1
The day was Wednesday, January 3rd, 2021. The time was 1:32 PM.
Liana stood at her locker, identical to all the other cherry red lockers that lined alongside hers. In the hand frozen while in her locker was a textbook for the last class of the day, labeled History of Our Own in gold lettering surrounded by a mud brown on the cover. On her back was a large black backpack that completely overshadowed her form when comparing the two. Beside her, was her younger brother Chet. He had the same dark brown hair as his sister as well as the same curly locks as her own. One would think he was the older sibling as he seemed to just be climbing in height and stature ever since he turned seventeen back in November.
Both of them were watching a small disagreement that just keep climbing the escalator into what soon became a physical bout. Chet was watching more intently than Liana because the fight included one of his closest friends. He’d be damned if just watched him get beat to a pulp.
Chet slightly leaned down and nudged his sister’s arm, “can you hear what they are talking about?”
Liana elbowed him back in the gut, furiously shushing him, she can’t hear what they’re talking about if he’s whispering to her.
The topic of their conversation was hard of hearing, even with the shouts from both parties. Another fight over yet another choice mate. Liana would call it stupid if she didn’t have the fear of being smite down by the moon goddess herself in the place where she stood.
A girl stood behind another boy while the other, whom she immediately recognized, had his arms crossed a fair distance away from the pair. Xavier Addington was the perpetrator of the current bout in the cramped hallways. Of course, he was, the vampire never seemed to not be involved in the drama around this place.
“What the fuck man!” the werewolf, of whom she had no idea who it was, was pouring the scent of aggression as he encroached on Xavier. He, on the other hand, didn’t really care if the werewolf was threatening him and just slightly laughed at his power display. The girl werewolf, now had her hands clenched on the male wolf’s shirt, doing her best to look innocent.
But Liana knew better.
Teen wolves, before they hit 18, were known to rarely ever stay true to their word. The temptation was always too much, there were always distractions that whisked about them. Years of withstanding and having that amount of patience were impossible for most. So they indulge and ruin their chances of being able to have a choice mate with the person whom they claim to love. Their last chance would be their true mate - and they were always hard to find even in a pack with massive connections.
It was another petty problem she really didn’t need to associate herself with and so she began to keep putting things in her backpack. Chet had different ideas and kept watching like his life was dependent on it, hanging on to every word that was exchanged.
“I don’t know what to tell you, man,” Xavier’s shoulders went up and down to further prove his point of not knowing what to say. At his words, the wolf in front of him only seemed to bristle impossibly more. He was a young vampire, only 184 years old, he needed to live his life.
“Baby, calm down,” the girl who was silent this entire time suddenly spoke up and Liana almost had to stick her head in her locker to hide her laughter. What amount of sense do you have in this situation to tell a raging male werewolf to calm down? The two had decided to become choice mates, but they still haven’t gone through the ritual to become true choice mates. They had no bond. In other words, there was nothing stopping the guy to whirl around on her.
What those two were right now was equivalent to, what the humans would call, a boyfriend and girlfriend.
Liana pulled her head out of the locker the moment she heard someone grunt uncharacteristically loud. The male shoved the female wolf off of him and she tumbled back a bit, tripping a little over her own feet. She soon regained her balance. The look on her face was as if she held the scorn of a thousand immortals.
“I really hope they actually end up fighting,” Chet whispered next to her and Liana gave him a concerned side-eye. Liana wasn’t going to kid herself, Chet received the more sadistic side of her parents. She was more calming than he was when it came to fighting.
Chet low whistled when he watched the girl shove the guy back and he tripped and fell onto Xavier. Xavier caught him by the pits of his arms and winked down at his face.
“You’re missing out pal, I could show you the moves I showed her,” the male wolf on his chest flared red before roughly pushing away from him. Chet audibly laughed but Liana scoffed at that remark, typical. She finished zipping up her backpack and closed her locker fully.
“No fucking way,” he barked at him. Xavier was a typical vampire with straight-to-wavy black hair and red eyes with a shapely face. However, no matter how common he seemed to be, werewolves always found it fascinating to see a species besides their own. He was exotic.
Liana looked at the clock that hung on the walls, it was almost time for the next class but everyone was still gawking around Xavier and the two wolves. Liana began to trudge off in the opposite flow of the crowd, it would be best to get to class before the bell went off. It was always-
The bell rang throughout the hallways as it interrupted her interior narrator. It bounced around in her eardrums, making its presence known and not being mistaken for anything else. It was the class on supernatural history, a class that everyone was required to take during each year of schooling. Simply because there was just so much of it. Myths, tales, stories, fables, and rituals were all nicely packaged in this single course.
Liana pushed around until she finally made it to class. Everyone was already seated, maybe not paying attention, but nonetheless Liana was the only one who hadn’t taken her seat yet. There was only one seat left, it was next to a beautiful blonde with classic blue eyes. Iano - and for the life of her she couldn't remember her last name. As Liana set her stuff down and dug around for a fresh piece of paper, her teacher entered the room. He was an older gentleman with the face of a kid but the wiseness of any elder within a pack. He said his hello’s and began the lecture.
“Today we will be going over the myth of Sacerdos Expiravit.”
Liana was dragging her body out of the chair she sat in for the past hour. Her brain was boggled, anytime the teacher just mentioned the name ‘Sacerdos Expiravit’, everyone knew they were in for one hell of a course. Information on the species was limited, and having a full lecture on it should be unheard of.
Classmates around her were jostling to get out of the class, rejoicing that the class was finally over. Liana could hear snippets of their conversations and after only hearing a couple of words, decided it would be best to completely ignore them.
Occasionally, someone would say bye to her as they walked past, but she didn’t know any of them. Liana was a celebrity around these parts of the woods, literally. The daughter of their Alpha, Liana was always being approached and acknowledged for her lineage. She absolutely hated it. Liana always wanted a face of anonymity, but being the first-born? Impossible.
Liana put the last of her belongings in her bag before walking out of the room and right by the door frame, she could see Chet trying to push his body into the wall with terrible luck. Chet was a 6′. His hair was the first thing she saw, the brown curls sticking out fervently with no pattern. Liana paused at the doorframe and looked down to see his leg sticking out in an attempt to trip her. She frowned at the terrible attempt before hopping over his leg and turning on him.
“Hey!” she slapped him on the shoulder with a punishing throb going through her hand upon contact, “don’t be an asshole, and let’s go.”
Chet didn’t listen to her at all, mimicking what she said but still following her out. Still being an absolute menace nonetheless, repeatedly kicking her knees in and trying to poke her sides from under her arms. He succeeded a couple of times.
Liana absolutely despised and loved her brother.
By the time they made it to the school exit, she was about to tear him a new one. One more touch or infuriating pull on her hair she doesn’t care if there are witnesses - her dear brother was going to a nice dirt nap.
However, a loud shout in the parking lot grabbed their attention. The siblings stopped in their tracks, looking in the direction of the noise. What came next was the instinct of a raging werewolf - any wolf could pick up the emotional distraught this big. Chet looked down at his older sister, she was looking straight ahead at the tiny crowd that was growing bigger by the minute.
There was no hesitation in Chet’s footsteps as he started to quickly walk over there, but it wasn’t the same case for Liana. Her steps faltered, was this really something that she needed to involve herself in? And if she did, what help could she bring to the table? Her brother was far more capable than she was, surely if it came to stopping something.
Liana turned to walk in the direction of her truck, but then she wondered if Chet would actually stop something.
“Dammit,” Liana cursed under her breath as she followed her brother. He was already standing at the edge of the crowd looking in and when she got there - she saw it really was a big waste of her time.
Xavier was being threatened again by the same wolf from before. Did she really want to stay here and watch Xavier fight some poor omega? The answer is yes, the interaction between them now was a lot more physical than the last time. The wolf was actively shoving Xavier all around the place and the rare sight of Xavier becoming equally pissed off.
A werewolf and a vampire fighting was never a good thing.
Liana tightened her arms around her chest - she might actually have to be a little worried about this interaction. Chet next to her didn’t seem to be bothered at all. If anything his eyes seemed to be glowing with possibility. She wouldn’t be able to rely on Chet to stop this fight. He might actually make it worse.
Liana looked around the circle, the female wolf from earlier was nowhere to be found.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook asshole,” the wolf growled out, the veins in his neck popping and fingers flexing at his sides. Liana recognized the action.
He was, pitifully mind you, trying to shift only his hands to gain an edge of having sharp nails. It only meant that he was serious about trying to seriously hurt Xavier.
Xavier, on the other hand, was only standing there with his eyes narrowed at the wolf. The red glow of his eyes resembled Chet’s - glee.
As the crowd closed around them, the pair only kept getting closer whilst circling one another. Insults were flying back and forth between the two as they neared in proximity.
“You’re a goddamn e-boy wannabe,” the wolf spat out.
Xavier laughed in return, “yea okay, how is your Jacob cosplay turning out?” and he started to shrug out of his school jacket.
Chet swallowed and a small smile started to grow on his face, he was about to yell ‘fight’ before another young male wolf stepped in without hesitation.
“Come on now, why are we fighting?” his voice was quiet but Liana was able to hear him just fine. Actually, his voice must’ve been the clearest one she’s heard all day. He wasn’t tall or drop-dead handsome. A fairly average appearance, someone who could have been lost in the crowd with brown hair. His eyes, a light blue from what she could see, were practically the only thing that really stood out on him
“James move out of my way,” the wolf pressed his chest against James’ hand in an attempt to get him to move but James stood firm. Liana looked at her brother, Chet seemed to be mildly annoyed with the nobody wolf stopping a potential fight.
“Why would I do that if you’re one second from getting suspended Harry,” James pushed Harry back with his hand and stayed in between him and Xavier. Liana found it hard to look away from him despite probably passing by him in the hallways. Why was it now that she finally learned who he is?
Liana wanted him to look at her the way she was looking at him, interested. But he never looked in her direction which made her huff.
“And why is it that you’re huffing now?” Chet looked back up at the spectacle and grumbled, “You should be rejoicing.”
Liana rolled her eyes, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” and uncrossed her arms fully. The crowd was starting to disperse ever since James got involved but there were still countless murmurs among one another.
“By the time we all leave, you’re both going to be calm,” James said and Xavier rolled his eyes with as much sass a vampire could harbor. Who was this fleabag telling him what to do? He wasn’t planning on doing much anyway, just a little roughing him up and vice versa so then he could make a show out of it.
Tuning James out, Xavier’s eyes were lazing across the crowd. Chet was bickering with Liana - as he always did whilst Liana didn’t seem to be paying much attention to him at all. She was staring at him? He stared at her back, trying to rise a facial recognition from her to let her know he caught her, but she wasn’t staring at him.
She was staring at the guy who was just fondling his chest a few seconds ago.
Liana didn’t see the scowl being sent her way by Xavier as she was too busy trying to fend off the pinching fingers of her brother, “stop touching me you freak, let’s go home,” Liana shoved her brother hard.
Liana was content knowing that there would be no bodies in the back of her trunk today. But she doesn’t think she’d mind it if James happened to come along though.
In her daydreams walking to her truck, Chet followed after her calling her names along the way - childish bite back that he still has yet to grow out of.
“Sometimes I think you’re deaf, or you’re just ignoring me and that really hurts my feelings,” Chet feigned sadness behind his sister who didn’t even spare a glance at him. It earned her a huff and she was certain that he was crossing his arms in a hissy fit behind her as well.
“Chet!” a voice shouted her brother’s name and she turned out to see who was calling. It was Chet’s posse. Liana immediately grimaced and quickened her pace to her truck, that group was always so rambunctious and completely, unnecessarily loud.
Chet was being tackled behind Liana, his friends quickly latching onto his body. Chet only grinned and accepted the forced embrace.
As she climbed into the truck and pulled down the windows, Chet called out to her.
“Lye, are you sure you don’t want to hang out with us?” the group was on their feet now and jeering each other on, hooting.
“No,” and she drove off. It was a good decision, a decision that she thinks was a good idea. She was the first in line to the throne, doesn’t mean she was going to take it. She had a reputation to uphold. Well, a reputation for both of them anyway. Chet was a popular guy in comparison to her who loved the attention he received for being the Alpha’s son. It also meant that he wasn’t the best at making decisions, good decisions that is.
As the truck pulled on through the dense forest outside of the town and headed towards the pack house, Liana could only think about James.
Have I been summoned, a voice resonated throughout her and she could feel her dormant wolf stretch in the pits of her belly. Liana frowned and tried to force the wolf back to sleep but she refused to do so.
Stop it, and she went back to focusing on the road at hand.
‘Why are you here?’
You were thinking of an unmated male wolf, how could I stay asleep? Liana physically tilted her head in confusion at the wolf’s comment; she's thought of unmated male wolves before.
Unless James was her mate. Which wouldn't make sense why now and only now has she noticed him. She's 18 - female wolves notice their mates at 16. Her wolf trotted around with a pep in her step when Liana settled on this being the reason.
Something about Liana finding her mate in her own pack nonetheless didn’t sit well in her stomach. Liana should be grateful right? She’s seen how her parents are with one another, the endless happiness that just seemed to echo in each other’s eyes. It looked like a dream come true.
“The fuck?” Liana immediately slammed her foot on the brakes which lurched her body forward, seatbelt strangling her.
With the truck skidded to a stop, Liana put the truck into park as she put a hand on her chest, feeling the hammering heartbeat underneath its rib cage. Her own wolf was yipping inside her chest as well, she was surprised just as much as Liana.
Liana couldn’t tell what the object was, it looked similar to a gray bag. Swallowing, Liana decided she needed to get a closer look. Her fingers searched for her phone which slid from the passenger seat and onto the floor when she stopped. Pulling up her father’s contact, she was ready to call him.
Taking off her seat belt felt agonizingly eerie as she stepped foot on the road. The trees loomed above her and the wind whispered in her ears fear. Liana wanted to call out into the silence, but something in her throat stopped her, and she instead got closer to the bag.
The trees watched her as she closed in on the bag until she was finally able to see it was an actual body bag lying in front of her. Liana’s hand went to cradle her stomach, she felt a little sick staring at it but her feet just continued to pull her closer to the bag. The bag itself was insignificant but had a small golden zipper.
Should she touch it? Liana bent down to grab the zipper in her hand. Should she open it? She slowly dragged the zipper down.
Inside was an abundance of ash blonde hair that was seemingly exploding out of the bag the more she pulled it down. There was a slight pull to her body as she stopped pulling the zipper down and decided to move the hair around in the bag to see if there was anything else to it. Liana didn’t have much luck the first few seconds shifting the hair around until her fingers brushed against a cool surface.
“The fuck?” Liana tore her hand out of the bag and cradled it to her chest. It took her a few moments until she calmed down and started to move the hair out of the way to see what she touched.
It was a young boy’s face.
There was no sign of life on his face either. His lips were chapped to all hell and from the way his cheeks were hallowed in - he was most likely malnourished. To be frank, Liana didn’t know if the small boy inside was actually alive at all.
Snap.
Liana’s neck nearly broke from how quickly her head spun and her thumb hit the dial button. It rang two times before her father picked up.
′Yes Sweetie?′ he answered. His voice was low and crackling through the phone’s speaker and she almost didn’t hear him.
Another snap sounded through the air, but closer this time.
‘Dad, can you meet me out at the entrance now please’ Liana hung up before her father could answer. Not even seconds later her phone buzzed in her hand and in her pocket as she quickly stood up. Liana quickly walked to her truck, eyes moving frantically between the trees to see where the sound was coming from.
Her wolf wasn’t able to pick up anything either, no scent or anything.
Halfway into her truck, Liana froze. She looked back at the body on the ground, should she really just be leaving a body here in the middle of the woods? Shouldn’t Liana tell her dad or at least anyone to let them know that there could possibly be a dead boy here?
She swallowed, was she ever the best at making decisions? The body bag just seemed to emanate a sort of gravity to have her come back and retrieve it. Was she ever one to say no much either? The buzzing of her phone in her back pocket was enough to get her moving again.
Shuffling out of her car, Liana jogged back to the body and picked it up with great ease. The bag almost weighed nothing and she was able to get it into the backseats of her truck with ease, throwing a pink towel over it.
Three more snaps came from her left and she wasted no time getting back into the truck herself and locking the doors frantically. There was no way she was going to investigate it by herself with no protection or preparation.
Liana looked into the back seat of her car where the bag remained motionless and underneath a pink towel then quickly started to drive again. Her mind was elsewhere as she pulled past the gates of her home. But her attention was brought back to the reality at hand as she saw her father marching towards her truck with an angry look in his eyes.
