Loyalty

Chapter 2: School issues

First period went pretty quick; it was maths so I was sat next to Tammy. Tammy was my closest friend in the pack. She was very loud and boisterous and loved to chat so maths was always a laugh. Today we discussed how the pack meeting tonight would go. We knew exactly what would go down and it made us laugh even more because the adults made such a big fuss about stuff that hadn't happened for hundreds of years.

Maths finished and it was time for music. Music was one of my favourite lessons, I loved being able to sit with headphones on and create my own tunes. My music teacher loved me because I always finished the work early, and I'd already been able to record a tune and lyrics to go with it. It was my life ambition to become a singer. In the pack I was usually chosen for night parol because I had the most distinct howl. Today in music it was me, Toby, Cameron, Jess and Tammy. Me and Jess and Tammy were working side by side. Tammy had made a pop song and was learning to record lyrics and Jess was learning to play the Rocky tune since it was her favourite film and wanted to become a boxer. Music went quicker than maths and before we knew it we were all outside the reception waiting for Gem.

Then from around the building, we saw her trudging over looking very upset. Straight away my protective instincts kicked in and I rushed over followed by Toby, Tammy and Darcy.
"What happened?" I demanded, I heard the growl starting in my chest.
"Some snobby girl taking the rip out of my appearance." Gem looked up at me while holding back the tears in her eyes, and my heart immediately started to ache.
"Ewe! What gives her the right to judge you just because you don't dress in a so called mini skirt that looks like a frilly pair of underwear?! I'll show her that if she messes with one of our pack members she messes with with all of us." Tammy grinned down at Gem ad she giggled.
"We'll show that pampered brat who's boss!" Toby yelled "What's her name?"
"Mandy Jenkins." Gem said and sat down on the bench to tuck into her ham sandwich.
I sat next to her and rubbed her back in reassurance, and everyone gathered round. This is what it was like being in a pack. We stuck together no matter what. Gem was one of our youngest wolves so we had to protect her to make sure she didn't get too scared or angry and turn into a wolf by accident. The bell went for third period and we had to run from one side of the school to the other.

Science was next. Not my favourite lesson by far. The teacher hated me, my friends and pack weren't with me and I was terrible at physics. I was sat next to this snobby girl called Selena Jenkins. Then it clicked Mandy Jenkins, Selena Jenkins, both snobs. A growl started in my chest. Selena had bullied me in year seven, she still did. She felt like everyone should look like her. Face caked in makeup, mini skirts that covered an inch of your thigh and a crop top that only covered your bra, like today she was wearing a pink and white polka dot mini skirt and a white crop top thy said 'Can't touch this.' My look was no makeup, skinny jeans and a full length top, also I was tanned and mega tall so people called me a giant freak. If that was what was happening to Gem I was ready to give this Mandy what for. Selena had heard the growl and was glaring at me like I was a bit of mud that had just gotten on her bright pink stilettos. I looked back with the evil glare I was born to wear and she looked away.
"Hey Selena can I ask you something?" I said, ignoring the offended look on her face. "Do you have a sister called Mandy?"
Selena stared at me like I was a stalker. "Yes. What is it to you?" She snarled.
"My sister says that she's taking the rip out of her appearance and I don't appreciate it." I growled back.
"Well if your sisters anything like you she probably deserves it." She replied innocently.
"Well if your sister is anything like you, no wonder she would stoop so low as bullying."
The bell went and I stormed out before the teacher dismissed me. Tammy and others were gonna find out about this and these Jenkins were gonna go down. I headed to English with an angry look on my face to make it obvious to the gang that I was mad. I was going to try and get to Darcy first. Tammy was not the right person right now. I got to English and sat next to Darcy, straight away she put on her listening face and waited patiently for me to start my rant. I told her about Selena and and our argument in science and how she said Gem probably deserved it! And all of a sudden, Darcy did something I never expected to do. I heard a small growl in her chest, then it was in her throat, her face twisted into a snarl and the growl escaped her lips. Darcy hated violence so this scared me quite a bit.
"How. Dare. She?!" She said through gritted teeth.
I stared at her and actually felt the shock freeze on my face. Then Tammy was came over and saw the shock on my face and the snarl on Darcy's, so I explained everything that had happened in the last hour. Tammy was not happy either, but the one who took it worst was Toby. He flipped out. He said that if any of those Jenkins tried to touch an Alpha he would floor them;he didn't care if they were girls. The teacher noticed our little conversation and called us out on it.
" Do you want to tell the whole class what your talking about Miss Alpha?"
"Sorry Sir, it's just a small issue that the school aren't dealing with, it's called bullying." I glared at him and he carried on teaching.

When the bell went we went to find Gem, and it wasn't hard since she was waiting outside of class. She looked much happier which put me at ease. We all walked to the canteen and we all sat and laughed together, having a nice time, until the Jenkins walked over. I swear they were obsessed with us. We all gave Selena a death stare, and behind her was Mandy (I was guessing) who was death staring Gem. Mandy wore more makeup than Selena did! She had a Calvin Klein purse and was wearing one inch heels.
"Hey freaks." Selena smiled sarcastically.
"Back off Selena or we'll all be on you like a pack of wolves." Jess snarled, and we all laughed at the inside joke.

Selena made a move towards Jess, which caused me, Tammy and Toby to move in front of her. Then Mandy made a move on Gem and slapped her across the face. Darcy jumped in front of her and grabbed Mandy by the arm, Selena slapped Darcy, Tammy flung herself at Selena and full on pounded her. Me and Jess had to pull them off each other, just as the vein in Tammy's neck started to bulge, the sign a werewolf is ready to transform. Selena stood up and brushed herself off, she had a cut on her lip and a bruise forming on her temple, Mandy snarled at Gem and walked off. Selena eye balled me and Toby growled in a defensive tone, which made Selena turn around and sashay off. I was done with today, I just wanted to go home. The last period was History and we were learning about the native Americans and their myths and beliefs. This was a fun lesson for me and my friends since we were the natives in our town. We learnt all about the beliefs about us descending from wolves and how some special blooded people were werewolves. It was very weird to learn about ourselves and it was weirder that people stared at us when the teacher taught them something new about us. Me and Tammy were on the same table and we never wrote anything since we knew everything already. We drew pictures of our ancestors and cartoon strips about the myths in our books.

The bell went and I went to meet up with Gemma at her locker and we started the walk home. We lived just out of the little town in a white cottage in the country side. The cottage had vines climbing the walls that spouted honey suckles every spring. Our front garden was fenced off by a hedge, and in the garden we had a pond and flower beds lined the front of the house. When you entered through the old wooden door you were greeted by our warm living room. The walls were painted a dark maroon, except one with was wall papered with black flower patterns, this wall held our log burner that we used in the winter. We had two long, black leather sofas and a black arm chair, this room was usually used as the gang's study area, or a meeting place for my pack when it was raining. The lounge was open plan with our kitchen. The kitchen was small and had black limestone counters and a red gas stove.

Me and Gem arrived home and went straight to work. It was four o'clock and the meeting was going to start at seven. Gemma went to the kitchen to collect the polishing stuff, and went off to start her chores, I started to make a curry for tonight. I also made some trifle and brownies. While everything was cooking I went to go get changed for the meeting. It was now six o'clock and my dad would be home any second. I shoved on a vest top and shorts, and made sure Gemma was dressed for the occasion. We dressed like this because as werewolves we have very high body temperature so these were the comfiest clothes.

Then I heard the door open, and my dad called upstairs to see if we were home.

"Jo are you home?"

"Yeah, the food is in the kitchen, could you put it in the oven please?" I called.

"Ok kiddo. Are you ready?"

"Yup and so is Gem."

At half seven everyone started to arrive, first the Marleen's arrived (Tammy's family) and they'd bought my favourite pudding, short bread cookies covered in dark chocolate. Tammy helped me carry the curry outside and set up dinner for the whole pack. The whole pack always meets at my house, because my dad is the pack leader.

By eight o'clock everyone was here, Tammy was here with her family, Darcy and Toby were here with their families. We all headed to the back garden, the back yard wasn't small like others, it was like a large field, in the middle of it was a campfire and logs around it. Then there was a table where we put all the food.

Finally, when everyone was in the back yard my dad stood up and gathered everyone around the fire.

"Let's get this meeting started."