Wolf Blood: Lunar Academy, Year One Read online

  Wolf Blood

  Lunar Academy, Year One

  Alyssa Rose Ivy

  Jennifer Snyder

  Contents

  1. Axel

  2. Faith

  3. Axel

  4. Faith

  5. Axel

  6. Faith

  7. Axel

  8. Faith

  9. Axel

  10. Faith

  11. Axel

  12. Faith

  13. Axel

  14. Faith

  15. Axel

  16. Faith

  17. Axel

  18. Faith

  Thank You

  Copyright © 2019 by Jennifer Snyder, Alyssa Rose Ivy

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design: Najla Qambar Designs

  Axel

  Smoke curled around my face as I exhaled. I eyed the others from where I stood near the edge of the woods, taking stock. Some drove fancy cars while others had taken the tiny town of Brentwood’s public transportation system. I’d made it to town yesterday afternoon and gotten myself a room at Charity’s Inn to decompress before coming to the academy.

  Leaving home had been tough.

  My family wasn’t all rainbows and fucking sunshine, but there was still a piece of me that wanted to stay in the soul-sucking, Podunk town regardless. Leaving made me feel like I was running from what I’d done—like I was running from the memory of Ansley.

  I took another puff from my cigarette. My eyes zeroed in on a tall guy with a pretty face and dark hair. He oozed confidence in a way that irked me. I watched him, taking in his swagger and the invisible chip he held on his shoulder. He was the type of guy who’d make me see red quicker than I liked. I’d have no trouble sinking my fangs into him and draining him dry simply because I was the karma I was willing to bet he had coming.

  “Yo, Finn,” someone called to him. Finn nodded in the guy’s direction and then walked toward him. “Guys, this is Finn,” I heard the guy say. “He’s Ryan Grayson’s second.”

  Neither name meant shit to me, but apparently both did to the others. Their eyes lit up. My wolf bristled as my lips curled. He was just another shmuck looking to get ahead thanks to his family name. While the guy himself might irritate me, his wolf didn’t. I could sense how strong he was. Dominant. He’d piqued my wolf’s interest. I tore my eyes away from him before I lost control.

  Getting riled up was never good. Unless I was scheduled for a fight.

  Finn seemed like someone I’d enjoy beating the shit out of for a few bucks, but with a face like that, I doubted he was the fighting type. I’d been in the underground fighting business long enough to recognize another fighter when one crossed my path.

  This dude wasn’t it.

  I licked my lips and took another puff from my cigarette, trying to tame my wolf. He was a beast with a mind of his own. My vampire was the same. Both were a struggle for me to control. Which was why I was at Lunar Academy in the first place. Still, I couldn’t help surveying the prospects for a fight. I blamed it on my wolf’s insatiable need to exude dominance wherever I went, but it was just me talking shit. I liked to fight as much as my other half.

  My lips twisted at the corners, forming a smirk, as something my mom used to say to me surfaced in my mind—your fists will be the death of you.

  I scoffed. If only. My entire life, they’d been how I kept my sanity.

  I took another pull from my cigarette and then glanced at the evidence of the last fight I’d been in still visible on my hands. There were a few small cuts along the knuckles of my right hand, but at least my index finger wasn’t swollen all to hell anymore. Wolf Blood healing was superior to some other breeds of werewolves, thanks to our vampire side. While healing wasn’t instantaneous the way a typical vampire’s was, it was close. It often took about a day for me to heal up after a fight, depending on how badly I got my ass handed to me.

  The guy at the bar last night had it coming though.

  If I hadn’t given him a beat down, someone else would’ve. The thought of being someone’s karma floated through my head again, causing me to crack another grin. The guy had been verbally abusive to his girlfriend in front of everyone, and from the way she cowered as he shouted at her, I knew his abuse didn’t stop there when they were behind closed doors. He’d deserved the busted-up face and broken ribs I’d given him.

  I was sure that was why the bartender had let me get a few hits in before he tried to break us up. Most likely he’d been wanting to do the same for a while.

  I lifted my boot and snuffed my cigarette out on the bottom before flipping the butt into the woods. A wince rippled through me involuntarily. As soon as it happened, sadness crept in. Ansley had always been on me about tossing my butts like that.

  Do you know how long it takes for something like that to break down?

  Her words floated through my head, and I pulled in a shaky breath. I missed her. She’d been gone eight months, and yet the pain was still as raw as if it had happened yesterday.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled a deep breath, trying my damnedest to not lose my shit. Now wasn’t the time. It was time to check-in, and I had no intention of walking in there smelling of weakness and emotions.

  The fuckers would pounce on me.

  I squared my shoulders and cleared my throat. While I didn’t plan to walk into the academy with an invisible chip on my shoulder like Finn had, I would be walking in with a badass vibe that screamed don’t fuck with me like I did everywhere else.

  The sound of a motorcycle nearing captured my attention.

  “Now that’s an entrance.” I chuckled. If I planned on making friends with anyone while here, it would be with that guy.

  I bent to pick up my duffel bag, causing the ring on my necklace—Ansley’s promise ring—to slip into view. The sight triggered a ripple effect of thoughts involving her, same as always. An ache to pull out my cell and listen to the last voicemail she left built in my chest.

  I chewed the inside of my cheek and ignored it.

  It was for the best. If I went down that road, I’d definitely lose control, and when that happened, there was no telling who’d come out to play—my wolf or my vampire.

  I squeezed the straps of my duffel bag tight, grabbed hold of Ansley’s promise ring with my free hand, and kissed it. My gaze drifted to the sky. “Wish me luck, darlin’.”

  The rumble of the motorcycle grew louder. I stepped out of the woods and headed toward the quad where everyone was congregated. While I walked, I glanced at the bike. The driver had come to a stop behind a silver convertible filled with beautiful women wearing green tops. I didn’t know much about the academy, but I was noticing a trend.

  A color-coded one.

  My gaze skimmed over the four girls in the convertible. Magic pulsed from them. I could smell it in the breeze. They were Wolf Bound—half werewolf, half witch—that much was clear. And, if I had to guess, I’d say green was their house color.

  Eyes were on me. My wolf perked at the sensation.

  I glanced around, but couldn’t pinpoint where the sensation came from. However, I did notice the eyes were female the more I focused on the feeling. I kept walking. I wasn’t here for flirting or hookups.

  People were everywhere—talking, laughing, kissing—and the parking area was full of vehicles. I wasn’t sure where the hell those waiting in line planned to park, but this space was full. I gripped
my bag tighter and pulled in another deep breath, hoping to steady my inner demons. My wolf paced. He hated crowds and chaotic places. My vampire wasn’t much of a fan either. All I wanted to do was check-in and figure out where my dorm room was.

  The eyes I’d felt before were on me again. I didn’t seek them out this time. Instead, I tried to figure out where I was supposed to go. Tables positioned in front of a building caught my eye. There were four of them. Each with a different color tablecloth.

  One color for each house, I presumed.

  The driver of the motorcycle grew restless and wove around the silver convertible before making their way through the crowd. As they passed, I glanced at them. It surprised me to learn the driver wasn’t a dude like I’d initially thought, but a female. Her body was hugged in black leather, showcasing her curves. When she came to a stop a few feet away and pulled off her helmet, dark brown locks spilled free, reaching just past her shoulders. She straddled the bike and glanced around.

  I didn’t know who she was, but I knew I liked her already. Nothing screamed badass more than black leather and riding a motorcycle. Since my well-worn black leather jacket was my staple, I felt as though we were kindred spirits.

  Too bad Lunar Academy forced us to wear a uniform.

  My jaw ticked. That was one thing about this place I knew would piss me off. I didn’t know how I’d handle being in slacks and crisp button-downs with a tie Monday through Friday. I’d never worn a tie in my life. Not even to Ansley’s funeral.

  My wolf nipped at me as he continued to pace. My fangs pricked my gumline. I swallowed hard, knowing I needed to calm the hell down. Wearing a uniform wouldn’t be the death of me. It was no reason to go apeshit and lose control.

  I wove through a group of guys, who were laughing and chatting loudly. They seemed to know one another well. I assumed they were older. Maybe second years? I picked up on the fact they were Wolf Born right away. I couldn’t pinpoint how I knew; I just did.

  “Excuse me,” a husky female voice called. I lifted my gaze to her as if pulled by a magnet. It was the girl on the bike. “Does anyone know if we’re supposed to park here, or if we can head to the garage? Is there a key card or a code I’m supposed to know before I can get in?” When no one answered her, she tossed her hands up and sighed. “Jesus, this place is going to be fun.”

  I cracked a grin. She was cute when she was worked up. Hell, she was cute when she wasn’t, but I found something adorable about seeing her pissed.

  “Hey, baby. I see you like power between them legs of yours,” some asshole called to her. I chewed the inside of my cheek, watching him closer than I should. My wolf growled and tiny dots of red danced along the edges of my vision as my vampire’s interest piqued too. “I’ve got something else you might like to ride sometime. Wanna give it a go?” He high-fived the guy beside him and laughed. It was clear he was proud of the line.

  It took everything in me to stay where I was instead of marching over and decking him. Guys like him gave the rest of us a bad rep. Also, something about this girl made me want to protect her honor.

  I took a step forward, but paused when she spoke.

  “Since you’re practically four-foot-nothing, I doubt there’s enough power hanging between your legs to do much for me,” she said before flipping him off.

  I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. It rumbled from me as I stared at the guy’s reaction. She didn’t wait for him to respond; instead, she revved the engine of her bike, garnering the attention of everyone close, and inched forward.

  “All these spaces are full. Can we park in the garage?” she shouted to the people at her right. “Is there a key card or a code for it I need first?”

  A girl wearing a yellow lanyard stepped to her and answered her question. I assumed the lanyard signified the house she was from, but I had no clue which one was yellow. It was either Wolf Born or Wolf Bitten, though.

  I scanned the clusters of people near the tables in front of the building, searching for red lanyards. It had to be the color for Wolf Bloods. Blood was red, and since we were part vampire, it only made sense that we had the color for our house.

  A table to my left caught my attention. There was a red tablecloth draped over it. I moved to stand in line behind a petite redhead wearing too much perfume. My wolf relaxed. We were still in a crowd and chaos surrounded us, but at least we knew what the hell we were doing now. Somewhat. The girl in front of me flipped her hair over her shoulder, sending a whiff of her perfume to my nose. It coated the inside of my mouth and made me cough.

  Didn’t she realize a little went a long way with perfume and a werewolf’s sense of smell? The potent amount she wore could easily be considered guy repellent. Seriously. I coughed in my hand again, and she turned around to flash me the nastiest look I’d been given in a while.

  The girl on the bike revved her engine once more, drawing my attention back to her, as she inched forward again. When she eased past me, our eyes locked. Her plump red lips twisted into a smirk, and I knew right then and there I was in trouble.

  If I wasn’t careful, this girl would derail me.

  I tore my eyes from hers and focused on the slow-moving line in front of me. Her eyes remained on me. I could feel them, but I didn’t glance at her again. I couldn’t. I’d made a promise. And, I wouldn’t let her sidetrack me from it.

  Faith

  He was sexy as all get-out, but he wasn’t my type. Not anymore. Not with this new version of me. I’d only smirked at him, because I could see forced rejection in his eyes directed my way. It wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before. There were plenty of men at the bar I’d worked at back home who looked my way with it festering in their eyes. Mainly because they were married or in committed relationships and trying not to lead me on or start something up. I was fine with that type of rejection—in fact; I applauded it. It took a real man to love a woman so hard he refused himself any others—but that wasn’t the forced rejection Mr. Leather Jacket had given me.

  His stemmed from a place of fear.

  I knew I appeared intimidating to some; I’d learned that about myself at a young age, but I also knew that wasn’t this guy’s problem either. Whoever he was, he wasn’t rejecting me because of that. He was rejecting me because he was broken.

  A woman he loved had either done him dirty or died.

  I knew the look well. It was the same one Van had worn often back home. I’d ignored it then, but I refused to ever ignore it in a man again. It had kept him forever at arm’s length in our relationship, and I knew I deserved better.

  It might have taken me awhile to see it, but now that I did, there was no going back to being that naive girl. Loving someone still in love with the memory of someone else wasn’t worth my time. Four long months, and too many tears, was how long it had taken me to realize that.

  I exhaled a breath, relaxing my features and maneuvered my bike around a group of girls who didn’t seem to care they were blocking traffic. They were too caught up in talking about their perfect summer and hugging.

  I fought the urge to glance back at Mr. Leather Jacket as I crept along at a snail’s pace.

  I wasn’t here to date. I wasn’t here for hookups either. I was here for a fresh start. A new beginning. One that didn’t involve my mom and her wacky traditional vampire ways. One that had nothing to do with those from the nest she’d been a part of since I was born. They were all too cultlike for my taste. I had never fit in, and I knew that I never would because I was part werewolf. I’d accepted this a long time ago, but that didn’t mean I liked it.

  This place… it would be different.

  I would fit in because I wasn’t the only hybrid. I wasn’t an outcast or an oddball because of it. I was just another student here to learn among my peers.

  Still, it didn’t hurt to look at some eye candy while I was here, right? I glanced over my shoulder at Mr. Leather Jacket when I came to a full stop thanks to a bunch of guys not giving a shit I was in motion. He was in line at a
table, staring into the distance. The car behind me beeped, and I jerked back around to head into the garage Darcie—the girl with the yellow lanyard nice enough to help—had mentioned. She’d told me to go around the back of the building and look for the door tucked between the two tallest hedges.

  I was trying, but people were idiots.

  When I finally made it inside the garage, I slipped off my bike and popped open the storage compartment to grab my bag. I’d only brought my favorite articles of clothing with me and a few other essentials. A tinge of sadness pinched at my insides from the way I’d left in the night, but it was for the best. Besides, starting fresh meant getting new stuff. And getting new stuff was always fun. I couldn’t wait to check out the shops in Brentwood. I’d cashed out a large sum from my bank account to get me by for a while, but I’d feel more content if I snagged a job somewhere. I had noticed a bar called Last Call when I came through town. Maybe they’d be hiring bartenders since I was sure the academy being in session upped their customer base each night. I’d heard the place didn’t have the usual twenty-one and over rule for drinking that typical places had. Apparently, the owner was in on an academy for werewolves being nearby. Maybe he was one. I wasn’t sure. Either way, I was hoping to snag a job there. Bartending was something I enjoyed. Smith, from my mom’s nest back home, had got me a fake ID two summers ago that said I was twenty-one. That was how I’d been able to bartend at sixteen. I’d thanked him a million times for giving me that ID.

  Damn, I would miss him.

  I slung my bag over my shoulder and placed my helmet inside the compartment on my bike before locking it. As I pocketed my keys, my gaze darted around at the well-lit garage hidden beneath the academy. It was massive. Heck, the academy was larger than I’d imagined. My wolf paced at the surge of anxiety pulsing through me. I ignored her and bit my bottom lip as I started walking back the way I’d come. The silver convertible I’d been behind before zoomed into the garage and parked in a row marked for upperclassman. The driver—a busty blonde with perfect features—gave me a nasty look as she cut the engine of her car. The others in her squad followed suit.