Beyond the Spirit

Stretching my Legs

---POV James---

I slung my duffle over my shoulder, looking around my room for anything I missed. It’s my last year. My last year at Walray Academy. I was lucky enough to get in as a freshman, but the stronger I became as a student, the more the school endorsed my admittance. To be honest, I’ve learned to be grateful for the little things more than anything else. I mean, I remember my mom and brother now and that’s a plus…most of the time. There are still some childish memories I wish I’d forgotten, but I’ll still take that over the enraged bull in a China shop I was when I woke up on my sixteenth birthday.

“This will be a bittersweet year.” My wolf huffed.

I shrugged, not thinking one way or the other about my senior year of college. “Honestly, at this point, I just want to graduate.”

“Well, I do too, now that I know we aren’t going to find our mate there.” My wolf huffed.

I nodded once as my eyes darkened. Remembering my mother’s eyes when she knew my father had passed. When she finally pulled the plug in that hospital room. I…I don’t know if I even want a mate. I mean I thought about it when I was younger but…. A flash of a girl in braided pigtails ran through my mind again and I winced. The mystery girl that I can’t remember for the life of me. I even asked Dalton one day and he smirked and said that I’ll know her when I see her.

Yeah…well…I haven’t seen her, and I don’t even know what I’m looking for. I'm sure she's not running around in pigtails anymore. I think he just enjoys messing with me, but she’s it. I just know it. Unfortunately, there is no way to confirm it though. I grabbed another jacket just in case and tossed it into my backpack. I need to focus so I don’t forget anything. It’s really a pain when I do. Thankfully, upperclassmen don’t change dorms over the summer. So, I’m already moved in, and I really don’t need to carry much back and forth. Especially since I always tend to spend my weekends at the pack anyway. “No rest for the weary.” My wolf grumbled. I can still feel his irritation that we’d have to go back to this school full of shewolves and know not one of them is for us.

“Alpha. I will email you anything we weren't able to go over before today.” My gamma called. Killian is a year older than me and he has helped our pack get on its feet in more ways than one. I even thought it’d be better to have him as alpha until I got my memories back, but he refused. He helped from the background and, once I made a speedy recovery, the pack was mine. I was seventeen and I was responsible for the lives of almost two hundred wolves.

“Thank you, Killian. I will see you all during the senior party.” I heard him smirk and I left it alone.

“I’m sure the girls will be out in full force just like every year.”

At that, I laughed a little and headed down from my apartment in the packhouse. “And like every year, they will go home disappointed.” I added curtly. His wolf laughed at that one while I closed the link. We can chat more when I get to school. When I made it to the ground floor, many of the pack members were walking around and bowed to me out of respect. I nodded back. The more I think about it, I was given such a big responsibility so young, so even if I don’t find my fated mate, or I’m hesitant about the whole situation in the first place, it isn’t something my partner should take lightly. I need them to know that this is what we are in for. Our pack will be our priority. Nothing less. “Bro! Time to go!” My brother, Dalton, called through our link. I huffed and jogged out of the pack house to meet him.

He was leaning on his bike with his duffle strapped to the back and his overly stuffed backpack strapped around his torso. I rolled my eyes at my brother while the two warriors tailing us bowed to me. I nodded back and hopped in my jeep. “Let’s get going brother. Make sure they turn around when we hit the portal. I don’t like Killian being down any men while we are gone.” I noted.

I glanced in the rearview mirror and Dalton slipped his helmet on. “You got it, bro.” I grunted once. I could hear his disappointment from here. Then, the roar of their bikes signaled for me to head down the driveway. “Aren’t you excited, like…at all? This is your last year until freedom! I still have to do this back-and-forth crap for the next two years.” He whined.

“Oh, don’t start with that again or I’ll block the link.” I warned as we all pulled out.

I could hear his wolf cackle before he responded to my snarky remark. “Come on, brother. Just let me have this.”

“No.” I responded curtly and cut the link before blasting my music. As we got closer to the portal, I had a feeling something about today will be…interesting or maybe the right word would be different? Either way, I don’t have the energy to care. I just cannot wait for this year to be over, and it hasn’t even started.

Once we made it to the dorms, the high-fives towards Dalton and the bows towards me were there and accounted for all the way to our room. We had to pull some strings but thankfully, both of us were allowed to share a room since his freshman year. We were a pair, and it came without saying. I wasn’t going to search all over campus for him if we needed to get home for an emergency. This school was rather accommodating after they found out that we already run our own pack. We weren’t like these other so-called alphas on campus that only flaunted around their father’s role. We actually had to live it.

“Hey Dalton, did you hear that the Head Hybrid and the successor to the Western Head Alpha are here today?! Like they are finally moving into the college side of the school.”

“Wait, seriously?! How is that not something I know already?!” Dalton asked in shock, and I stopped in my tracks.

“Yeah! They say the Head Hybrid isn’t one to mess with and the successor to the Western Territory is not so bad herself, but they were quite the pair in high school.”

“The pair? Are they dating or something?” Dalton scoffed, but it almost seemed like he was playing that game I can’t stand. The game of he knows something I don’t know. As for the pair. Figures. The high and mighty tend to stick together.

The kid laughed and shook his head. “No way. That would be dangerous for all of us, but I heard it’s not just the successor that’s a female. The Head Hybrid is a Queen.”

They are both females?

---POV Lily---

“Well, I said I wouldn’t get attached when you leave, but this sucks!” My mom whined when we finally made it to the main drop off area for the college students. I climbed out first and threw one of my smaller bags over my shoulder while mom continued to sigh.

I giggled lightly as both my mother and I snuggled in for a hug, then reluctantly pulled away much too soon. “Well, you made the rules, remember? No sappy stuff.”

She tilted her head and wriggled her nose. “Yes, but you’re my Little Cub and I thought I had more time. I thought I was good until we actually got here.”

I rolled my eyes and forced out a grin. My father looked at the both of us proudly as per usual, but now that I look at them, they seemed exhausted. To be honest, I felt bad for them sometimes. To others, they looked unphased, but I know they struggle. I know that it’s not as easy as it looks, and it doesn’t get any easier having three kids to look after too. Even with Momma Rogue’s help. That’s why when I see them as invincible, I really see the weight behind that word.

However, I was glad to get a break from the pack – just for a little bit, of course – and hopefully it will help my parents as well. One less kid for them to look out for. Now they will only have two babies to deal with. My bratty little brother and the newest addition to the family, sweet little Sophie. “Lil’!! We are rooming together! Like in the same dorm room!” I know that voice anywhere.

I heard a very familiar scream rippling through the crowds as Marísol came barreling from the dorm check-in station. Uncle Tim shook his head and was laughing under his breath, trying his best to keep up with the little Tasmanian devil he’s been raising all these years when she wasn’t at my house.

It seemed to me she was not phased by this transition at all. I know I talk a big game, but once we actually made it here, like my mother, it seems like…a lot. Oh well. If Marí isn’t freaked, I can’t be either. I earned my right as an alpha and I have to act like one. Just like her. The Hybrid Queen. I cleared my throat and my mother caught onto the sudden change with ease and winked at me. I was grateful she held in her tears so I could too.

I sucked in a breath and turned to greet my overly excited sister from another mister. “Hey! Yes! That means we can just throw our stuff in a room and floor it to the nearest training ground!” I shouted back excitedly.

We both squealed happily as we clasped hands. It will be nice to finally stretch our legs and even give me a distraction. It’s been a minute since the last…family threat and I feel like I’ve been on house arrest ever since. Being holed up was like a month at least. Not to mention the car ride here.

In our defense, the house arrest wasn’t our fault. On that mission, our timing was all wrong and let’s just say…mom, dad, and the rest of them to the rescue…wooo. I’m sure they were just trying to protect us after all of that, but honestly, it was stifling. “Oh goddess! How can you guys be that high pitched?!” Brenden groaned.

I rolled my eyes and we both turned to him. “How can you be so annoying?” We both scoffed together. He cut a goofy glare at me in retaliation and mom tucked both of us under her arms.

“Okay, okay you two. Enough of that. Brenden, hug your sister and Marísol and Lil,’ you two look out for each other.” She instructed.

“Yes, Ms.Rogue.” Marí hummed.

“Yes, mom.” I called after her.

To say we were being a little sarcastic with our words would be putting it lightly. Marí never calls my mom ‘Ms.Rogue’ for any reason. Mom started laughing at our little attitudes and the reality that we weren’t completely listening anymore. She trained us herself so she knows we can hold our own. Her…and a few others, but she cannot help her need to be a doter. She just has that effect on us.

“Okay…see you later, princess.” Uncle Tim said, giving Marí a quick side hug.

“You know, you can call us if you need anything, Lil’. I mean absolutely anything. Even if you just want to hang out.” My dad added.

I smiled happily and wrinkled my nose just slightly as the dimples peeked through my cheeks. It seems to be the one thing I haven’t grown out of. I walked over to the big, tall and brooting CEO I called dad and laid my head on his chest while he wrapped me in one of those mammoth bear hugs. “Ugh…sis, don’t be so depressed! We will see everyone at the next Winter Solstice Party, right?” Marí called. I vote for sooner, but I won’t tell my dad that. Not after that impeccable speech I made this morning.

She rolled her hips as if she was already dancing to the music. I wiggled out of my father’s arms and kissed his cheek before putting my arm around Marí’s neck. I ignored my brother and that received a nice eye roll from him. I know he will miss me just as much as I’ll miss him…at some point. “You are quite the hype woman.” I said.

“Well, duh! Being in college equals fancy parties away from the kiddie table! Hell, yeah!” You would never guess this crazy party animal is the same girl I met all those years ago with such a calm and direct personality. So poised…and now I think my mom and I are the culprit for this outgoing attitude of hers.

Uncle Tim scoffed and folded his arms. “Well, your maturity level should also leave the kiddie table, Marísol.”

We both stared at him for a second then the laughter just came. I think I was finally getting my groove back and we both decided to ignore Tim too. Now waving to our families for the last time, we grabbed my suitcases along with hers and walked off to our new life on campus.

----------

I felt the sweat drip off my chin as my opponent, Marí of course, and I worked on our new forms. I shifted back and forth around the mat, already grateful we changed from our jeans to my red capri leggings and matching sports bra. While she stuck with her gray leggings and matching sports bra. Less clothes, less things to get in the way.

We could feel the stares of some guys trying to figure out why we were even here and, in their defense, most girls at this school are hoping to mate and leave. No interest in actually learning anything educationally or…you know learning how to defend themselves. There aren’t many like us who stay to actually learn something. The supernatural world is not forgiving. I don’t want to find out to what extent because I can’t hold my own on the battlefield.

“What’s got you sidetracked?” Marí asked, wiping the sweat from her brow. We have been at this for a few hours now. However, when I went to respond, she was now at my side, and I almost found myself in a choke hold because of my lapse of focus.

I easily twisted my body past her arms and pounced onto the ropes of the ring, letting the balls of my feet perch my body in a launching position, poised to counter. “Nothing. I’m just hoping we are giving a great show….” I hummed, darting a glance back at the onlookers.

As a wolf, many think it’s all about brute force and plowing your way through your enemies, but I have figured out that it’s more important to be more…agile. Be able to perch where needed and attack when openings present themselves. Flipping myself off the taunt ropes, I smirked and twisted my legs around her neck. She slipped her arms through just in the nick of time. Right before I could clamp down, pushing my legs out to complete a split while my hands pressed into the mat to support my weight. I immediately righted myself and both of us landed on our feet at the same time, ready for another round.

Our movements were swift and almost silent. Aside from the grunts and loud slams you normally hear, I could pick out the gasps and shock from the audience over the noises of our own feet. Marí’s eyes glanced around the room for a split second before she laughed along with me. “Let them watch their competition!” She shouted, obviously loud enough for others to hear.

Barring her teeth, I smirked and answered with mine while we both kept low and watched each other’s movements. “Is there a reason why you are here?!” A bellowing voice called over the other nonsense surrounding us.

Marí turned to the noise, and I took the opportunity to jump on her back and wrapped my legs around her hips, laughing like the spider monkey I am. She tried to keep us upright, but both of our giggles ended with each of us falling on the floor while we tried to catch our breath. “Pinned yah!” I shouted. Completely ignoring the man I’d heard earlier, but my wolf hadn’t. Strangely enough, she started to stir.

We were still both laughing, and I heard a couple of chuckles around the room from our favorite fans. “Oh no….” Another guy chimed in, but I’m still assuming it’s not our problem.

Marí lurched herself upright and crossed her arms in front of her. “Ohhh! That was super underhanded! Rematch?”

“You know it!” I called back and we both got into our stances.

“Lily….” My wolf purred and I shook my head. Enough, I need to focus.