The Turn of a Page

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

            Sat around the kitchen table, dragging my fork through my curry, I was still thinking about everything that happened after drama class. It was just so hard to not tell Baz what went on; not only did I think I’d lose him but also he would go for Cayleb ten times more aggressively than he did to Sharon.

            ‘Kez... you ok? You seem worried, what are you thinking about?’ Baz asked as he sat down opposite me with his plate and a bottle of lager.

            ‘I’m alright, just got a lot on my mind lately. Like exams and drama.’

            He smiled. ‘Ah, you’ll be good. Remember, I’ve seen you when you act your best, if you put your mind to it then you will be awesome.’

            ‘Thanks.’ And I went about eating dinner with a smile on my face. Then it occurred to me that I was meant to ask him something. ‘Baz, can I ask you something?’

            ‘Sure.’

            ‘Who was that grey wolf who broke up your fight with Sharon? And what was that lying on the ground thing about?’

            He put down his bottle after taking a sip and looked out of the window before answering. ‘That was the head; he’s kind of like the alpha male of the school. Not that the head teacher position is fought over, but he’s the oldest out of the staff when he became head. Anyway, as we are kind of in his territory we have to do as he says. The humans in the school don’t get the same treatment as we do.’ He looked at me with harsh eyes, and then continued. ‘And being alpha male he has top authority over us werewolves, including the staff. So when he intervened in our fight, we both got told off but me more as I’m a male too. He put me in my place and told me I shouldn’t attack a female even if she attacked me first. And that’s when I got all moody and annoyed.’ He stopped talking and just took another sip of lager.

            ‘Oh, I think I understand. It’s ok though, right? I mean, you had to back down like that, I wouldn’t want you to get in a fight with an alpha.’ I smiled at him sweetly and giggled. We finished dinner and tidied up.

            Up in my bedroom, I brushed my hair and got changed into my pyjamas. Just as I was about to get into bed, my door was knocked on. I wandered over, switched on the light and answered the door. Before I could ask who it was or what they wanted, I was pushed to the side and he walked in past me.

            ‘Sorry, Kerry,’ he apologised.

            I shut the door. ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked as he sat on my bed with his head in his hands. After walking over, I knelt on the floor in front of him and put my hands on his knees. ‘Come on, baby, you can tell me.’

            He peaked through his fingers. ‘You won’t really understand, but I feel like my pride has been taken away a bit. It’s not nice to be made to feel like that, the whole authority alpha male thing I was talking about earlier,’ he explained.

            I took his hands in mine, he looked away. ‘Barry, you’ll be fine. Hey, you’re the strongest guy I know. I know you enough now; this wouldn’t normally get to you. What’s this all really about?’ I asked. Deep in my mind I was hoping that he didn’t know what had happened between me and Cayleb; and why was I thinking about that so much, what I really should be doing is forgetting about the whole thing completely.

            ‘It’s about me and you, deep down. If you don’t think I’m strong enough to take care of you when you need me, well I’m scared you’d go to a stronger guy.’ He looked at me with a guilty, almost embarrassed face.