The Unknown Alpha

Chapter three

Forty-odd minutes later, Mr. Keller dismissed his class. Emily followed Bailey out into the hallway, her shoulder blades rotating in an attempt to loosen her muscles. Pain was evident in every step Emily took.

Emily groaned, her backpack dragging across the wooden floors as she sluggishly walked down the hallway. "I hate when Mr. K starts a new module. His expectations are too intense."

Adam agreed, one of his arms cradling the other as his fingers tenderised his swollen muscles. "I could go with a nap."

Bailey disagreed. "I want food."

Emily gave her a sharp glare as Adam and Brent stopped by the water fountain. Bailey waved them off as she and Emily continued to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Stop looking at me like that," Bailey mumbled, adverting her gaze away from her friend.

"I hate you."

Bailey stopped at the head of the staircase and stared at her friend. Emily's tone was light, bitter, but Bailey knew Emily well enough to know she didn't mean anything from it. "What'd I do?"

Emily scoffed, her arms dropping at her side. "I feel like someone set my muscles on fire, and yet you, let me guess, are fine. Right?" Emily didn't wait for a response, Bailey's expression was answer enough. "You're always fine. Manifesting has never bothered you. Unlike me."

Bailey tried to catch up with Emily's long strides. "Not true," she tried to argue, but they both knew it was useless.

Emily was right. Bailey never had to work to use her magic, unlike Emily or Adam or any other werewolf in town. Sometimes, her magic just came to easily. Too fast, not that Bailey could ever tell anyone that. Not even Emily.

There were times, like just minutes ago in class, when Bailey had to limit and restrict her magic. While it took minutes for the other students to manifest into their wolf forms, Bailey knew she could complete the shift in seconds, but she always slowed down her times. Not to draw any attention to herself.

Bailey never told anyone that, but Emily knew her, better than anyone else. No doubt, Emily noticed a few unusual things about her best friend. Like how Bailey was never sore or breathless after one of Mr. Keller's lessons.

"Emily, I do try –"

Emily stopped outside the wide cafeteria doors and turned to Bailey. "No, you don't. You never had. I think, if you actually tried, you could put Madison and Jaxon and Pearl and all those assholes in their places. You choose not to, though."

Bailey looked at the ground and lowered her voice. "Look, Em. I'm already a freak enough being packless, I don't need any added attention."

"Fair enough." Emily pursed her lips and followed a stream of other students into the massive cafeteria. Dozens of picnic tables were scattered across the marble floors. A servery was stationed beside large French doors that led to the quad.

Bailey was silent as she waited in line behind Emily. She couldn't stop thinking about what Emily said. She could show off every other werewolf in town. Her magic was – well, she wouldn't exactly say it was stronger. She just had better control. Like Conner said, Bailey never had to try to channel her magic before. She never lost control before.

She wasn't stronger than a typical werewolf her age, she just had better control. A stronger connection to her magic, she thought.

Emily must have noticed the sullen look on Bailey's face. "On the bright side," her voice was suddenly cheery, which put Bailey on edge. "Your athletic ability as a human, well, majority sucks. Knocks you down to our level, I guess."