Chapter 2: Jax.
Alec is more tense today than he was yesterday. I watch him pace the room as I chew my cereal. He keeps biting the inner corner of his mouth and picking at his nails.
"You okay?" I ask him.
He stops pacing and looks at me. His face is a little pink and his eyebrows furrowed but he smiles at me.
"What's... school like?" he asks me.
Silence falls upon us as I process what he said.
"What's... school like?" I repeat back to him.
"I've never been to a school before," he says.
"You've never been to school before?" I say, gobsmacked.
"I've never lived among humans before..." he says, looking down at the ground.
"You what?" Kai shouts from another room.
He strolls into the loungeroom still doing up his tie. Why'd he pick such a fancy school? We look dorky in these uniforms.
"I-," Alec begins, but Kai cuts him short by holding a hand up.
"No need to repeat yourself, I heard you," Kai says.
He stops to think for a moment.
"Jax can explain things to you on the walk to school," Kai says, "and we'll both keep an eye on you."
"What if I mess it up?" Alec asks, looking nervous.
Kai looks him up and down.
"Where is your family from?" Kai asks him.
"I- uhm, I don't understand why you're asking me that," Alec admits.
"Just answer the question," Kai says.
"My parents moved here from Australia," Alec says.
"We'll just blame any odd behaviour on that," Kai says, "if anyone asks, you're from rural Australia, you've never been to an American school before, and you had little to no internet access out there."
"My parents were from rural Australia," Alec says, "and we've never had internet."
"You've never used the internet?" I interrupt.
"Not never," Alec says, "some of the bigger packs have it... and TVs."
"Focus," Kai says, "you two are getting off topic."
He looks down on at the watch on his wrist.
"We're going to be late, Alec, go get your school bag, I've already packed it for you," Kai says.
He's such a mum.
As soon as Alec has left the room Kai beckons me over to him.
"Keep an eye on him," Kai says.
"He doesn't need me to babysit him," I tell Kai, "we've already got a cover story."
Kai's eyes start to glow gold. I know what's coming.
"Keep an eye on Alec," Kai commands.
There is now no way I can refuse his command without challenging him directly because of his stupid power. So, I do what I'm told and stick to Alec like glue. I explain the bell system, teachers, classes, the school rules and his schedule to him.
"So, I go where this piece of paper tells me to go?" Alec says, pointing at his schedule.
"Yep," I tell him.
