The Challenge (The Pack 2)

“Jess!” His little boy voice held such joyful hope I instantly became suspicious. “You came!”

“Yeah, I think you pretty much insured that would happen,” I drawled, finally spotting him in the corner, his clothes somehow untouched by the powder. “Where’s Nurse Elridge?” He pointed and I recognized the human shape slumped over the counter. “Nurse Elridge?” I exclaimed, rushing over to her.

“Take him.” The low growl had me stopping in my tracks. “Take him and never come back.” I backed up, gesturing with my fingers for Monster to follow me. He hopped down from the stool he’d been spinning on, his backpack on his shoulders.

“Bye!” He cried cheerfully and I watched her flinch. I grabbed his arm and shuffled him out of the nurse’s office, grateful for once that I didn’t have to clean up his mess.

“What part of be good don’t you comprehend?” I hissed as we went down the hall. I checked the time and figured it was better if I just waited until the bell rang. Lunch was next anyway.

“When are you going to tell me what Dom is?” He challenged mutinously, arms crossed, little chin sticking out.

“After school. Remember? You were supposed to behave today for the people watching you and I would explain.” I leaned down and got right in his face. “Three periods and you’ve gone through the librarian, the counselor, and the school nurse.” I huffed. “That’s not behaving.”

“They were mean,” he protested, puffing out his chest. “Not a single one would give me a cookie.”

I rolled my eyes. “Did it ever occur to you they might not have a cookie?”

He deflated, a flicker of what I hoped was shame crossing his face. That hope died when he glanced back up at me and asked, “Do you have a cookie?”

I groaned, throwing up my hands. “Look, we’re about to eat lunch with a bunch of people that aren’t like us. If you can behave there might be a cookie in it for you.”

“Now,” he demanded promptly, his hand out. I shook my head.

“No. After what you just did in there?” I waved my hand to the nurse’s office and he grimaced. “You’re lucky I’m offering you a cookie at all. Now, I mean it. Behave and you’ll get a cookie when lunch is over.”

“Fine,” he pouted, lower lip pushed out adorably. A passing student aide saw it and said, “Awww.”

“You want him?” I offered, already pushing him toward the soft-hearted fool. Her eyes widened and she shook her head, alarm on her face as she hurried off in the other direction.

“Impressive,” I sighed. “Your reputation proceeds you.” I tugged on his backpack to get him moving. “You’re lucky I have enough money for your lunch. Otherwise you’d be eating my scraps.”

“Someone would feed me,” he boasted and when I lifted an eyebrow he gave me his best innocent face, the one that had conned more than one adult into giving him what he wanted. “Who could resist this face?” He eyed me. “Besides you?”

“No one I’ve met so far,” I agreed as we came to a stop in front of the cafeteria doors. “Remember, no mentioning they aren’t human, alright?”

“What’s the big secret?”

“Their lives.”

“Oh. But you know it.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “And soon you will too. Even better than me.”

“I’m like them.”

“You’re also too smart for your own good.” I crouched down in front of him. “Look, I’ll explain, I promise, but you have to be careful here. Not everybody is a good guy, okay?” He nodded, his face serious and I suddenly understood the fear Dom held when it came to me. Protecting Monster had become my number one concern.

“Hey, Jess.”

I spun around at the familiar voice, surprised he was here. “Caleb.”

He grinned, but I could tell it was half-hearted. He wasn’t the same boy I’d first met when I showed up. The lighthearted guy, the easygoing one who balanced out Dom’s taciturn nature was gone.

“I didn’t realize you’d come back.”

“Today is the first day,” he admitted, looping his thumb under the shoulder strap of his bag. “Figured it was time.” His expression hardened, forcibly reminding me he wasn’t just a teenager anymore. He was Alpha. “Prove I’m fit for duty.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” I reminded him. “Or Dom. Or Anna.”

He nodded, but wouldn’t meet my eyes and I knew he didn’t feel that way. He would need to prove it to himself first.

“Who’s this?” He jerked his head to my little brother, eyeing him curiously and I laughed.

“You mean you haven’t already heard?”

Caleb smiled sheepishly. “I’ve been keeping a low profile.” He glanced around. “Dom doesn’t even know I’m here.”

My eyebrows arched in surprise but before I could say anything the bell rang. Students streamed out of classrooms and we were caught in the wave headed into the cafeteria.