Cora, A Sidelines Story from Clayton

Graduation

Thank you Rachelle Whiskeyqueenn for your wonderful narrative 

and the spirited debates it brings.

For inspiring your readers, and letting me borrow from your brilliance.

The end of my senior year of school came so fast I can hardly believe it. First term, I almost had to drop out of computers, an hour in the same room as Rya was just too much. But David, Mr Riley, was nice enough to tutor me so I could get a good grade without going to class for the whole year. When their family discovered Daniel was Tina's mate, both brothers moved here, so she could finish school with her friends and family before returning to their pack. I think David was hoping to find his mate here but no such luck. Charlie is also still looking for his mate and the two of them were always going off somewhere on the weekends when we weren't having a lake party or they aren't hanging out with Clay and the warriors. They are all curious about Charlie's law enforcement training with the Vanguard pack. I was going to miss this house but there was nothing to keep me here after graduation, nothing except Rya. I had to find a way out for her. I had literature from several horticulture programs sent to her, and paperwork for a "fake scholarship" funded by my grandmother's pack but Rya's mom said she just threw them all away. She was wilting, her soul was dying. Anyone could see it who looked, but so few did.

I only got into one fight this year, Homecoming week. Some warrior-wanna-be alpha's son was going to 'get a piece off the mouse'. His plan, invite her to the dance, dose her and take advantage. I confronted him on the football field after school. Five wolves failed to pull me off before Clayton and my brother showed up. He alpha-commanded me to stop. And Charlie yelled at me when I almost didn't. Clayton's command had no affect on me or my wolf.

I turned on him, growling, "I am doing your job, Alpha! He was going to rape HER." His jaw twitched at my accusation, but he said nothing. It was like he wanted her harmed.

I faced the other males as I stood over the unconscious, bloody body of the football team's tight-end. "If any of you ever look in HER direction in that kind of way, you will wish you looked as good as him when I'm done with you." Then I kicked the wolf as hard as I could, breaking several more ribs and rolling his body into a heap at Clayton's feet.

"Furthermore, any of you put your filthy paws on any female in any pack without her permission, and I will show you who the weaker sex is. Do you understand?" I glare at the gathered males, not acknowledging the one who had 'tipped' us about the jock's pan, though he gives me a slight nod. It is not the place of lesser wolves to correct higher wolves, it is our job to police our own. Wrong is still wrong and it should be all of our duties to deal with it, to stop injustice and cruelty before it starts. The poison of generations has weakened us.

"Do you understand?" I snarl again, letting my power roll off me.

None met my eyes. I stomped off toward my car before Clayton could say anything to me, Charlie followed, trying to calm me down before I committed murder. I noticed the Alpha and Beta had watched my little outburst from a distance, both were scowling. I flipped them a rude gesture as I drove off.

Oddly, I didn't get asked to any dance or prom this year, hmmm, I wonder why?

Shh, do you hear that?

My wolf is laughing at me again.

~

~two months before graduation

"Hurry up," I hissed at Tim and Daniel, watching the lunch crowd filing out of their classrooms and into the halls. It was raining outside. Rya would come straight here.