8

MAYA

Heading back to school, and expecting the worst. I remember Ethan's advice in the car; keep your head down and just write down the names of anyone who picks on you. I will take care of them.

I walk into my classroom just a few minutes before the bell goes off, and no one gives me more than a glance.

Still, I won't let myself relax just yet.

Grace and Natalie walk in with gloom written all over their faces. They glare bullets at me, but not a word leaves their twisted lips.

I exhale, feeling the anxiety leaves my body. Maybe today won't be all that terrible.

The algebra teacher, Miss Dawson, walks in with her huge textbooks.

“Good morning, class,” she push back her glasses.

“Good morning, Miss Dawson.”

“Today, we are going to be solving some exercises on exponents and radicals…” she writes on the board, but then she stops and twists her neck.

“Gosh, it almost skipped me. Natalie, Grace, and Maya. The principal will see you in his office.”

I heave as I drop my pen against the table, standing up to my feet.

Natalie and Grace whispers something to each other, before walking towards the door. I am right behind them, but I make sure to give a few feet between us.

The principal probably wants us to go get our detention cards signed. I dread the next process with every fiber of my being…

A gasp of death leaves my lips once my eyes set on Alpha Ray. Suddenly, my feet won't move forward anymore.

He easily hulks over everyone with his height, and body mass. His hands are covered with tattoos, rumoured to represent people that he has killed (and gosh, there are hundreds of them).

He is speaking to principal Jerry, who looks like is about to shit his pants from fear.

Principal Jerry laughs nervously and then gestures towards me. I swallow a lump in my throat, I wish that I could dive straight into hell, away from Alpha Ray.

“Maya Smith.” Alpha Ray walks towards me. “I think I have heard that name before. You are the daughter of Alpha Philip. Your mother ran away from your father and brought you to another pack.”

“Good morning, sir.” I greet, my eyes darts to principal Jerry for help.

Why was he pointing me out to Alpha Ray in the first place?

“Alpha Ray, this is the student that Victoria was practicing with when she had the nasty fall.” He explains.

“Oh, is that so?” He slips his hands into his pocket. “Maya, sweetheart, can you tell me exactly what happened that day?”

Gosh, I'm not a good liar now.

“Slippery floors.” I nod slowly. “We should have listened to the janitor when he asked us to wait for the floor to dry off a bit.”

“Ah, I see. Teenage girls never listen.” He nods too, as if believing what I have said. “Now Victoria has to go to the dentist. Thanks to the goddess, it wasn't one of her fangs that came out.”

“Yes, it would have been a shame. Please extend my greetings to Victoria, she will be missed in class.”

The Alpha smiles at me so hard that his eyes wrinkles. “Watch the floors, next time, Maya. Would hate for a pretty girl like you to lose her teeth too. I don't know if your mother can afford replacements now that she has left your father…”

He puts his shades back on as he turns, exiting the school.

Principal Jerry exhales and grabs his chest. “Three of you, in my office now.”

We file in immediately.

“You girls almost got us killed, did you see her father came himself?! Don't ever allow this to repeat itself. I am sending you to the special supernatural discipline wing. Miss Waters will be there to sign your detention cards before you start and after your punishment.”

I shut my eyes with disappointment. This is the first time I will ever be sent to the supernatural discipline wing. My mother would be cursing at me if she finds out.

Natalie and Grace push me out of the way, so that they walk in front of me. I just roll my eyes, ignoring them.

Miss Waters office is located in the old library, where we are going to be serving our detention.

We get to the door, and the girls turn to me.

“Don't be deceived, this is not over. Once Victoria has her teeth replaced and returns to school, we are going to bring down hell to you.”

I chuckle. “Just make sure that you have the money to replace all the teeth I will knock out of your mouths.”

They exchange glances. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, you heard me.”

“Come in, girls!” Miss Waters calls from inside.

I am the first person to walk into the office and I see our beautiful discipline master and supernatural counselor. She smiles softly.

“Beautiful girls like you should know better than fighting and shifting on school grounds.”

“Ma'am, it's not true, we had to defend ourselves because Maya punched our friend to the ground.” Grace retorts.

“Really?” Miss Waters stares at me. “Maya who has been in the lowest rank in combat class did that?”

The girl looks away in embarrassment.

I look down at my shoes. “They were picking on me, they were making up mean rumours. I had to do something to make them stop.”

Miss Waters smiles at me with approval, before she opens a different book and writes in it. “Maya Smith….”

Why is she writing down my name? Will she have to discuss my sudden increase in strength and dominance with the supernatural faculty?

She signs our cards and hands them back to us individually. “Remember, if you fight during your detention, you will get an additional three weeks. With that said, I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself, Maya. I do not like bullies.”

For the first time, the lines of anxiety leave my face. I smile back at her, “thank you, Miss Waters.”

“Come in, Cole! I'm available to sign your detention card now!” She says loudly.

Just as we are walking out of her office, a boy enters and as soon as he does, the familiar scent hits my nose.

It's the mystery Alpha boy! He is serving detention too!