Wylde Ride

Chapter 1: Say What?

"Scott?" Dad called after me. I ignored him. He had a patient to attend to, so I knew he wouldn't be following me. I leaned against the wall just a short ways down the hall, closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm myself. I didn't get it. Why was I so sensitive about this all of a sudden? It wasn't like I hadn't known that my interest in medicine was totally pointless. I knew what was expected of me. If Dad wasn't so damned determined to keep us kids out of the Academy, I would have joined long ago. I would be a Team Lead, like he was. The thought made my skin crawl. I was no leader, I wasn't stupid enough to believe I was. Look at how I'd handled my little brother, Blaze. I had listened to, and believed, what everyone said about him, thought he was a real bastard, and treated him like he was the biggest fuck up around. At least until that little spitfire he's dating decided to tell me just what she thought of me. It had me think, forced me to look at my actions and really look at my brother. It taken time for me get there, I can be a stubborn ass sometimes, but I found that I had really done him a big disservice. Blaze was nothing like what everyone said. Yeah, Okay, he looked like a bad boy but so did Dad North 90 percent of the time and he was a big ol' teddy bear. A growly teddy bear, but one nonetheless. Calmer, I crossed my arms over my chest and looked around. Dad walked out of room and looked around the hall a moment before spotting me and heading my direction, a look of concern on his face that made me groan. He was going to pry. Why did parents always pry? Do you know how much worse it is with ten of them?

"Scott, Are you okay?" I glanced down at the silver wristwatch he'd given me for my last birthday in an attempt to evade his eyes.

"MmHmm, I gotta run. I'm supposed to meet dad for breakfast at the Diner." Which had the benefit of being true as well as getting me away from Dad's prying. I pushed off the wall, starting down the hall with Dad following. "He said he had some really important stuff to talk to me about." We paused at the end of the hall and he looked me over with worry in his eyes. I gave what I hoped was a reassuring smile before I gave him a quick hug and took off. I knew he was watching me go but I was also confident he didn't know what the problem was. I had firmly locked it away in the "Never to see the light of day" box.

The diner hadn't changed since Uncle opened it doors twenty years ago. Only the people coming here had and there was a particularly unpleasent one heading into the diner from across the parking lot as I pulled in. I quickly parked and exited the car. I managed to get in front of her just before she got to the door.

"You're not welcome here Amy" I was growling. She flipped her long, black hair over her shoulder and smirked at me.

"This is a public establishment. You can't stop me from going in. I have business inside." Her snarky attitude seriously pissed me off even more than her presence.

"Watch me stop you. He has a girlfriend, Amy. One he happens to love. He doesn't want you, He doesn't even like you. He had never wanted or liked you. Get that through your imbecilic little brain." To my total shock, She burst out in peals of the most hideous laughter.

"Oh. My. God. You mean that stupid, plain girl he's dating out of pity! You think he's in love with her? How stupid can you be?" I was about five seconds from punching her if I hadn't been taught to never hit a girl. Even still, my fists clenched at my sides. Amy got a hold of herself and straightened, her face going dark and serious, something mildly crazy flaring in her eyes.

"You get this through YOUR imbecilic little brain, Scott Lee, Blaze doesn't love that insipid twit. He loves me." Her finger was poking my chest to punctuate each word. All I could think was I was going to have to wash my chest with acid tonight. It was getting very hard to not hit her. Before I could do anything in return, a familiar pink bike tore into the parking lot, spraying dirt and rocks all over Amy but missing me entirely. Amy sputtered and spewed before storming off.

I glanced over to see Lesia already heading my direction. I couldn't move. Seriously, no possible way to move. Did she have to wear such tight jeans? It was almost as bad as what she'd been wearing the day we met, when she plastered herself against me in the lunchroom. After that little incident, I'd been so turned on I couldn't think straight for the rest of the day. Of course it had nothing on the dress she'd barely been wearing at homecoming last night. Her face lit up as she saw me standing there. She moved in close and hell, she smelled good. Her fingers brushed across my abs and every brain cell I had short circuited.

"Hey Sexy," She purred at me, "If you want to thank me for getting rid of the bitch, stick around until after my shift." With a quick peck to my cheek she was gone. It took a little bit for my brain cells to start firing again. Wait, had she just said after her shift? She was working at the diner? Since when?

Dad's car pulled in, jerking me from thoughts of Lesia. I gave myself a quick look over, just to be sure I was still put together right. Long sleeved, pale blue button down tucked into khakis with a black belt. Yep. Still looked right. Not wanting dad to think I had been waiting on him, I turned and walked into the diner. I waved at Dad Luke, behind the counter, and noted that Lesia was nowhere in sight as I found a booth for Dad and I that seemed to be in relative privacy.

"North! Scott is here!" I heard Dad Luke shout to the kitchen and grinned. I loved when Dad North was working. An answering growl from the kitchen was indiscernible but I knew what he was asking.

"Burrito." I told Dad Luke, who relayed it Dad North in the kitchen. Dad slid into the booth across from me. Everyone was always telling me how much I looked like my dad. Even Grandma Erica said it all the time. I didn't see it. My plain brown hair and green eyes had nothing on Dad's rich brown locks or emerald gaze. That same gaze smiled at me now.

"Hey Scott."

"Hi Dad. You said you need to talk to me, what's up?" I wanted to know what seemed to so serious. Whatever was going on, I hoped i could handle it. I had to. It was what I supposed to do as the eldest, as Kota's son.

"Yeah, I do. I had an interesting conversation with Malory at the hospital when your brother was there." What? What did this have to do with me? And why wouldn't Mal tell me? Before either of could say another word, a glass of milk and a plate with a huge three pepper, beef and bean burrito smothered in pepper jack cheese and super spicy queso was set in front of me. My mouth watered just looking at it but I saw Dad wince. He'd tried a bite once but decided it was too spicy for him. I dug in as he went on.

" Malory said some things have been happening with you. She seems to think you've been a bit of a bastard to your siblings." My fork froze halfway to my mouth, Part from the bastard comment and part from shock. "She told me some of the things that have been happening behind our backs, most notably your treatment of Blaze." I kept eating as he speared me with a stern look, " I'm a bit disappointed Scott." Disappointed? No, please. I tried! I tried to be like him but every time I do i feel like my skin is too small and I need to claw my way out. " We've talked about how to handle this, your fathers, your mother and I. I don't know where we went wrong and I won't sit here and chronicle your behaviours. We think maybe it's time for you to learn some of the things we learned long ago, like how to be leader." I was shaking. I had disappointed him. It was the only thing that kept ringing through my head. I had to do better, do more but how, what? "So, we've met with the council and they have agreed. You are joining the Academy and going to boot camp. You'll have 4 others on your team, who you'll meet just before. I didn't agree to this lightly Scott."

I was in total shock. The Academy? But we all knew how Dad felt about any of us joining. I had always been secretly grateful for it too. I swallowed hard, "I'll make you proud. I'll be Team Lead. I promise." I had to. No choice. Still, I felt like my skin was too tight. Dad just smiled and leaned over the table to pat my shoulder.

"You always make me proud, Scott, no matter what you do. Take the opportunity to learn the lessons they'll give you, to find your place on the team, to find you." He stood, one hand on my shoulder, "And don't forget you have nine dads to talk too. You leave in a couple days." He headed to the back, to help out I guess, leaving me sitting there. The Academy. Shit, shit, shit. He was sending me to the Academy? I couldn't do this. If he thought he was disappointed now, oh god how much worse would it be if I failed to be Team Lead. No matter what he said I knew what was expected. I had to become Team Lead, nothing else would be good enough. And still I choked on the idea.