Chapter 2

Jayda’s POV

Morning training ended, and I had my second breakfast. Sliding into my AP Language Arts, 1st-period class of the day. I wait for my friends to arrive so we can chat about our Friday night plans.

I settle into my desk near the middle of the classroom. Looking up from my seat, I see the blue eyes of Brad’s pompous ass glaring at me as he takes his seat at the back of the class. I give him a smirk as I chuckle to myself, thinking as I remember what happened this morning.

He must still be fuming over what happened at training. The dude needs to get over it.

Now you know us wolves. We’re competitive, so we like to talk our shit and I’m included in the shit-talking bunch. 

I’m the Gamma’s daughter, what do you expect?

I’m in my training group, a group that consists mostly of elite warriors and advanced werewolves. Brad, this obnoxious jackass in our senior class, just had to pair up with me. I don’t mind shit-talking because that’s what I do. What happened next just know that the blonde hair blue eyed stocky wolf had it coming.

The moves we were focusing on were pinning your attacker and surprising your opponent. I’m on defense as we circle around each other. 

Brad kept talking shit and instead of focusing on the move, he talked his ass right into the takedown. I pinned him to the ground 5 times. Oh, you know I had to get my jabs in each time I pinned him. Just to let him know she-wolves are not to be underestimated. Brad to fuck around and boy, he found out today.

It was funny as hell.

After the 5th pin, my dad invoked the mercy rule, and we switched partners.

‘Come on pumpkin, you didn’t have to embarrass the poor boy like that.’ His face is stoic, but the amusement in his voice lets me know he’s feeling proud. ‘You’ve got a smooth takedown, though. I’m proud of you’.

Even though we’re the Gamma family, my dad says that we should show humility towards our pack members. I do not give two damns about that if the person is an ass.

The noise in the class increase as more students enter.

Looking up, I’m shocked to see Imani here on time as she walks in chatting with Ebony, an omega, one of our friends from the Shadow Moon Pack. Imani is my homegirl but being the Alpha’s daughter, she is always late. 

Wearing light pink and black high-waist paper bag shorts romper, black gladiator sandals, and wearing her freshly blow-dried dark brown hair in a top bun and her gold earrings the sun reflects off of Imani’s caramel complexion she enters the room of course turning the heads of most of the funky males in our class.

Oh, and let’s not forget Ebony, who’s wearing her signature round-the-way girl box braids half up and down with her wearing a yellow sundress that looks to die for on her ebony complexion along with white sandals. All the wolves fall at her feet too with her 5 ‘8 height and legs for days looking the part of a model.

A few minutes after, Zuri comes looking like a wanna-be 90s teenage girl. I swear she wants to dress how our mamas did in the 90s. It’s as if she wants to be transported back in time to that era. However, she wouldn't be able to cope with the slower pace of technology back then.. I mean, Nokia phones with one game are lame. Although, knowing her, she would’ve invented something that would’ve made her a multimillionaire. 

Only thing non-90’s teen girl about her are the goddess braids she rockin’ that have pieces of gold and blonde mixed in that complement her golden honey complexion. She pulls the look off, even though I think it makes her look younger than our age.

We’re all just a few months away from turning 18. Our brothers have all turned 18. Ebony is also 18. Werewolf pregnancies only last 5 months, so it’s easy for she-wolves to have 2 kids in a year’s time frame. 

“Hey, y’all hear that Drake is having a party tonight at his house?” Imani leans in close to us from her seat. 

Of course, she knows since she’s the Alpha’s daughter and is one of the popular kids, although the girl is an Ambivert and dislikes attention.

“Yeah, I heard about that”, chimes in Ebony. “It’s his birthday and his parents are hoping he finds his mate today or at the party. Kinda cool of them to throw him a party at their house”.

“Bet the whole senior class will be there,” complains Zuri. “I know y’all want me to get out more, but I’d rather work on my app or read a book. I want to have my app created by the end of the school year”. 

“Girl, live a little.” I roll my eyes at her. “It’s our senior year, baby. Let’s not spend it hulled up in our rooms working on projects. I’ve gotta work on my portfolio to get a foot in the door to Moon Crest Media, but I need to let off some steam before I go crazy over everything.”

Zuri can be a little nerd sometimes, but deep down, Sis has a little undercover freak in her. I see it every time she looks at my brother behind those fake ass glasses she wears to complete her nerd look. She thinks I don’t notice, but I do. If desire had a face, it’d look like her salivating over my brother. She swears she can’t stand him and argues with him often, but I know the look of want.

It’s the same look I have when look at Evander.

“Now, what exactly is the reason that you need to let loose? Care to elaborate? Is it really over getting that position or is it over someone who hasn’t spoken to you for months? Hmm,” Zuri teases. 

Zuri knows that I’m pressed and stressed over Evander not contacting me. I try to keep my feelings away from Imani because I don’t want her to run and tell Evander because he doesn’t need to know how his lack of communication affects me.

Before I can respond with a snarky retort, Noah, my brother’s friend, leans over and says a little too loudly for the class to hear.

“Jayda, is it true that Jalen, Zach, and Evander are coming back?” the cute warrior asks. 

Yeah, Noah is cute with his green eyes and red-haired self. 

“My dad and Alpha Eli mentioned something about them coming home soon but they didn’t say when,” I responded to him, looking around to make sure everyone in the class wasn’t up in our conversation.

“Aaliyah’s coming back as well with them too,” I reminded him of my cousin. 

Aaliyah is the firstborn of my aunt Michele and Uncle Ezra. She will take over for her pack, the Alpine Forest pack, when she turns 21. I can’t wait to see her, and at least she’s been keeping in touch with me when she’s not busy.

“It’ll be good to have them home. So we can all finish our last year together. You know us boys gotta stir up some ruckus before we graduate?” Noah says jokingly. Now I know he ain’t anywhere close to joking, since all the boys do is get into situations when they’re together.

Mr. Beckham enters right when the bell rings. Before he starts the brief lesson for the day, we turn our papers in. As he begins the lecture, my mind drifts off to thoughts of the boys coming home. 

Jalen, my brother is the future gamma, Zach is the future beta, and he is Zuri’s brother and, of course, Evander is Imani’s brother. All the boys turned 18 while they were away and from what we’ve heard, they haven’t found their mates yet.

Once the lesson is over, Mr. Beckham lets us read books for the rest of the class. As I’m pulling out the latest Sinclair James novel so I can get a few chapters read since my girls and I are going to the party, I can’t help to think about if Evander has found his mate. The last time I spoke to my brother, Jalen was kinda cryptic with his info about him and the boys. 

“Jayda, live your life and don’t wait around for something that may or may not happen. It’s okay to play the field and see what you want. Don’t sit around and miss out on a good thing when others are living their lives”.

I wanted him to explain further, but he had to run off to one of his gamma classes. I think Jalen suspects I have a crush on Evander. Who doesn’t think that in my close circle? My brother has always had my back and has always kept it one-hundred with me, so if he is telling me something, I consider it.

No matter how cryptic it may be.

Evander and I have always been close. I’d say he’s my best friend. We’ve always kept a friendly relationship. That’s what I thought until the night before he left for Alpha training.

However, I don’t think best friends just stop talking to each other out of the blue.

Turning to chapter 4 of the book, I get to the first sentence and the bell rings, letting me know it’s time for the next class.

Leaving the class, the hallway is packed with students navigating themselves to their next class. Exiting the class, it’s clear that the word has spread that the boots are coming home.

Stopping in the hall, I grab my Spanish textbook from my locker. Shutting my locker, I am met with the 3 faces that I don’t care nor want to see right now. Becky, Bambi and Donna. Ugh, these 3 are heiffas my brother and his friends have ‘entertained’ over the last few years.

Smacking her gum and popping her hip. Swinging her blonde hair over her shoulder, almost knocking Bambi in the face Becky, stands in front of me to keep from walking away.

“Hey Joy. So Jalen’s fine ass will be home soon?” she asks while blowing bubbles with her pink Hubba Bubba gum.

“First off, you know what my name is. Second, yes, he’ll be home soon, from what I hear. No, I don’t know the exact day,” I huff out. I don’t know what the boys were thinking when they interacted with these leeches. Wait, never mind. I know what they were thinking.

“Girl, you know she’s just playing”, Donna defends her friend with her chola looking ass. 

“We just wanted to know when they were coming in so we can be the first to greet them. If you know what I mean,” she says, giving me a wink. Yeah, hoe, I know exactly what you mean.

Yuck. Just thinking about why makes me want to puke.

Bambi and Donna cackle at Becky’s little joke, attracting the attention of other students in the hall.

Before I can respond, Bambi has the nerve to comment. “Of course she doesn’t know. I’m sure she hasn’t even kissed a guy before”. Her comment has the girls laughing louder and I feel my blood pressure rising and Venus my wolf coming to the surface.

Exhaling and taking a few breaths, I calm both of us because I don’t need to end up suspended for kicking all 3 of their asses today. 

“Listen, if y’all don’t want anything else, get out the way. I’m headed to Senora De La Cruz’s class and I don’t have time for this bullshit. Y’all not about to make me late.”

I walk away from the 3 bimbos, thanking the Goddess that Venus let me handle the situation.

I can’t wait for the boys to get back so everyone can calm down and move on.