Chapter 39: Brutal Honesty

Chapter 39

Brutal Honesty

I lifted up my shirt to see my darkened ribs. At least it was in a place that was easy to hide. I grabbed my sweater off the bathroom counter and put it on. With a deep breath, I prepare myself to act like all was well and my touring lesson. My shoulder instantly dropped. I bet werewolves don’t have to pass math.

Exiting the bathroom, I went downstairs to find my mother just finishing up breakfast.

“Good morning, sweetheart. Hurry and eat we need to leave soon, so we can get there in time.”

I slumped down at the table. “This really isn’t how I’d like to spend my Saturday.”

“Well you’re still grounded, so I think it’s a perfect opportunity to get out of the house, because otherwise, you’re not going anywhere.” She gave me a warm smile as she set my plate in front of me.

“Thanks mom,” I muttered.

“Make sure you don’t forget any of your assignments. Oh and the list Mr. Phillips gave you on what to study for the test.”

I stacked the scrambled eggs on a piece of bread. “It’s all in my bookbag.” I started to eat as she wandered about the kitchen.

“Quint,” she called.

“Yes,” he called from the living room. “We’ll be heading out now.” She grabbed my plate, right after I finished the last stray piece of egg. “Do you mind picking Aden up at 3 from tutoring.”

I groaned and laid my head on the table. “Why does it have to be so long?”

My father appeared in the walkway. “Because it takes time to gage where you’re at, so they can help you. If we don’t start seeing improvement, you’ll keep having to spend your entire Saturdays there.”

“Quint.” My mother grabbed her purse. “Leave him be.” She tapped my shoulder. “It’ll only be for three hours next week.” She gave my father a kiss. “Three o’clock.”

“I’ll be there,” he replied.

She smiled and headed toward the garage. “Let’s be going, Aden.”

Slumping to my feet, I hurried upstairs to get my bookbag and went to meet my mother in the car.

“It won’t be that bad, Aden.” She put on her sunglasses. “I talked to your tutor last night, and I really think you’re going to like him.”

***

My mom parked the car and I glanced over at the sign. Franklin Tutoring and Mentorship Center, my shoulder dropped.

“This is not happening,” I muttered, rubbing my face.

“Enough,” my mother patted my knee. “Let’s go in and meet your new tutor.”

She climbed out of the car, and I dragged myself out as well. This whole thing was embarrassing. It was probably a good thing everyone already thought I was a loser at school, because this would have Mr. Valedictorian laughing along with his followers.

My mother opened the door for me and ushered me through with a smile. It wasn’t going to work today. My mood was too far gone to be salvage now. She walked up the receptionist’s desk.

The brown haired lady with gray mixed throughout looked up from her computer. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m Karen Perri.” She grabbed my arm and yanked me forward. “And this is Aden. He’s here for math tutoring.”

She gave me a big warm smile. It felt practiced, and I wasn’t buying its sincerity.

“Comrade has been waiting for you.” She stood. “Just a moment Mrs. Perri. I have some things for you to sign, but I’ll introduce Aden first, so they can get started.” She motioned for me to follow with a little too much enthusiasm.

I trudged after her and waited outside the door, marking with Staff Lounge. I heard talking, before she returned with a blond haired man. He looked like a math whiz, but it might have been the black framed glasses he was wearing too.

“Hey, I’m Comrade.” He offered his hand.

I shook it. “Aden.”

“Are you ready then?”

“Let’s get this over with.” I slipped past him to the room filled with tables.

Other students were sitting throughout with college aged looking people. I spotted an open round table in the corner and went to it. Throwing my bookbag on top, I sunk down in the seat by the wall.

Comrade walked over with a clipboard and sat beside me. “So, you obviously are not here by choice.”

I nodded and laid my head down. “I’m failing life.”

Comrade laughed. “Well here it says just math. You’re doing fine in English, and History.”

My eyes grew wide as I saw the paper he was reading. “Do they give you my whole school record?” All my grades from every class I had taken in high school was sitting there. The current semester had it even further broken down to assignments.

“Basically.” He flapped the cover sheet back over and set the board to the side. “It so we can see exactly where you’re struggling, and it looks to me it’s just math.” He gave me a smile.

I frowned and laid my chin on the table. “I suck at it. I understand why adding and subtracting is important, but all this xyz stuff doesn’t make sense.”

“That is why you are here?” He grabbed my bookbag. Unzipping it, he stared at the overflowing papers. “And today we’re going to start with organization.”

I groaned. This was going to be a long lesson.

***

I marched out of the tutoring center with my head pointed at the ground. I left with more homework than I had walked into the building with. Comrade was an okay guy; I just didn’t care about math. After I graduated, I was going to become a werewolf anyways, so I could honestly say getting a passing grade didn’t matter.

My dad was sitting in his truck, tapping his fingers on his steering wheel along to the music. I opened the door and climbed in.

“How’d it go?”

I shrugged. “It’s over.”

“Aden,” he breathed. “You need to focus on your school work, so you can graduate.” He pulled out of his parking spot and onto the road. “It’s important. You won’t be able to get into a good college unless you bring your grades up.”

“I’m not going to college, though,” I muttered.

“Of course you are. We’ve been talking about it since your junior year. You need a quality education, so you get a good job.”

“I don’t need a job,” I shot back in a hushed voice.

“Aden Perri, if you suggestion anything to with that boy, stop it, right now.”

“Why he already took my virginity, he might as well have the rest.”

My dad slammed on the breaks well before the stoplight. “I get it.” He turned to me in his seat. “You’re going through a lot right now, with Chris at school and Titus take up the rest of the day, but you will not talk like that. That kind of attitude towards yourself won’t do now, and it definitely won’t go well in a wolf pack.”

I sunk down in my seat and watched the light turn green. “Sorry, it just been a really bad day.”

He nodded.

“Dad?”

“Hmmm….”

“Can I ask you something about well about werewolves?”

“Aden,” he breathed, tightening his hold on the steering wheel.

“I’m going to have to make a decision, dad, and I can talk to anyone else about it. Titus isn’t going to tell me about the bad stuff. I just,” I shrugged. “I just want to know what would happen if I did go with him.”

He sighed. “Alright, but just so we’re clear, I’m against it. It’s not because I dislike Titus either.” He glanced over at me.

“Dad, you hate him. You’ve made that clear.”

“No, I do not,” he said firmly. “I hate what he is. I don’t like their society, Aden. It’s a hierarchy set in stone, and if you get placed at the bottom, there is nothing you can do to get out. They’re some good things about it, I’ll admit that. Family and the pack comes first always to werewolf. Gender means nothing, but strength.” His eyes met mine. “Strength determines your rank, and that isn’t fair.”

I rang my hands together. “I’m not very strong, or tall. Not compared to them.”

“I know,” he said softly. “That what scares me.” He took in a deep breath. “I don’t know Titus well enough to hand over my son in that kind of environment.” He shifted in his seat, while chewing on the side of his cheek. “I know he has feelings for you, but if he ever let you become an omega, I would kill him.”

I sat still and stared at my lap.

“I’ve seen what it’s like for wolves at the bottom. Lower ranks have it rough, but the protection of the pack is worth the extra work. Omegas, though.” He clenched his jaw. “Some packs send them away, do you know that?” he said sternly. “Send them off to fight against rogues. They stand less chance at surviving than a baby deer.”

I shook my head. “No… I didn’t know.”

“Northern Ridge doesn’t, but the thought of you being an omega even in that pack.”

I heard his teeth grind together.

“I’m just a human, but all it takes is one well placed bullet to bring a werewolf down.”

“Dad, stop,” I breathed.

“That’s what I would do, if a man tried to force my son.”

My head shot up. “Don’t say things like that. I told you, Titus didn’t. That’s something serious; it not something to joke about.”

“I wasn’t talking about Titus. That’s what happened to mateless omegas, Aden. They’re kicked around and treated like trash. I’m not going to let that happen to you. You’re my son. I’m going to do everything possible to keep you away from the world.”

I suck in my lips and thought for a moment. “I might not be an omega, though.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. “I could be a middle rank.”

“You won’t know until you’re mated what color your fur will be.”

I glanced at my dad. “The alpha and Darius, they talked about my hair.” A black strand fell over my eye. “They said it doesn’t reflect a sub.”

He nodded. “For males, the darker the color the more dominant the werewolf. Something to do with their genetics. Right now, you’re still human. It won’t be until you shift for the first time that the color will change.”

“It could stay the same though,” I added. “Or just lighten a little bit.”

“Aden,” my father said pained. “Werewolves are born with ingrained instincts. Titus knows what he wants in a mate. A sub, and his instincts brought him to you.”

“You don’t know that, though,” I replied.

“I hope not. I really hope he chose you for other reasons, but every turned human I’ve know that was taken by a highly ranking dominant male, have all been ranked as omegas.”

“What would he want with an omega,” I snapped, feeling my eyes burn. “I’ve read stuff, and werewolves don’t like omegas. They don’t. So Titus won’t want one.”

We sat in silence for a moment. Just the rhythm of the tires against the pavement echoing through the truck.

“Opposites Aden,” he whispered. “Every dominant werewolf wants a submissive mate. There is no better place to look than among omegas.”

I turned to the window and wiped my face. He was wrong. He had to be wrong. But Titus had told me about the roles. The sub and the dominant that what he wanted for us. The guy at the hot pool had said I’d be lower rank to omega. I clasped my mouth. Xavier kept pointing out certain tendencies. I blinked back tears and took a calming breath. Everyone liked my eyes. That’s the one thing they always like about my appearance. I had never thought seriously about the possibility that I could be an omega.

“Dad, do they have darker eyes? Do dominants have darker eyes too?”

“Yes, yes they do.”