Raising the Alpha

Chapter Twenty Five: Lorenzo

Phoebe

The next Monday, Mr. Hernanchez had asked us to come meet his step son. At lunch, the ten of us gathered in the classroom and waited for the boy to show up. We made small talk and Lydia told me that my second mom had finally come home. She and I talked about how Mom wanted me to come over for dinner tonight and she was gonna tell us about her trip (she'd gone on tour with a famous tattoo artist, Kelly Velasquez). I was definitely excited.

"So, where was your step son, anyway?" Brittany asked, leaning back on a desk.

Mr. Hernanchez adjusted his glasses. "Well, he was in Germany this time. He travels and collects information on supernatural beings. Some of the things he's learned, I've never heard of in my life."

"Like what?" I questioned.

"Well, like legitimate demons. They thrive in Europe, he says. He's also come across a few angels. There are shape shifters who don't turn into wolves. Those are called skin walkers. I'd love to meet one, do some research. He's learned of how to lift curses, how to kill monsters, new spells that could change the world." Mr. Hernanchez's eyes were gleaming. He was truly passionate of what he taught us.

"Angelo," a voice, heavy with an Italian accent, said from the doorway. All of us girls swung our heads to look. In the door to classroom 303 stood a tall, thin but still slightly muscular boy with curly golden, brown hair and eyes that were a bluish gray. He wore straight-legged jeans with a turquoise long-sleeved, tee and a black scarf. Like Mr. Hernanchez, he wore thick framed glasses.

"Lorenzo! Glad you could make it!" Mr. Hernanchez rose and embraced the boy.

"He's soooo not into girls," Lydia whispered.

"Nah, he's probably metro. I bet you ten bucks," Damian whispered back. I heard them smack their hands together to cement the bet.

The boy looked right at me. "Hello, I'm Lorenzo," he said charmingly. Lorenzo stepped forward and kissed my hand.

I stared at him crazily.

"Hey, woah there, Ralph Macchio, she has a boyfriend," Lydia smarted off and stepped in front of me.

"I apologize, she is just very beautiful," Lorenzo replied sweetly. "As are the rest of you."

"I think you wanna fight, guido," she said, stepping closer to Lorenzo.

Damian pulled her back. "Okay, Fiesty Pants, how about we simmer down?"

Lydia took her place back beside Damian, but she eyed Lorenzo evilly.

"Okay!" Mr. Hernanchez started. "Guys, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to fill Lorenzo in on our situation and inform him of his role in this. I," he picked up his satchel and car keys, "will be going on my lunch break now."

Kaide stepped up beside me and took my hand. "Ready for lunch?" I nodded. Then he turned to Lorenzo. "We're going to Frack Burger, would you like to join us?"

Lorenzo nodded cheerily. "It'd be my pleasure."

Lorenzo, Lydia, and Damian rode with Kaide and me in Kaide's old fashioned Volkswagen 'slug bug'. I asked endless questions about the places he's traveled.

"Hey have you ever been Yemen?" Lydia asked, genuinely curious.

Lorenzo looked surprised that she'd spoken to him. "Yes, actually. In the mountanous parts of Yemen, wendigos thrive. It's incredible to see them in action actually."

"Zanzibar?"

"Yes. It is rumored that an ancient skin walker lives among them. I never saw him, but the citizens truly believe in him."