Beyond the Pack - Wyatt Lykensen

Chapter 6 - Cheertastic

Wakai's POV

The next day, I got to the gym early. A good captain should always be there before the rest of the team so they can prepare. I set up a few warm-up activities, then waited for the team to arrive.

They all wandered in in twos and threes, gossping. Then the werewolves walked in, drawing gasps from the team. They sat on the bleachers, and Wyatt caught my eye and smiled.

"Okay!" I started, but was cut off by Addison running into the gym, "I am so fired up to be running cheer practice. Together, we can do anything." Bree squeaked in fear and pointed at the wolves. Addison turned around. She gave Wyatt a big smile, and Wakai frowned.

Addison sighed, "Sorry, but this practice space is for cheerleaders only." Wynter stood up and growled. "Ha! Just try and get us to leave." Wyatt also stood up putting his hand on her shoulder. "Wynter. Some respect." Wynter looked disappointed, so I gave her a thumbs up when Wyatt wasn't looking. She smirked. Then I stepped forward.

"I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay. Show us what you can do. If they're good enough, anyone can join the cheer team. After all, who wouldn't want more talent?" Addy glared at me.

We partnered up to practice a routine. Addison was with a flirty wolf with light grey hair, Bree was with her usual partner, Wynter was with JC, Willa was with a zombie, and Wyatt strode over to me. 

(In the partners specified, with Addison and Wakai in the front)

"That was really good!" I told the wolves proudly. I went to hug Wyatt, but he walked over to Addison, whispering something to her. My blood boiled. I spotted Zed at the door, also looking at Wyatt and Addison. I walked over.

"Yeah." I said to him. "That scruffy, super handsome, fine-smelling Wyatt is really into Addison." Zed shot me a look I shrugged. "What? It's true." Zed shook his head. "You know what? They're just cheering. And laughing." We both crossed our arms and glared at the pair. "Cheertastic." I muttered.

Addison POV

"That was so amazing!" I said, beaming. "You are all natural cheerleaders." Wyatt stepped closer to me. I gazed into his pretty brown eyes. "We wolves work well together." He said. I frowned. "But I'm not a wolf." Wyatt hummed and smiled mysteriously.

Just then, Wynter started coughing violently, her eyes turning yellow. I stared in innocent horror, while Wakai ran over and comforted her, offering her a drink of water. "You okay?" Wakai asked once Wynter recovered.

God. Wakai is such a suck-up. I cannot believe she got to try for cheer captain too. She doesn't even like cheer anymore! She just likes a chance to beat me at everything I do. When zombies first came to school, it had been pretty obvious that Zed had liked both of us. Wakai had led him on, then dropped him like a wet rag.

Well. That wasn't totally true. Wakai had turned him down, so kindly, so Zed had gone for me instead. I still can't believe he would have chosen Wakai over me. Wakai! That selfish, perfect, spoilt brat! The shame of being second choice! The...

My thoughts were rudely interrupted when Bucky ran into the gym. "Well done, Wakai." He said. "With werewolves on cheer, this election is so in the bag." I frowned, "Bucky, this is not about politics. I always just felt like cheer could unite."

Wakai laughed. "You? The same one who tried to turn the wolves away today? Sure, Addy." Bucky smiled at me. I grinned. This was it. The one time I was going to beat Wakai Buchanan.

Then Bucky turned to Wakai. "I'm so impressed with you, sis. You are going to make a great cheer captain." My smile dropped in horror. Wakai turned to the wolves, grinning. "I'm gonna be cheer captain!" Wyatt hugged her proudly.

I stepped forward. "I was thinking the team could move beyond trophies and we could start an outreach program." Bucky raised his eyebrows. "Whoa. Cheer is what we say cheer's about." Wakai nodded. "And it's about winning." I glared at her.

Wyatt took my hand, getting my attention. "You are a leader, Addison. But of something a lot greater than cheer." I smiled, intertwining my fingers with his. Then I noticed Zed and Wakai at the edge of the gym. Zed turned and left, with Wakai close behind.

"Zed!" I called to him, "Zed! What's wrong?" He turned around furiously. Wakai stood to the side, watching with smug intrest. "Werewolves." Zed growled. "They're not interested in fitting in." I frowned, "They're into cheer." Zed shook his head. "No, they're into you, and you're into him... them."

I was horribly, terribly confused. "What?" I asked, "Why are you acting like this?" Wakai scoffed. I shot her a glare. Zed scoffed too, "Do you know how hard it was for zombies? Now everything is just being handed to the werewolves on a silver platter."

"Actually, they hate silver." Wakai butted in rudely. "I'm trying to win an election for my people, for you. So we can go to Prawn, so we can be accepted." Zed gestured to one of his campaign posters, where he looked more human than zombie.

"That's not being accepted." I said. "That's being afraid to show who you really are." Zed scoffed again, "Says the girl who wore a wig her whole life." I gasped and put my hand over my heart. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wakai mimicking me.

"Yeah. I did." I said frostily, "Because I always felt like an outsider. And everytime I get a chance to prove that I fit in, it gets taken away from me." I shot Wakai a glare, "You know I don't have a place here!" I told Zed, "I don't have a zombie crew. I don't know what I am! So excuse me for respecting a pack of werewolves who are proud of who they are." Zed sighed angrily, then left. I turned to Wakai.

"You have any smart comments to make, Buchanan?" I snapped. Wakai set her jaw and nodded, "I do actually. How dare you treat Zed like that?" She yelled, "He's been working his butt off, just so you two can go to prawn together. Then you grill him about his campaign, and act like you are innocent!!" I frowned, "I am innocent." I mumbled. Wakai growled, seeming like Willa.

"No you're not! Zed loves you, supports you, cares about you, and yet you hold hands with another guy! You act like you have no friends, no place to belong, and yet you have a whole cheer squad, and all the zombies! The werewolves would probably be your friends too, but you treated them like outsiders until one of them held your hand! So don't act like you're innocent. Don't act like you have not place to belong. Don't act like you respect the wolves. Because you don't." 

I sniffed, tears welling up in my eyes. "You don't know how hard it is," I said, "To feel like an outsider. To feel like you're alone." Wakai's eyes burned with anger. "I have white hair too." She muttered, "And you know it." I pouted, "And yet, all the wolves love you. Everyone loves you. You have everything." Wakai gasped, stepping closer to me.

"EVERYTHING?" She bellowed, causing the people inside the gym to stare at us, "I would give everything I have  just to have my parents back. I love David and Patricia, but they don't understand me. I'm different, and they shun me for it. So don't you dare act like I'm the one who has everything." She glared at me, and stalked off.

I sniffed, tears running down my cheeks.