Running From A Wolf

Chapter 13

"Why am I supposed to live in the bunkrooms?" I groaned.

We were at the Expert Abode, a large modern building at the best part of campus. Expert Abode was built specially for the ten Experts and their 'disciples' at Bluedale University.

My registration was completed, and I had submitted all my documents at sunrise. My campus tour was hosted by Frayer, with Kristine accompanying us. And despite my protests, I was looking forward to studying at Bluedale, especially under the tutelage of an Expert.

Professor Ryan Stodon. He might be a bit of a brute, but I had felt a connection to him when we spoke in the car. Something told me that his intentions for me were pure, that he did want me to succeed, although whether he believed I had the potential was questionable. But if I put our little misunderstanding behind us, studying under his guidance was not much of a bad idea.

Besides, I should indeed feel relieved that I was among the few freshers who was selected by an Expert.

From what was advertised, all the disciples of these Experts had the best treatments and accommodations. The building right in front of me had hundreds of luxurious rooms. As long as an Expert chose a new discipline, that disciple could live there without any charges. Free food, best tailored clothes, high class products, you name it.

It was kind of like being adopted by a rich clan. You could do whatever you wanted as long as an Expert held your back. You could use the power for good, such as access to the best resources on campus and beyond... or you could use it to get away with crimes, which happened quite often, if the rumours were to be believed.

My face had initially lit up. Maybe getting picked by Ryan wasn't so bad after all. But then, big bad Frayer dropped a major bomb on me.

"Just because you're selected by an Expert does not mean that you're completely accepted," clarified Frayer. "You have to prove yourself first. Only then can you enter the Expert Abode."

"What?" I threw down the shoulder bag filled with my clothes and other daily products. "If you weren't going to let me into the building anyway, why'd you call me here? I could have stayed at home until then!" I wailed.

"Do you have any objections?" A warm and friendly voice asked behind me.

I was about to jump around and nod wildly, but then I felt a trail of angry heat scorch my spine. I immediately put on an amicable smile and turned. "Good morning, Coach Ryan. Of course not, Coach Ryan."

"Then the question is settled." He smiled warmly, his eyes glinting. "I hope you survive the next few months with us."

The sun shone dazzlingly on the dark skinned demigod, dressed in a tracksuit that stretched across his ripped muscles. I had to force my jaw to stay fixed at he moved towards me, the light almost casting a halo over his dark curls.

"Damn, sir," my tongue slipped. "Has anyone ever told you that you could get really rich even if you switch jobs now?"

Frayer burst out laughing, bending over as they turned into coughs. Ryan raised a brow and smirked. "Got a crush on me, kid? You better work hard then."

"Yes, sir!" I fisted my hand, easing a little at his good mood.

"Perhaps the training will make you rich, too. Quite a few students have claimed the disability and permanent injuries fee from our contracts." Ryan patted my head condescendingly. "Perhaps your face will look as appealing with bruises rather than the racoon eyes that you're going for."

"Thank you for your expectations. I wont disappoint." I dipped my head to hide an ugly scowl. If I ever got the chance, I would smash that guy's face with a frying pan.

"Frayer, take her to her new home." Ryan stepped past us and headed to the luxuriously designed building. My sorrowful heart clenched in self pity.

"Miss Kiara, right this way." Frayer nodded to a side path.

"You can call me Kelsie," I gritted out. Until the day I rip apart that tongue of yours and eat it for breakfast.

I trudged behind him, resentful. In a few minutes, we were at a modest sized wooden annex. It looked pretty good, with clean frames and a lawn of grass. But why were we here? And where were the horses?

"Welcome to the Expert Trainee house," Frayer announced. "Make sure to stay comfortably. You'll be here for a few months, at the least."

My mouth dropped. Stay comfortably? What did he mean, stay comfortably? In the stables?

"Woah, wait," I laughed nervously. "You're joking, right? This is for the horses, right? This is definitely not for me. Right?"

"The rest of the living arrangements are filled this year, so the management decided to convert this building into a temporary one for Coach's trainees. You're alone for the moment, as he selects the rest after the assessment day. The horses were moved a few months ago. So, you have nothing to worry about."

So, there were horses here? Up until a few months ago? Are you sure you got every tiny bit of horse patties unglued from the walls? The bloody wooden walls?

"Hahaha, senior, go easy on me," I tried to switch tactics. "I heard that the other newbies get to live in the regular dorms. Please cover up for me? I'll pay for your entire year's cafeteria charges!"

He blinked at me like I was an i***t. "You want to live with the others?"

"Yes!" I pleaded. "Please can I live with the others?"

I could share a room with Kristine. It would be just like old times, where we shared rooms in school, before we got our apartments...

"Sure," he agreed easily.

Huh?

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Yes."

"Yay! Senior, you're the best! Thank you!"

"No worries. Just make sure you hand in your Expert shifter course resignation letter at the administration office." He smiled and headed back towards the Expert Abode.

"Oh, okay," I nodded with a grin, then froze abruptly.

What? What?!

"Wait!" I ran after Frayer. "What do you mean?"

He cast a calm expression at me. "Didn't you want to live in the dorms? To go against your instructor's rules is to indirectly disobey and disregard the instructor. So, good luck with your future in human courses. None of the trainers will accept an Expert reject, let alone other instructors or Experts. And an instructor never takes back a student once they decide to leave."

He waved his hand. "So do submit the resignation letter before the Coach does it. The consequences would be much better then."

"Uh..." I stood there, dazed, staring at Frayer's retreating body. Was that it? The end of my aspirations to become a strong shifter?

Panic surged through me. I couldn't let that happen. All for a place to sleep at? It wasn't worth it. I had to stay, no matter the price. My legs moved on their own, faster with each step. He was taller, but I did jog everyday, and I urged myself to speed up.

Frayer was almost at Expert Abode again, and a few feet away stood Ryan.

No. I can stop him. I MUST stop him!

Frayer touched Ryan's shoulder. He took a deep breath.

A sudden burst of adrenaline burst through my arteries and my speed increased drastically. Green mist swirled in my vision and I blinked in surprise, but I couldn't pay heed to it.

"Coach, I think Kelsie won't be staying-"

I was fifteen feet away.

"Coach!" I cried out. "Coach, just wait for a minute!"

Both Ryan and Frayer shot their gazes at me. Their eyes were wide open, clearly dumbfounded at my extra speedy run. Even I was shocked at how fast I moved in my human form, unnaturally so. But my mind was still fixated on them, so I didn't stop.

Until I suddenly realised that I couldn't stop. I literally couldn't force myself to slow down. My feet moved on their own, the momentum driving me to a doomed end.

Oh, s**t.

Green mist twisted around my thighs, encircling my jeans, wrapping tightly around my body. But they weren't here to help me. They restrained me, making me unable to resist the magic that drove me faster.

A split second before I ran right into Ryan, I desperately tried to change my direction. In my foolish haste, I felt my ankle twist with a sharp crack. And then I fell straight into a large thorny bush with a short, terrified shriek.

"f**k!"

A short burst of black stars encircled my vision before I blacked out.

•

I felt the soft swish of a furry tail on my neck. It tickled me a bit and I snorted weakly. My fingers felt too heavy to swat at it, and I twisted, trying to evade it.

The darkness stretched indefinitely. My eyes were closed, so I couldn't see the void. But I could sense it, and the coldness that trapped me within it.

Flexing my muscles, I groaned when my senses came to life. I was curled into a fetal position on a soft, furry surface. Silence surrounded me, comfortable but lonely. I knew that I had to open my eyes, I had to see where I was, but I didn't care. My mind was numb, my body was exhausted; and all I wanted was sleep.

There once lived a girl, a naive little beast.

She was forced to grow overnight.

The world crashed upon her and broke her down,

but her eyes stayed fixed on her bloodied crown. Her story didn't end well.

Do you know her... ?

I groaned, the words from a long burnt letter echoing in my mind. It swirled around my conscience, the whisper taking on the voice of a sneering male.

Where am I...

A myriad of memory frames zipped across my thoughts. I resisted against them, forcing them out my head. Sweat covered my skin, dripping down my forehead and cheeks in steady streams. I was sleeping on my side, and my face scrunched, annoyed at the fluids while memories circled in my head.

My first gift; my first dance class; my first day at school; my first memory of making friends; the awkward family gatherings... My heart clenched with dread as the memories became clearer, the faces of laughing boys, a smiling girl, my parents, and others took over.

No. Make it stop.

The sequence speeded, pounding against my skull with every familiar, detestful face. I gritted my teeth, a low growl rumbling deep in my throat.

I said. Make. It. Stop.

Instantly the violating images stopped. I drearily parted my eyes, jerking in surprise as the darkness vanished, and colour leeched into the world again.

The void was replaced by a beautiful scenery of a bright sunny morning in a paddy field. The dazzlingly warm sunlight placed a layer of gold on every blade of grass, that waved refreshingly in the wind under the shade of a mighty oak tree, it's vast branches arching over her like a huge dome.

A girl stood beside the bark of the tree. She twirled a leaf in her hand, her honey brown hair lowered in contemplation. She was staring deeply at the rotating leaf, a sad smile softening her features. She looked endlessly serene, yet regretful.

I tried reach for her, but the young girl shook her head, her face filled with despair.

"Meow..."

I looked down at a tiny white kitten running toward the girl. It's soft paws struggled to part the grass, and I could see myself in it, struggling for an entire decade with the weak form of that kitten, which caused my ruin because others suspected me to have the form of a wild cat.

The girl observed the kitten for a few minutes. Then her hands gently reached down and held the small snowy ball of cotton.

"You have suffered," the girl sounded apologetic. Her long fingers stroked the kitten's head. Her green eyes met mine, then observed the kitten again. The kitten purred softly with a sound too pleasing to the ears. My spine tingled with her soft touch as she stroked its back.

I felt my eyes tear up at the compassion I saw. No one had ever treated me so gently since I left home. No one had rubbed my head that way just to make me feel better.

"I should not have stayed asleep," the young girl sighed. "I am you, after all."

... what...?

She looked at the kitten with every word she uttered, but why did the words seem as if they were meant for me?

"I am you," she smiled. "Let us face the world hereafter as one."

The girl lifted her head and met my confused eyes. She smiled, her rosy lips brimming with passion. Her emerald green eyes held mine, sparkling as bright as gems.

The oak tree above her shuddered. A sea of flowers blossomed over the tree top. It was completely illogical, yet clumps of cherry blossoms rained down onto the green earth.

The sight was as beautiful as the simply dressed young girl, standing alone at the foot of the oak tree, with a leaf in her hand.

The girl smiled softly. She held her hand out and caught a few pale pink flowers. With a sigh of liberation, she turned to me.

"We will shine. I promise you. I promise myself."

She blew the soft petals at me. The petals multiplied several times over, wrapping the scene in pink. The whole landscape was ungulfed by a tornado of pink petals and I felt my body get dragged into it. The weightlessness overtook my last shred of consciousness and I closed my eyes again as a soothing peace encased my being.

The girl was very familiar because the girl was me.

The girl was my adult form, my wild cat.

I wasn't eighteen yet. But since my cat had evolved, there was only one answer.

I was officially a mature shifter.