The Truth About Witches and Wolves

Back To School

Nathan

Broken. That's how I felt. Not hurt, not devastated, just broken. I could almost feel the sharp, shattered pieces moving around within me. I tried to eat something, but it felt as though I were eating sandpaper. The rough, tasteless texture did nothing to soothe my pain. In the distance, a bell rings. I look down at my timetable, which they'd given me today. Conveniently, I'd picked all of her classes, which she'd so helpfully written down in her diary.

Fear and anxiety stirred around in my gut. It was a soup made out of nerves, rejection and a sudden realisation that even though I had a mate, I could still be one of those wolves in limbo. Alone. Unwanted. Unloved.

Picking myself up, I trudge towards her second class; chemistry. I'd thought it was interesting, but also, after carefully considering it, a sensible choice for a witch. After all, chemical formulas and potions couldn't be that different, could they? Or at least, that's what she'd written down. I waited for her to enter the classroom before strategically placing myself behind her. Thankfully, and strangely, not many people opted to sit anywhere near her, except for two girls. One had bubblegum pink streaked hair, and the other a light purple. Twins, apart from the strangely coloured hair and eyes. Witches. They must be Lina and Mel, the only people that Emma considers herself all that close too. One gave me a side way glance, before realising that I was new. She gave me a wide, almost seductive smile. Ignoring her, I look away.

Emma senses my presence, I know she does, but for some reason, she chooses not to acknowledge it. Annoyance rumbles within me, like a storm cloud approaching it's victim. I take deep breaths to calm the wolf within, but it's not easily done. He wants his mate just as much as I do, but as I think before I do, he relies on primal instinct. Find a mate. Claim them. Protect them. That's all he knows.

Instead of thinking about him, or the lovely female sitting in front of me, I concentrate on the room. It's one of the things I do to calm myself, an invaluable skill for any Alpha.

I note the simple white walls and ceiling, as well as the cream coloured blinds. A whiteboard sits at the front of the room, a few markers and dusters placed below it. The desks are simple and wooden, with many scratches, pencil marks and the occasional innapropriate carving or initials scratched into the sides. I dare not put my hands underneath the desk, for fear of accidentally touching a collection of old, chewed gum.

It was nothing new, and the equipment was clearly a few years old. A typical classroom. Judging from the maps of the world, periodic table diagrams and print outs of world war 1 and 2 propaganda posters, I'd say that it was generally a science and humanities classroom. As the teacher walks in the class begins, I try to listen to what the bald man with a suit and spectacles is trying to say. When that doesn't work, I try to focus my attention on my new class mates, but a breeze from the nearby windows rattles the blinds and blows my mate's scent into my nose.

The scents of eucalyptus and mint full my nose, intoxicatingly sweet. I stare at her. I see her brown hair with exotic blue streaks. It's surprisingly short for a girl, barely reaching her shoulders, but I like it. She's different, strange and completely beautiful the way she is.

A fine Luna... My wolf whispers to me. I couldn't agree more. She was fierce, but she wasn't stupid. She could hold her own, but she also had empathy and sympathy, or rather, I think she does. Just making my own conclusions from what I read in her diary, I can tell that she has a big heart, but protecting others and the traumatic death of father has left her sad and lonely. Empty. When I picture her heart, I see a dark, damp basement that's completely bare. Somewhere in the distance, drops of water drip, the sound echoing in the barren spaces. That's what I think her heart holds. But, if done correctly, it wouldn't be so hard for someone, i.e. me, to walk in and show her love and compassion. To show her what she's been missing. To fill the empty void in her chest. I just need a little time.

My earlier efforts might not have been completely successful, but they did show me that there was definitely hope for her. For a moment, just a tiny little moment back there, I thought she would give into me, but something held her back. Something is making her stay, and I intend to find out what.

As the monotonous class drags on, I reach forward and tousle my mate's short hair. Just caressing the silky strands was enough to send thrills through my body. I enjoyed it. She, on the other hand, stiffened. She didn't turn around and ask me to stop, but instead, stared right ahead. She was trying to ignore me!

A deep growl rumbled from my throat, resonating within the room. All heads turn to look at me, but I barely notice. My mate however, barely moves an inch. She remains seated and staring with focused intensity at the whiteboard, but whether she sees the chemical formulas or not is another story.

"Mr... Summers, is it? I don't know what rules they had at your old school, but touching other students and interrupting classes is not allowed here. Please refrain from touching Miss Storm," the bald headed teacher instructs. Reluctantly, I pull my fingers away from Emma's hair. My wolf almost took over, trying to defy the teacher. How could he, a mere human, tell us, the soon to be Alpha of a werewolf pack, what to do?

He can't, my wolf growls.

Yes, he can. He thinks we're human, so we act as humans do, I remind him. I hear him give me a final hmph before settling back into the corners of my mind. Boy, was this week going to be tough.