolves eyed each other from opposite sides of the cement driveway. Alex fought back a smile when Jericho pushed through the doors. He hurried down the steps past the students, his focus on one person only.

“Jericho!” Cherish exclaimed. She seemed to forget that they were surrounded by spectators and she rushed across the courtyard to throw her arms around the tall, composed werewolf.

Jericho laughed and held her tight. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Me, neither!” Cherish replied. “I never in a million years dreamed I’d be at a werewolf academy. This is incredible!”

“Let me introduce you to my pack,” Jericho offered.

Cherish nodded, suddenly appearing shy. He took her hand and led the way up the steps.

“So, uh, that was you guys howling back there?” Terith asked, addressing Sarah and Jen.

“Well, we tried. I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Sarah said.

“It sounded pretty good,” Terith replied.

“Good enough to scare Drogan into thinking there were hundreds of you out there,” Cassie said. “That was amazing.”

“It was Alex, mostly,” Sarah said.

“Don’t give him all the credit,” Cassie replied, smiling in Alex’s direction. “He’s my brother. Trust me when I say he doesn’t need it all to go to his head.”

“Alex is your brother!” Jen exclaimed.

Alex turned away with Siale’s hand on his arm, unwilling to listen to what they wanted to say about him.

“Wow. Is this a statue of Jet?” Anders asked.

Alex smiled at the tattoo artist. “Yeah, it is.”

Anders set a hand on the silver seven on the wolf’s shoulder. “I did a pretty close job.”

Alex pulled up his sleeve, comparing the two. “You did. I really appreciate it.”

“I might have to get one of those.”

Alex turned at Trent’s voice. Something about seeing the werewolf who had been his lifeline between Greyton and the Academy filled him with relief. “You can do whatever you want. You were the mastermind behind saving this place.”

Trent shook his head. “I only warned you that the Academy was under attack. You’re the fool who comes running headlong into battle.” Trent smiled at the humans behind Alex. “I don’t know how he conned you into following him.”

“We owe him a great deal,” Josh said. He held out a hand. “You must be Trent.” At the werewolf’s surprised look, Josh continued, “Alex has told us a great deal about you.”

“Don’t believe any of it,” Trent replied.

Alex laughed. “Come on, Trent. I only told them good things. I left out the time you nearly blew up half the school with one of your experiments, or the time—”

“Alright, alright,” Trent cut him off. “Glad to hear he doesn’t embellish at all.”

“Never,” Alex said with a grin.

Siale set a hand on Alex’s arm. “Should we give them a tour of the school?”

“That’s a great idea!” Alex replied. “What do you guys think? Want to see where the majority of the nation’s werewolf youth live and learn?”

“Definitely,” Sarah said.

“Alex,” a voice roared, cutting through the commotion in the courtyard.

Apprehension flooded through Alex. He stepped in front of Siale and the others, shielding them from Boris.

“Leave him alone, Boris. He just got here,” Trent said, stepping in the Alpha’s path.

Boris threw the little werewolf to the side as though he weight less than a leaf. Alex clenched his fists in fury at seeing his friend treated that way.

“Boris, not right now,” Jaze said, his voice commanding.

“I demand a rank duel,” Boris growled. He stopped a few feet from Alex and eyed him angrily.

“Oh, no,” Siale whispered.

Alex’s chest tightened. A rank duel was the one thing the professors couldn’t stand in the way of. Just like in life outside the Academy, if one werewolf challenged another for position, no other werewolf was allowed to interfere.

“What’s going on?” Tanner asked quietly.

“Alex has to fight him,” Terith whispered. “Or else he’ll lose any standing he has in the Academy.”

“You’re a coward, Alex. You let my sister die, and you were too afraid to show up at her funeral,” Boris spat. “You’re a disgrace to this school.”

Alex gritted his teeth. He wanted to fight back, to defend himself, but he knew Boris was lashing out, trying to find a way to ease the pain of losing his sister. Alex was the obvious target. He wondered how long he could stand it.

“Turn tail and run, Alex,” Torin said, walking down the stairs. “Take the coward’s way out again.”

“Torin, this fight is between Alex and Boris,” Jaze replied with steel in his voice. It was obvious the dean didn’t want the rank duel, but he was unable to stop it.

“It’s a good thing Boris got to him first then,” Torin replied, his lips twisted in a sneer.

“Why is that?” Trent asked, brushing the dirt from his knees. “He already beat you once.”

Talking flooded the courtyard at the news. Alex had hoped to keep that quiet, but he couldn’t blame his friend for trying to defend him.

“Is that true?” Boris asked, rounding on the Lifer Alpha.

“Uh, well, he...yeah,” Torin finally admitted. “But it wasn’t a fair fight.”

“Grays don’t beat Alphas,” Terith whispered to Alex’s human friends. “It just doesn’t happen.”

“What if it does?” Jen asked.

“I don’t know,” Terith replied, her voice tight.

“It wasn’t fair in that you attacked Alex after he had been injected with silver and just defeated the General and most of his army,” Trent replied.

“Trent,” Alex tried to quiet him with a shake of his head.

“No, Alex. They deserve to know the truth,” Trent replied. “You beat Torin in more than a fair fight. If anything, Torin was the one with the upper hand and you still won.”

“Is that true?” Jaze asked.

Torin looked like he wanted to lie to the dean, but he finally lowered his gaze. “Yes, it is.”

Boris shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. This is between me and Alex. He let my sister die. Now it’s his turn to pay.”