Becoming Alpha (23 page)

A blond colored wolf jumped into the fight.

“That’s Chris,” Meredith said.

A large brown wolf ran into the courtyard, followed by two more–a black and a white wolf. My hands shook as I watched them fight.

The vampires moved with quick, slashing movements.

A yelp rang in my ears. One of the vampires had torn Chris’ leg. His blond fur stained with red.

The brown wolf ripped into a vampire, ripping off its leg.

“That’s Mr. Dawson,” Meredith said.

I had no idea how she could tell them apart, but I took her word for it.

Before it could rise, wolf-Dawson slashed a paw at the vampire’s neck, severing the head.

My throat was dry as I watched the gore.

The other vampires fled, taking off through the woods. The wolves howled and all but two followed them into the tree line.

Mr. Miller, the chemistry teacher, ran out from the medical building with a bag in his hand. “I’ll finish. Go!” he said.

Mr. Dawson and Dastien disappeared after the escaping vampires.

Mr. Miller opened the bag and took out a bottle. Then he punched through the chest of a vampire, and ripped out a ball of black goo. He dumped the bottle on the vamp and lit a match.

I turned away from the window as my dinner started to come back up. “That’s disgusting.”

Shaking, I sat down hard on the ground.

“Totally,” Meredith said.

My breaths started to come easier after a few minutes. But then the worry for Dastien seeped in. I hugged my knees into my chest.

Holy shit, that was close.

I owed Dastien my life.

There was a knock on the open door. Dr. Gonazales didn’t wait for me to answer. “Are you okay?”

I started to say yes, but hesitated. “I don’t know.” My neck still ached. I ran my fingers over it. “Something burned me.”

The doctor set her bag next to me. “Vampire venom. Toxic stuff. But he didn’t bite you, so that’s good. If it gets into your blood stream, then you’ve got a bigger problem.” She cleaned my neck with an alcohol swipe and spread sticky goo over the spot. “Keep this covered and dry for tonight,” she said as she taped on a bandage. “It should be fine by tomorrow.”

“I thought werewolves healed quickly.”

“This is a supernatural injury. It’ll heal slower.”

Just when I thought I’d get some use out of the whole werewolf thing, it failed me. Typical. “Is Chris going to be okay?”

“He ran off with the others, most likely making his injury worse. But he’ll be fine once I fix him up.”

Mrs. Ramirez took a step into the room. “Girls, stay in the dorm. We’re under lockdown. Windows bolted. Curtains closed. No matter what you hear going on outside. Understood?”

“Absolutely, Ms. Ramirez,” Meredith said.

“Good.” She left. A second later we heard her knocking next door, spreading the word.

Dr. Gonzales shut the window, clicked the lock and pulled the curtains tight. “You didn’t read the book?”

“What book?”

She stepped over to my desk and picked up the thin volume—
The Werewolf’s Bible.

I shrugged. “It’s been a bit of a rough week.” I probably should’ve put on gloves and read the damned thing, but no one expects a vampire invasion. “How come it hypnotized me so easily?”

“You met his gaze?”

I nodded.

Meredith slapped my shoulder. “Next time, don’t do that.”

“We’re not as weak as humans,” Dr. Gonzales said. “It’s like when someone punches you when you’re not ready. It takes you by surprise. But if you are braced for it, it’ll graze on by. Just stay away from the window and never ever meet their gaze unprepared.” She placed the book back on my desk. “Please try to read this. It explains a lot.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I guess maybe we should get ready for bed?” Meredith said when Dr. Gonzales left.

Bed? Was she kidding? Vampires attacked the school. One nearly killed me. Dastien and Mr. Dawson and the rest were out there. Fighting. Not to mention the adrenaline still working its way through me. “I don’t think I can sleep.”

“It must be weird for you to see that. But really, it’s going to be fine. They can’t come out during the day, and the Cazadores will come soon and watch over us at night.” She squatted in front of me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I pulled my hair back and saw my hands shaking. “I don’t know.” I thought for a second. “What else can vampires do?”

“You mean besides controlling your body if you meet their gaze and drain all the blood from you?”

Holy shit. “Yeah, besides that.”

“Some of them are said to have magical powers, not that I’ve seen it. Their saliva is poisonous to us, but usually if you’re close enough to find that out you’re going to be dead soon. You got lucky.” She paused. “And they glide over the ground, so they don’t make sound. And they can glamour humans into thinking they don’t look nasty. Also, they can leap really high. And—”

I waved my hand through the air. “Enough. I don’t think my puny ex-human brain can take any more tonight.”

Meredith laughed. “Listen. How about you get ready for bed, and then we’ll watch a movie in my room? Something fun and silly.”

I grabbed some pajamas, but kept looking toward my window. I didn’t dare go near it. That feeling when I looked at the vampire, like that thing had control over me, chilled me. It invaded my brain. I never wanted to feel that again.

I pulled on some shorts and a tank, and snatched a pillow off my bed.

“
Sixteen Candles
or
Mean Girls
?” Meredith said as I walked into her room.

“
Mean Girls
.”

“Done.”

I snuggled down on her fluffy rug and hugged my pillow.

I swore I could hear Dastien howling in the distance.

Mr. Dawson had been right. Too much of this was a coincidence. I come here and then the vampires. As much as I didn’t want it to be about me, what if it was? Or what if I was the excuse?

What if Mr. Hoel was the rogue? And Imogene was helping him?

I hoped I was wrong. That this blew over, but if it didn’t—then I’d made some pretty powerful enemies already. I was going to have to start watching my back.

***

The sound of scratching pulled me from my dreams. Little nails clawing. Followed by a very soft whining noise. How had I gotten back in my room? Were the vampires back? I looked at the window, but the curtains were still tightly closed. It was coming from my door.

No way they could get inside. Or so I hoped.

Maybe if I ignored it, it would go away.

More scratching and whining. That sounded dog-like. Or wolf-like.

I put a pillow on top of my head.

More scratching and whining.

I grabbed a tissue, ripped it in half, and shoved it in my ears. I sandwiched my head back in between the pillows.

More scratching and whining.

I threw off the covers and stomped over to the door.

On the other side was Dastien in wolf-form. He came up to my waist, and looked like he weighed a ton. Amber eyes stared at me.

I dropped to my knees and ran my fingers through his thick fur, searching for any signs of damage. “Are you okay? I was so worried—”

Shit. I probably shouldn’t have said that.

I stepped away from him.

He lay down on the ground and covered his face with his front paws and let out a pitiful whine.

I gave it my best guess. “You’re sorry?”

He sat up, and gave a soft woof.

Good thing Meredith slept like the dead.

I didn’t know what to say. Now that I knew he was okay, some of my anger was back. The guy had been avoiding me after biting me.

But he did kind of save me.

He whined again.

“If you want to talk you should shift back to human. So you can actually talk.”

He huffed.

“What? It’s against the rules?”

He yipped.

“Guess I’m not going to find out about what happened with all the vampires then, huh?” He tilted his head to the side. “Well, thanks for saving me. But you’re really giving me mixed signals. Ignoring me one second and ordering me around the next. I’m not sure why you’re here.”

He started sniffing at my belly, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I tried to push him away. “I’m fine. Really. Just a scratch.”

He tried to get between me and the door.

“You want me to let you in? It’s like four AM. I have to get up in a few hours.”

He sat, and looked up at me. I took a step back to close the door, but he darted past.

I growled. How was I going to get a huge wolf out of my room?

Maybe having Dastien there wasn’t a horrible thought. If there were vampires around, then he would offer a measure of protection.

Shit. That’s why he was here. To see if I was okay, and to keep watch.

I closed the door behind me. “If I let you stay, then there are rules. First, you will not—I repeat—will not be changing in the middle of the night. If I wake up with you naked in my bed, there will be hell to pay. Whatever it is that’s going on with us, we’re not at that part yet.”

He tilted his head to the side and made a little coughing sound.

Was he laughing at me? “You should be thanking the Baby Jesus that I even let you in.” Which wasn’t entirely true. He’d gotten past me fair and square. “Second thing, I’m going to sleep. You keep me awake and you’re out.” I wasn’t sure I could follow up on that threat, but it was the best I could do right then.

He jumped up on the bed, circled around once, and then plopped down—nearly taking up the whole thing.

I shoved at him. “Scoot over.” I crawled under the sheets. It was dangerous, just giving in like that. If I had more energy to think about the implications, I would have kicked his hairy tush out of my bed. But I didn’t.

Wolfy-Dastien moved so that he surrounded me. His warm wolf breath hit the back of my neck. He whimpered and touched his nose gently to the bandage.

“Cut it out.” I shoved at him again, but he didn’t move much.

Having him there should have weirded me out, but it didn’t. His breath moved in and out, lulling me. I didn’t have time to freak. One second I was thinking about how warm and relaxed I was, and the next I was in Dreamville.

When I woke, it was to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. Bright light glowed at the edges of my curtains. I’d slept through the rest of night like a rock. I stretched as I reveled in my refreshed state of mind.

And then I remembered I wasn’t alone.

I shot out of bed, but he wasn’t there. I walked over to the bathroom.

Empty.

He was gone. I should’ve been glad. It shouldn’t have ruined my good mood. But it did. It kind of hurt.

Why was I in a good mood in the first place? It’s not like I really wanted him to stay with me. Did I?

That damned boy was bad for my brain.

I got ready as fast as I could, and peeked into Meredith’s room. She wasn’t there either. I checked the time. She’d be in the cafeteria still. I grabbed a pair of black lace gloves that stopped at my wrists and ran out the door.

When I got to the cafeteria, a boy was waiting at the door. He held out a tray for me.

“I don’t need any help,” I said. I cringed at my own words.

He looked at me like I’d just kicked his puppy. “You need extra protein after the attack. Just wanted to make sure you knew.”

I was officially a terrible person. “Thank you,” I said as I took the tray. “I didn’t know. I really appreciate it.”

He nodded, and walked off.

Hopefully some food would help with my mood. I piled my plate high with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, and pancakes, and went toward our table.

Dastien’s laugh carried over the voices in the room, warming me. He was sitting at my table. With my new friends. He pushed out the chair between him and Shannon without standing up. That was a slick move. I couldn’t ever tell what was going on with him. He ignored me half the time, and the other half alternated between bossing me around and being so perfectly sweet.

It was beyond confusing.

Still, I couldn’t just give him what he wanted all the time. That whole claiming me thing still bugged the crap out of me. I plunked my tray down next to Chris on the opposite side of the table. The conversation stopped.

“You smell…confused…annoyed…I don’t know but I don’t like it,” Dastien said.

“That’s really creepy. And makes me feel like I need to take another shower.” I crumpled in my chair. “Normal people say, ‘You look upset.’ Just FYI.”

His smile faded. “I’ll leave.”

Shit. Now I’d kicked two puppies. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound…I just…I’m going to shut up now.” I’d never had a boyfriend. Dastien was my first kiss. My first everything. Him
sleeping in my bed meant something, even if he was a furball. It hurt that he’d left before I even woke up.

Was he embarrassed of me? Or ashamed? Or worse—was it only his wolf that wanted me?

I shoved my tray to the middle of the round table and rested my head on the cool Linoleum. A warm hand settled over my back.

“Don’t touch her,” Dastien growled.

I whipped my head up. Bossypants was back with a vengeance. “Seriously? Please don’t tell me that after your days long disappearing act—which, by the way, you were painfully consistent with this morning—”

“Tessa—” Dastien started, but I held my hand up.

If we did this here and now I was totally going to cry. “Let’s talk about it later.”

No one said anything as I downed half my Diet Coke in one gulp. Maybe it would’ve been better to go for the regular Coke these days, but I’d grown accustomed to the taste. A girl needed a little something familiar when surrounded by the completely unfamiliar.

The sounds of the cafeteria as people moved around, grabbing their breakfast and chatting about last night’s attack, filled the silence at our table as I took a bite of food.

Dastien looked across the room as Mr. Dawson walked through the door. They were having some sort of unspoken conversation that involved minute changes in body language. Dastien nodded and stood up.

“Catch you later,” I said. It sounded pitiful, even to me. For once it’d be nice to be the one doing the leaving.