Lycanthropy and Me: The First Semester(mlm)

Day 8. Monday, Waning Crescent

Heavy rain set in midday, prompting Hunter to stay indoors. He swathed himself in blankets and checked through his messages. Much to his surprise, there were inquiries from his pack members about his whereabouts. Hunter kept his replies limited to short text messages. He wanted to tell them more, but it was too risky. There was no telling who might read or overhear his location. He tried to distract himself by binge-watching a show on his phone, but loneliness crept up on him. He looked at Ashley's text again. Sure, they weren't a pack, but they could at least be friends.

He awoke that evening to rumbling thunder. The sky was dark. He checked the time.

Unfortunately, he was going to be late to Lugosi's class again.

He moved as quickly as he could across the lawn. His leg brace didn't make things easy. Hunter slipped in the grass, landing on his butt in the wet dirt. His hands stung from dragging himself up, but he continued on his way.

He arrived twelve minutes late.

Lugosi didn't seem surprised. His permanent pinched expression had not changed. "I thought you would have taken heed from last week's lecture--"

"I'm....ugh...sorry..."

"You already have one absence--"

Hunter leaned against the door frame."I transferred late--"

"And two latenesses already." Lugosi continued as if Hunter never spoke. "As written in the syllabus, two latenesses equal one absence. After 3 absences you will be removed from the class. Redwood University's rules are very clear. Perhaps you would be better off at a smaller institution? Something that would cater to your..." He looked down at Hunter's muddied jeans. "Condition."

Hunter's eye twitched. If they had this exchange a week earlier, his wolf side would have sent him charging across the room. Perhaps he would have tackled the thin man to the ground and bit down into his neck. Would campus security be called? Would it be on the evening news?

"Are you with us, Mr. Reeds?"

Hunter staggered over to a seat in the front row. "I'm sorry Mr. Lugosi." Frustration made his eyes water. He kept his gaze on the desk. "It won't happen again."

After the class ended, Hunter was in a sour mood. There was no special lecture on attendance, but the remark about his 'condition' did a number on him. None of the other students had said a word either. As his class was held in the same building as the English department, he decided to go up to the office and make a complaint. He tried to remain optimistic. If complaining didn't work, perhaps there was still time to change classes.

Other late classes had just come to an end, and only a handful of students and faculty remained in the building. The occasional set of footsteps echoed as Hunter made his way to the office.

Not only had the office closed, but a notice on a bulletin board told him it was too late for course changes. He leaned his head against the department door for a moment and took a deep breath. His vision was blurring again, with tears threatening to fall at any second.

Normally he wouldn't feel so emotional, but he knew it was his wolfside edging him on, making every small issue much bigger. With a frustrated growl he turned quickly, causing a loop on his messenger bag to snag onto the door. Hunter yanked at it with too much force and the bag flipped, scattering his belongings across the floor.

He paused and stared at the mess he created. How hard did he have to fight to make this work? He steadied himself against the wall and tried to crouch down. While his joints were better due to the coming new moon, bending his knees was far from a walk in the park.