Chapter 5

OLIVE

I wake up with a groan.

~Oh, great. The day of reckoning is here.~

I drag myself out of bed and stumble into the bathroom. I look in the mirror and see my messy hair and sleep-rumpled face.

I brush my hair, part it down the middle, and then loosely braid it into a casual bun.

I pull on my favorite high-waisted Levi’s, chunky white sneakers, and a plain white T-shirt before heading downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.

Mom’s already left for work, but she’s left a note on the table.

“Good morning, sweetheart! I’ve left a fruit smoothie in the fridge for you. Have a great first day, can’t wait to hear all about it! Love, Mom.”

Her enthusiasm makes me smile. I grab the smoothie from the fridge, sling my backpack over my shoulder, and head out the door.

The walk to college takes about twenty minutes. I could have walked faster, but honestly, there are a million other places I’d rather be.

I’ve chosen Pack Law and Politics as my major. I want to become a pack lawyer someday. Maybe then I can help others like me, the ones who don’t quite fit in.

I want to make a difference. I don’t want to be like those bitter she-wolves who reject someone just because they smell different. I want to help people, regardless of their background, species…or unusual scents.

I’ve also signed up for the pack’s combat training. It’s not required, but I’ve always enjoyed a good spar.

Who wants to be the wolf hiding indoors? Not me. I’d rather be out there, helping the pack defend against intruders and kicking ass!

The Dark Wood Pack is one of the top three packs for their training program. They’re known for their warriors.

I reach the college gates. The place has a village-like feel to it. It’s surprisingly peaceful for a college, which makes me feel relaxed, almost safe.

I step inside. The halls are filled with students rushing past each other. Any sense of safety I felt earlier instantly disappears.

I head to my first class. I can already feel the side glances and hear the whispers.

I try to ignore the stares, but it’s hard when it feels like almost everyone is looking at you.

I find my class. I spot some empty tables at the back, far away from everyone else.

~Perfect,~ I think. I sit down and pull out my book, using it as a shield.

The room is quiet, except for the whispers that are probably about me.

Suddenly, the whispers stop. I can feel the tension in the room but I refuse to look up.

“Ahem!”

I peek over my book and see…Amber…and Alice, trying and failing to hold her sister back, as usual.

“Why are ~you~ in ~my~ seat?”

~Oh, great. That explains why this area was empty. It’s Amber’s territory. Good job, Olive!~

Alice peeks around Amber. “It’s okay, really, don’t move. We’ll find somewhere else to sit.”

I glance around the room. Everyone is watching, waiting for the drama to unfold.

~Vultures.~

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize it was your seat. I can move,” I say, trying to sound as non-confrontational as possible, even though it’s annoying Raven.

“Ugh, does anyone have any spray? The ~freak~ has stunk up my desk!”

I feel my face heat up. I quickly gather my things and move to a table near the front, trying to ignore the students who are laughing or smirking at my expense.

I can feel their stares.

I hear Amber behind me. “Who does she think she is? Does she need a reminder of who she’s dealing with?”

I roll my eyes. ~Spoiled brat.~

When the teacher walks in, things quiet down. I can still feel someone watching me, probably Amber.

As soon as class is over, I hurry out of the room and head to the cafeteria. It’s already crowded, with students sitting and chatting.

I get some pasta with tomato sauce and a yogurt. I find a table that’s quiet but still somewhat hidden in the crowd.

I keep my head down as I eat. I wish it wasn’t so hot today so I could hide under a big hoodie.

I feel someone watching me from another table. I try not to look, but curiosity gets the better of me and I sneak a peek.

A guy is looking at me. He’s not bad looking, but he’s not my type. He’s tall and thin, not the usual build for a werewolf. When our eyes meet, he grins.

He stands up and walks over to me.

He plops down next to me and holds out his hand. I just stare at it, wondering if it’s some kind of joke.

“Hey, don’t worry. I don’t bite…unless you want me to.” He winks.

I groan inwardly. ~Please, just leave me alone.~

“Thanks for the warning. But I’d rather eat alone, if you don’t mind.”

“Come on, gorgeous. Can’t blame a guy for trying!”

“As I said, ~thanks~ but ~no~ thanks.” I give him a pointed look.

He raises his hands in surrender as he backs away. “Alright, alright. You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

He goes back to his table.

“She’s not interested, cold-hearted bitch.” I hear him tell his friends.

“I heard she’s the one Amber’s been calling a freak,” one of his friends says. They all look over at me, continuing their hushed conversation.

I wrap up my lunch and head out into the hallway. I pause to study a bulletin board filled with staff photos, familiarizing myself with their faces so I’ll recognize them when we cross paths.

Next, I head to the girls’ locker room to gear up for training. I change into the matching black sports bra and leggings I brought along.

I let out a deep sigh. ~Finally, a chance to blow off some steam.~

Honestly, I’ve been looking forward to this all day. Not only does it help me vent some of my pent-up anger, but I genuinely enjoy combat.

Naturally, I don’t unleash my full strength and agility, but it’s enough to get the job done.

I step into the gym. The floors are spring-loaded to cushion falls and minimize the risk of injury. I join my group in the far corner, waiting for our instructor to show up.

Two men enter; one is the combat coach and head warrior of the pack, known as Mr. O. The other…I don’t recall seeing him on the board.

He’s tall, maybe six foot three, with light blond hair and striking blue eyes. He’s sporting a gym shirt that clings to his chest and arms. His arms are massive!

As he approaches, I take in his face. He’s incredibly handsome with a hint of stubble. He radiates dominance and power.

~Ah, that must be Alpha Max.~

Raven perks up and starts drooling, predictably.

~Want. Want! Can we have this one? Please, please, please!?~

~No, Raven. We don’t need him.~

~But look at his arms! If his arms are that big, I wonder how big his—~

I shove her to the back of my mind before she can finish her sentence, but I have a pretty good idea ~exactly~ where she was going with that.

Mr. O begins, “Good afternoon, everyone! As you can see, our alpha has decided to join us to see what talent we have in our class.

“This is a great opportunity for you budding warriors to show off your skills ~and~ impress your alpha. Please pair up. We’ll be practicing our kill tactics today.”

I scan the room for someone, anyone, to partner with me.

The rest of the class quickly pairs up with their friends.

Everyone ~but~ me has a partner.

Mr. O is about to say something when the gym doors burst open and in struts Amber, acting like she owns the place, with Alice trailing quietly behind.

“Ah, Amber and Alice. How nice of you to join us! Seeing as the newbie here is the last wolf unpaired, Amber, you can be her sparring partner. Alice, with me.”

Alice gives me a sympathetic look, clinging to her sister, urging her to play nice. Amber snaps her eyes to mine, glaring at me murderously as if this is somehow my fault.

Her glare morphs into a sadistic smile.

~Well, that can’t be good.~

She stalks toward me like I’m her next meal. I position myself on a free spot on the spring-loaded floor.

“Just so you know, ~freak~, I’m going to savor every last bit of this.”

We start to circle each other.

~Thought you might. Now, do I let her beat me to avoid making myself an even bigger target, or do I kick her ass?~

~Take. The. Bitch. Down!~ Raven insists.

~Come on, Raven. We need to be strategic about this. I think she’ll make my life harder if I beat her!~

~UGH, fine! But one day, mark my words, I will destroy her. Can we at least land a couple of good hits?~

I smirk. ~Okay, Raven.~

Amber lunges at me, claws out. She tries to swipe an uppercut, but I step and spin away from her claws.

She glances back at me over her shoulder, fuming. She whirls around in a rage and slashes her claws wildly, trying to land a solid hit.

I dodge any swipes that would leave a nasty scratch, but I let her land a couple. This seems to please her. I can see the satisfied glint in her eye.

I can feel someone’s gaze on me, but I’m not sure whose it is.

Now it’s my turn to go on the offensive. I charge at her then slide just as she swipes at the empty air above my head.

~Tsk-tsk, miscalculation there, Amber. I expected better from the alpha’s sister!~

I kick the back of her knee and she doubles over; I see my chance to execute a kill move. I don’t take it. ~Must play the submissive, meek, little wolf, remember?~

My deliberate hesitation gives Amber the chance to spin on me and press her claws to my throat.

“Point to me,” Amber declares smugly.

She deliberately presses her claws too close, just piercing my skin enough to probably draw blood.

I start to feel the rage rising, the now-familiar scratching sensation at my shoulder blades.

~Breathe, Olive, breathe! Big breath in, slowwwwly out.~

I close my eyes and focus on my breathing for a few seconds until my emotions are back under control.

Mr. O calls out, “Win to Amber!”

Raven is growling with disapproval. If it were up to her, we’d show everyone our true strength.

After a few more wins for Amber, Mr. O announces the end of the session.

I sigh with relief. As much as I usually enjoy combat training, I don’t like having to pretend I’m ~that~ submissive.

As I’m leaving the gym, I feel large hands on my shoulder; they spin me around, forcing me to come face to face with…

Alpha Max.

Raven is practically drooling because someone has touched our skin, and not just anyone, an alpha.

“You’re the new transfer, correct?” he asks.

“Yes, Alpha.” I bow my head in a show of respect.

“Why did you do that?” I look up to see he’s giving me a questioning look.

Then I look everywhere ~but~ his eyes. You should never look an alpha in the eyes.

~Oh please. Is he really upset about the few hits I landed on his precious sister?~

“I’m sorry, Alpha. I’m not following?”

“I watched you fight Amber… You let her win, why?” he probes.

“I don’t know what you mean. Amber won fair and square,” I say, feigning innocence.

He folds his arms across his chest. “You had plenty of chances to take the kill shot. You purposely let her bounce back.” His gaze sharpens. “Why are you pulling your punches?”

“I-I’m not. I just didn’t see my chance until it was too late, that’s all. I promise,” I reply, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

“Hmm. Tomorrow, you’re sparring with me,” he declares, leaving no room for argument.

With that, he spins on his heel and storms out of the gym. I’m left standing there, my mouth hanging open, trying to make sense of the situation I’ve somehow landed myself in.

~Shit.~