2. Too Intense

Melissa’s pov:

I was beyond sad that Billy and I didn’t get to be in the same class this year. He was in class C sadly. The only time we could be together was during lunch and also a class I was actually dreading — combat — when I used to love it more than any other.

It was a class all seniors would share from 3 till 5 pm. And that meant that I was going to see Jake and Sandra again — both of whom I would rather not see ever again.

“What are you thinking so hard about, princess?” Billy nudged me, a little bit of a frown marring his face, from where he sat next to me at our usual table.

“Didn’t I tell you that he cheated on me?” I released a heavy sigh, stabbing an innocent tomato with my fork.

“You don’t get to be sad over his sorry ass, princess,” Billy let out in a tone of chiding.

He might be a real softie, but he was also a proud warrior, and had a voice that could be intimidating. Seeing as he was a precious friend, however, I merely rolled my eyes.

“It’s his loss,” he insisted. “Now, you have to make him regret it tenfold. Don’t let him gaslight you into thinking it was a mistake or anything…”

I had yet to tell him about what I had done in retaliation, and I wasn’t sure I could. I had given away my first kiss to a stranger, and not just any stranger, but the new teacher in town — the very same teacher who made me want to submit to him, in ways I never thought possible, with a mere look.

And to add to my complete and utter misery, Mr Blackwood, the man who must be many years my senior, and who was basically hotter than sin — Billy had been right about that — believed I was reckless, and had told me not to kiss any other stranger.

If only he knew he had been my first kiss! I sighed heavily once again.

What then? Another part of me argued right back. Don’t be delusional, girl. You stand no chance. The man might not bear a mark, but that doesn’t mean shit!

“You’re not still hung up on that damned loser, are you?” Billy all but growled, to which I simply shook my head negatively.

And since he was my best friend, I felt compelled to spill the beans. Only I would rather be caught dead than actually say it out loud, in an all werewolf high, where there was no such thing as keeping a secret.

Therefore, I fished out my phone, and sent him a few texts successively:

Don’t freak out. 

Not a peep!

He glanced at me, eyes slightly narrowed, and I just sent him a meaningful albeit pleading look, to which he ended up nodding.

I retaliated and kissed some stranger in the hallways.

I felt a blush creep under my skin as I typed that, and was rather peeved by it. This was why I could never be among the elite — I didn’t have what it took to have a poker face.

“Atta girl!” Billy cheered, elated beyond words, as if he had heard the best news ever.

When his chuckles subsided abruptly, I noticed that he had a dumbfounded expression on his face, “Wait, a stranger?”

And his eyes bulged comically. I hurried to place a finger above his lips, and nodded to the phone.

He was quick to type: There’s no transfer student this year, princess… Let me guess. Gray eyes?

I heaved a sigh and nodded, before hanging my head low in shame.

That’s the new teach!!! Said the text that followed, his eyes wide with shock, but also full of something akin to mischief.

It took him all of a few seconds to say, “You know, don’t you?”

“Yes,” I nodded gravely. “Speak a word of this, and I swear I will hunt you and have your head for breakfast.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die!” He was quick to make the oath.

The first bell soon rang, and I reluctantly rose to my feet.

I couldn’t get what happened this morning out of my head, moreso the kiss with Mr Blackwood, though the term was used mildly here. He hadn’t kissed me back after all.

What were you hoping for? The nagging voice inside my head was bitter as it went at me. He’s not someone you can or should mess with. He’s your teacher for god’s sake!

I was fully aware that he would never be game to help me teach Jake a lesson… But heavens did entertaining silly thoughts about him help keep me busy, thus overlooking Jake’s betrayal! 

Soon, I was in Literature class, when I received a text. Albeit respected among my peers, I wasn’t exactly Miss popular either. I decided to check, in case it was something important.

The text had the knack to almost make me gasp: Heads up princess. Brown’s out & Blackwood’s in.

What kind of luck was this? Why did Mr Brown have to delegate his combat class to the new teach in town?

Now, I dreaded the damned class for more reasons than one. Sure, Sandra and Jake would both be there, but also Mr hotstuff, and I wasn’t sure I could bear the weight of his gaze again.

The man was too intense for me, and heavens have mercy my father was a beta — I fucking knew intense.

What was it about him that made me want to act like a meek and docile girl, when I was anything but?

When the bell rang for the last class of the day, I wanted to stall or, better yet, miss it… but I couldn’t for the life of me do that, and soon found myself dragging myself to the spacious grounds where we usually trained.

“You’re too stiff, princess,” Billy let out in a concerned tone of voice before taking it upon himself to massage my shoulders. “Don’t let them get to you.”

If only he knew! 

I wasn’t sure how he would react to knowing my focus had shifted from the betrayal, right to the handsome teacher who had just stepped out.

Mr Blackwood’s eyes found mine, and again, there was something about him that made me want to submit. Heavens, I didn’t even have a wolf yet, and yet this god-like man made me want to go into heat.

“Afternoon, class,” came his velvety greeting. “I will be training you in combat this year. Get started with 3 laps. No excuses.”

And so, it began.