Werewolf Academy Book 1: Strays (9 page)

Rafe tipped his head toward the trees. “Walk with me.”

Alex fell in beside the instructor. As hard as he tried, he could never step as silently as the wild werewolf. He felt clumsy even though his own tread had made his other pack mates sound like elephants.

Rafe stopped on little rise above were the wolves were feasting. Colleen sat near them in her human form. Two wolf pups fought over a small twig she held.

The wolves had done a good job on the buck. Bones showed in the noon light and their eating had slowed.

“When you look down there, what do you see?” Rafe asked.

“A pack that’s fed and happy,” Alex replied.

Rafe nodded. “Your pack mates see a deer that used to run free within this forest and is now lying slaughtered on the grass.”

“But it was lame,” Alex pointed out. “It wouldn’t have survived winter.”

“You and I know that,” Rafe conceded. “
But you have something they don’t.”

“What is that?” Alex asked, wondering if it was good or bad.

“You’re in touch with your instincts,” Rafe explained. “My fear with these new generations of werewolves is that they are only in touch with their human side. A werewolf is made of both human and animal. It is important to know both parts equally. You do.”

Warmth filled Alex’s chest at the compliment.

Rafe gave him a sideways look. “But your friends are more heart than practical right now, and that is also a good thing.”

Alex glance
d at him. “Why is that good?”

Rafe pulled a twig from an aspen tree and sank to a crouch on the ground. Alex followed his example and sat with his back against another tree. The werewolf was silent for several more minutes. When he
finally spoke, his golden eyes were clouded as though he saw the images he described.

“You and I both witn
essed the deaths of our parents. They were murdered in front of us.” Rafe’s brow creased, his gaze distant. “That sort of thing changes the way a person views death.”

A shudder ran down Alex’s spine. He saw his parents as they sat in the living room playing a card game while Alex and Cassie fought with toy lions on the floor.
A fire glowed in the fireplace. Snow fell outside, its soft shush audible between his mom’s laughter and dad’s warm chuckles. Alex heard a footstep. He glanced up.

His
mom and dad were already looking at the front door. His dad’s eyes widened. “Children, run,” he said.

But the door burst open before anyone could move. Alex held Cassie
; they huddled in the corner. She buried her face against him as the man with the mismatched eyes drew a knife across his dad’s throat. The blood looked unnaturally bright as it poured down the blue checkered pattern of his dad’s favorite shirt. His mother was next. A tear trailed slowly down her cheek. Alex’s attention stayed on the tear, even as her eyes closed.

“
Watching something so brutal alters the way death looks,” Rafe continued quietly. He glanced at Alex. “It makes the way the buck died feel more normal, natural.”

“Beautiful,” Alex concluded softly.

“Because he died to feed others?” Rafe asked.

“Because he died for a reason,” Alex replied.

Rafe nodded and stood. “The innocence of your classmates is a good thing. They might not understand you, but be patient with them. You’ve been through things they haven’t experienced, which can make them uncomfortable.” He tipped his head toward the Academy. “Come out here whenever the walls start to close in on you,” he offered.

“Thanks,” Alex replied. He watched the wild werewolf disappear back through the trees. One second Rafe was there, then Alex blinked and he was gone. Alex stood and made his way back to the
school.

He let his hands trail on the bark of
the trees, enjoying the way some were rough and pulled at the skin of his fingers, while others were smooth like a rock in a stream. The birds sang with the carefree notes of robins, sparrows, and starlings that had plenty to eat and warm sunlight on their wings. Alex knew there was a big difference between the bugs and nuts the birds enjoyed versus the deer the wolves had brought down, but in his mind, they had both fulfilled their purpose. There was peace to the thought; he only wished the others could feel it.

Alex smiled at the sight of the plate Cassie had already dished up for him. The others were already eating, and barely noticed his entrance. Alex sat down beside his sister and she gave him an apologetic smile.

“I really am sorry,” she said quietly.

He sho
ok his head. “I talked to Rafe and he explained things. It’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, her gaze worried.

He nodded. “Thank you for dishing me up some food.”

“I was worried Amos and Don would eat it all,” she replied.

Jericho chuckled from across the table. “It’s not Amos and Don you need to worry about,” he said. He pointed at Pip’s plate.

The little werewolf had piled spaghetti, meatballs, salad, and rolls so high that the meatballs kept spilling off onto the table. The Second
Year ate them as fast as they fell.

“What?” Pip asked with his mouth as full as a chipmunk’s when he realized everyone was looking at him.

Alex laughed and shook his head. He took a bite of the spaghetti.

“Better than moose?” Shaylee called from across the room.

“It was a deer,” Pip corrected, spitting food onto the table.

“Ew, Pip, gross,” Terith complained. She shoved the pieces back to him with her napkin.

“Whatever,” Shaylee replied. “We know you prefer something with hooves.”

Alex ignored her, concentrating on his food to get it cleared as fast as possible.

“Why aren’t the professors here?” Jericho asked.

Alex and Cassie exchanged a look. Several other Lifers at the table fought back smiles.

“There’s a tradition,” Alex answered.

“Every year,” Trent said.

“What tradition?” Jericho questioned with a worried expression.

A roll flew across the room and landed in Torin’s spaghetti, splashing sauce
all over him. Torin’s face reddened. The Lifer Alpha picked up his entire plate and threw it back at Boris. The Termer Alpha ducked; the plate flew past him and hit Kalia square in the face, covering her in spaghetti.

“Duck!” Amos yelled in his deep voice. Everyone at their table obeyed. A platter of lettuce flew over followed by a bowl of dressing. It splattered across the table.

“This is the tradition?” Jericho asked. “This is ridiculous!”

“Yeah,” Trent said, scratching his buzzed head, “But the professors have found that the food fight creates camaraderie within the packs as they defend each other. They decided long ago that it was easier to stay out of it than try to break it up, and that the benefits outweighed the negatives.” He paused. “Kind of like that deer Alex helped to bring down.”

Everyone looked at Alex. He gave a little shrug of his shoulders as a bowl full of rolls slid under the table. He picked one up and handed it to Jericho.

The Alpha looked at his pack like they were crazy. He shook his head, and the hint of a smile crossed his face. “
Pack Jericho?” he asked.

All fourteen other members of the pack grabbed rolls. “Pack Jericho,” they replied.

“Get them!” Jericho commanded.

Pack Jericho swarmed from beneath the table and pegged the other tables with rolls. An answering hail of meatballs, dressing, and strands of spaghetti flew through the air. The pack dove under the table again.

“Well that wasn’t a good plan,” Jericho said, his chest heaving.

“What about the wolves?” Alex asked.

Everyone watched him carefully, wondering what he was getting at.

“Remember how they hunted?” Cassie pressed, catching on.

Terith nodded excitedly. “Strength in numbers,” she said.

Jericho smiled as everyone
warmed to the idea. He picked up a handful of rolls and meatballs and tucked them in his arm. Everyone followed their Alpha’s actions.

“Ready?” Jericho asked.

“Ready,” Alex replied.

“Let’s hunt,” Jericho said.

He jumped from beneath the table and the rest of Pack Jericho followed. They kept to his heels, pegging werewolves left and right as they tried to take down the pack’s leader. Pack Jericho ran in a tight pack around the room, throwing meatballs and rolls, and pausing to resupply when the pack was low.

“We give up!” Shannon and Shaylee finally said, holding up their hands as Pack Jericho swarmed the table their pack was hiding
beneath.

Alex couldn’t help laughing. No one had ever given up during the food fight. Jericho gave him a thumb’s-up and they ran to the next table, ready to peg those hiding beneath with reformed meatballs and handfuls of spaghetti.

“We’re done,” Boris shouted. Lettuce was caught in his hair. Alex spotted Kalia behind him still covered in spaghetti. She looked ready to phase into a wolf and tear someone’s throat out.

“Come on,” Jericho said. They followed him. Table after table gave in
to the merciless onslaught from Pack Jericho.

They were almost to the last table. Pack Torin still waited. Alex wondered if they would give in like the other packs. Jericho was about to call out the command to attack when a single meatball flew through the air.
It sped toward Jericho at a force only an Alpha could have managed.

“Jericho!” Alex shouted. Everything slowed. He leaped. Would he make it in time?

Jericho turned; his eyes widened. The meatball that was intended for his face slammed into Alex’s chest. Alex fell to the floor gasping for air. Everyone froze.

Alex gulped in a huge breath, then the laugh he had been holding in burst from him. All around the room, answering laughter erupted. Jericho fell to his knees beside his Second
gasping with laughter.

“I’ve never seen anything so hilarious,” the Alpha proclaimed.

Alex sat up and attempted to wipe the meatball mess from his shirt while he grinned. “I couldn’t let my Alpha take the bullet,” he replied.

Cassie
smiled at her brother. “That was awesome,” she said, pulling spaghetti from her curly brown hair.

“That was ridiculous,” Terith stated, but the grin on her face said she had enjoyed it.

“Way to be dramatic,” Trent said, slapping Alex on the back.

Amos grabbed Alex by an arm and lifted him to his feet.

“Thanks, big guy,” Alex replied.

“You funny,” Amos said, giving a deep chuckle. “You make me laugh.”

“He made all of us laugh,” Jericho agreed.

The packs
climbed from beneath their tables. Everyone looked around at the mess.

“Well,” Alex said. “Guess we better get cleaning.”

“You mean you clean up, too?” Jericho said.

“Not like we can leave this for the professors,” Pip
replied. He grabbed several brooms from the corner where they had obviously been placed on purpose.

Alex took one and began
sweeping. The other packs joined in, marking the conclusion of the first lunch of the term.

The students
went back to their quarters to change.

“Awesome job, Second,” Jericho sai
d. “Way to go beyond the line of duty.”

“Anytime,” Alex replied. He stepped into his room and froze.

The scent of blood filled his nose. He flipped on the light, and grimaced at the carnage. Someone had taken a chicken and smeared the blood all over his bed and the floor. The following word was written in blood on the wall: Dinner.

“I just wanted to ask. . . .” Jericho’s
voice died away when he saw what Alex was looking at. “Any chance that’s syrup?” he asked, though it was obvious by his expression that he could smell the blood.

“It’s alright,” Alex said. “I’ll take care of it.” He took a step forward.

Jericho grabbed Alex’s arm. “No, Alex. We’ll take care of it,” the Alpha said. He called over his shoulder, “Pack Jericho, to Alex’s room.”

Within seconds, every member of the pack was staring at the blood. Cassie’s eyes filled with tears. Alex shook his head, telling her not to cry. She took a calming breath and nodded, but her dark blue
eyes still glittered brightly.

Jericho’s voice carried steel when he told the pack, “Someone came into our quarters and violated the room of one of our pack members. Are we going to stand for this?”

The fierce ‘No’ that answered rang through Alex’s heart. He had never had a pack member defend him before, let alone the Alpha. Alex watched numbly as everyone got to work scrubbing his room. He carried his blankets to the wash basket and was bringing a clean change back when Professor Kaynan opened the door to Pack Jericho’s quarters.