AN
Hello, all my beautiful readers. I'm Braden and before you read this chapter, I just want to announce that I'm returning to uni soon. However, I plan on updating this story every week or two. I'm very particular of my writing and I regularly make edits as I want only the best for you guys. This means I work hard on my drafts and will comb through them to ensure that I feel the story and the characters are well-rounded. I feel that this will be extremely important as this novel progresses. If there's anything I hate, it's a patchwork Wattpad story of cookie-cutter tropes. Now then, back to the story!
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Shit. Is this dude everywhere?
That was my initial thought as Kelvin made his way across the small reception room behind a short female. All I can do is look down at my feet before he's standing in front. Now, knowing I'm under Kelvin's gaze, the thoughts running through my mind are shortened to just shit...you know, for simplicity. But my internal lamenting is cut short when the short, authoritative woman in a crisp pantsuit looks down at me and begins to introduce herself.
"Hello, Mason, I'm Mrs. Walker. I'm the assistant principal here at St. Albie's" she begins with her hand outstretched for a handshake. Seeing this, I try to quickly move from my chair to meet her greeting. Unfortunately, the bottom of my blazer had somehow become caught in the joint between the arm and body of the heavy chair, causing me to be pulled back as I tried to scramble forward.
Looking away from the two dominating figures in front of me, I try to tear the hem of my blazer out of its prison. It took only two seconds to pull it out but the damage was done. I hear Kelvin let out a slight snicker. I look like an idiot now, I think, knowing my face is as red as can be. Turning my gaze from the chair back up towards Mrs. Walker, I see her sporting a sympathetic smile as she puts her hand back out for another handshake. This time, I successfully manage to do this basic human action without failing. The shake lasts only a few seconds but in that short time, Mrs. Walker crushed three of my fingers, easily. Talk about power.
Taking her hand back, Mrs. Walker continued, "We're so glad to have you join our school, community, and family here at St. Albie's. I know that, based on your transcript, you will most certainly be one of our high-fliers here." Well, at least I've made some impression other than being a clutz. I smile and thank her for her compliment
"Normally, I would show you around the school and to your classes," she starts, "but I have an important meeting with the Principal, Mr. Hemmings, and a few other important people. But don't worry, my son, Kelvin, is going to show you around" she states as she gestures with her hand to the tall, sexy figure behind her. Well, shit. Of course he's the Assistant Principal's son.
It would seem that shit is the word of the day.
I can only nod to this news but my body starts to give away my actual feelings on the matter. Seeing my obvious timidness as I had begun to bounce from foot to foot, Mrs. Walker adds, "I hope that's okay. I promise that my son is very friendly. He was just telling me about you in the hallway. You seemed to have made an impression this morning". I don't know why but something about the way she said that last bit unsettled me. I keep rocking from foot to foot as I stand in place. What kind of impression? What do they know? What are they thinking?
God, see, this is why I hate wolves. They make everything so confusing, always so secretive and vauge. You never have this kind of trouble with vampires. At least they're direct.
"Yes ma'am, that's ok. I understand. Thank you." I mumble quietly, trying desperately to avoid looking over Mrs. Walker's shoulder at her son's face. I sense him looking me over, sizing me up. Between these two, there's a dominating aura in the room that's honestly suffocating. I need to get out of here as fast as I can. Luckily, my wish was granted, because just at that moment, Mrs. Walker extended her arm and looked down at a small wristwatch.
"You'll have to excuse me, now. My meeting is about to start." She looks back up from her watch with a smile as she quickly adds, "I hope you enjoy your first day here, Mason. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you." After this, she turns around and gazes up at her looming son, nods her head, and leaves. Just before she exits through the office door, she calls out for a final time, "I hope you boys have a good day". And with that, Mrs. Walker leaves me in a room with a material secretary and a scary, handsome, dangerous wolf.
Take a breath, Mason. Keep calm and don't let on to anything.
Inhaling through my mouth and exhaling through my nose, I take a moment to quickly readjust myself to all the new information I've gained. My thoughts run a mile a minute as I try to comprehend what I've learned.
Kelvin is a wolf. He tried to catch my scent earlier and he must have noticed something odd. His mother is the assistant principal. Reasonably, she must also be a wolf. He must have tipped her off about me when he entered the school. That's why she assigned him to showing me around. This isn't an orientation, this is an observation and a possible interrogation. I need to be extra careful.
Stay quiet and just play along.
After digesting the flood of facts, I look up at Kelvin. This is the first time I've actually looked at him for more than three seconds. Only now do I get to examine his features. Like most wolves, he has a natural look of strength and power. He easily weighs over 200 pounds and it most definitely isn't fat. If anything, he looks bigger than the other wolves I've seen. He kinda looks like a bodybuilder, I think to myself as my eyes move from his large, broad shoulders down to his tapered waist. His shirt clings to his arms and outlines his large chest and impressive abs.
That's just not fair, I humph internally, stupid wolves and their stupid sexiness. Maybe they should learn how to pass their classes instead of fighting and training. At least then they wouldn't be so goddamn muscular.
Kelvin stands tall, at 6'4, easily dwarfing me, and boy, was he standing confidently. It's like this guy oozes a certain dominate quality. And if that wasn't enough, the sonofabitch has the sexiest face and hair I've ever seen. His tan, strong features are outlined with dark stubble running across his face and topped off with his slightly curly short, black hair. I can only assume I oogled him for just a moment too long, as at that second Kelvin cleared his throat to gain my attention.
My eyes then focus on his. The dark onyx color catches mine. For a second I'm left in time, floating in space, as I feel them bore through my own. There's a twinkle in them, a certain kind of humor and lightheartedness. It's then I realize he said something when I was busy inspecting him and the twinkle is coming from the large, perfect smile he was wearing.
I must look like an idiot...again.
"Sorry?" I stupidly let out in a slow, dreamy tone.
"I was just saying we should probably start your tour so we don't miss anymore of our classes. You already missed first period" Kelvin says in a deep voice but one laced with playfulness.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. You're right." I say with a short cough at the end to clear my throat, allowing me to break eye contact with Kelvin as I turn red yet again from embarrassment. I can tell by his body language that he's enjoying himself.
At least that makes one of us, I grumble internally as Kelvin starts to lead us out of the office. From behind me, Ms. Myers lets out a short, "Have a nice day, y'all" before the door closes behind us, leaving us both alone in the hallway.
"So, where to begin." Starts Kelvin, who is rubbing his hands together.
How about how royally fucked I am?
"Here, give me your class list so I can help show where you where you need to go," he said before putting out his hand, "I hope you remembered to bring that at least". For a second, I stare at him, somewhat dumbfounded.
"What do you mean?"
"You forgot your phone, right? I asked you about it in the car". Oh yeah, kinda forgot about that.
"Oh," I laugh weakly, "I got it, now. But, uh, I actually have it. My schedule, I mean." I stammer while shrugging my backpack off to get the sheet of paper. Under his gaze, I feel myself growing red again as I shift through my binders and empty folders in search of that damn schedule. Finally, I produce it, though it took me somewhat longer than it should have. Chalk that up to extreme stress with Teen Wolf standing over my shoulder. I zip up my backpack, sling it back over my shoulders, and shakily hand my schedule to Kelvin while avoiding eye contact.
Oh, yeah. This doesn't look suspicious at all.
But, apparently it doesn't, because Kelvin plucks the paper from my hands with no mention or notice of my withdrawn state. He only glances at it for a second before whistling in disbelief.
"One...two...three AP classes? In just one day? And then four more tomorrow? What's wrong with you. Do you ever have fun or are you just a nerd," he jokes with his southern accent making his apparent disbelief all the funnier. Cute accent and sexy mannerisms aside, I somewhat brisle at his joke.
"Maybe I just want to be a good student and graduate." I say with a slightly inflated chest, as if that were going to intimidate the much larger person across from me. I can only imagine how I look. Probably like a small bird, ruffling his feathers, or an expanded pufferfish.
Just an adorably small and harmless creature feigning strength.
Apparently Kelvin sees this as well, as he starts to laugh with a deep, rich timbre. "Aw, I didn't mean to insult you. Well, it's just not many students here try all that hard like you."
"Well, maybe they should, so they can actually be successful in life," I exclaim in a slightly shrill voice, "I grew up in a little town like this one. People don't go anywhere and everything becomes an ignorant backwater." I counter sharply through squinted eyes, my upset from his oringal comment forcing the words from my own mouth before I had a chance to filter them as I normally would. But it's too late, what I said is done.
I instantly regret it as, not only did I come off seeming like a massive asshole, I probably just insulted a wolf who could easily rip me to shreds and hide the remains -my remains- in the woods without concern.
Kelvin's demeanor changes with my verbal slap. "Look, 'round here things just work differently. This is a small town and people usually graduate high school but they don't usually go off to college. They just stay here and make their own lives in the community. The people here live good, honest lives. We're smart and strong. That's more than what most other people can say. We don't need to go to college". He says with a certain edge in his voice and his usually good-natured eyes lack their trademark twinkle. Underneath his controlled expression, I can see an internal ocean beginning to storm and boil. It's easy to tell that he's prideful of his home and I just basically pissed on it. Anyone would be upset with what I just said and might decide to beat me up, but I'm currently double-fucked as the guy I just insulted could make most professional football players piss themselves.
Okay, review time, I think to myself rapidly knowing I need to fix the problem before something bad -probably to me- happens. He must be feeling somewhat defensive right now. I've struck a nerve. Makes sense, I suppose. Wolves are territorial, I suggest to myself, and I guess I just insulted his territory. I decide it's best to bite my tongue and reel in my own pride. I need to stay under the radar, and what I'm doing right now is not going to let that happen. Time to back down.
I deflate my chest and begin to look down, as an act of submission. I figure this will please Kelvin's nature and show I regret my words. He's a wolf after all, this is the basis of their social interactions.
"I'm sorry, I understand. My home town was kinda the same," I start humbly before adding, "I just have big plans for my future.I grew up in a craphole full of stupid people. I want to graduate here, go to college, and then medical school". Yeah, good idea. Play the shitty upbringing story, no way he'll still be pissed after that. This seems to lighten the tension, as I predicted.
Say what you want, but I have that big brain energy.
"Shit, I'm sorry, man. Didn't mean to bite your head off. But, hey," Kelvin lets out a quick laugh, "based on your courseload, you shouldn't have any trouble on getting what you want."
Phew, good recovery, Mason.
Directing his attention back down at my schedule, Kelvin lets out a groan. "Aw damn, you have Mr. Stephan's for Calc."
Sensing his obvious dislike of this teacher, I look back up from the floor with a smirk. "I'm guessing he's not your favorite teacher?"
"Let's just say I'm not exactly on his good side" Kelvin replies with a smirk to match my own, his dark eyes alight with a playful fire.
"Then I guess I should be glad I missed first period?"
"You have no idea," Kelvin deadpans before looking back at my paper, "come on, I'll show you where his class is. It's on the way to your second class. It's almost done, but at least you can go in and introduce yourself". The tall teenager beings to walk down the long, clean hallway. Figuring I better follow if I don't want to stand in front of the reception office all day, I try to catch up with Kelvin. It takes about two or three of my strides to match his own.
"Oh, lunch is in about twenty minutes. How 'bout you eat with me and I'll show you some of my friends. They're all good guys".
"Oh...yeah, sure. That'll be cool" I reply in a calm manner to not give away how I truly felt on the inside. Based on how my day's been going, I have a feeling that it's only going to get worse.
Just peachy.