Fates Must Be Kidding

My eyes opened wide

It turns out that going to a normal school isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had to take a general knowledge test and scored well enough to be assigned to a sophomore class. I should send my teachers from the Facility a gift basket! (Just kidding) So it looks like I will be done with the school sooner than expected. Then I will be able to concentrate on my training and the mission. For now I am keeping to myself and staying out of trouble. Mostly, because some trouble can't be avoided, and I'm not the type to run away from a fight. 

The school I go to is attended by kids from Blood Moon, neighboring Nightcrawlers and humans from Green Valley. Werewolves' existence isn't a secret here, but wolfing out at school is not allowed. They also don't do mixed sports teams here, to protect humans from getting injured. The idea itself might not be bad, but it gives some werewolves one more reason to treat human kids like second-rate beings. At first I tried to ignore this, I just didn't want to get involved. I had my reasons for it.

Let me explain myself a bit. When I joined this pack my plan was to lay low for three years, then gradually reunite with my guys, and find us a place to settle down. Maybe in Blood Moon, maybe not. With this in mind I did my best not to get attached, I wasn't looking for a new family or friends. My introduction to the pack went well, they felt sorry for me and let me "grieve" on my own. Despite this I felt my anxiety growing every day. Even though we had to fight for our survival at the Facility, that life was well-planned, predictable and even to some extent simple, like in an army. But that was in the past, I needed some stability, a new routine that would keep me grounded and distract me from worrying about everyone and everything that was completely out of my control. On top of it I started getting nightmares. But the thing is, when I would wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat I couldn't remember what they were about. It was slowly taking its toll on me, so I was hoping that settling into my new routine would help me calm down a bit. 

It's my third month at the pack, and I do my best to keep myself busy, 6 am-8 am - training with the Gold group, 9 am-2 pm - school, 3 pm-6 pm - training with the White and Blue groups (mostly helping Lucas beat their asses), 6:30-9 pm - homework, 9 pm-11 pm - my own training. It may seem a bit excessive, but it served a purpose - tire me out so that I completely black out as soon as I lay down at night. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But it certainly leaves my brain less time to wander. 

When I first joined the school, people were curious, but it has died down now. I don't really interact with anyone other than my training mates, unless it's absolutely necessary. Other than that I keep my head down and use my baggy clothes and headphones (thank you Luna) as an invisibility cloak of sorts. It took me a while to realize that it also blocked some of the outside world from me. And I was in for a rude awakening!

I am walking back from the cafeteria after grabbing a grilled chicken salad for lunch when I hear a commotion in a nearby hallway. The only reason why I noticed it is because I was in-between songs. At first I want to keep moving forward, but I change my mind once I hear "Leave them alone!" I turn around and start paying attention. A group of 6 Nightcrawler jocks have two human guys surrounded, and a girl with a tear stricken face is trying hard to break through the muscular circle. As I start approaching them one of the assholes pushes the girl away making her fly into the lockers. I'm pretty sure she is out on impact. That won't fly with me!

"What's going on here?" I ask. 

"None of your business, new girl" is the response I get.

I guess it's time for me to make it my business. I grab one of the guys by the back of his collar and send him head first into the locker. That's gonna hurt. While he is busy groaning, I kick one more asshole in the back of his knees which makes him stumble into one of his friends with both of them falling with a thud. The other three guys exchange glances and start moving towards me. But just as we are getting to the fun part, Damon and Derek appear in the hallway and head my way. 

"Mia, don't kill them please, they are from an ally pack after all!" it sounds like Damon is scolding me!

"I haven't even broken anything!!!" I whine. 

"What ruffled your feathers kiddo?" Derek is so going to pay for this at the next training! I huff and cross my arms on my chest. "These dickheads were bullying those humans," is all I say.

"She is totally overreacting, we were just helping them out!" one of the guilty party interjects.

"With what exactly? Finding your fists with their faces?" Damon may look and sound calm, but I know him better than that, he is definitely pissed.

"It's for their own good. If they learn their place they might lead long and somewhat happy lives," one of the guys I haven't laid my hands on smirks.

That's it! I pounce on him and knock him down with my weight, a mere second later my fists makes contact with his jaw and I hear satisfying c***k. I get back on my feet and give them all a warning "If I see or hear about you bothering any humans in this school, I will teach you a lesson of my own, in front of everyone. And I won't be holding back!" That should be enough for them to think before they try to pull s**t like that again.

Ignoring Damon's raised brow I kneel next to the human girl and gently tap her on her cheeks to wake her up. After a while she opens her eyes and scrunches her face in pain. I offer her my hand and pull her up with me. As if remembering something she frantically looks around.

"We are fine, Ash, don't worry!" the human guys slowly approach us. Ash calms down immediately and goes to hug one of the guys.

"What did they want from you?" Damon motions towards six retreating backs. 

"Nothing new, just to demonstrate their werewolf superiority," is the answer which makes me frown. I'm not entirely sure what's going on here, but I don't like it. The fact that humans lack werewolves' abilities doesn't mean that they should be treated like crap.

"Did you guys know about this?" I turn to Damon and Derek. 

"To some extent. This is a whole movement in the supernatural community, they believe that humans are below us and should be our slaves. The Council doesn't condone such ideas, neither do most packs. However they are increasingly popular among the rogues, even becoming the basis for unity for them," Damon explains.

"Is this how all Nightcrawlers feel?" I can't help but ask. I need to understand the extent of the issue I stumbled upon.

"No, not all. Just a couple of families, some of them even got banished when they took things too far."

I nod and look at the humans still standing not far from us.

"My name is Mia. Feel free to let me know if they cause trouble for you again." Without waiting for their reply I turn around and make my way outside to my usual spot under a big oak tree. This is where I usually come to eat in peace and quiet. This new information I've just learnt is making me restless and uneasy, and I'm not sure why. Back at the Facility it was drilled in our heads that only the strong ones survive. But it made sense, since they were preparing us for a war of some kind. I never even gave their motives a deep thought. Nevertheless, I never enjoyed going against weaker opponents or seeing them get beaten up. And seeing it again here must have triggered me. 

We had many reasons to break out of the Facility. To protect Teddy, to find freedom, to stop living in fear, to build a better life for ourselves. But just now I realized something. There were many other Teddies at that terrible place, and by doing what we did we threw a bunch of kids into a fight that caught them off guard. We lost Sam, but what about others that didn't make it? I didn't even stop to think about them for a minute! And what about those who survived the escape itself, but were left to fend for themselves... I am responsible for it all! I think I know what my nightmares are about.