"Do you think we're safe here?" I asked Roman in a small voice.
We were at the site of Uncle Victor's latest project, the mending of an old bell tower and everyone had left knocked off already.
I had stayed behind to keep Roman company. He was in charge of transporting any left over equipment.
I sat in the passenger seat of his truck swinging my legs out of the open door. I had a notebook and pen in my hands because I was supposed to be writing a report for my English class on 'The Little Red Riding Hood'. The most hated book around here. Go figure.
But I got easily distracted as I watched Roman load up another tool box.
"Safe where?" He asked. "As in here in Woodfell?"
He had taken off his outer shirt leaving him with a wifebeater on underneath.
Sweat glittered on his face and I couldn't help but stare at his toned arms as he worked.
"Yeah." I responded. "The war wasn't that long ago. Don't you get scared sometimes? About what could happen if one of the defeated packs decided to rise against us?"
Roman closed the back of the truck seemingly done with loading up everything important.
"Have you been watching that creepy apocalyptic show again?" He asked as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his arm.
I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm serious, Ro."
He walked towards me and placed himself in between my legs.
"The war is over, babe." He spoke.
I looked into his stormy grey eyes and couldn't help but wonder which of his parents he had gotten them from.
I had never asked because I knew it wasn't something he would want to talk about.
"Why are you so worried about a potential doomsday now anyway?" He chuckled.
I shrugged. "Everyone is talking about the unrest with the Reece pack."
There were rumours going around that the Reece pack was threatening to breach the Werewolf Union terms agreements and attack Silvercrest if Tristan didn't increase their rations.
"The Reece pack's alpha is a lazy freeloader. If he's so tired of getting rations from this pack, he should find a way to feed his own." Roman scoffed.
"And as for attacking us," he reached forward and picked up his bag from the floor of the truck. He rummaged in it until he took out a small square box.
He opened the box and took out a thin white strip with what looked like black stickers on it.
"What's that?" I asked curiously.
"I'm actually not supposed to be showing you this but they're called surveillance patches." He explained turning over the strip with the three black circles. "We're learning how to use them in AAP training. They're still in development but I could put one of these on your backpack or on the walls of your room and I'd be able to not only track your location but hear everything you say on an appropriate device."
I took the strip away from Roman and studied it carefully. I was intrigued by the thing, wondering how something so small could possibly do such advanced stuff.
"So you're telling me we spy on other packs?" I asked incredulously. So many questions on morality sprung up.
Roman took the strip away from me and carefully placed it back into the box.
"I'm trying to tell you that we stay ahead of other packs. It's not wrong. It's what all top nations do, ask anyone. It's survival."
"Still seems wrong to me." I muttered.
"As I said, I'm not supposed to be telling you this stuff." He gave me a soft smile.
I pushed his curly hair away from his face. It had grown too long. He was way past due for a haircut. But he had been letting it grow since he joined the AAP. He was too busy for anything really. Even to spend time with me.
That's why I would find myself following him to work like on days like this.
"Then why are you?" I asked curiously.
He was usually tight lipped about training stuff even when Kat practically begged and grovelled for details.
He shrugged. "I just thought you would want to know." He stared into my eyes and smiled. "I love you, you know."
I felt blood rushing to my cheeks. I pushed him playfully. "You better."
He stared at me for a minute longer. I thought he would do something, maybe kiss me? But at the last minute he pulled away.
"Alright. Better get these things to your uncle and get you home before I get in trouble." He announced.
"As if you could ever get in trouble with Uncle Victor." I scoffed.
Uncle Victor pretty much saw Roman as his son.
He adored him.
All the while, Roman shut my door and jumped over the back to get in through the front seat.
"Sure," he leaned forward and strapped in my seat belt. "He trusts me. But when it comes to you, they're no excuses."
"And I like that. Honestly." He continued. "I like that so many people here care about you, even the ones you would least expect."
I looked up at Roman and furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?"
He just looked at me in concentration for a moment.
He then just smiled. "Nothing. We should get going." He started the ignition and buckled his seat belt.
"Then it all kind of just exploded! Like just like that! It was epic." Andre spoke in a loud voice as he explained his fifth grade volcano science project to us.
Well mostly to Allison but I happened to be sitting beside her and turns out Andre isn't the type to make anyone feel left out.
"Oh I remember. My project was right next to yours and you kind of ruined it." She told him.
Andre rolled his eyes as he placed a foot on the bleachers next to where Allison sat.
"You still won, didn't you?"
Allison shrugged and turned her focus back to the text book she was reading.
It really amazed me how a calm girl of so little words got along with super hyper, really talkative Andre.
"Have you guys been friends a long time?" I asked.
Allison looked up from her book and nodded at me. "Pretty much since kindergarten."
I was shocked to say the least. "Really? I would never have guessed. I mean - I've never actually seen you two hang out really until now."
Andre and Allison looked at each other before both saying, at the same time, "high school."
"These things happen. Ali decided to become a full time nerd and spend her days with her nose buried in books." Andre explaine earning a glare from Allison. She threw an MnM from the pack she was eating from and he caught it easily in his mouth and grinned at her.
"And Andre spent his time trying to break all the track records on earth." Allison spoke.
"Look me in the eye and tell me that you don't think Ussain Bolt is a werewolf!" Andre yelled.
I was honestly entertained by their banter and just their friendship in general.
"What about you, Luna Crystal?" Andre asked turning his attention to me.
He had developed a habit of adding Luna to my name like a sort of nickname a friend would give you and I had to say, I wasn't mad.
"What's your excuse for being a total outcast in high school?"
Outcast? I wouldn't describe neither Allison nor Andre as outcasts.
Andre had tons of friends around him all the time. He was the kind of guy who everyone liked. And Allison had a smaller group but friends none the less.
"Isn't it obvious?" I asked nervously.
Allison and Andre stared at me in confusion.
Realisation seemed to dawn on Andre. "Oh, that you're a halfling?" He said it so easily and breezily it couldn't even be considered an insult.
"I don't think that's an excuse." He shrugged.
"That's because you're not one." I muttered.
"I'm black and Ali is half Korean. We could easily be considered outcasts as well, you know. But that's just not the Silvercrest way."
For once I wasn't appreciating Andre's bluntness. "No offence, Andre but you're not the one who got bullied for it by everyone."
Andre looked offended. "With all due respect, Luna, I think by 'everyone', you mean a select few. I don't think you should accuse everyone of being horrible just because Bea and Courtney have a history with halflings."
"Andre!" Allison yelled.
She gave him a meaningful look.
Andre looked away, guilty, like he had just let something slip. "I'm going to do a lap." He mumbled before walking away.
I looked at Allison but she quickly looked away and picked up a book.
What did Andre mean by 'Bea had a history with halflings?'
I turned to look at the other side of the gym where Bea and Courtney sat far away from us - or rather me.
The double doors of the gym swung open.
Peter walked in besides May.
All thoughts of Bea and Courtney left when I remembered what Tristan had said about attending this lesson before I made up my mind about quitting and I couldn't help but wonder what today would be about.
"Gather around guys!" Peter announced. "We need to get right to work."
We all started walking towards them. I
"Morning Luna." Peter nodded at me.
Still didn't like that.
Note to self; ask him to stop.
"Today we're going to be doing something a bit different and -"
The doors swung open and Joshua rushed in, crutch free but still limping.
He stopped to stand next to me.
I took a step away from him.
Petty, I know but it gave me some satisfaction.
I was still mad at him. It was actually mostly embarrament on my part but converted to anger towards him.
"Joshua, you're late." Peter told him.
"Sorry instructor." Joshua responded.
Peter shared a look with May. He looked concerned but he seemed to be trying to mask it behind seriousness. "Five points from you and your partner."
My eyes widened but before I could say anything, Peter shot me a stern look and I shut must lips.
I guess this is how Joshua felt when I had points taken away from us.
Really the only reason we still had points was because he was by far the best in the physical component.
I had been hoping to redeem myself and prove that I wasn't such a sucky partner during the theory assessments.
Studying, I could do.
Lifting weights and running for hours? Nope.
"As I was saying, we're doing something a little different today. As you all know, from recent events, our town is on high security mode. A rogue is believed to be roaming around the area."
I could practically feel Joshua stiffen beside me.
"You guys get a very rare opportunity today." May smirked. "No school today. You're all coming with us to headquarters and you're all going to help the alpha under Peter and I and the Security and Defence wing find the intruder."
"Oh hell yeah!" Andre cheered.
Courtney and Bea beamed at each other in excitement. Even Allison looked happy.
Joshua and I were the only ones who remained indifferent.
We had encountered the rogue first hand, felt the power in his paws... not to take anything away from the rest of the candidates but if that wolf could so easily take down Joshua Melrose, we all had a reason to be worried.
"That's not all." May continued. "Peace talks are being held in Calhoun during the diplomatic meeting next week. The pair that proves the most useful in this endeavour gets to accompany Lady Melrose and I."
"Calhoun territory? No freaking way." Courtney gushed.
The Calhoun pack was probably our only rival in the Werewolf union when it came to size and power. They had great land by the ocean and they actually have the potential to easily beat the Silvercrest pack economically. Problem is, according to Uncle Victor, they have a history of trigger happy alphas who usually see war as the solution to all their problems.
Nevertheless, it's still a pretty big and important pack and Kat is always saying that if she wasn't to be appointed a permanent Apprentice in service of the alpha, she would definitely apply to become an ambassador to the Calhoun pack because it was sure to bring in big bucks.
It took a lot to deal with the administration of the Calhoun pack though, and people who got the job usually quit after a few months.
I don't know why exactly. All I've heard is that the Calhouns are a lot.
"This one is totally ours." Bea smirked.
"Hey Ali and I could have this one in the bag too, you know. Her big brain can help us catch the rogue before you two even put on your lipstick." Andre yelled.
Courtney sneered at him. "Lipgloss, and you could use some Mr chapped lips."
"Okay, okay, enough." Peter ordered. "Everyone to the van outback. We have no time to waste."
"Oh one more thing." Peter spoke giving everyone a stern look. "We are going to headquarters, a place of utmost seriousness. Please do not embarrass me. No wandering off, no touching things you'require not supposed to touch and no talking out of line." His eyes fixed on Andre.
"Oh yeah - got it boss. I will be on my best behaviour." Andre spoke with a nervous smile.
Everyone started following the pair. I felt someone grab my hand to stop me.
Joshua.
He looked at me seriously.
"I have something I need to talk to you about."
I pulled out of his hold. "No thank you, Joshua." I told him.
I wasn't good at this icing people out thing so I quickly walked away before he could say anything else. For the first time, I was thankful for his limp which would surely slow him down.
Joshua could say whatever he wanted but what he did would never be okay.