34 | FLIMSY EXCUSES

I work out a tentative schedule around my normal school day. I leave directly from the Coven, choosing to walk to the high school rather than take a car. Mom’s still working early shifts at *Lia*’s and gets out late, so she’s been using our car, but apparently the Coven has a few they lend out. I declined the offer from Hale when I told him I’d be going to school today, and also declined driving to school with my father. I’m not sure I’m ready for everyone to know Hale’s my father.

I’m sure no one would really care, but any sharp human would easily question the strangeness of our relationship when I’d come to Kiwina only last year. Sure, Hale could probably put up some glamor or magic away any questions that humans may have, but after the realization that Darine’s become just about immune to mind-wipes, I’d rather not test other human minds. That all aside, I myself am still not entirely used to the familial connection to Hale. It’s better than last year, when I’d pretty much resented the vamp, but I’m still struggling to think of him as more like my parent and less like a teacher. Thankfully he and Mom don’t go for PDA.

So I walk out of the forest that borders part of the school, enjoying the remanents of the warmer climate as I cross the parking lot to the school’s entrance. Before I make it half-way across the rough cement, however, I suddenly become aware of several presences at once. Before I can look around for the source, I’m practically tackled by two very familiar people.

“*Scarlett*!” They both chime in a surprising harmony that not only rings in my ears but through my head. Through Blue’s half of the bond. The Wolven have me sandwiched between each other as they try to talk over each other, their easy banter and overly strong-roughness with me giving them away as I try to speak. And fail. Yuri is at my back and Misha is in front of me, both incredibly strong Wolven seemingly concerned and overjoyed by my being here.

It’s not until Blue and Cole come along and pull the two out of my personal bubble that I can breathe again. Blue growls at the two from behind me, his arms wrapping lightly around me, as if to keep his other cousins away from me. My ears are still ringing a bit when I’ve managed to breathe and my head clears from the slight deprivation of oxygen. Misha is now leaning on Caly, half draped over Blue’s sister, though Caly doesn’t seem to care. Yuri is bouncing on the balls of his feet, being physically blocked by Cole and another Wolven. I’m a little surprised to see the youngest of Blue’s siblings, Valeria, playing bodyguard beside her cousin.

“Releasing the Kraken, boss,” Cole huffs after casting the two of us a calculating glance. “Morning, Scarlett.” He adds to me with a polite smile. It’s the kind of thing I’d expect from a person passing in the street, but oddly normal and comforting. It helps me relax a little and lean back against Blue. Even as Yuri’s access to me is now unfettered.

Cole and Valeria watch Yuri for any more signs the mountainous Wolven’s about to try to unwittingly squeeze the life out of me as they settle into mirroring positions a few feet away. It’s an oddly protective stance, almost unconscious in the fluidity they move in, but I see it. Their behavior setting a bell in the back of my head, somewhere deep inside I just can’t place.

“I can’t believe you’re back so soon, babe,” Yuri practically bounces closer to me, his coal grey eyes almost shimmering with a mix of excitement and anxiety. I study Misha, still draped over Caly a few feet away, her normally peppy energy as smooth as her brothers normally is. I want to laugh at first, utterly thrown by Yuri’s literal bouncing. A week and a half ago, the very last word I’d used to describe Yuri would be so bubbly…and the last I’d use to describe his sister would be languid. Another of those little bells dings, but just like the first, I can’t pin down why these observations are resonating with me.

“We should get to class,” Blue murmurs in my ear, his voice bringing me out of my thoughts and reminding me we’re about five minutes away from the bell ringing. And though this is nice, just being held by Blue and surrounded by members of his family and Pack, after being gone longer than a week, I’m ready to get back into a classroom.

“Right. It was great seeing you guys,” I wave at the four younger Wolven as Blue pulls me towards the entrance of the school, Yuri almost skipping close behind us.


“You’re seeing this too, right?” Darine asks me when I settle into my seat beside Blue in Homeroom. She’s staring wide-eyed at Yuri as he all but bounces in his seat, grinning from ear to ear at her. And *only* her. I feel my amusement beginning to fade at the Wolven’s behavior now. It’s one thing for him to be so excited to see me that he and his sister nearly crushed me, hell, that’s what I’d considered normal for the two. But now that I see him acting like this in front of Darine, openly? *Whoa*.

“He’s not high or something is he?” I stage-whisper to Blue.

“No,” Blue grumbles, narrowing his eyes at his cousin until the guy glances at Blue and his grin splinters into a scowl. “Right, Yuri?” Blue grits out at Yuri, Blue’s eyes shimmering a little silvery with the pointed words. I blink, but the second I see the light in his eyes, it seems to fade back into a flatter coloration. I narrow my eyes at the two Wolven, suspecting they’re communicating mentally.

Darine frowns at Yuri before turning to me, missing the glowing of Blue’s eyes - to my immense relief. I don’t think I could have talked my friend out of having seen that. I shrug at her and nod towards our teacher, the secret *Alp* - a nightmare inducing supernatural, literally - who’s writing announcements on the board. The woman hadn’t so much as looked my way when the three of us had walked in. I’m actually relieved she’s ignoring me now, better than how she acted the first day of school.

“Z, man, have I ever told you how much of a buzz-kill you are?” Yuri grumbles at his cousin, but Blue just gives him a smile. Granted, it’s a smile with a little too much teeth, but it’s a smile.

“Every damn day.” Blue growls back. Yuri rolls his eyes after a beat and turns to face the front, crossing his arms sullenly and slouching so low in his seat that his head hits the top of my desk.

“Babe, can’t you talk to him for me?” Yuri pouts, watching me with an expectant look. “Z will listen to you,” He adds, widening his eyes into an undignified puppy-dog stare. Before I can answer, Blue reaches over and flicks his cousin in the nose. Instead of rising to the bait as I’ve seen the huge Wolven do numerous times, in public or not, Yuri lets out a whimper and jerks away, shielding his nose. It’s so uncharacteristic of the Beta that my eyes nearly bug out of my head as I stare at his back.
I feel that bell go off again, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what this means.

Before I can dwell on the issue, Blue nudges my foot with his, nodding at the announcements on the board. There are a few reminders I brush off, including those for club meetings and upcoming functions in town. I’m sure there’s not going to be enough time in my schedule to even consider joining a club or organization of any kind this year - what with the apocalypse on the horizon. But the thing that does catch my eyes both makes my heart ache and skip a beat.

It’s an announcement for the annual Halloween dance. More than a month early, but there it is. A sliver of memory distracts me, and I recall the disaster of the event last year, but also, maybe a little selfishly, I also recall how things were between me and Blue at that time of year - before it went to shit. I take a risk and glance at my mate, seeing him grinning at me with one quirked eyebrow as if to say ‘how about it?’ and know he’s not even thinking about the darkness of the event last year.

I smile back at him and give him a shrug, relaxing into the rest of the short class and effectively forgetting what I’d been fretting over. The rest of the flowing seamlessly and almost too easily. And then I get back to the Coven and am bombarded with reports. It’s not until later, much later, that I even recall the events of school, but don’t get the chance to really digest much before falling into a much needed, yet restless, sleep.