C3 Raleigh

As my day progressed, I couldn't get Mrs. Cortes's brother out of my mind.

I didn't understand why, exactly. I'd only just met him, and while he was good looking, there was something else about him that just made him look...different.

At lunch, while Logan ranted about something wrong with her wedding colors (which she let Drew pick), I thought about Lucien. About his peculiar scent and the constant change of his eye- color. It could have just been a trick of the light, but I wasn't too sure about that. Maybe it was all those fanfictions or fantasy books, but there was definitely something...inconsistent with him. He'd only changed a little from the picture Mrs. Cortes had shown me. Long, twining tattoos depicting different sceneries were inked onto his arms, covering the skin entirely. His shirts looked too small for his body, which was the first time I had seen someone like that. His eyes were what drew me in the most, though. Dark golden orbs with a sharp undercurrent of electricity.

I sighed. My stomach was doing flips and while I tried to ignore it, something about Lucien made me want to see him again, if I ever got the chance to.

"Raleigh? Hello? Earth to Raleigh?" Logan snapped her fingers impatiently in front of my face and I blinked, pulling my head back.

"What the hell, Logan?!" I demanded.

Logan raised a dark eyebrow, glancing from her food to me. "I should be the one telling you that what the hell, Raleigh? You just blacked out on me!" I shrugged, scooping some food onto my spoon and swallowing, my thick canopy of black hair surrounding me.

"Did I? Sorry, I was just distracted," I said.

Logan grunted. "Spill." She ordered, moving our lunch bags aside so she could get a better look at my face.

I paused, my spoon halfway to my mouth. "Spill what? What is there to spill?"

Logan scoffed. "Don't play all innocent with me, Raleigh Anne Rivercrest! Something's up. Somebody's on your mind!... Is it a boy?"

"What?! No! Of course, not!" I defended, which was a lie, but not in the way Logan thought it was. I looked away from her, a tall, dark figure catching my eye.

"What—Oh! It's Lucien." Logan acknowledged, sparing him barely a glance.

"You know him?" I asked.

She shrugged, stuffing her face with a full loaf of bread. "Kinda?" But she didn't elaborate.

I rolled my eyes. "He's interesting, isn't he?"

"How so?"

"I don't know. He just...smells weird? Also, doesn't he seem...different from other men?"

"You mean because of his height? Or his eyes?" Logan asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. What's up with that?"

"No clue," Logan replied promptly, her lips curving into a smile as Mrs. Cortes led Lucien around the room, his eyes flickering from side to side as if he was searching for someone.

"Who do you think he's looking for?" I asked.

"Nobody, at least, I don't think so," Logan yelled over the loud cafeteria banging.

"He has this weird, authoritative aura that he carries, doesn't he?" I wondered, watching him as he approached the loudest table in the cafeteria. Immediately, all of the boys there straightened and their lips zipped.

Logan chuckled and Drew slid up to her side, masking ignorance. He held two grape sodas in his hands, the remains of the frost evident on his wet fingers.

"Stalking Mrs. Cortes's handsome brother, huh?" Drew teased, cracking open the soda can.

"No!" I hissed, which was true. "I'm only...studying him..." "Raleigh thinks that Lucien isn't a human," Logan deadpanned.

Something flashed through Drew's eyes, but he masked it with a laugh, leaning over the table to ruffle my hair.

"I'm sure Lucien's a human, Raleigh," he said. "I mean, is it because he's so tall?"

"Maybe..." I murmured, my eyes following him as he neared our table. My heart jumped suddenly, as if it were electrified and calm whispers caressed my mind, repeating something that was on the tip of my tongue, but I could never understand it.

"Nice to see you again, Lucien," Drew acknowledged playfully as Lucien neared him.

Lucien smirked. "I was hoping I wouldn't bump into you, Andrew," he grumbled, but still gave Drew the fist-bump that he was waiting for.

"Good to see you too, Logan," Lucien said, turning to my friend. Logan smiled. "You too, Lucien."

Lucien nodded, but his eyes were already sliding to me, the irises burning into me as if they were fire. I suddenly felt hot and shuffled in my seat.

"Did you pass your test, Raleigh?" Lucien asked, his eyes running over me for a split second before they met my eyes again.

I swallowed the stinging feeling that had shocked my body. He had noticed. He knew what I had. He knew I wasn't normal, or maybe he already did and was just making sure he wasn’t imagining anything. It took me a moment before I could answer him.

"Um, I don't know yet. We just had our exam," I murmured.

"Oh." Lucien's ears grew red, embarrassed, and he cleared his throat. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. He looked kind of cute when he was embarrassed.

"Raleigh," Mrs. Cortes cut in, and I almost forgot that she had been with Lucien this whole time. "Yes?"

"Are you free after school today?"

"Uh, yes? Why? Is anything wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. I simply wanted to discuss something with you." "Okay..." I drawled, anxiety chewing at my stomach.

Mrs. Cortes smiled, and from the corner of my eye, I caught Lucien looking at me again. Irritation climbed up my throat. Was he really that curious? Couldn’t he just mind his own business now?

" Drew, Logan, I'd like you to be there too." Mrs. Cortes added. She nodded to them as if they knew something I didn't, and they bowed their heads slightly to Lucien as the siblings left, leaving me slightly irritated, but mostly nervous.

"Do you already know Lucien?" I asked

Drew's smile was that of a faraway one and he nodded. "Yes. Lucien and I have been friends for like centuries!"

He laughed, but it sounded forced. Like he was actually serious about knowing Lucien for years.

"...Okay? And Logan? You've known Lucien?"

Logan nodded. "Yes. He was the one who introduced me to Drew," She said, intertwining their hands. I let my gaze drop to the small romantic gesture and couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever get my own romance like them.

*****

For some reason, I was very nervous as the end of the day approached. My stomach had been tying itself slowly into knots the whole day, and Lucien's constant glimpses at me wouldn't get out of my mind. Something about him drew me in, but also made me want to be wary around him like he was a wolf that could bite at any given moment.

As the classes dispersed, all of the students leaving to go do their own activities, I dragged myself to Mrs. Cortes's office, where she had instructed me to meet her. Voices argued loudly in a language I didn't understand from the other side of the door, but one of them was clearly Lucien.

Cautiously, as if touching a pan of steaming oil, I raised my hand and knocked on the door.

"Raleigh? Is that you?" Mrs. Cortes called. There was some scuffling behind the door, and I paused before I answered.

"Yes? Can I come in?"

"Of course!"

Swallowing the bile that had risen in my throat, I turned the golden knob and pushed the creaky door open.

Logan and Drew were already there, reclining on the wall by the window. Mrs. Cortes sat at her desk and Lucien was perched next to her, his eyes only following me. I tried very hard to ignore the strong, powerful scent as I made my way to a seat, sitting down after a bit of hesitation.

"Glad you could make it, Raleigh," Mrs. Cortes said cheerfully, standing up from her desk.

I gulped and offered her a weak smile. "Of course. Is anything the matter?" I asked.

"No, not really," Logan replied before Mrs. Cortes could. Both she and Lucien glared at her, their eyes as sharp as steel, but Logan hardly flinched. "What? Listening to you guys fight got boring real fast."

Mrs. Cortes shook her head fondly, turning back to me. " There is something important we have to tell you, but I'd rather Lucien explains it to you rather than myself. He’ll be able to explain it better."

"...Okay." Great, I didn’t even know the guy and I was already in trouble.

Lucien slipped down from the table; his eyes glazed over for a moment before he knelt in front of me.

Again, something spiked inside of me, heat curling at my toes, but I couldn't recognize what exactly it was.

"Raleigh, there's something I—we have to tell you," Lucien said. His smile reduced to a frown, and my stomach dropped.

"What is it? Is it bad?" I questioned, feeling as though I was about to get in trouble.

Lucien took a deep breath, as if he were steeling himself. "No, nothing bad...at least, I don't think so," he said.

I frowned. "Then what is it?"

Lucien faltered for a moment, and when Mrs. Cortes giggled, he turned, glaring at her.

In that moment, I felt sorry for him. Here he was, trying to tell me something that was probably really embarrassing or really serious, and Mrs. Cortes was laughing at him. His frustration ebbed off me in waves.

"I—well—of course, I have to explain. Since Jazz isn't helping today," he grumbled.

Mrs. Cortes laughed. "It's all you, Alpha," She teased, taking time to pronounce the word Alpha. Alpha? I thought to myself. Well, Lucien did resemble those Alpha's I had read about in fanfiction. Perhaps it was just a nickname?

"Do you know what a werewolf is, Raleigh?" Lucien asked suddenly, as if a lightbulb had gone off in his mind.

"Yes," I said resolutely, some of my inner fangirl awakening. "They're humans who can shift into wolves, primarily at night. They don't actually need the full moon to shift, however, and travel and live-in packs."

Lucien seemed surprised at how much I knew, if the way his eyes widened accounted for anything. "Yes...how did you know?"

I shrugged and gestured to Logan, who blushed under all the eyes on her. "Logan gave me a werewolf fan-fiction once and I got interested in it," I said.

Lucien hummed. "So, then, do you know what an Alpha is?"

"The leader of the pack, right? Him and the...Luna, if I remember correctly," I said.

Lucien smiled softly at me.

"Yes, him and the Luna." He stood up, putting his hand out.

I hesitated for only a moment before taking it, and with startling ease, Lucien pulled me to my feet.

"How are you so light? Are you eating properly?" He asked.

My heart dropped. I had hoped he wouldn't mention anything. My mind was already running in circles with everything that was being told to me, or the onslaught of feelings that I had never felt before, I began to feel abruptly.

"I am, a little bit," I said, not really elaborating.

An inhumane growl rose from Lucien's lips and his eyes glazed over again for a moment.

"D-Did you just...snarl?" I spluttered.

Lucien grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah...Yeah, I did." He spoke. He released my hand, even though he looked like he wanted to keep holding it.

My heart jumped.

"Raleigh." He said my name like a benediction. "Raleigh, please listen to me. I—I don't know any other way than to walk straight from the bush. And... if you don't believe me...then I'm not sure what else I can do apart from showing you."

I didn't say anything, but I could feel a tense atmosphere slowly clouding over us. Logan had stiffened on her perch, looking like a wolf ready to pounce. Drew looked grim, for the first time in my life, and Mrs. Cortes shuffled on her feet. It didn't help that they were all silent, as if wanting to document my reaction. In short, they looked like they were either going to murder me as some sacrifice, or tell me that they murdered somebody.

"What is it?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound shaky. Lucien took a deep breath, more for him than for me, and looked me dead in the eye as he said: "Raleigh. I am a werewolf."

And for the next few moments, I stared at him. I didn’t do anything, or say anything. I just stared, like I was waiting for the punchline. When I finally did realize what he had said, my heart-felt as though it had stopped.

"What?" I took a step away from him, unsure whether to feel excited or nervous about what he was going to say next.

Lucien stiffened, as if he were going to follow me, but he didn't, instead standing in the exact same spot he'd helped me up.

The thumping in my chest grew into an erratic pounding and I nearly toppled into the chair behind me. Everyone was still quiet.

"You're a werewolf?" I whispered in awe. I didn't want to believe him, no matter how hard my mind fought with me too. But the snarl, the eyes, the careful explanation...all the puzzle pieces were clicking perfectly into place.

Now I’m really going crazy...

Lucien nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am. I'm an Alpha...Well, Alpha King to be exact."

But I wasn't listening. I looked behind Lucien, at Mrs. Cortes, Logan, and Drew, who all had their heads bent like guilty children.

"Are you guys... werewolves too?" I asked.

Sheepishly, Logan nodded. "Yes. I am the Beta Female. Andrew's the Beta, and as Lucien said, he's the Alpha."

I blinked. "So, what are you, Mrs. Cortes?"

She shrugged. "Nothing really. I can't be Alpha Female, because that's just another title for a Luna. I'm just... the princess, I guess...it's complicated."

"And you're the...Alpha King? What's that?" I asked, looking at Lucien.

"There are different kinds of Alpha's," Lucien explained. "An Alpha...you can think of him as a mayor. Then, there's Head Alpha, which only the U.S has. It's like a Governor. Lord Alpha is Alpha of a country. And finally, there's Alpha King, Alpha of an entire continent. If an Alpha needs to make a decision that involves another pack, such as a pack transfer or a land trade, then those documents need to be run by me.”

I nodded, still trying to process this. "Okay...so you're the Alpha King," I said, pointing to the person as I spoke "You're the Beta, Drew. Logan's the Beta Female and Mrs. Cortes is the princess...how do I know you're not lying? I mean...are you guys just pulling my leg?"

Lucien ran a weary hand through his hair, tugging slightly. "Well then, how can I prove it to you?"

I bit my lip, contemplating.

"I know!" Logan spoke up from her perch. She hopped down onto the carpet, grinning. "We can shift! If Raleigh sees us like wolves, then she'll have to believe us!"

Lucien scowled. "Do you remember what happened last time I shifted?"

Drew winced, rubbing his stomach. I was initially curious, but now I'm not sure I wanted to know if he really was telling the truth.

"Okay then. I'll shift."

Before Lucien or anyone else in the room could object, Logan closed her eyelids momentarily, kind of like getting into the zone. Right before my very eyes, her eyes changed to a dark pink color. Her hair grew matted and long, her body covered in fur. Her feet and hands became paws, and in a blinding pink light, she was no longer Logan.

No. Now, she was a nearly eight-foot-tall wolf!

Lucien stepped away from me, and I was immediately engulfed by a large, slobbering black wolf with pink eyes and a very eager personality. I staggered, and once I managed to regain my balance, I cautiously scratched her ears.

"Logan?" I asked.

Logan, or, the wolf version of Logan, grinned wildly, licking my face. I giggled, pushing her away. She grunted at me, pawing at her nose. She padded behind the desk, the wood banging for a few moments. Then, the Logan I knew appeared again, smirking.

"Believe us now?" She challenged.

I felt the air leave my lungs and despite wanting to deny her transformation as nothing but a figment of my imagination, I couldn’t. I couldn't say no now. She had just given me concrete proof and because of that, I could only nod my head in my stupor.

"Okay...so you are werewolves...What do you want with me? Eat me?"

Drew rolled his eyes. "You wish. Werewolves don't eat humans. You guys are too salty!"

I gaped at him, and Mrs. Cortes cut in before I was able to get a word out about his sentence.

"Before we get off track,” She said, stepping in easily. "Lucien, it's high time you tell her before...you know."

I didn't know, but apparently, Lucien did for he turned back at me, his golden eyes once on me.

You know, now, looking at him and his hair and eyes, it made sense that he was a werewolf. His eyes had an undercurrent of hidden power and hot electricity. His appalling height and large, buff stature made it impossible to lie to him. He radiated a strong, ferocious vibe to anyone who

was within his speaking radar, yet he spoke gently and quietly, as if speaking to an easily spooked animal.

"Raleigh, I'm going to tell you something and I want an honest response," Lucien said sternly. "Okay...what is it?" I asked for like, the fifth time that day.

Lucien sighed. "Raleigh, do you know how wolves have mates?" I nodded again. "Yes..."

My heart thumped loudly in my chest, my toes and palms sweaty.

Lucien blushed and he looked away. "Well...you're my mate Raleigh."

"What?!" I blurted for the second time that day. I didn't even wait for him to react. This wasn't happening to me, not today. Anxiety took over me in a rush of panic and I took a step back, and Lucien took another step forward, his eyes glowing brightly. They began to swirl like a tornado, the gold blending with a dark black color.

All of Lucien's glances and constant eye-flickering made sense to me, and for a moment, I felt eagerness curl up inside of me, but soon, that was replaced by panic. Lucien knew exactly how I looked like...my disability, my curse. The euphoria I once felt was gone, and now, gnawing self- doubt chewed at my stomach. Was he going to reject me now?

"You're my Luna, Raleigh."

My face exploded in blush and my stomach churned. Something pricked at my fingertips, sparking along my spine, but I ignored it.

I kept taking steps back from the chair, shaking my head over and over again. I couldn’t breathe, and now, all eyes were on me, waiting for my reaction, my answer.

"Reject me, then," I whispered.

"What?" He snarled. His eyes blasted; the golden color replaced by a pitch black.

I gulped, just realizing the expanse of the mess I had created. However, firmly avoiding the darkness of his eyes, I continued.

"I'm a cripple!" I blurted. "I could never be a Luna! I could-I could never be your—!"

But he didn’t let me finish. He walked over to me until he had my back pressed up against the wall, however he did keep a respectful distance between us. His hand twitched, like he wanted to touch me. Maybe I wanted him to touch me. Something was tingling inside of me, wanting to explore, wanting to know. This was the first time I had been approached by a man before, much less my principal’s brother, and definitely much less an Alpha King.

"Never. Ever. Say. That. Again." Lucien snarled, sounding more animalistic than human. "Why not? It's the truth," I said, the amount of courage thriving in me a miracle.

Lucien glared at me. "It is not the truth, and should I hear you say that again, I...I..." He shook his head, and I noticed that he was looking at Mrs. Cortes out of the corner of his eye. "Never, ever, let me hear you say those words again, or else..."

"Or else what...?" I challenged, breathless at our proximity.

Lucien smirked, his wolfish features making him look deadlier. "Or else...well...I don't think you'd like to know."