Chapter Two
LOU
I couldn’t wait to tell Cassie all about my day during lunch break, but when she showed up from the corner of the hall looking depressed and withdrawn – I knew I had to keep my mouth shut. She hated the idea of having to come to Advania especially when Royal Valley was where her father was buried. Ever since we moved, she had become more withdrawn, and that sometimes puts me in a bad position.
Immediately she raised her eyes, she caught me and I found myself smiling brightly. Not that I was falling in love with Advania, but I have always been positive about the things that it will bring for us. I have always been hopeful and I wished Cassie was like that too sometimes.
She walked towards me and stopped. “How was your morning?”
“It was good.” She nodded, and I could tell she was lying. “How was yours?”
“Good, good.” I nodded. We were still betwixt the awkwardness when we heard a shrill cry from behind us. We turned around quickly and saw three girls laughing and making loud jokes.
“Is that not double D?” she said, pointing to my sister. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, so I looked at Cassie who closed her eyes in frustration. Cassie held me by the wrist and pulled me away from them.
“What’s that all about? Double D?”
“Ignore them,” Cassie said through clenched teeth, but we were not fast enough. The girls ran to us and stopped in front of us. “Deaf and Dumb, didn’t you hear your name?”
I felt anger explode at the bottom of my belly, but before I could say anything, Cassie’s firm grip on my wrist cautioned me. “I don’t want trouble.” I could tell she was trying to calm her nerves. “Let’s go, Lou.” She tugged me away from them, and we walked out into the schoolyard where other students were playing and chasing. I felt Cassie’s grip soften, and as she turned to me she knew I’ll need an explanation.
“Ignore them. It is just some misunderstanding in class.”
“On your first day, really, Cassie Dawson.”
She nodded, owning it. I didn't want to pester her much so, I put my arm around her shoulder and decided a great lunch will ease whatever tension was in her heart.
The name of our school is Advania High, and it was filled with several unique individuals who had either come to learn or gotten laid. The young werewolves were always in a pissing contest with one another, and the hybrids had their class. Humans too roamed freely and it seemed like a place out of some fantasy book.
Unlike River valley where everything was more methodical, and where a special school for werewolves and bloodhounds existed, Advania was something comical. You know that chapter in snow white where she had to camp with the seven dwarves, and they all played and worked happily – that was how it was here in Advania, and I liked it. The people here seemed more original and less tense.
While humans also walked the face of River Valley, they were high-class citizens with wagers and missions. The society Cassie and I were born into was so methodical that Advania feels like an escape.
As we sat to eat at our table, I could hear snide comments projected at my sister which was in a way original. It meant the citizens of Advania were capable of real emotions, and that was refreshing. Cassie slammed her palms into the table all of a sudden and the cafeteria went silent. Of the two of us, she has always been a hothead, and it was only a matter of time before she snapped.
People were waiting for what will happen next but instead, Cassie picked up her bag and said to me with dead eyes – “When you are done eating, let’s leave. Suddenly, everything in this damn café is distasteful.”
“Never show, Never tell…” I whispered back to her and for the first time, I saw her roll her eyes and walk away.
We walked silently for a while around the block on our way back from school towards the bus station. Cassie had told mother we could maneuver our way back, and even though she protested against it at first, she decided it was high time we were able to do at least that little for ourselves.
The streets of Advania could be silent, and it reminded me of the countryside I read about in the brochures father used to bring from his voyages out of River valley. We cornered an alley and started to hear a voice – someone was calling for help. Instinctively, Cassie turned towards the sound, but I held her. “Never Show, Never Tell.” I could feel my heart slamming against the walls of my chest.
Mother had been very specific in her warnings. We were to live in Advania as quietly as we could. We didn’t want to cause any sort of trouble in any way. It was as if we were running away from something, and I didn’t want to know what it was. I caught Cassie by the arm. “Let us go, it is none of our business,” I said.
Cassie hesitated. She nodded. It was none of our business, but the voice came again, screaming for help and before I could hold my sister back, she was sprinting down the alleyway. I cursed under my breath – I did not want to do this; heck we should be on our way home but, I followed her anyways because I knew if I didn’t keep an eye on her, it will cause trouble.
All of a sudden, Cassie put her arm out to stop me. We peeked from behind a large garbage truck, and we saw three huge wolves. Their colors, Grey, Silver, and Black. I hesitated and swallowed hard. This was the first time I was seeing a full werewolf Morph in Advania. I thought they had policies guiding metamorphosis.
Cassie put her hands on her lips to silence my panting. She wanted to hear what they were saying. I fell quiet, and I could hear them too.
“Tell your minions that we are ready for them, and we are going to teach you a lesson so you can relay it to them.” The Grey Wolf said.
The Silver Wolf stood behind, listening and from the aura that emanated from him, I could tell that he was the leader of the gang. I could also tell they were male wolves too; it wasn’t difficult.
“Please…” The girl cried. “Let me go!”
“You are on our turf!’ The black wolf stepped on her tiny arm to pin her down. I suddenly felt an increasing sense of alarm. I tugged at Cassie and whispered, “Let us go now.”
But it was too late, the Silver wolf turned his head and caught me peering at him with wide bright eyes. “Oh shit!” I muttered. “We are fucking screwed.”