Mom didn't eat again.

This isn't something new, though. Even though the plate of food from last evening was still there, I made sure to. My mom was still sleeping- but she always was sleeping, so it didn't really matter. wishing I could talk to her. About everything. About what will happen today. My first day in the Academy. Being homeschooled all these years and suddenly I'm being placed to go to the prestigious all-werewolf private school because some packs said Blaine and I had to.

Blaine mind-links me. We're gonna be late, cuz.

I checked the time on my phone and cursed, gently closing my mom's room door and grabbing my book bag and headed out the door.

"You know, I thought I would be the one to be late." Blaine raised an eyebrow at me.

"I didn't even eat breakfast." I was too busy making it for my mom who wouldn't eat it. But I make it anyways. In case she decides one day she's going to do something. She's going to move. Talk. Say something. Be normal again. Ever since my Dad died, my mom had been sick in her bed, and depressed. That's normal for wolves with dead mates. But I wish she would just give me something. Get the life back in her. Stop my uncle from taking over our pack. Something he took away from my mother...from me.

Blaine handed me a protein bar. Knowing our situation, I declined. Food wasn't something easy to come by with Silas. Even for his own son. And especially to me. Which is why I work at a local coffee shop to earn some extra money. Having money shouldn't have been any issue- my dad had his business that Silas took over. The business should go to me, but that's only when I become the Alpha. So I make do with money and never want to go to the grocery store again about to break down because I didn't have enough to pay for food.

"Rosie wanted to see us off, but she was sleeping," Blaine said, and I smiled. I loved that sweet little munchkin so much.

"Wish I could've had her say something to me before school."

"Well cousin," Blaine dramatically holds out his hands. "This is what we've both been dreading."

The both of us look up at the massive building in front of us, waitinf

The massive building in front of us, waiting for us to enter. It looked more like a college than anything else. This high school did have some big donors. Also known as Alphas from various packs that wanted to create a school for werewolves.

The only reason why Blaine and I had to go to this private high school- Alpha Omega Private School- is because my uncle, Blaine's father Silas, was ordered to enroll us. Silas was ordered because the majority of the packs agreed there should be some higher education for them, hence a school being built. Many children of the Alphas and Betas stayed in the dorms or even some of the richer wolves- even though it was a high school but since it was a private little academy we could afford dorms- and since Blaine and I were near the school, we'd travel to and from home. It wasn't easy, but with Silas controlling our every move and wanting us to stay close, this was the best we got.

I wish I could do something so Blaine could just live in the dorms and away from home. I didn't care about me, but Blaine's sanity from his father.

"Can we just skip," I suggested. I wouldn't mind skipping at all.

"It's out first day here, Edith," Blaine's height gave him the advantage to place his arm on my shoulder like an arm rest. "Besides, they have some kind of tracking thing for attendance."

"At least we might have lunch together," I said weakly. Blaine snorted because he was only in 10th grade while I was in 12th so that was still highly unlikely. Blaine makes the first step inside

I'm trying to figure out the entire locker system. "So whatever ends in 0 is downstairs...."

"I'm 210."

"Alpha Omega Private School," Blaine muttered. "I hate werewolves and their names."

After finding my locker taking too much of its time because this school is too big, I'm nearly late for my first class. As I enter the classroom, hoping it's the right one, I make a beeline to the first empty chair I see.

As I make myself comfortable and the late bell ringing, I breathe in a sigh of relief as I put my notebook and pen on my desk. I don't know which teachers take tardies seriously, so I have to assume they all do. When I glance up to my side, the guy sitting in the seat next to me smiles at me.

I really hope he doesn't want to talk to me. I

"I'm Garrett."

Great.

"Edith," my tone is curt so hopefully he'll get the message to shut up. How do you decline someone's friendship? Why did everyone want to just hear themselves talk.

"You're new here, huh?" Garett asked me. I took a deep breath. He's really trying to start a conversation here. Ignoring him would be ideal, but something tells me he'll keep asking.

"Yeah," I answered him, hoping he'd drop it because I'm the new student. No one wanted to talk to the new student.

"Cool, want to eat with me and my friends at lunch?" he asked me. I'm taken aback by his request, and he raised a blonde eyebrow at me. I didn't know when Blaine or my best friend Penelope had lunch. But, I'd rather eat alone than force conversation.

"I'm good," I tried to give him a smile, hoping it wasn't a grimace like Penelope told me it always is. Maybe I can hide what I feel by holding my tongue, but my face gives everything away.

"No, really you should come," Garrett persisted. "I'll shout you out."

Please don't, I want to tell him, but our teacher thankfully starts class so I don't need to talk to this persistent pest of a wolf.

My mood is sour after class because Garrett will not shut up about me joining him for lunch, but when I see her I remember why coming here won't be so bad.

Penelope Hart. Short hair that makes her look edgier than your average person. Always the fashion icon. Loves to party. Loves to watch documentaries. Straight A student. My best friend.

Just like she knew my situation at my pack, I knew things about hers.

"Ed!" Penelope wastes no time hugging me in the middle of the hallway. She's texted me how excited she was, but I didn't share her sentiment. "How are you liking school? We need to see what classes me have together! How are you? What's up?! I am so glad that I finally have you here to rule the school with we should totally join the cheer-leading squad together too."

I take a moment to think, "School sucks like I thought it would. I think I already have a quiz tomorrow and it's only the second day? And no, I am not going to join the cheer squad with you, but I'll be your cheerleader."

"Come on, it's something fun for us to do," Penelope waggles her eyebrows. "You never know."

"I don't want to know."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Why so serious? You're going to be the next Joker and I'll have to be Batman fighting you."

"Mmm...wouldn't you be the Joker since you're always asking me why I'm so serious?" I teased her and we both laugh.

Blaine comes into view, the tall skinny werewolf unmistakable. When he sees us, he gives us a wave. "Yo." Penelope and Blaine do an intricate handshake.

"Blaine tell me your day was much better than the Gloom Doom Machine." Penelope gave me a look.

"It's the first day, so my teachers are going easy on us," Blaine shrugged. "I think I may have made a friend."

"Gym is my last period," I make a face. They make seniors take gym, but Penelope explained to me it's like human gym with the exception of a huge training field if wolves wanted to. Nothing to really worry about. Except I want something more challenging that'll make me a better fighter. Not play some sports.

We say our goodbyes when the warning bell rings. "We have literature together!" Penelope clapped. "That's after lunch...which we have together! WOOT!"

"Thank goodness," I hold my right hand over my heart, but something is bothering me suddenly.

Out of nowhere.

My wolf is restlessness. I shake my head, wondering what on Earth could it-

My eyes widen as the faint scent of the ocean comes into my smell. My nostrils flair, as I realize one horrible thing. He's near. My mate. The one thing I didn't want to have to deal with. My mate is near somewhere, probably in class.

"I'm going to the nurse," I tell Penelope and Blaine who shouted after me if I was okay and I gave them a thumbs up.

This was me avoiding my mate. I can't escape him forever. I know this, but I can try to hide for as long as I can.

After the nurse tells me that there is nothing wrong with me- even though I already knew this- I still stay. I'm not going to lunch, and text Penelope she'll be solo for the day.

Finding my mate right now is the worst possible thing that could happen to me. Silas had told me before that he'd take me away from my family, from Blaine, Rosie and what he'd do to my mother...my stomach clenches at the thought. The thought of Silas hurting my mother makes me desperate to do anything. If it's at the expense of my own happiness, then so be it. My mate can't do anything for me anyways.

This is my own fight to bare.

**************