CHAPTER 9

Pip sat at the table in the kitchen, staring out at the woods stretching past the garden. He swirled his spoon around his cereal and tried thinking about college and his classes. He tried thinking about the books he was reading, or music, or films, or anything other than the institute.

He survived a full day without anyone coming for him. Pip worried that they'd change their mind and silence him before he spoke about what happened the other night.

So far, so good. Pip's next worry was Mark and his idiot friends. Still, he kept thinking back to the institute and the guy they called their Alpha. Why did they call him that? Why was he in charge? What was he in charge of, and why did they all live in the institute? Why could they get away with hurting Pip instead of letting the police deal with his crime?

"Because they know I'm such a bloody coward," Pip muttered, still staring into the woods.

He took his time eating his cereal until a voice yelled, "Pippor, you'll be late! Hurry up!"

Pip grabbed his bag and rushed to the living room where his aunt sat at her sewing machine. "I'll be late home because-"

"No. You have to be back by four because our kids are getting dropped off home then. Your uncle and I are going out."

"Well, um..." Pip hovered from one foot to the other. He lowered his head and asked, "can you get a-a babysitter? I really need to use the library-"

"Pippor," his aunt said so sternly, Pip stood up straight.

"Sorry," he whispered. "It's fine. I'll be home."

"I'm appalled you tried to get out of it. We've done all we can to raise you to be a respectable young man, and you throw it in our faces. Go, Pippor, before you're late."

Pip whispered another apology and sprinted out of the house. He dug hands into the pockets of his oversized hoodie and stared glumly down the street. He finished college at 4:30, which meant he had to leave early, again.

Pip would have taken library books home, but he couldn't risk getting fined. He was very forgetful and had a very scattered mind. Pip didn't trust himself to remember to take every book back in time.

Never mind, he thought, looking at his injured fingers. Maybe I can have an actual night off. He smiled at the thought until someone deliberately drove into a deep puddle by the side of the road and splashed him.

Pip leapt back but the water mostly covered his right leg. Luckily, he wore black jeans. His bright yellow hoodie and yellow converse, however, looked a little murky.

Pip wanted to walk back home and fling himself into bed. He took a deep breath and decided to run the rest of the way.

By the time Pip got to college, not many students were outside. He was late, or very close to being late. Pip jogged up the steps and stopped at the top as though he hit a brick wall.

He turned around.

He didn't know why he looked back down the steps and across the street. When he did, he saw someone staring. The guy was too far away for Pip to recognise, but he had felt eyes on him.

Pip lost himself instantly. The rest of his body turned until all of him faced away from the college. He stepped down the first step, and the person watching him stopped leaning against the tree and stepped forwards.

Pip took another step down, entranced. Something urged for him to go to the man, like an invisible force or a strong wind he couldn't feel.

"Oh, Pippor," a voice called, and Pip snapped awake from his captivated state. The blood drained from his face.

Mark and his idiot friends were crossing the street. "Not gonna lie Pip, but I thought you were a goner," Mark said. "How did you get out of the institute?"

Pip froze to the step. He didn't dare move.

"Looks like they broke your fingers. Pity. We would have done much worse."

Pip felt the throbbing in his hand, suddenly thankful that Mark hadn't caught him that night. "I-I'm gonna be I-late to-"

"No, you're coming with us." They started walking closer, and Pip's sudden instinct was to run from the danger.

So, he ran.

*******

Krey almost had a heart attack when the human turned at the top of the steps. He was leaning against a tree with his hood up. Krey had followed the boy from his home to a big building, much bigger than the library.

Now, the human seemed to be looking right at him. Krey wasn't sure when the human would feel it too, but as the days rolled by, Krey was sure the boy would notice it, bit by bit.

The human stepped down the stairs, and Krey stepped closer too. His heart raced. If the human reached the road, Krey would run. Though his wolf almost sneered at the thought. Krey didn't know how many opportunities he could let slip through his fingers. He would have to speak to the human eventually.

Before the boy could reach the bottom of the steps, a voice said "Oh Pippor."

Pippor, Krey thought. Is that his name?

A group of teenagers crossed the road. Krey's human paused on the steps, and Krey felt like something was wrong. He could see better than humans, and he saw the boy's expression change from curious, to serious in seconds. His blue eyes drowned in fear.

The wind carried their voices away from Krey. He struggled to hear what they were saying until the wind stopped for a moment, and he heard, "-they broke your fingers. Pity. We would have done much worse."

The back of Krey's neck cooled. His fingers curled to fists. The world around him silenced and under his sunglasses, eyes blazed red.

His mate had been threatened.

Krey clenched his jaw and stepped closer to them. The human on the steps looked so terrified, Krey started to think he could feel it deep in his chest. He dreaded that other wolves would hurt his mate. Krey hadn't thought about how other humans treated him.

He was ready to storm up to the guy who spoke and break his jaw. He didn't get the chance because his mate sprinted up the steps and into the building. Krey would have left it at that, but the group ran after the boy, so Krey ran after them.

He darted across the road and cars beeped. Krey dashed up the steps and through the open doors. Students were everywhere and scents mingled and blended, though Krey's mate's scent sat metres above everyone else. He followed it by pushing people out of the way. Krey hurried left down a corridor and skidded to a halt when he saw his mate pinned to some lockers.

One of the girls held the boy's hoodie by the collar and lifted a fist. They all laughed when the human scrunched his eyes shut and trembled.

Krey was beyond livid. He took his sunglasses off, and his red eyes beamed brightly. He felt sharp teeth pushing against his gums. Krey wanted to tear them all apart. He strode forward with violence on his mind, but someone grabbed his wrist and yanked him around a corner with a strength that only wolves possessed.

Krey growled and ripped the hand from his arm. He pushed whoever had touched him to the door of a classroom and grabbed their face.

Only when their eyes connected, Krey stalled. "Omega?" he hissed.

"Alpha," Francis breathed, not daring to move because Krey's claws were out and millimetres away from puncturing her cheeks. "Someone will see you."

Krey had cut the inside of his lips because of his sharp teeth. He saw the reflection of his red eyes in the door window, then noticed his claws digging into the Omega's face.

Krey let her go and looked around the corner to where his mate was. The group of teenagers were gone, and the boy knelt, picking up the content of his bag that was emptied on the floor.

Krey allowed himself to breathe. His mate was no longer in danger. His wolf features vanished, and he shoved the Omega against the door, again. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you, Alpha." Francis dropped her green eyes to the floor. "I saw you leave this morning. You looked... stressed."

"You're not my Beta. You shouldn't-"

"Forgive me, Alpha, but I don't see your Beta here. Jordan cares more about his porridge than he does about you."

Krey frowned. "That accusation will get you killed, Omega."

"Only if it's a lie." Francis pursed her lips.

Krey couldn't deny that she had a point. She followed him because she feared for her Alpha. Krey doubted that Jordan even knew he was gone from the institute.

"Why didn't I smell you following me?" he asked. Krey towered over her, and the Omega never met his eyes.

"Because you were so fixed on the human's scent." Francis then dared to look, just to see his reaction. Her Alpha flinched as though she had pinched him. "Don't worry. I'm not here to spill your secrets. I'm here to protect you if needed."

Krey stepped closer, and Francis turned away. "If you dare tell anyone, I will tear you apart," he growled.

"A-As I said... I'm not here to tell your secrets."

Krey stared hard. He had no choice but to believe her, and she knew the punishment if she lied. She knew Krey meant every word.

"You need to go." Krey stood back and looked around the corner again. His mate had gone, though his scent still lingered.

"I can help."

Krey clenched his jaw, glancing all around; humans hadn't noticed them. "Nobody can help me."

"Alpha, please. You speak as though you're always on your own."

Krey's eyes throbbed red again. He put his sunglasses back on. "Speak out of term once more Omega, then see what happens."

Francis tapped the ends of her fingers together. "Pip liked me; I think. I can be his friend and look out for him. That way, you won't be in danger by visiting Crescent Town every day. I know it'll be painful until you figure out what to do. Nobody else will know a thing. You're lucky only I saw you leaving this morning."

Krey stood tall, frowning with thought, rather than anger. Her idea was worth considering. "Pip?" he asked, trying to cool his hot-headed behavior.

"Yes. The boy said his name was Pip."

"Pip," Krey repeated, looking back to the spot where the human had been. "Suits him," he grunted and stormed down the corridor before the Omega could see his stone features melting.