Fated to the lost Alpha

Chapter 4

I watched as Cedric pumped his fists in victory as he scored a touchdown during practice.

“Very impressive, Hughes.” The coach nodded, writing something on his notepad.

Cedric grinned and gave a thumbs up. It had been a very bizarre day. The Cedric I was currently looking at was different from the guy I saw the previous day. He looked bigger and more defined. And I was not alone. The whole class as well as Jack had been in shock when Cedric showed up late in the morning. No one should gain that amount of mass in twenty four hours. When asked about the sudden metamorphosis, he had stated that it just happened. He woke up that way.

That was only the beginning. Cedric had tried out for practice after school hours and made the rest of the team look like rookies. Liam, the team captain, and the jock who gave me the flirtatious gaze on my first day of school had initially opposed Cedric's decision for tryout and vowed to 'take him out.' He soon found out the joke was on him. Cedric looked like a god in their midst. It was comical.

The icing on the cake was Liam's futile attempt to injure him during the tryouts. Cedric grinned widely as he spotted the large redhead fuming with his buddies. trying to run him over was like a cat trying to knock over a bus. It was almost like his body was made of stone to the latter’s surprise and frustration.

Far off in the stands and watching the practice was Amy, the blonde girl who had been giving me heated stares since I enrolled in the school, and her cheerleader gang. They had finished their practice routine and stayed back to watch the boys.

“Is it just me or did Cedric just suddenly became hot overnight?” Amy said, fanning herself dramatically.

“I know, right?” One of her gang quipped. “It’s almost like he overdosed on some kind of chemical.”

“Hot chemical," Amy joked and they all giggled.

At the opposite end, Jack sat beside me, watching his friend in action. Just like me, he had not gotten over Cedric’s sudden change of appearance since he spotted him that morning. I scratched my chin, taking my attention back to the field. No one could gain such amount of mass in one night even if that person was on steroids. Unless, it was what I was suspecting. Could it be?

“You okay?” Jack said.

I blinked back to reality and faced him. His expression was that of concern.

“Yeah.” I nodded, forcing a smile. He shrugged and focused his gaze to the field again.

I was worried now and my suspicion grew. This was exactly what happened to me when I awoke my abilities. My body had changed overnight. And the same thing was happening with Cedric.

I knew I had to watch him now. Closer than ever. Of course, an hour later, his jabbering made me want to regret that decision.

"Ah, this crowns the best day of my life." Cedric stretched a bit and grinned, walking in the middle of Jack and I. "And the week is just starting."

The school had closed for the day. Every student rushed out, eager to do whatever they looked forward to.

"Yeah, dude we get it. You're on a roll," I blurted, brushing past some of the on rushers.

"Do I detect something in your voice, Tori?" Cedric teased.

"Nope." I shook my head, giving him a dry stare. " You've been saying the same thing all morning."

Cedric rolled his eyes and looked over to Jack who had a blank look on his face.

"Really?" Cedric scowled.

"What?" Jack's eyebrows formed a thin line.

"What? You're not gonna back me up? Some friend you are."

"Will you get over yourself?"

"Oh I will. On one condition."

We both saw the mischievous grin on his Cedric's face and Jack's face paled.

" I'm guessing it has something to with me joining the football team?" he said.

"Bingo! See, it's not so much of a hard request." Cedric laughed and slung an arm over his friend's shoulder.

Jack winced a bit. "Dude, for some reason I can't explain, your grip is unusually stronger than normal."

"It's all in your head,Jack," Cedric rolled his eyes. "Quit being a wimp."

"I'm not. And by the way, I have to pass on your offer on joining the football team," Jack retorted.

"Oh, come on, bro," Cedric snorted. " Why are you being like this?"

"Can I answer your question with another one?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Why are you so adamant on me joining the team?"

Cedric paused in his steps. Jack and I copied his action.

"Yeah, I think I would like to know too," I said.

Cedric sighed and stared ahead for a bit. The crowd had diminished and it was just the three in front of the school building.

"It has always been us, bro." Cedric's voice was unusually low.

"Us?" Jack tilted his head sideways.

"Yeah." Kyle nodded. "Everything we did since we were little, we did together. I just don't want to be in this alone. Even if I inevitably get famous or something, I want you to be there beside me. To share in the spotlight."

Cedric looked away as he finished his sentence. I couldn't help but smile. The more I hung around the two boys, the more they were starting to grow on me.

Jack stared at his friend for a while. A smile graced his face.

"Fine. I'll try," he muttered.

"For real?" Cedric turned to him, his surprised expression showing that he didn't expect a positive outcome. "You mean you'll try out."

"Yeah, I believe that's what I just said," Jack replied. " Unless you're reading a different meaning to that."

"Awesome!" Cedirc cried, wrapping an arm around his friend's neck to the obvious displeasure of the latter. " We start today. By the acorn field. I'll be at your house by 4:30 in case you want to chicken out."

"And you're going to do the pebble stuff?" Jack frowned.

"Guilty." Cedric grinned innocently.

"You know my window is fragile, right?"

"I'll be gentle. It's going to be like a tap."

"Oh, I doubt that. You might break his glass." I made my input. I hope the suspicion I had didn't reflect in my voice.

"What do you mean?" Cedric scowled in confusion at my direction.

"I don't know if it's only me that noticed, but you look unusually stronger than normal of recent." I cleared my throat. "And bigger, too."

"Okay, this is weird." Cedric shook his head, obviously amused. "What's with everyone saying I look different? First, my mum this morning, then the whole class and now you guys. I look and feel perfectly fine."

Jack and I stared at him like he had three heads.

"Did you look at the mirror today?" Jack said.

"Of course, I did." Cedric scowled. "I do that everyday."

'Of course,' I thought dryly.

"And you did not notice anything different," Jack said.

"No."

Feeling helpless, Jack looked to my direction. I could only shrug in response.

"Maybe we should give it some time," I said.

"Right," Cedric drawled. "I'm right here, you know."

"Anyway, acorn field." He faced Jack. "Don't forget."

"Like you'll give me the option."

I didn't realise I was lost in thought and that they had walked some distance until I heard my name being called.

"Tori!"

I blinked. "Uh...What?"

The boys stared at each other and then back to me.

"What's got you lost?" Cedric said. "Come on."

"Sure." I moved towards them and we made our exit from the school grounds.

##########

The breeze caressed my fur as i sped along the woods in my wolf form. The setting sun which signalled the coming of dusk casted it's red rays on the woods, giving it a mixed colour.

Just like the previous day, I had arrived home with the same lost look on my face. My parents had asked if anything had happened to me at school and I replied that all was well. But the suspicion in my mind kept pestering me and couldn't let me have a moment's rest. My wolf didn't help matters as it kept whining unnecessarily. Frustrated, I had left the house, telling my parents I wanted to take a walk. I had other plans.

As I approached the border of the woods that led to acorn field, I detected two familiar scents. The two boys were there. Additional scent of sweat made me wrinkle my nose in disgust.

'Boys,' I muttered.

'It's just sweat, not blood,' My wolf said. 'There is no need to get worked up.'

I paid it no attention, instead using my ears to detect the noises from the boys. I could hear encouraging cries from Cedric and mutterings from Jack. As I stopped by the border, I sat on my hind legs by and peered at the field just in time to see Jack catch a football.

"Nice one, dude," I heard Cedric cheer. " You're getting better at this. A little bit of bulking up and you'll be the perfect football machine. Next to me, of course."

"Wow, that makes me feel a lot better," I heard Jack retort.

"Hey, don't talk back to your coach!" Cedric bellowed in mock fashion. "Now, drop and give me two thousand!"

"In your dreams, Blondie."

I held myself from laughing. Doing that in my wolf form would resort in a bark and give my position away. The last thing I needed was to scare the boys. Jack, to be more specific.

Before I could listen any further, I suddenly felt my heartbeat at an unusually fast rate.

'What was that?' I winced.

It was abnormal. It was almost like a bolt struck my heart rapidly. I couldn't explain it. After a while, my heartbeat steadied.

And then it happened again.

'What's going on, for heaven's sake!' I yelped.

'It's him,' My wolf finally spoke.

'Who?' I asked.

'We've found him.'

I was about to unleash a tirade of obscenities at it when I remembered something my parents had said before. When a wolf's heartbeat becomes abnormal when it's within distance of another, it's soul has bonded with the other.

Right now, there was only one werewolf in vicinity.

'It can't be.' I peered again and my eyes landed on Cedric. The blonde had just picked up Jack from the ground after a tackle.

I could have done any other thing. I could have just turned around and walked back home pretending nothing happened. Instead, my wolf took control. Before I knew it, I found myself leaping out of the hedge right into the field in full view of the two boys.

"Holy..." Jack's eyes widened. He stood rooted to the ground in terror. It was as if his mind was willing to take off but his body wasn't complying.

Cedric just stared at me with an expression filled with surprise and inquisition.

I stared back at the two boys. Seeing as they hadn't run away at the sight of me, I tried the mind link.

'Guys, it's me,' I called out.

While Jack still had the look of fear in his eyes, a look of realisation appeared on Cedric's. He walked cautiously towards the me.

"Cedric, what are you doing? Come back!" Jack called out.

Cedric ignored him. He walked on until a few feet separated him from me.

"Tori?" he said softly. "Is that you?"