Settling In

I stopped by my room and grabbed my empty back pack so I could bring some things back with me from the snack bar.  I had no idea what they would have, but I didn't want to have to keep going down when I was hungry or thirsty.  I walked slowly to the cafeteria, which sat in the middle behind the main office and the auditorium.  I was surprised when I walked in through the doors.  Off to one side was coolers and coolers filled with all kinds of drinks and cold snacks - like pudding and yogurt and ice cream as well as fruits and vegetables.  There was a huge rack next to them that contained other fruits and vegetables as well as what looked like fresh baked goods.  There were also shelves stacked with single serve snacks like pop tarts and chips.

On the other side was what looked like a full buffet.  A lot of it was shut down now because there weren't that many people on campus just yet.  There was an area to leave your dishes and a rack that held to go containers as well as what looked like a cook to order grill above which was a sign with the weekly menu and what hours the grill was open.  I was pleasantly surprised by the variety they seemed to include.  I hoped it tasted as good as it sounded.

There were tables that filled the majority of the area - long tables near the gigantic glass walls and round tables in the middle.  There were about 20 people seated around the room, none of whom paid me any mind as I walked over to the hot bar that was on and held what was said to be Italian.

There I saw a variety of pastas and pizzas that all smelled great.  I didn't want to eat there so I grabbed some to go containers and begin to fill them up.  Before seeing my father again I was used to still being hungry most days - my wolf metabloism was difficult to keep fed.  The last few weeks I'd known what it was to be full again and was amazed by how much I could eat.  I chose some lasagna and some alfredo as well as some spagetti and meatballs.  At the end I found some garlic bread, which was my favorite, as well as some utensils and and bags in which to put everything.

Next there was a small salad bar and I stacked up a salad to go perfectly with my dinner.  Once I had all that packed up I walked over to the snack bar, trying to decide what to take with me.

I grabbed some bottled water, whole milk, and juices as well as a few sodas.  I added in some fruit on the bottom yogurts, some pudding cups and some ice cream as well as some cut fruits and veggies and baked goods.  I tossed some pop tarts, chips, jerky and cookies into the bag that held her dinner.  That should last me a few days so I wouldn't have to come back down for a snack.

I returned to my dorm room and put away all of the snacks before heading to the roof to enjoy my dinner.  I laid down a towel to put my feast on and popped in my airpods.  I jammed out to my favorite songs while inhaling dinner.  The food was good - way better than I remembered school food being.  I stayed up there watching the sun set and the stars come out.  I hoped this year would go by fast and that my roommate wou;dn't be total prima dona.  

I though about my family - I had spoken with my mom just last night.  She was settling back down in San Antonio now that we didn't have to worry about running anymore.  I thought about what I had learned of my brother and sister from the guards - or pack members as my father called them- over the last few weeks.  My father hadn't trusted me to stay and behave so I always had a few of them with me.  He was right - there was a 50 50 chance that I would have just run again.  I learned their names and struck up conversations with them as often as I could.  A few I could even say were on friendly terms with me now- like Krista and Willie.

From them I learned more about the pack itself and my family.  My father was decently fair and ran a rather large pack.  His first mate - my brother Taylor's mother - had died in child birth, but his second mate was still there.  She wasn't a terrible Luna, but she wasn't a great one either.  They had a daughter together, my younger sisiter Tiffany, who by all acounts was literally a spoiled brat.  Both of her parents dotted on her and allowed her a lot of freedoms.  Krista had told me that when my father had announced that he had finally found me and that I would be going to finishing school with her, Tiffany had thrown a fit - literally throwing chairs and throwing herself on the ground like a child.  She was definately a snob and I was warned to avoid my sister at all costs.

Good things were said about Taylor - he was finishing Alpha Academy and was one of the older ones there.  He had actually gone and attended a year at a human university for business and finance between finishing school and the Alpha Academy.  He had big plans for the pack and for growing the businesses they owned, but was very focused on taking them into the future with more green technology.  I had mixed feelings about meeting him.  I knew at some point I would need to and as future alpha, if I had any issues when I got out into the world I would need him to reach out to, but I also knew that letting people get close only let to pain.

It was late when I finally went back in.  I grabbed a quick shower and then went to bed.  Tomorrow I'd get up early and go for a run before meeting with my father and the dean.