Zari

Chapter 4 - Testing

***Clint

The smell of bacon and eggs is thick in the air of the alpha floor this morning. Mom must have wanted to make us breakfast this morning because of my exams. Usually, my siblings and I eat breakfast with the pack downstairs before school. My brother, Jeremy, is already sitting at the table. He is only thirteen, but he is nearly as tall as I am already. Even though my parents started trying to expand our family soon after Jaylie’s arrival, it took them four years before they conceived again. I am a little grateful because that meant that I spent my preschool years with her. Both of my sisters walk in behind me, carrying their bags. They must have already eaten. Renee is twelve and Amanda is ten, and they could not be any more different from one another. No two of us are alike really. I asked my mother one day years ago if she was sure that I was related to Jeremy. She had just chuckled and told me that my siblings would help me be the best Great Alpha one day because living with them peacefully and cooperatively would teach me how to relate to others better, and that loving them in their differences would make me more compassionate in the long run. Looking at them now, I cannot feel anything but love and gratitude. Jeremy stands and grabs his bag. He and the girls wish me luck on my exams and I tell them to have great days before hugging each of them, telling them I love them. The bus from the public elementary and middle school is due to arrive soon. I don’t miss those early morning rides one bit!

This morning is warm again so I drive to Elite with my windows down, but my joy is limited by the anxiety I feel because of the impending tests scheduled for today. Adam had brought up a good point yesterday - would I actually be named Great Alpha if I don’t graduate first academically? Even if Jaylie wanted nothing to do with it, every alpha and child of an alpha would come out of the woodwork to challenge me. I have no doubt that I would win, but it would result in unnecessary deaths and pointless c*****e. I couldn’t allow it. I have to place first!

Before testing commences, Head Warrior Allen leads us in meditation, easing some of the stress and worry for everyone. On his way out, I hear him whisper in Jaylie’s ear, “Crush it, Firefly.” I always wondered why he called her that. We each take our seats and begin the ACT. Honestly, this just feels like a warm-up for the next round of testing. After all, we all take advanced classes and our futures are less tied to our ACT scores than a human’s is. While the score would be part of our college admissions, if we chose to go to a werewolf university, this afternoon’s exams would be considered more heavily. Also, our ACT scores are not part of our class rank. I groan inwardly at the thought of the class rank. Before I know it, the ACT is finished and we are dismissed to the cafeteria for lunch. Because the other classes do not have testing today, they ate at the normal 11 a.m. time. Our class is starting lunch an hour later, making it a little more relaxed than usual. I see Jaylie sit in an empty booth in the back corner, her feet drawn up on the seat so she can use her knees like a desk for her notebook. She was careful to tuck her skirt between her calves and the back of her thighs to prevent an unintentional flash. What I’d give to know what she does in those notebooks!

“How are you guys feeling about round one today?” I ask the others at the table, trying to not make my distraction across the room obvious to the others.

“I think I aced it,” Shaliece replies with a wink in my direction. She can fake it all she wants, but we all know she is 25th in a class of 25. Some of us have wondered how she got into Elite in the first place, even with her three year rank as top female in warrior training.

“Glad to hear it, Shaliece. How about you, Adam?” I ask, ignoring Shaliece’s toothy smile response to my perceived attention.

“I feel good about it, but we all know this afternoon is what really counts. That is, unless we choose a human university,” he replies.

“Yeah. This afternoon. I hope the Moon Goddess will smile on me today,” I say, earning Adam’s chuckle.

“Did Jaylie not eat again? Why does she skip lunch just to scribble in that notebook?” Robin asks, showing some genuine concern for Jaylie’s lack of food intake. Honestly, I never noticed that she wasn’t actually eating. Heck, Robin said “again”. How have I not noticed a trend for one of my pack members that could be harmful?

I immediately stand up and go make a plate of food to bring to Jaylie. Before I make it over to her seat, Shaliece, Jenny, and Melissa are already at her table.

“What are you doing, you little attention seeking orphan? Trying to get Clint’s pity?” Shaliece asks, making my wolf growl within me. “Can you be any more pathetic?”

“What’s going on?” I ask sternly as I approach, making Shaliece and her cousins jump.

“Just checking on little Jaylie,” Shaliece replies in her fake sweet voice, smiling sickeningly at me. How so many males think she is the hottest thing ever is beyond me.

“Well, I’ve got this. You ladies can sit back down and chill before our next round of testing,” I say, letting a little bit of my alpha tone slip through. I don’t like outright alpha ordering people, but right now, I just need them gone. Once they leave, I slide into the booth next to Jaylie, hoping to catch a peak in her notebook. Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough and she flipped it shut at lightning speed. “Sooo...I noticed you don’t eat lunch very often,” I begin. Man, I sound weak. What the hell is wrong with me!?

“I just don’t feel like eating a big lunch very often,” she replies nonchalantly, looking at her knees.

“Well, I know you know that as werewolves, we require higher calorie diets and frequent meals. I know I am risking you scoring even higher by doing this, but I made you a plate of food. I just want to make sure you are taken care of.”

Her green eyes lift to look into mine. Dear Goddess, they are beautiful. This close, I can see golden flecks in her irises that are thicker near the pupil and more sparse moving to the outer edge. Her irises are encircled by a dark hunter green sphere, making the lighter green appear even brighter. I half expect them to glow. Her eyes are large, but almond shaped, very unique among our peers. “Thank you,” she says. “Um, just a suggestion, but you should have said ‘your scoring’ because it is a gerund and don’t end your sentences with prepositions, such as ‘of’. Possessive cases are used before gerunds. Maybe that will make up for the point difference the plate of food will make,” she says with a shy smile. Damn. I might not be able to focus on the test at all after seeing that smile. I hadn’t realized how rare her smiles are. Is she really that unhappy here? I feel my eyebrows furrow.

“Jaylie, are you unhappy in our pack?” I ask. My heart nearly stops as I await her answer.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I love learning in school. I am thankful for the provision of the children’s home and everything that has been given to me by the pack growing up. Big Brad - I mean Head Warrior Allen - has always been generous toward me, kind of like a dad or uncle would be. I guess I just feel like I am not really supposed to be here. It’s not like I actually fit in or have friends,” she quietly explains.

“I’m your friend,” I say without hesitation.

She lightly places her hand on top of mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. “You are going to be an awesome Great Alpha, Clint.” She pauses, removes her hand, and glances over to my friends, “You should go back to your table. I will eat. Relax about the test. It’s just an opportunity to show them what you already know.”

I don’t know why, but that last sentence she spoke caused my wolf to calm instantly and gave me the comfort and confidence I needed to relieve my anxiety. “Thank you,” I say barely above a whisper but full of emotion. I slowly slide out of the seat and hesitantly return to my table to find all eyes on me.

“Robin, let me know if she goes without lunch again, please. I don’t know why she isn’t eating, but I don’t want that to become a trend,” I say. “Thanks for bringing it to my attention.” My table returns to idle chit chat about Goddess knows what for the remaining ten minutes while I sit in absolute wonder of how amazing my hand feels after the quick contact it had with Jaylie.

*

“Have you decided on a college or major yet?” My father asks at the dinner table.

“I was thinking about the University of Glasgow and double majoring in international relations and pre-med. I know it sounds crazy, but the international relations degree will help me as a great alpha, and if I continue my studies through medical school, it would benefit my pack. Pack doctors are rare and overworked. It would be good if I could step in and assist. Besides, understanding our human and wolf bodies better will help me in making good decisions for the pack’s well being.” I brace myself to hear how wrong my decision is. My father is a great dad, but sometimes his alpha traits come through and he wants to fix his own family the way he would a pack member.

“I think that is a wise decision, son. As you know, I lived in Scotland for a while myself - the home of my ancestors. UG is an excellent school choice. Your majors are well thought out, well balanced for both you and the pack. Just confirmation that you were born to be a great alpha,” he says with a big smile, his pride shining through. He may be 88 years old, but that smile gets the attention of females as young as their twenties, even if they all know he only has eyes for my mom. “Have you considered that you might just find your mate there? Most Great Alphas’ mates are from other areas, you know. I didn’t find your mother until I went to Greece to help Alpha Galanis get his area settled after the wars. I had no idea that his daughter was my mate, but in walked Danae and my whole life changed,” he said, looking at my mother with adoration, making my mother blush. I hope to Goddess I will be able to make my mate blush after as many years together as my parents have.

“The thought has crossed my mind, but honestly, at this point, I am focusing on getting my degrees. A Luna will happen when the Goddess chooses. Until then, I will do everything I can to be a better person for her, for my pack, for my territory, and for myself.”

“We are so proud of you, Clint. I know it is best for you, but I am not sure how I am going to make it with my sweet boy so far away,” my mom says, tears starting to form in her eyes.

“Oh, Danae, he will be fine. Besides, Scotland is a beautiful place in our territory to visit. We will see him more than you think,” my father says, smiling encouragingly toward my mother. He then changes the subject, “Have you heard where your classmates will all be going to school?”

“You know Adam has had his heart set on playing football for Ohio State ever since he could first say ‘buckeyes’,” I laugh. It is a well known fact that Adam is an Ohio State fan. He even chose his Toyota pickup truck because it was scarlett with grey interior.

“And what about Shaliece?” Dad asks.

My body stiffens a little at the mention of her name. “I have no idea. She really doesn’t seem interested in anything other than being a future luna. I am honestly kind of worried she will reject her mate if he isn’t an alpha.”

“Oh!” my mother gasps. “She wouldn’t do such a thing! No one in their right mind would defy the Moon Goddess’ pairing!”

“That’s just it, mama. I am not sure she is in her right mind regarding her mating. She is determined to be not just a luna but my luna, whether the Goddess wills it or not,” I reply.

My father uses his forefinger and thumb to rub his chin, his eyebrows furrowed, “I will see what we can do about this. If what you say is true, it is harmful to her, our pack, and whoever she ends up trying to force into a chosen mating. Without the Goddess’ blessing, it would ruin his alpha lineage. She would not be able to conceive. Maybe you or I should have a talk with her, Danae. She must need some guidance.”

As a sign that her heart is troubled, my mother reaches up to the necklaces lying just below her neckline. Her fingers gently rub the lettering “Γαλανής”. It is her maiden name, Galanis, in Greek lettering. True to the name, my mother has the palest blue eyes I have ever seen, which are quite the contrast to her dark brown hair and olive skin. Of her four children, I look the most like her, just with my father’s grey eyes. My three siblings all have sky blue eyes. Jeremy and Amanda have my father’s strawberry blonde hair and lighter skin tone; Renee has a light olive skin tone skin tone with light brown hair. Jeremy is the only one with freckles.

“Maybe I should host a tea for the graduating young ladies and give them a Luna chat about mates,” Mom finally says. “It might not be a bad idea for you to do something similar with the young men, Graeme. Maybe it should be an annual thing from now on.” My father may be the Great Alpha, but when my mother comes up with an idea such as this, no matter how awkward and uncomfortable it may be, my father will always do as she suggests. No one will ever convince me that women are anything but the true power of the pack!