A Bit of Wolf in Her

11. Fucking dinner

Winnie sighed heavily and rubbed her hands over her tired eyes. She hadn't slept a wink, her nightmares filled with old memories of her and Oz. At one point, she had put on all the lights in the house and didn't even pull the sheets over her head.

The bell rang, signalling the start of first period. She ran into Gabriela and Stella on the way to class, but no Miles.

"No, Miles today?" 

Her two friends shared a look, and Gabriela shook her head. "He's mad at you," Stella said and Gabriela whipped her head around. "What? He is."

It didn't surprise her, but it still frustrated Winnie that Miles resented her for spending time with the Delaney's. For the time being, she would have to accept that her friend was going to be mad at her as long as she fraternised with the enemy. Her mind was on other things anyway, like how to get into the teacher's library without the Delaney's help.

She realised that asking them for help and then getting into a place that would reveal information they might not want to have revealed wasn't the best idea. Winnie hoped that Noah wouldn't mention anything about her line of questioning.

"Winnie?" Stella asked, pulling her into the classroom and to the back. "Any developments?" Winnie frowned. "The Classics Week assignment?"

"Oh, yeah, I think we finished."

Stella shook her head, amused. "You think you finished it?"

Winnie slid the crumpled-up article over to her and watched Stella's reaction. "Werewolf High reformed or erased," Stella started, and Winnie gestured for her to continue. "In the small town of Seaford, one might find everything that one is looking for. From its vast wine lands to its endless beaches, the tourist attraction has something for everyone. Including Werewolves." Stella frowned. "What the hell is this?"

"Keep reading."

"Winnie..."

"Just do it."

Stella sighed but continued. "Wolf Town, as it's dubbed by those who know of its underlying supernatural community, is home to over seven families with ties to the magical Werewolf bloodline. Subsequently, Seaford High School, the town's oldest and biggest school, renamed by the latter as Werewolf High."

When Stella stopped, shaking her head, Winnie grabbed the article. "Despite the town's intricate history with werewolves, more people are seeking to plant roots in Seaford, hoping to escape the hustle and bustle of city life while not being too far away. This influx of new residents has led to new debates about 'Wolf Town's' exclusivity. There is an urgent question on everyone's mind. Will the new people with no connection to the town's heritage or any magic bloodline lead to the so-called extinction of the town's heritage and significance?"

Stella looked at her with a blank expression on her face. "I don't get it."

"Albert Hall gave it to me." Stella's eyes widened, a reaction Winnie could get behind. "Noah told me what happened with Elijah."

Stella shook her head in disbelief. "Fuck. I never thought he'd say anything because of Noah." She looked up, probably to see if any supernatural hearing individuals were lurking nearby. "He must have gotten it from the teacher's library."

Her mouth fell open at Stella's words. "How the hell would you know that?"

She shrugged. "They keep records in libraries and, by the sound of this article, where else would you keep Werewolf Town documents than in a school practically run by them?"

"So now what?" Winnie shrugged, not wanting to admit to Stella that she considered getting into the library herself. Stella narrowed her eyes, though, as if she heard Winnie's thoughts. "You want to break into the library?"