Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning

I STRIPPED OFF MY clothes in the male locker room in Lunar Leisure, stuffing them into my sports bag. A splinter drove into my heart as I thought of Ashanti. Losing a pack member was like cutting out a piece of our hearts simultaneously. We all shared this pain and it was my responsibility to make sure we all pulled through it.

“Capella, Castro, Cray – you’re up!” Professor Prestos called beyond the door.

I scratched a raging itch behind my ear as I headed out of the room followed closely by the other two wolves. They weren’t part of my pack. I was the highest ranking Alpha in the school, but I wasn’t the only one. We tended to build packs in our Houses out of convenience. Though occasionally a Beta would catch my eye from another group and I’d have to challenge an Alpha for them. I always won.

I headed along the corridor of white walls, the scent of something minty rising under my nose. As the smell thickened around me, I was slammed back into my childhood in an instant. Werewolves emerged in their Order forms younger than any other Order and I hadn’t been flea dipped since I was eight. It was damn humiliating to have to do it now. For a moment I was just a white cub looking at my siblings as we splashed in a bath full of that minty potion which tingled my nose and made my eyes water. A child with no responsibilities and no reputation to uphold.

I stuffed the memory away as I pushed through the doors into the huge pool room, the shining glass roof towering overhead. Heated air wafted around me and that peppermint scent became even more powerful. The pool water was gone, replaced with the cool, creamy potion instead.

The Physical Enhancement teacher, Professor Prestos, strode over to me with her Atlas in hand. I couldn’t help but check out her tanned legs beneath her tight shorts. Her dark hair was tied in a fishtail down one side of her neck. Prestos didn’t take any shit, but I didn’t plan on giving her any today.

“Shift and get in the pool for fifteen minutes, Capella,” she instructed, ticking me off on her Atlas.

A group of wolves were climbing out of the dip in their Order forms and my heart lurched as I spotted Frank amongst them. His huge black form seemed smaller with his hair coated to his sides by the flea treatment.

My pack hadn’t slept in my room since I’d somehow picked up these damn fleas. The night Darcy had come to see me. Now that I was down a member of my pack, my instincts were burning even more fiercely, telling me to initiate her. She wasn’t even a Werewolf. It was ridiculous. But I didn’t know any other way to stop these wild emotions apart from ensuring she was made an official member of my pack.

Maybe I’ll ask Professor Canis. My Order Enhancement teacher was pretty knowledgeable when it came to our kind. If there was a way to break this bond I had to Darcy Vega, I had to know what it was. Since I’d made her my Omega, the thought of hurting her was unbearable. I hadn’t even thought I meant it. I’d just gone to her room that day to remind of her place. But I was hardwired to protect my own. And now I’d claimed her for my pack, the longer I put off initiating her, the more I’d be driven to insanity.

I cut off her hair. I broke her fucking heart. I can’t bear it.

I shifted into my Werewolf form, my paws meeting the pale blue tiles beneath me. I stepped up to the edge of the pool and waded into the shallow end, followed closely by the two other male wolves. A handful of girls appeared too and I spotted Alice amongst them. She’d been close with Ashanti and I’d been desperate to comfort her and the rest of the pack, but they still wouldn’t spend any time with me. It was understandable; Werewolf fleas were a plague. Their bites set off a searing itch that dug deep under the skin. So after this treatment, I hoped things could go back to normal. Because being alone at night was starting to break me.

I sank up to my neck in the pool and had to stand there in the thick substance as it tingled against my skin.

Alice shifted into her mottled grey form and waded into the dip. I lifted my nose to beckon her over but she turned away, grouping together with the other girls as they entered the pool.

My heart thumped out of tune. Why were they still ignoring me? It was only fleas, and they’d be gone after this. Were they angry that I was putting them through this? It wasn’t that bad; just a mild inconvenience. Not worth shunning me over. Especially as I was their fucking Alpha.

I barked sharply and the sound echoed back to me off of the glass roof. Alice turned my way, baring her teeth in a clear warning for me to stay back. The other two males swam away and I was left in a corner of the pool with fear threatening to swallow me up.

Why are they doing this?!

I was jerked into the past again, this time reliving the worst week of my life. I could almost feel the snowflakes melting against my tiny wet nose, the cold inching into every part of me as it delved under my fur.

A whimper escaped me as I blinked away that memory, forcing it down deep where it couldn’t resurface any time soon.

“Time’s up!” Prestos finally called and I waded back out of the pool, following the rest of the group through to the huge shower room. My instincts burned through me. I didn’t follow, I led.

I snapped at Alice’s heels, trying to get her in line as I bounded to the front of the pack. She fell back but didn’t look at me as I passed.

What the shitting hell is going on?

The hot water flooded over me from the showers above, washing away the milky liquid into drains around my paws. When my coat was clean, I shifted back into my Fae form and snatched a towel at the far end of the chamber.

The others shifted too and the second Alice drew close to get a towel, I caught her arm and bared my teeth at her. “What’s up with you?” I growled and she snarled back at me.

She yanked her arm free, grabbing one of the fluffy white towels and wrapping it around her body. She tucked a long ebony lock behind her ear, giving me a firm look. “The pack and I have been talking.”

“And?” I demanded, practically barking at her as the other wolves scurried out of the room.

“And Frank says you’ve made Darcy Vega an Omega,” she hissed, her dark blue eyes narrowing on me with rage. “She’s not even a wolf.”

“You don’t know that, she hasn’t emerged,” I snapped, but I’d seen that hellfire she’d cast at the Pitball pitch. She wasn’t a wolf and everyone knew it. Hell, it was all the school could talk about. And initiating some other Order into the pack was an insult to our way of life.

Alice yanked her hand free from my grip. “We love you, Alpha. But you need to get rid of her. We won’t follow you again until you do.” She stalked out of the changing room and I was left alone, my shoulders trembling as the space seemed to grow too wide. Too empty.

“Alice!” I called after her, my voice pitchy.

It wasn’t that simple to get rid of Darcy. I’d already claimed her as one of my own. That meant I had to protect her. And banishment only happened when an Alpha was challenged. If she fought me and I won, I could dismiss her from the pack. But the challenge had to come from her; I couldn’t control that part. And a quiet, resilient piece of my heart didn’t want her to either. I liked the idea of being her Alpha a little too much. 

Shit, I am so screwed.

I hurried back to the changing room, drying off and pulling on my jeans and a shirt, throwing my sports bag over my shoulder. I tied my damp hair up into a bun then checked my Atlas, revelling in the way my skin had finally stopped itching. 

The message waiting for me soothed my rampant heart.

Max:

We’re staying at King’s Hollow tonight. Get there before curfew – Orion’s gunning for House Points this evening.

Thank the stars for my brothers. If it wasn’t for them, I really would be alone.

I hurried out of Lunar Leisure, heading for The Wailing Wood as the icy wind brushed against me. At least I was myself again; no more fleas. No more scratching like a stray mutt. But my wolf needs were not being met at all and I was growing desperate for affection.

I ran the last mile to King’s Hollow, pushing through the wards surrounding the huge oak tree and heading up to the door. I was admitted into the hollow tree trunk and hurried up the winding stairway into the wide lounge filled with wooden furniture and fur throws.

A fire was burning to one side of the room and Darius was stretched out on the sheepskin rug beside it, shirtless as he toyed with the fire in his palms. My eyes lingered on his abs for a moment and I blinked sharply, turning away.

Max was on his Atlas, splayed across the large couch and Caleb was nowhere in sight.

“You smell like mint.” Max looked up from his Atlas with a grin.

“Flea dip,” I said, mirroring his smile. “No more scratching. How’s your rash?” I couldn’t see any sign of it now but as Max lifted up his shirt, a faint raised line of flesh was revealed across his stomach.

“Nurse says this should go in a couple more days, but the rest of it’s gone. She said it was the worst case of Griffin rash she’d ever seen.”

“Well you do have sensitive skin,” Darius said with a frown, sitting upright so the firelight danced over the broad muscles of his shoulders. He looked like a demi-god, his skin so inked and-

I bit down on my tongue. Man I needed to get laid.

“Where’s Caleb?” I asked.

“Where do you think?” Darius said, dropping back down on the rug again as he pointed to the door across the room.

“I’ll go see him.” I walked away, taking the short stairway up to the door and stepping outside. The wooden rope bridge stretched out ahead of me to the opposite tree where Faeflies hovered and sparkled, weaving through the branches. I headed across it, the wind picking up and making the bridge rock beneath my feet. An owl hooted somewhere close by followed by the distant call of wolves.

My heart clenched as I froze, listening to the familiar call of my own pack running without me. It was as painful as if the moon itself had turned its back on me.

I forced myself to keep moving, finding Caleb in his favourite spot. The treehouse on this side had a veranda built around it and a swing bench hung from the roof. Fairy lights glittered along the railing and all the way up around the edge of the roof. Caleb was sitting on the bench, his Atlas in his hand and his face sketched with irritation.

“Hey man, what’s up?” I sat beside him, pushing away all thoughts of my pack running without me – who was heading it right now? Fucking Maurice? Better not have been.

“Tory Vega just shut me down. I asked her to come to my room tonight but she just messaged me saying she’s not coming and that I should use this time to ‘work on my personality’.” He sighed, furiously thumbing through FaeBook posts absentmindedly, kicking out against the railing and making us swing backwards.

“The Vegas are hard work.” I leaned my head back with a grunt.

Caleb threw me a curious look. “You’re not judging me then? Because every time I mention her name in front of Darius he looks like he’s about to burst into flames.”

“Well I’ve got a little Vega issue of my own. Can’t exactly judge you right now.”

“You do?”

I hadn’t told them about Darcy being in my pack. I always told them everything, but this seemed like a betrayal somehow, even though I hadn’t intended to do it.

“I accidentally made Darcy an Omega.”

“You what?” Caleb blurted and I nodded, frowning at him. My eyes lingered on his mouth a moment too long and I cleared my throat. Grr. Damn wolf needs.

“I know, it’s so fucked up. And now I can’t stop thinking about her. She has to officially challenge me or please me so I can initiate her. So how well do you reckon that’s going? Oh and not to mention my entire pack have shunned me because I now have to initiate someone who isn’t even of our Order.”

“Shiiit,” Caleb breathed.

“Yeah.”

My gaze snagged on a FaeBook post on his Atlas and I snatched it out of his grip, my gut wrenching as I spotted a topless selfie of Maurice accompanying it.

Maurice Galaxi: Heading out for a run with my new pack. Are Alpha fights really necessary when you have abs like these?

#topdog #sethwho? #newalphaintown

Comments:

Alice Telesto: Watch out sugar I might fight for the position myself 😉 

Maurice Galaxi: Well maybe we should challenge him soon but I want a proper taste of the pack first to make sure it’s worth it…

Lisa Canis: What’s happened to Mr Capella?

Maurice Galaxi: He betrayed us, Professor 🙁  #traitor #somewolvesarebetteroffalone

Lisa Canis: Oh no! #frownyface

I snarled furiously, tapping out a reply to Maurice’s comment about challenging me in shout caps.

Seth Capella: I AM YOUR ALPHA. IF YOU CHALLENGE ME I WILL DESTROY YOU!!!!!!!!

Caleb wrestled the Atlas from me before I could hit post, my finger still jamming down on exclamation marks as he finally got it from me.

“Don’t rise to it,” he demanded. “You can’t be seen losing your cool. The press could get access to this.”

“Cal.” I pawed at him. “He has to know I’m his Alpha. I’ve been giving them time to deal with Ashanti’s death but-”

“He’s trying to anger you,” Caleb pressed, holding the Atlas out of reach. I glanced at the screen and realised the newsfeed had scrolled down to a professional photograph of Caleb which had been printed in The Rising Moon Magazine last year. His chest was bare and his body gleaming with seawater as he smirked at the camera. In his hand was an ice cream he was leaning in to lick but someone had cropped it out, replacing it with a glittering Pegasus dick.

Caleb followed my gaze as I tried to reach for it before he could see.

“Assholes!” He crushed the Atlas so hard in his hand I could have sworn he was going to break it. 

“Chill,” I sighed. “Take your own advice.”

“Fine. Fuck them.” He tossed the Atlas into a chair with a scowl.

A howl sounded off in the woods again and a whine escaped me as rejection dug into my heart.

Caleb patted my arm and the contact made me ache. I needed more. I needed someone to just…

I moved into his touch, invading his personal space and nuzzling against his chin. He knew I couldn’t help myself and though his Order was almost the exact opposite of mine in terms of our tactile behaviour, he let me do it because he knew I had to or I’d go mad. But tonight, it felt like more than that. My senses came alive with the musk of his flesh and the heat of his body.

“Seth,” Caleb warned as I moved my mouth to his ear.

“Remember that time in The Shimmering Springs last year?” I burrowed my hands into his hair and he released a deep growl in his throat.

“That was one time. And there was a girl there too,” he pointed out.

“Not the whole time,” I said with a smirk, brushing my mouth across the line of his jaw. He still didn’t push me away so I planted a hand on his chest and ran it down the hardened lines of his abs. “Are you tempted?”

He growled, catching my hand at the edge of his waistband and pushing me back. A whine left my throat but I didn’t force the issue. If he didn’t wanna go there then that was up to him. I just needed to get some attention right now. Any attention.

“You have a girlfriend, remember?” Caleb said. “If you need a blowjob, go find her.”

Oh yeah, I do have a girlfriend. In the last couple of days I’d been all alone and so messed up over Ashanti’s death, but I’d not once thought about going to Kylie for comfort. I seriously had to break that off.

She’d grown up next door to me and had gotten crazy hot the summer before she was due to start Zodiac. I’d been home from the Academy and a series of sweaty nights with her had kept me thoroughly satisfied while I wasn’t with my pack. We’d both had fun and I’d maybe once or twice told her she was my girlfriend because well, it had felt that way at the time. But now…the only girl I craved was Darcy Vega. Which was an impossible dream. She’d never touch me after what I did to her. Unless I made things up to her somehow…

I looked to Caleb, readying to voice something deeply traitorous. But he was screwing Tory, so I knew he’d understand. “Do you think Darcy would ever forgi-”

“Hey are you talking about the Vegas?” Max called and we both turned to find him doing a pull up on a low hanging branch above the bridge. My eyes lingered on his muscles and I let my gaze wander appreciatively. I didn’t normally perv on my friends. But tonight felt anything but normal.

“Sort of.” I shrugged one shoulder.

“We all need to talk about them. Come inside.” Max dropped onto the bridge and it shuddered from the impact of his weight before he headed away.

I stood up, sensing Caleb following but before I made it two paces he caught my arm, wheeling me around and dragging me into a tight embrace.

“Your pack will come back to you.” He clapped me firmly on the shoulder.

I wrapped myself around him, needing that hug more than anything in the world right then.

“Ashanti,” I choked out and he held me tighter.

“I know,” he sighed. “Fuck the Nymphs. We’ll destroy them all one day.”

I nodded against his shoulder and he released me. We headed across the bridge and I felt miles better by the time I reached the other side. With my brothers around me, I’d get through this. We could pull through anything so long as we stuck together.

“And to think I almost got desperate enough to try and kiss you,” I muttered as we walked up to the door.

“Only in your dreams,” Caleb whispered.

“And memories.” I cocked a brow and he pursed his lips.

“I have no recollection of that,” he lied.

“Keep telling yourself that.” I punched him on the shoulder as we headed into the den.

Darius was standing up, his hands resting against the mantelpiece as he stared at the fire. I’d been so caught up in my own worries I’d totally missed how fucking stressed he clearly was.

I walked straight up to him, wrapping my arms around him from behind and nuzzling his shoulder.

“Dude,” he growled, his body tensing beneath me.

“You’re upset,” I insisted and he sighed, letting me remain there.

“Yeah he is, but he won’t let me syphon off his anger,” Max said, dropping down onto the couch as Caleb joined him.

“I don’t want to let go of it,” Darius snarled and I released him so he could turn around. He clapped my arm and I gave him a nod, moving to sit between Max and Caleb, pushing them aside to make room.

Max leaned his shoulder against mine and I felt him drawing some of my grief over Ashanti away. I gave him a look of thanks and he nodded, a silent understanding passing between us.

Darius folded his arms, looking across us all. “My father just called. He believes our claim is officially under threat. Before Sunday, the Vega Twins were easy prey. It was a joke to think they’d ever be considered for the Solarian throne, but now…”

“That fire they cast was fucking powerful,” Max said in agreement, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

“They still don’t actually want the throne though,” Caleb pointed out.

“That’s not what they said after the Pitball match,” I reminded him, a rumbling growl leaving my throat and Caleb nodded seriously.

“Even so, that article in The Celestial Times did a good job of downplaying what they did. They won’t ever get the backing we have,” Caleb said.

“That’s one newspaper, Cal,” Darius said, shaking his head. “It will get out elsewhere. There’s footage online already.” 

“Let’s address the elephant in the room here,” Max said in a dark tone as he gazed at Darius unblinkingly. “It looks like they’re gonna emerge as Dragons.”

A line of smoke left Darius’s nostrils as he exhaled. His shoulders trembled and I had the feeling he was holding back the urge to explode into his Order form and take his fiery rage out on the sky.

“Deep breath,” Caleb encouraged and Darius nodded slowly.

“Well look at the bright side,” I said. “You could marry one of them and avoid marrying your buck-toothed cousin?”

Darius’s eyes whipped to me, his anger seeming to dissolve for a second. “That’s not a terrible idea. Tory Vega has dry humped me on more than one occasion so I could probably win her round.”

“I do hope you’re fucking joking right now,” Caleb said in a deadly low voice and I turned to him with a smirk.

“Someone’s jealous,” I taunted, shoving his thigh with mine and he pressed his lips together into a tight line.

A smirk pulled at Darius’s features as he played up to Caleb’s reaction. “That would be one way to keep her in line, huh Caleb? Surely you don’t mind if I claim your play-thing. You’re only passing time with her anyway, right?”

“Right,” Caleb ground out, his shoulders becoming rigid and I glanced at him, knowing that wasn’t true. Caleb didn’t do exclusive very often, but it seemed like he was trying to do it with Tory. Which meant he actually gave a shit about her. And with my emotions all knotted up over Darcy, I sensed we were both about to cause a real issue when it came to keeping them both under heel.

“That was the least convincing act I’ve ever seen,” Max jibed. “And I can feel your jealousy from here, mate, so you’re not fooling anyone.”

“She’s my Source, it’s natural for me to be possessive. That doesn’t mean I care about her,” Caleb insisted, glaring at Max to try and make him back down.

Their fighting made me uncomfortable and I snarled at Max to try and make him back off too. He raised his hands in innocence and I relaxed, getting to my feet and moving to stand next to Darius instead.

Darius’s playful expression fell away. “If the Vegas are revealing their strength, we’re all gonna have to remind everyone that we’re stronger.”

“But we’re not stronger. Not once they’re trained,” Caleb said.

Max leaned back in his seat with a dark smile. “But we are trained. We’ve got four years on them. No strength beats that and you all know it.” Even though we were only sophomores at Zodiac, we’d had private tutors since our early Awakening at fifteen years old. There was no way they could catch up on us.

“So what are you suggesting?” I asked.

“We remind this school who the real monarchs are,” Max said keenly. “It’s time we put the Vegas back in their box.”

I shared a brief look with Caleb, our secrets radiating between us. 

How am I going to put Darcy in her place when my body is telling me to protect her? And how is Caleb going to beat down Tory when he’s clearly catching feelings for her?

I sighed, knowing I had to say it as I looked to Max. “Sorry bro, I can’t do shit right now. Darcy’s my Omega.”

“What?” Max snapped and a low growl sounded from Darius.

I raised my hands in innocence. “It was an accident.”

“Well fix it,” Darius demanded. 

“I’m working on it,” I sighed, but was I really? 

“I’m enjoying my fun with Tory,” Caleb said with a casual shrug and Darius shot him a death glare. “I say we just hope for them to fail The Reckoning.”

“And if they don’t?” Max snarled.

“We’ll deal with it then,” I said and Caleb nodded in agreement. “It’s only a week.”

“Fine,” Max huffed, sitting back in his seat. “But if they pass, we’ve gotta come up with a better plan than the last one.”

“Sure,” I said offhandedly. I didn’t like to admit it even to myself but I knew I was holding off on forcing Darcy from my pack on purpose.

Heat radiated from Darius and I could tell something was still bothering him.

“What is it?” I nudged him and his scowl grew.

“If they are Dragons, Father is going to have his own thoughts on the best way to deal with them.”

“Do you think you might really end up married to one of them?” Caleb asked with a worried look.

“No…that’s the thing.” Darius shook his head, his brow heavily furrowed. “If he believes they’re about to emerge as Dragons, I don’t think he’ll take that lying down. In fact, I think he’d rather kill them before that ever happens.”