New Beginnings

Azalea

So here I was, sitting in the SUV with my father, mere miles from the school.  A few weeks had passed since he had caught me and taken me back to Texas.  I had outright refused to go onto pack lands and meet his people, so he had put me up at a hotel nearby.  He had taken me shopping for a new wardrobe and all the things I would need for school as well as a few extras.  I knew he was trying to make up for everything and I figured why not let him?  I hadn't had many new things or much of anything while we were on the run so it was a nice feeling.  He had set me up with a bank account as well and would be putting monthly allowance deposits in it for me as long as I attended school as an extra incentive.

My father told me about 'our' family - I had an older brother who was training at the Alpha Academy near my school and a younger sister who was attending school with me - only two years behind me.

I told him about all the cities we had been to and all the things that we had gotten to do those years on the run.  Lots of little towns and festivals - my mom did her best to make the most of it for us. 

I was apprehensive about going here - honestly it sounded kind of like a snobby school for priviledged brats ans I knew I wasn't going to fit in.  But I was going to do this and buy my freedom.

The mountains they were in were gorgeous - my wolf was so excited to able to run here.  The school was well hidden, tucked back and magiked so the territory was safe.  We finally pulled up to a gated area in front of what seemed like a giant parking lot right as dawn broke.  Up ahead I could see the main building of the school towering above a huge courtyard.

They were a few other vehicles there which we parked next to.  I sighed as I got out and went to get my bags.  

"Leave them," my father said getting out of the other side of the SUV.  "They'll bring them to your room," he said, gesturing towards the two pack members who had traveled with us.  I turned and started walking silently beside him.

"You're here a few days early," he explained.  "I wanted you to have time to settle in and learn the layout before having to start your classes.  We're going to meet with the dean and get your schedule, then we'll go to your room.  Tomorrow we'll do your aptitude tests and meet your teachers.  After that you'll be on your own."

"I'm used to that," I replied drily and he flinched slightly.  We walking in silence the rest of the way, my eyes taking in every detail of the school that I could see.

There were guards posted at the entrance that just nodded to him before letting us in.  It seems he knew exactly where to go, leading me down the corridor and up the stairs until we came to a large set of double doors.

He held open the door and as I entered I saw a woman sitting behind a desk off to the side.  Across from her was a sofa and two chairs.  She gestured towards them and said, "Good morning.  He'll be with you in a moment, if you'd like to have a seat."

There was another set of doors off to the left that I assumed led to the Dean's office.  My father sat and pulled out his phone, answering what appeared to be several text messages and I stood there, stoic.  Only a few minutes had passed before the other doors were thrown open with a jovial greeting.

"John, so good to see you.  And this must be Azalea.  Nice to meet you!" the man said.  He wasn't what I was expecting.  While his hair was silver like her father's, the rest of him did not show his age.  He was tall and lean, but you could still tell there was a power behind his frame that his suit did not hide and caused me to take a step back.  The smile on his face seemed genuine, even reaching his honey colored eyes and the small crows feet that showed he smiled often, but one could never be so sure. Even cruel people smiled.

That step back caused him to raise his eye brow at me then glance at my father who once again sighed.  He turned and led us into his office and offered us a seat in a pair of luxurious leather seats situated in front of a large mahongany desk.

He sat and opened the file in front of him and verified my birthday before handing me a small packet.

"This has all the guidelines for the school - please make sure that you familiarize yourself with it."

He went on to talk to me about tomorrow and what we would be doing and how the school worked. The rest of the new students wouldn't be here until Thursday, two days from now, with the rest of the students arriving this weekend. Most of this I had already learned from my father.

He then gave me a map and a schedule and explained to me with an apologetic look that I would have a very full schedule in order to accomadate all that I'd need to learn.  

I shrugged, "It's not like I'll have anything else to do."

He looked almost taken aback by my monotone rebuttal, but he continued on.  I would begin my studies immediately so that my teachers could try and get me caught up.  Next week there would be a big party for all the returning students and he hoped I would get to make friends here.  I just stared at him for a few minutes, until he no longer smiled.  

My father coughed and said, "Why don't we show you to your room and let you get settled in?"

"Great idea," the Dean said, standing up.  He led us downstairs and out of the main building.  I realized that the school was build almost exactly like a college, with a set of dorm rooms on either side of the school.  There were several giant fields laid out with different equipment and beyond that just beautiful open forrest.  I couldn't wait to let my wolf out and actually run and not worry about being seen.

As we walked to the door on the left, the dean babbled on about the different uildings and pointed over the mountain on the left.  "Up high on that mountain is the Alpha Academy.  Every future Alpha and Coven leader had to attend another 2 years of school there sometime before their 24th birthday, learning the ins and outs of running a pack/coven, running the businesses and all of the politics."  I nodded, not really paying any attention until my father spoke up.

"You're brother is in his second year there.  He'll arrive here tomorrow with your sister so you can meet them both."

I rolled my eyes and replied, "We'll see."