Echoes of an Alpha's heart

Chapter2

SCHOOL BELL GOES OFF AND DOORS FLY OPEN AS A HORDE OF STUDENTS FLOOD THE HALLWAYS OF HAWKESVILLE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.]

Vlad,Mel,Davis and Jes push their way through the thick ocean of students to meet up with their regular friend, Will, who was waiting at the entrance of the school for them. [REGULARS: non werewolves/ humans.]Will sighted Mel and started grinning broadly. "why's this clown blushing?"Vlad asked as they all shock hands with Will. Vlad traced Will's line of sight to Mel and burst into laughter before pushing past him and heading to the parking lot. "common man...do you always have to cast me? '' Will groaned in self pity as they all moved through the walkway. "yo Will!" Davis' strong Jamaican accent echoed in the parking area as he threw his left arm over Will's left shoulder and pulled him closer, causing the fraile boy's knee to wobble under his weight. "get off me you savage!" Will tried pushing the black rock of a human being off himself but Davis stayed in place as though Will hadn't tried anything. "I man hear abou' 'is bomboclat fine thing in my mans history class..."Davis smacked hands with Vlad as they squealed in laughter. Will gave a short but loud laugh. "yea man! tell youn' zaddy abou' 'is dieyamond gyal!" Will suddenly cam to a stop and everyone stopped to watch him. Jes and Mel moved to one side to watch them goof around. "well that sweet thing short and soooft init!" they all shouted in unison as Will described the new girl.

[REFRIGERATOR DOOR SLAMS SHUT]

"So the changing aye?" Will opened a can of soda and fell on the sofa beside Davis. "Explain this shifting process to me." Mel looked uneasy at the mention of the changing. Jes sat up and started explaining. "Ever broken a bone before?" Will shock his head as if to say yes. Surprised, Jes continued. "Imagine having all…I mean every single bone and joint in your body break and heal for about thirty minutes." Will's mouth dropped open. The worried Mel burst out laughing at Will's expression. "T_thirty minutes?" Will managed to pull his tongue back in place. Vlad scoffed. "Longer!" Davis chipped in with a slight frown. "Only if you resist the process." Vlad added calm. Everyone turned to look at him, seated calmly on the couch, yawning. "What? We were all saying something!" He yawned again. My father said that the shifting process may be prolonged if the individual struggles with the pain." Will playfully throws a salute in Jes and Mel's direction. "So what's the plan for Sunday?" Mel asked in an attempt to change the conversation. Davis' face lit up even more. "How abou' something quite in them woods, yea?" Vlad shrugged his right shoulder to show that he was fine with any plans they came up with, for the birthday. It wasn't like he had any plans of his own. "Skiing!" Mel squealed happily. Finally, something that didn't remind her that she was only a few weeks away from changing. "It's a given then!" Will stood to his feets, ready to head home. "Hiking then skiing…don't forget the drinks Davis, I'll see your ugly faces…except you Mel in school tomorrow. "

"Take your seat Davis… there's absolutely no sense in what you just said." The geography teacher put Davis off. The whole class went up in laughter. Vlad and Will tapped him on the shoulder as he sat down between them and buried his head on the slab table in front of them. "Where does principal Jerkins get bogos like this one?" Mr Dilan, the geography teacher, roughed his hair in frustration. The class door swung open to admit principal Jerkins. His black huge frame filled the entire doorway, while his head bent forward at a weird angle to avoid smashing against the door lintel. "There's a new student." The principal told Mr Dilan. "Morning class!" He greeted casually over his shoulder and left the class. Behind him stood a slender, pale looking girl with the face of an angel. Her school bag hung freely on her right shoulder while she held her exercise books in a tight embrace over her chest.

"Come in miss!" Mr Dilan cajoled the innocent looking human into the class. The whole class went into an uproar. Boys banging on their tables and wailing as she walked to where the teacher stood. "Quiet down you clowns!" The geography teacher knocked on his table to stop the noise. They all settled down and gave their best attention. "Please step forward, tell the class your name and where you're from." The geography teacher gestured for her to step forward. "My name's Everest Hoxwinter and I'm from Mccarthy in Alaska." The little human said quietly. The boys exchanged quick grins and glances at one another. Davis tapped Vlad furiously with an absent mindedly grin on his face. The I-DONT-CARE look on Vlad's face as he turned to face the annoying Davis. "Sit right there" Mr Dilan pointed towards the empty lab stool beside Jes and Mel, in front of Vlad. "It's the girl I told you guys about." Will whispered to Davis and Vlad shyly. Davis shook Will in excitement while Vlad just sat put without an expression on his face.

"Is there anyone here?" A calm soft voice asked, standing behind the only available chair on Vlad's table. Will and Davis immediately jumped to their feets causing the table to jump and Vlad to mistakenly drop his spoon. Vlad looks up slowly at the girl who was overwhelmed by Vlad's clowning friends. "The seat's empty." Davis offered to hold her tray while she sat down before placing it down on the table in front of her.

*

Vlad couldn't help but notice how quiet Rainbow street was. A dry still Autumn wind blew a loose thread into his face. The number of homicides so far had frantically launched to forty-six, yet the local police and mayor hadn't the slightest idea what to do. A curfew had now been set for five-thirty pm.

Vlad's Ford explorer roared unto Rainbow Street, out of his driveway. He eyed the almost deserted street in Jes' car as he asked himself why he let Mel talk him to something this stupid. He wasn't about to lose his life to some psycho scumbag on his eighteenth birthday, just for a few hours skiing experience on mount logan.

"Relax Vee!... we'll be alright." Mel had been watching him for a while and didn't like the uneasiness she was getting from him. Vlad eyed her painfully. "I'm about to drive approximately one hundred and ninety-four point four miles out of Haines junction just to satisfy your craving. Mel suddenly looked pained as she heard his words. Will couldn't help but chuckle from the backseat where he lay tapping away on the screen of his phone. He and Vladimir had been against the trip from the beginning. "What could possibly go wrong?" Mel slapped her tiny hand on her lap. "Uh…us turning into half cut sardines!" Will's head popped up beside her. Just then Jes' twenty-nineteen ford ranger pick up truck pulled up beside them, to Vlad's left hand side. Davis bumped knuckles with Vlad as they all exchanged greetings noisily. "Yea man!" Davis slapped them outside of his door in complete enthusiasm. "Let's get going Peeps!" Jes tugged at his hoodie from behind. "Don't you dare dent my car you freak!" Davis didn't seem to notice her and kept on talking. "How about a bet?" The window at the backseat door of Vlad's truck suddenly rolled down. "A hundred bucks to whoever gets to the gate of Kluane reserve first!" Will challenged Davis with a heartfelt smile on his slim face. Davis smiled back, pushing Jes' hand off his hood as she tried to stop him from accepting Will's proposal. She'd have to race the speed demon Vlad and everyone knew he had no limits when it came to fast moving objects. "The lowers get to unpack and pack everyone's gear?" Mel smiled and shook her head in disbelief as she watched the soon to be adults babble. Vlad strapped the strap of his leather driving gloves. "Deal!" Will accepted and wound up his window. "We'll start as soon as we reach the outskirts of Haines. I don't want questions." Everyone laughed.

The Alaska highway was deserted as expected. Just as they both drove past the signboard that said welcome to Haines Junction, Jes sped past Vlad in an attempt to have a good head start. Vlad smiled and shook his head and stepped on the accelerator pedal. It was just seven in the morning so they'd probably get to their destination by noon if they mentioned the speed they were on.

**

"Davis dear…" Mel called out as she walked empty handed over to where Vlad and Will stood grinning. "Be a good boy and fetch my phone from the car. I need to take a selfie…" Davis hissed as he hands and his backpack and heads back to the explorer to get Mel's phone. Will crouches by a tree, fighting the urge to laugh at the poor Davis. "You're supposed to help me out here. "Davis reminded Jes, who apparently, wasn't interested in moving an inch from where she was standing. "I can't remember agreeing to that stupid deal." Davis growls slowly and picks up Mel's phone from the passenger front seat and heads back to give it to where Mel stood.

Mount Logan stood around one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five feets tall. The five of them stood at the north side of the foot of the mountain, staring up at its elegance. From where they stood, it was as if the sun hid shyly behind the summit of the mountain. The white blanket of snow covered every inch of this geographical mystery. "Which way up?" Will asked without tearing his gaze from the humongous beauty. "The east side." Vlad pointed in the direction to his right and started walking in the direction he pointed. Everyone followed, leaving Mel behind taking selfies. "Melissa!" Vlad shouted over his shoulder as he led the small troop eastward.

Beginning with a scaling of five thousand two hundred and fifty meters, they all struggled to carry their climbing gear on their back. "When do we make camp?" A very tired Davis asked panting. Vlad looked back in surprise at the chubby human being almost at his knees and couldn't help but smile. "Our camp site is exactly four thousand meters above from where we are now." Everyone laughed at the look of disbelief and frustration that Davis wore broadly. "Try to keep up bro!" Will tapped Davis' shoulder as he walked past him and followed closely behind Jes. "Alright guys. Let's pack and wrap it up… we're running late!" Will called out as he unzipped his mountain bag and stuffed his ski board into the bag. "Will you look at that!" Jes takes a look at her watch. "We're far behind our schedule." Davis sniffs and pulls himself off the rock he was seated on. "You guys pack… I'll go one more time and meet you at the foot of the mountain!" Davis told them and propelled himself forward with his ski stick. He started moving down the mountain before anyone could stop him. They all stood in silence as they watched him go all by himself. Just as they were about to turn back to packing, Mel noticed Davis lost his balance and gasped. The back end of his board hit a rock and sent him tumbling down the mountain side, towards a Pine-tree area. "s**t!" Vlad cursed under his breath and pulled out his skiing board and stick. "He never listens… bloody i***t!" He followed Davis down the mountain in a rescue attempt. Davis finally came to an abrupt stop by tumbling straight into one of the mountain Pine trees.

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