Werewolf Academy Book 6: Vengeance (10 page)

Cassie’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes were so wide it looked like she was about to explode.

“Cassie?” Alex asked with a hint of worry.

She shook her head with her hand still over her mouth. “I know it’s supposed to be a secret,” she said, her voice muffled behind her fingers. “But I want to tell everyone.”

Alex put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a serious look. “You can’t tell anyone. If they choose to keep it a secret, that’s their choice. Let them tell when they’re ready.”

Cassie nodded without taking her hand away.

“Can I trust you?” Alex asked.

Cassie nodded again. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

Alex rolled his eyes and pulled her hand away. “Seriously, Cass. They deserve their privacy. It’s got to be hard trying to raise a family at this school.”

Cassie nodded. She followed Alex to the stairs. He started up.

“Hey, Alex?”

He paused halfway to the top and turned. “Yeah?”

“I never realized you cared so much.”

Her words hurt. Alex pushed the feeling down and watched her, wondering what she was getting at. “Of course I care. Why wouldn’t I?”

Cassie took two hesitant steps up the stairs as if she realized her words had been a bit harsh. “I mean, you’re so busy trying to get Drogan and protecting everyone, sometimes it’s like you don’t see who’s in front of you.”

Alex eased down to sit on the steps. He linked his hands together, studying them. “I get so caught up with trying to stop him from hurting those I love that I forget to pay attention to my loved ones.” He looked down at his sister. “Which do you think is worse?”

Cassie leaned against the wall and gave her brother a fond look. “You don’t have to worry so much, Alex. We know why you do what you do. You care. Sometimes you’re just busy saving the world.” Her smile deepened. “Do you think Superman ever forgot to have breakfast with his sister like we used to?”

Alex couldn’t help but smile back. “I don’t think Superman had a sister. Or maybe he did. I don’t remember. The point is, we’ll have breakfast together.”

“Promise?”

Alex nodded. “In fact.” He headed back down the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Cassie asked when he passed her.

“Come on,” Alex called over his shoulder. “You’re going to miss it!”

She jogged to catch up to him. “Miss what?” she asked when she reached his side.

Alex pushed one of the doors open to the Great Hall and made his way to the kitchen. A quick peek inside showed that it was empty.

“Cook Jerald must be asleep.”

“Yeah,” Cassie agreed. “Like most decent werewolves.”

Alex grinned. “Good thing we’re not decent.” He crossed to the refrigerator and opened it. A glance inside showed exactly what he was looking for.

“Alex, what are you...” Cassie’s voice died away at the sight of the egg and cheese quiche Alex withdrew.

“Why wait for breakfast?” Alex asked.

“Seriously?” Cassie exclaimed. “We could get in trouble.”

Alex winked at her. “By the time Cook Jerald finds out, we’ll be halfway across the country.”

Cassie laughed. “Fine, but if you get me in trouble...”

“You know it’ll be worth it,” Alex concluded.

Cassie gave the quiche a long look. Alex knew it was her favorite food. Luckily, Cook Jerald usually kept a pie or two in the fridge in case the professors got hungry or if Jaze’s team got back at an early hour from one of their missions. There was no way Cassie could say no.

“Yes, it will,” she finally agreed. She grabbed two forks from the tray and joined him at one of the tables.

Chapter Thirteen

Siale rushed out as soon as the car reached the warehouse. Red followed after her at a more sedate pace, but with a welcoming smile on his face.

Alex’s girlfriend stopped as soon as Alex got out. She stared at him. “You look really different,” she said.

Alex suddenly felt self-conscious about his haircut. “Gem did it. You don’t like it?”

Siale ran her hand through his hair. “It’s a lot shorter than I’ve ever seen you wear it,” she said.

Alex fought back the urge to close his eyes at the tingles that ran through his skin from her touch.

She nodded. “I really like it.” She looked up into his eyes. “You look really handsome.”

“See,” Cassie said from behind him. “I told you Siale would like it.”

She and Siale hugged. Alex fought back a smile at the thought that the pair would soon be sisters-in-law. It was obvious both of them would be happy about the relationship.

“Good to see you again,” Red said. He shook Alex’s hand. “And you as well,” he told Tennison. “We have your rooms ready.” He tipped his head to indicate the warehouse and told Alex, “We’ve been busy since you were last here. I think you’ll like what we’ve done with the place.”

Siale looped her arm through Alex’s and led them inside. To Alex’s amazement, it had undergone a lot of changes since his last visit with Boris. The inside of the building had been changed from a regular warehouse to a huge common room with individual rooms branching away for living quarters. More werewolves than he remembered occupied the area. They passed children playing ball and board games in the main room, families in the smaller television room, and others working on a few more improvements at the end of the hallway.

Siale greeted those they passed. It touched Alex that she knew all of their names. She led them to three bedrooms at the end of a branching hallway.

“It’s a little quieter over here,” she said. “You might sleep better than by the families. Sometimes the kids like to stay up and play.”

“This is amazing,” Alex told her. “Your dad’s really done a lot with the place.”

“Yeah,” Cassie agreed. “How many families stay here?”

Siale thought about it for a moment. “Four of the families are still here from before I went to the Academy, but Dad’s welcomed a few more. He says they come and go depending on their circumstances.”

“It’s great that you’re able to help them here,” Tennison said. “I’m sure they appreciate it.”

“It’s nice to be safe,” Siale replied.

The words matched exactly how Alex felt. They had taken great care to ensure that Drogan knew he was no longer at the Academy. Tracks, the car, and flight tickets wouldn’t be hard for the Extremist to follow, and then to all appearances, the teenage werewolves disappeared off the face of the earth. Thanks to Red’s connections, they were able to sneak through the airport’s food delivery entrance and leave in one of the cargo trucks. They then met the car outside the airport.

As stressful as it had been to get away, Alex felt like he could breathe again without looking over his shoulder. The thought that Drogan watched his every step had vanished. He smiled back at Siale.

“I really like it here,” he said. The words brought an answering smile and a kiss from her.

After Alex, Cassie, and Tennison had settled their stuff in three of the spare rooms, Siale led them to where Red waited in the dining room. Alex’s first visit to the warehouse with Boris had revealed a werewolf safe haven. Now, Red had turned it into so much more. He could hear werewolves cooking in the kitchen, and the huge tables in the dining room let him know just how many depended on the warehouse for food and shelter.

“This is an incredible place,” Cassie told Red.

Siale’s father smiled. “We’re proud of it.” He gave his daughter a warm look. “It’s better now that I have family to share it with.”

Siale nodded. “When I found out what my dad was doing here, I told him I needed to be a part of it. It’s so neat to give werewolves a place of safety.”

“Jaze Carso has done it to such a greater extent, but it’s nice to do my share. It’s home,” Red replied. He motioned for them to take a seat at the nearest table. “By the smell of things, Jassa will have dinner ready. You don’t want to miss her home cooking.”

Soon, nearly twenty-five werewolves joined them around the tables. There was still room left for three times that many.

“We’re prepared,” Red told Alex, noticing the direction of his gaze. “We’ve almost filled it up a time or two. It helps to be ready in case the space is needed.”

“I’m sure they appreciate it,” Alex replied. “It’s amazing what you do here.”

“It really is,” Tennison agreed. “I didn’t know there were places like this.”

“They’re all across the country,” Red told them. “We keep in contact, carefully of course so the Extremists don’t find our locations. We help each other when we can.”

“Are the other safe houses this big?” Cassie asked.

Red nodded. “There’s a huge one in New York. Bigger than this, I think. There was another in New Orleans, but the General found them.” Pain touched his voice. He shook his head. “I lost some good friends that day.” He looked at Alex. “You did our race a big favor when you took him out.”

Alex nodded without speaking. He took down his father because the General had killed Kalia pointblank with a pistol to the head. The consequences hadn’t mattered. Only revenge for Kalia’s death had occupied his thoughts at the time. Now he was in the same city where her family lived and her grave was. He hadn’t thought that far when he accepted Red’s invitation to stay for the summer.

Cassie caught his expression and changed the subject. “So what do you need us to do here?”

Red nodded toward the other werewolves. “I have plenty of help. I have a feeling you guys will find enough to occupy your summer.”

“Doing what?” Tennison asked.

Siale jumped in. “I’ll show you. Are you guys full?”

At their nods, she led the way to the kitchen. Everyone washed their own bowls and helped Jassa put away the remaining sauce and noodles.

“Don’t worry,” she reassured them, her thick Jamaican accent making the words musical. “There’s plenty left if any of the youngsters come back tonight with empty stomachs.”

Siale gave Jassa a hug. “Thanks for taking care of Dad while I was at school.”

“He takes care of everyone else; I make sure he eats enough not to waste away. It’s a win-win for us all.” Jassa waved them away. “Now go have some fun. We’ll take care of the rest.”

Siale led the way outside.

“Where are we going?” Cassie asked.

“You’ll see,” Siale replied, her gray eyes sparkling. “I’ll show you what the nightlife is like by the ocean.”

Alex could hear the push of the waves against the sand from blocks away as they walked down the street. Instead of emptying out at night like he was used to with Greyton, night brought more and more people outside. The heat of the day dissipated as the moon rose, and the stars glowing from above shone on teens and adults alike filling the streets with entertainment and fun.

“This is crazy,” Cassie exclaimed. She turned sideways so she could skirt past a group of teenagers kicking a small hacky sack around in a circle. “Everyone’s out on the streets!”

“I can’t believe all the stores are still open,” Tennison replied.

“There’s an ice cream shop,” Cassie pointed out.

“Come on,” Tennison said, holding out his hand. “I know how much you like rocky road.”

Cassie smiled at him. “You know me so well.” She slipped her hand into his.

“Girls and chocolate ice cream.” Tennison winked at Alex. “Don’t stand in their way.”

“Have fun, you two,” Alex told them.

It made him happy to see his sister so enraptured with Tennison. She appeared so much more carefree than she had ever been before the werewolf came into their lives. Tennison definitely made her life better by being a part of it. The tall werewolf opened the door to the ice cream shop across the street and waved Cassie inside with a flourish.

Siale and Alex continued down the sidewalk. It overwhelmed his senses to see so many people crowding the streets. Laughter and shouting filled the air along with the smells of hundreds of people from every walk of life. Vendors sold snow cones, smoothies, and various fried foods from small carts, the clothes from the small shops cluttered the sidewalk in an effort to draw in customers, and all around him, people bartered, joked, and jostled each other.

Teenagers came rushing out of a store with drinks, chips, and hot dogs. “Last one to the beach gets to find the wood,” a boy called over his shoulder. They took off running toward the sound of the waves. Alex watched their progress through the crowd and lost them amid the hustle of city life.

A shoulder slammed into Alex’s. It took all of his self-control to keep from attacking the guy who continued on his way as though nothing had happened. While the others had appeared excited at the buzzing atmosphere of the packed city, Alex’s nerves were on edge. His muscles were so tense they ached, and he had to fight back the impulse to phase in order to protect Siale even though she appeared to be perfectly comfortable in the rowdy crowd. He thought his time in Greyton would have prepared him for such things, but there was so much more going on that his senses were on overload.

“Siale!” a voice called.

Alex turned in time to see a boy close to their age rushing through the crowd toward her with several other teenagers behind him. Alex’s instincts to protect Siale flared. Just before the boy reached Siale, Alex grabbed him by the throat and slammed him onto his back on the ground.

“Alex, no!” Siale cried.

Alex glared down at the boy whose eyes were wide as he looked from Alex to Siale. His hand itched to tighten around the human’s throat, ending the threat.

“Alex, Jerry’s a friend,” Siale pleaded. She dropped to her knees next to him and set a hand on his shoulder. “Alex, please!”

Alex looked at her. There was true fear in Siale’s gaze. He realized it wasn’t fear of the human, it was fear for him. She was afraid Alex was going to kill him.

Alex fought his instincts, caught in an internal battle. He didn’t know what to do. His instincts had screamed danger, and so he had reacted. The wolf had fought to defend Siale, to keep her safe from the mad rush of a boy who might have meant her harm.

The human side of Alex said he had acted rashly. He couldn’t attack people; he was acting like the animal they feared him to be. The teenager had done nothing wrong. He couldn’t just attack strangers on the sidewalk.

The fight or flight instincts thrummed through him, telling him that everywhere he looked there was danger. There were too many humans, too much potential for Siale to get hurt. He couldn’t protect her in such a crowd. But he shouldn’t have to protect her. They were supposed to be safe. He had it all wrong.

Alex felt like he was going crazy. He blinked, unable to come to terms with what was happening.

“Alex, you need to let him up,” Siale said quietly, her voice calm and steady. She set a hand on his arm.

Her touch broke through the confusing haze that filled Alex’s mind. He locked on her gaze.

“You’re okay?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “I’m fine, Alex. Please don’t hurt Jerry.”

Alex realized he was still holding the teenager down. He let go of the boy’s throat and rose. His senses thrummed, charged by the crowd who had gathered to watch them, by the other humans who had come with the boy and were now pulling him to his feet, by the angry red fingermarks on the boy’s throat, and by the way Siale was watching him as if uncertain what his actions would be.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said. He turned and ducked into the crowd.

“Alex!” Siale called.

He ran through the mass of bodies. Everywhere he turned, the crowds were thick with every manner of individual, teenagers, homeless men and women, parents with children, couples, street entertainers, and vendors hawking their wares. He ducked past buildings and between shops. He avoided salesmen on the streets and men and women dancing and singing to crowds who threw them coins. Alex couldn’t get away from the panic that filled him. His heart didn’t skip, but it thundered in his ears with the force of a raging storm.

The scent of popcorn, hotdogs, fish, French fries, and cotton candy tangled in his nose along with the unfamiliar seaweed and salt smell of the ocean. His sneakers fell on the asphalt with resounding thuds of desperation. The brush of bodies against his arms, chest, and back filled him with terror. He didn’t want to hurt them, but he couldn’t push down the thought that they wanted to cause him pain, to betray him, to end him.

The thud of his sneakers turned to soft shushes when the asphalt gave way to the sand of the long beach and the ocean Alex had never seen before. His steps faltered. Alex stared past the mass of people laughing and playing along the shoreline to the water beyond.

The fall of moonlight on the ocean danced magically to his wolven eyes. The trickle of light played along the midnight depths as though they were one and the same, light upon darkness and dark upon light. He couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. It was as if he could walk along the ocean to the point where it met the sky, a mirror that reflected itself in the rise and fall of the never-ending waves.