My Lycan Boyfriend's Dark Secret

alarm

Back in my room I finished the last of my unpacking. The few small heaps of clothing look lonely in the white wooden shelves allocated to me. This lonely hell is going to be my home for the next year, and I better start making peace with it. I was here to serve a purpose, to save my pack from financial ruin.

“Lights out girls,” I hear the booming voice of our house mother calling out from the other end of the passage.

“Good night ma’am,” a chorus of voices call back. My roommate is not one of those joining in. One by one the rooms go dark, and then ours too. They must be cutting the lights from a control board. I don’t care though, I am happy to go to sleep to pass the hours until I can return home. Settling into my bed I pull the covers over my shoulders and pull my knees up to my chest. I feel like crying but after the tiring day I have had I just don’t have the energy in me. I feel a stray tear roll across my cheek and collide with my pillow. Thinking of home I can almost hear the crackling of wood burning in my parents’ fireplace, I can almost picture my mother and father wrapped up in their favorite blankets as they enjoy their tea together with each other’s company. I miss them, I miss home... but I am glad they couldn’t see me now; it wasn’t fair to make them suffer along with me.

“Breathe a word about this and you will be sorry,” Marge whispers as she flings the blankets off of her, revealing a short silky slip nightgown. I am too startled to react; instead I just stare as she tiptoes out of our room and into the passage. What is she up to, I wonder. I get out of bed and walk over to our window that looks out over the courtyard. Movement below catches my eye and I see a group of three guys and two girls standing together, in the dark. Marge runs out from our building and straight into the arms of a tall strong guy who throws her over his shoulder. I find myself searching the faces of the guys in the group and I am relieved when I don’t see Avery with them. Relieved that he isn’t fooling around with the meanest girls I know, but I also feel disappointed in not seeing him. I suddenly realize that I want to see him again, and the most shocking part is that I don’t want to see him with other girls. It is strange, I have never felt this way before, my heart has never leapt at the mere sight of someone, until I saw him. Maybe It is because he saved me in the courtyard. Maybe I am just looking for someone I can feel safe with, like they do. They look happy, up to no good, but happy as they disappear into the line of trees.

I get back in bed and I feel myself drift off to sleep as I hold onto my teddy, the one I repacked after mother removed it from my bag the first time. I know she says it is a childish thing to carry around. Only little kids still sleep with a comfort item, but I need the comfort and he smells like home.

The sound of giggling wakes me from my sleep. “Shhhh... she will hear you,” a guy whispers from the other side of my room, “who? The little field mouse? Who gives a s**t,” I can tell it is Marge, I can tell by the venom in her voice, and when I look over to her side of the room I can see the movement of two bodies concealed underneath a blanket on her bed. Irritated and disgusted I flip over onto my other side to allow myself a better view, the view of the white plastered wall separating our room from the next. The sound of siliva exchange has me grabbing for my pillow, covering my head with it in an attempt to drown out the noises. When I open my eyes again and remove the pillow from my head I see the sun shining brightly through our window. Startled I sit up in bed, my eyes darting to the alarm clock my father gave me, tardiness is a sin, he would always tell me. Classes are starting in five minutes and I am going to be late on my very first day at the Full Moon Academy. FUDGE!!

This can’t be happening, THIS CAN”T BE HAPPENING!!

I fling the covers off and jump out of bed, stumbling to the cupboard and stubbing my toe on my way there. I cry out in pain but there is nobody here to hear me... of course there won’t be, they are all in class. Marge had gotten dressed, saw me asleep and never once considered saving me the embarrassment of being late for class by just simply waking me up. I hate Marge. I know mother says I shouldn’t hate anyone. Hate is bad, evil even. But right now, I hate Marge.

In lightning speed I pull on my uniform and grab my messenger bag with books, throwing it over my shoulder. With both shoes in hand I try to put the first one on as I hop through the door, bracing myself on the walls as I go. Both shoes on I start running, as fast as my legs can carry me. Down the stairs, through the heavy wooden doors that lead to our building and across the courtyard... I comb my fingers through my rebellious curls as I run. I wanted to make a better first impression, but this will have to do. I reach the door just as they were starting to close it. My lungs burn and I struggle to catch my breath. Seeing a sign with an arrow pointing towards Office, I make my way there just as fast as I entered the building. A friendly old lady greets me, looking at me as if I have food on my face, which I sincerely hope I do not.

“Hi... I’m Oceania Burns...” I greet her while trying to catch my breath.

“Miss Burns, you are late,” she says with raised brows, “here, take this and go over to your homeroom, it’s in Mr Hendricks class, number 26B.”

“Thank you,” I grab the papers from her and run down the tiled passage, hearing my footsteps echo to my stomach. I round the second to last corner and crash into someone. CRAB STIX!! My books fall to the floor, scattered across the tiles. Great, this is just what I need, I internalize my frustration.

I reach for my books in a hurry, not looking up at the victim of my hit and run, not until his hand touches mine when we reach for the same book. My heart leaps at the feel of his cool skin, I look up at him in alarm. Alarm that is soon replaced by aw when my eyes meet the gaze of his. Dark brown irises, almost black, consume me and swallow me whole. The rush and anxiety I had found so overwhelming was now gone. His eyes are deep and dark, hinting at danger but also... warmth. Wow... He straightens suddenly, rising to his feet as he clears his throat. “You should watch where you are going,” he says bluntly, and all warmth is gone. He caught me staring! If there was a rock I would climb under it in shame... world swallow me whole!!

“I-I’m, S-Sorry,” I stutter as anxiety sets in. I am suddenly hyper aware of my messy and scattered appearance, not the impression I wanted to make. Great, just great.

“Where are you going,” he asks.

“Mr Hendricks, 26B,” I answer in almost a whisper, fumbling in my pockets for the piece of paper containing my schedule.

“He won’t be happy that you are late,” he tells me as he raises his brow in what appears to be disgust. Holy CRAB STIX... I am late... fudge, fudge, fudge... I quickly stuff the last of my books in my bag before I push to my feet, no longer to look up at him from the floor although he still towers above me.

“Down the hall, to your left... first door on your right,” he says and I start running.

“Thank you,” I shout, turning my head to look back at him, but he is gone.