The Beginning: White Lilies, page 6
Then he sauntered out, leaving Abby and me to wonder what he had said.
As we walked into the chemistry lab Abby pulled me over to Lisa who seated at the lab table in from of us. “She’s in Italian language class with Zach,” Abby explained to me.
Then she repeated what Zach had said to me as he was leaving.
“See you soon, beautiful flower, I think is the translation,” Lisa said to me as I blushed so profoundly I could feel my ears getting hot.
Abby shot me a smug grin, then went and sat at her spot at our lab table, “See, I told you, he likes you.”
“He must very good at it, why is he taking Italian if he already knows it?” I ask Abby pulling out my notebook to take notes on the slide we were watching today.
“I don’t know, but he’s really smart, and I think his mother was Italian.” She replied to me.
“Her name was Milana, and yes, she was Italian, but Z’s dad was not, hence the last name, Carter,” James told us walking in and sitting next to Lisa. Lisa looked flabbergasted, then I remembered the club members didn’t hang around just anyone. He winked.
“Did Zach ask you to keep an eye on me?” I asked him bashfully.
“No, but he’s is my best friend, and if he likes you, so do I. He has very good taste in friends.” He told me looking directly at me and I dropped my eyes to the table. “Hi, my name is James,” he told my two human friends.
“Well, duh!” Abby said at the same time Lisa whispered, “We know.” They were gawking at him like the sun just fell from the sky.
James just laughed softly. “It’s just that I don’t think we’ve ever officially met before.” He told the girls; who were still gaping at him with their mouths open. I laughed too, they just looked so ridiculous.
Finally, Abby responded to him, “That’s because all you ‘club’ kids think you're better than the rest of us.” Well, the girl speaks what she thinks.
“No,” James said slowly, “No, not better just different, not all of us are as rude and callous as Sue and Caleb.” I shuddered at the mention of Caleb, and James looked at me with a small smirk. “Don’t worry, he won’t mess with you now, Zach’s got your back, and in turn, so do I.”
I gave him a grateful smile and turned to watch the slide. The rest of the class was uneventful, we watched the slide, answered a few very easy questions about them, and then got ready to go to our next class. Abby asked what my next class was since I had spent yesterday in the restroom instead. I told her I had history, and it turned out none of my three new friends had the class with me. But James offered to show me where it was since Abby and Lisa had classes in the opposite direction. We walked silently, I had no clue what to say to him, and I wasn’t generally a talkative person anyhow.
I stopped when he led me to the door. Sue was there, leaning over Zach’s desk in what looked to me like a very mini, mini-skirt, and a top that left nothing to the imagination. I suddenly wished I was wearing something better than a pair of jeans and black short sleeve t-shirt.
“Don’t worry about her,” James whispered to me as was turning to his own class. “She’s just sore Z dumped her on her rear.” He laughed and dashed to the class room next to this one.
I ambled up to the teacher’s desk, not knowing where he wanted me seated. “Just sit anywhere Miss Heart.” He told me as I stood in front of him.
A lot of the class wasn’t here yet so I just walked and sat in the last row by the window and began filling out the swimming team application, I grabbed this morning.
“Oh, come on Zach,” I heard Sue say in a whiny voice. “Just go on a run with me after school, for old times’ sake.”
“No.” Zach stated simply in a curt tone.
I heard the chair scrape beside me and looked up. Zach plopped his bag down, sat, and gave me a grin. I turned back to my application, I did not need to get in the middle of a messy breakup. “So,” started Zach “You’re going out for the swim team?” I nodded and continued filling it out. “Hey, what wrong il mio bel fiore?” He asked me in a gentle manner.
I peeked up at Sue then looked back down at my application. I couldn’t compete with a girl like that, I wouldn’t.
“Oh,” He said after a minute of thought. “You don’t have to worry about Sue, she has nothing on you.” He said in a voice that was practically a purr. I looked up at him in disbelief. He laughed at my expression and whispered, “Come now il mio bel fiore, you can’t tell me you couldn’t tell I desire your company over hers?”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just looked back at the paper but I could feel myself blushing, I must be a shade closer to my middle name, Rose, then my namesake, the white lily flower.
He laughed softly and whispered to me so low I knew only I could hear him, “I told you I was going to put an end to you dropping your gaze to me Lillian.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that so instead, I just asked him, “What does il mio bel fiore mean?”
“Ahh, well it means ‘my beautiful flower’.” He stated to me just before the teacher called the class to attention.
I thought about that, and of course, blushed some more. The way he said it just sounded so sweet and he had the accent down perfectly. I knew some Spanish but I didn’t have the accent down whatsoever. He must have learned it from Connor, because if Zach’s mom was Italian, so was her brother.
Class was going slowly, as I felt Zach’s eyes on me. A note landed on the edge of my desk from the boy seated in front of me. I opened it and read it, knowing who passed it along as I read it.
Don’t even waste your breath,
he was once mine and will be
again, very soon, little sub.
If you don’t back off, you better
watch your back, fair warning.
Zach looked over at me, saw the note and gave me an inquisitive look. I don’t need any more trouble from this girl... So, I wadded up the note and shoved it in my pocket. He narrowed his eyes at me and I gave him a small smile though it didn’t reach my eyes. I think he noticed, though because and narrowed his eyes at me even more.
I dropped my eyes and started to finish the application. Neither of us said anything the rest of the class, but I could feel him watching me, a lot. When the bell rang, I shot out of my seat and rushed to my locker. I opened my locker and put my books inside and grabbed the gym clothes I brought this morning. I remained there for a moment so Zach would have a chance to get to gym before I got there, so he wouldn’t have time to ask me about the note. I didn’t want any more trouble with Sue or any of the rest of them. When I saw the hall was clear, I closed my locker and turned around.
“Oh!” I let out a startled breath as I turned right into Zach’s chest.
He put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. “What did the note say, Lily?” He asked me in what was clearly an alpha tone.
I ducked my head and said quietly, “Nothing, it’s nothing, Zach. I can handle it.”
He put a finger under my chin and raised my head and looked in my eyes. I started to look down and he said, “No, No I told you I would break you of that. Now tell me what was in the note Lily. I saw your face when you read it, it was not just a friendly everyday note. Now tell me here and now, so I can take care of it il mio bel fiore.”
I looked down and tried to move away from him but he just placed both hands on either side of me against the lockers. I was trapped between him the metal behind me. I looked up at him, fighting the instinct to look away.
“I said I can handle it, Zach. I don’t want any more trouble from anyone. And you can’t make me tell you- if I don’t want to.” Bold words, I thought as I said them, wondering if that was a brave move or stupid. But his eyes lit up with surprise, not anger.
“Ahh but see, I told you had a fire in you. I like to see that, but in this one case I’m going to take that challenge.” I narrowed my eyes at him but he just smiled at me. “Tell you what, if I can find out what’s on that note you have to go running with me after school today. If I can’t, then I will let you handle it all on your own the way you would like, deal?” I thought about what he just asked me and decided it was probably the best I would get.
“No Alpha tone though,” I told him, “that’s just not fair.”
“Alright tell you what, I won’t even talk at all... to make it more...fair.” Sounded easy enough.
I nodded and started to duck under his arm, but he stopped me. He put his hand on my cheek and looked down at me. When I started to look away he directed my eyes back to his. He then leaned in near my neck and inhaled. It startled me for a moment. It’s so easy to forget he, I mean we, think like wolves sometimes. By instinct, I lifted my head and gave him better access. I remembered last night where he put his jaws on my throat to determine dominance. But he just gently kissed the spot he had his wolf’s jaws the night before. I felt like I could melt, I felt so right, safe with him here. Which is strange seeing how I’ve never had a boyfriend and this is all very new to me.
He leaned away from me and gave me a sugary smile then showed me the paper he had in his hand, I reached down and checked my pocket. Darn it, he must have grabbed it while I was distracted. I jumped to try and grab it but he just put a hand out to hold me off. As he read it his amber eyes began to spark. I gently touched his arm and he growled. I backed away till my back hit the lockers and lowered myself to the ground. I forget he’s a wolf and they are aggressive, most of them anyway, not me. I felt strong hands wrap around my waist and pull me up.
“I’m sorry il mio bel fiore, I didn’t intend to growl at you. Please forgive me.” He said as pressed his face into my hair, which I had left down today. He sounded so full of remorse.
“It’s okay,” I said in a small voice. If I wasn’t such a wimp it wouldn’t be a big deal.
“Please don’t fear me, I don’t want you scared of me.” He told me pulling away. “I just want to protect you, I’m new at this. I’m not always sure how to act around you. I need to protect you, with the wolves thinking you’re submissive, they will want to show who is stronger.” He put his hand on my cheek. “I won’t let anyone dominate you.”
He was too serious, it was time for a subject change. I seized his arm and tugged, “Come on we are late for gym.”
As we walked to gym class he very quiet, he opened the door for me and I headed to the locker room where the other girls were already getting dressed in their gym clothes. Abby came over to me while I was taking my jeans off to get my gym shorts on.
“Where have you been?” She asked me, already dressed down for gym.
“I was talking to Zach,” I told her, pulling my white tank on. “He wants to take me off campus for lunch today,” I told her honestly. I just didn’t want to tell her about the note. No need to worry her too.
“Oh, wow, Zach must really like you. He never takes anyone anywhere, like I said before the girls he dated always just did whatever he said.”
“I think he does,’” I voiced to her, “I’m just not sure if he likes me or just feels he needs to protect me because I’m like… a damsel in distress or something.”
“Well, ask him.” She said. I just looked at her. Of course, she would be up front but that just wasn’t me. She laughed at my expression.
“I’ll watch how he acts with you and tell you what I think, okay?” I laughed and agreed. She would tell me the truth.
We walked out to where everyone else was gathered in the gym and Zach sauntered up and stood beside me. I looked up at him, he still looked agitated. Well, this should be interesting.
Chapter 10
It was a rough game, we played the same teams picked yesterday and I stood beside Zach. He was still not in the best of tempers and took it out on the game. He nailed two people so hard with a spike it knocked them over and gave one guy a bloody nose when it was Zach’s serve. I, of course, tried to play but hit the net both times the ball came towards me and Zach was too far away to jump in front of me. James was watching Zach with a wary expression, apprehension clear on his face. The ball came at me again and I missed it all together.
“Good god Heart, do you suck this much at everything or just anything that takes actual talent?!” Demanded a guy on our team.
I started to reply but Zach stepped in front of me and grabbed the guy by the collar. “You got something to say, Rodgers? Say it to me.” His voice was lethal.
“Zach!” I squealed as James tried to tug Zach back.
“Come on Zach, He’s not worth it, you’re losing it,” James said trying to calm him. I stepped forward and James snapped at me, “Don’t he’s close to the edge, Lily.”
Zach let out a low growl. This could get bad, we are in a room with a lot of watchful humans. They all looked fearful and shocked. Ignoring James, I stepped in front of Zach and placed my hand on his cheek, ignoring the fear his low growls were bringing out of me.
“Zach. Zach stop this.” He just looked at me, his sharp amber eyes not completely human. “Zach, gym is almost over and you promised me lunch remember?”
He watched me a while longer eyes slowly cooling off. He looked around the room then scowled at the kid he still had a hold of. The poor kid was shaking like a leaf. He finally released him and nodded to me once. He didn’t talk, I didn’t know if he could at this point. He just put an arm around my shoulders and started walking me out of the gym. I turned to James who had a look of shock on his face, glancing between Zach and me.
I gave him a shrug. “Please ask Abby to grab my clothes, I’ll change when I get back.”
He just nodded and Zach led me out and to my little blue neon. Wordlessly I held out my keys for him knowing he needed something to do. He marched around and held my door for me, I slipped in and shut the door then he walked around to the driver’s side, slid in and started the car and backed out. The drive was quiet, I didn’t know where we were going but I hoped it would be to eat. My stomach was starting to growl at me, unhappily.
He was still too tense for that, he looked like he was ready to explode. He drove down a path that led through the woods. Parked the car and got out, his tension was leaking into me. I could feel my wolf wanting to come out. It must have been the Alpha in him. Maybe that’s why I can feel some of his anger if its extreme. I could feel the heat rising in my body, and then the shaking started. I opened my door and fell out to my knees on the forest floor. I looked up for Zach but he was on the ground already almost fully wolf. My breathing sped up to a pant and I was on my hands and knees. I felt the sweat building up on my face as the heat intensified. I felt my bones start to shift and move. I let out a yip from the pain, not quite as bad as last night but it certainly did not feel good. Zach in his huge back wolf form came over to me and whined softly, rubbing against me. I felt the calming presence his touch always brought me, and I relaxed down on the dirt floor, letting the change take place and not fighting. it made the change not hurt so much.
I slowly brought myself up on all fours unsteadily and still panting. Zach came up to me and was so much taller he towered over my small wolf form. I rolled over by instinct and the same occurred as last night. He clamped his jaws over the tender part of my throat without real pressure and then licked the spot and nudged me up with his nose. I followed him, running through the forest, he was a great deal faster than I was but he would stop every so often to make sure I was still with him. He led me to a small creek and bumped me until I drank from it. It helped, it cooled the heat that was still left in my body. When he was satisfied, I had enough he stepped up beside me and drank his fill. Then his ears perked up and he took off. Not sure what to do I sat by the creek, watching the water flow by. I laid down and put my head on my front paws and listened to the sounds of the forest. My hearing and eyesight seemed to have greatly improved since my first change yesterday. I could hear the creek and birds in the distance.
Suddenly Zach stepped in front of me and dropped a deer. The human part of me recoiled, but the wolf part, which at this point was more in control, thought it smelled wonderful. I sniffed at it and looked at Zach. My instincts were telling me the dominant always eats first. Zach let out a low growl at me and snipped at my hind leg pushing towards the deer. Then he went around and pushed the deer until it was directly in front of me. I sniffed it again and looked at him and he bumped the lifeless deer once more. So, I decided to do what he wanted of me. It didn’t taste bad like my human side thought it would, it tasted natural, good even. When I was finished, I sat back and looked at Zach and started cleaning my muzzle and paws. Zach seemingly satisfied I had eaten enough, settled in to eat his fair share, which was a lot more than I could have gotten down. Abruptly, Zach growled a loud aggressive sound, that had me huddled on the ground trembling and leaped over me and stood between me and what was coming.
“Easy there.” James soothed, walking slowly with both hands in front of him. He set what looked like a bag of clothes down in front of him very deliberately. “I had a feeling the disposition you were in you guys might need your clothes now instead of later.”
Zach was still growling, but it was low and not as hostile as he took in that it wasn’t an enemy. I started to walk around Zach to get the clothes but Zach snapped at me, and I shrank back. He gently nudged me once, back towards the water with his nose licking my muzzle once before turning back around. He slowly walked to where James was still standing with an expression of wonder on his face watching me and Zach. Zach took the clothes and brought them over to me and turned back around, he barked once at James and James turned around also. Figuring they wanted me to change back now, I tried to remember how I had done it the night before with Zach. But as hard as I concentrated I couldn’t get that calmness without him near. Hearing my thoughts, with one last warning growl to James, he trotted over to where I was on the ground.
