Stronger- #Wattys2019

Part 2

"For shifters, their inner beast is a part of them. They don't have names or independent desires. Rather, they are a more vocal expression of the natural instincts we each carry. Like a subconsciousness that doesn't remain so elusive to the consciousness. The wolves themselves never claim any name other than its human like skin, as they know they are fully united with their host. One and the same." Professor Venton paced.

With an exhausted groan, Nadine climbed into the seat of her first class Monday morning. College life had been a difficult transition for her. Even a university built specifically for wolf-shifters had its own culture, different from the mundane life of her home pack.

Of course, her stupid mate had taken over her thoughts all weekend. She had barely slept due to the nightmares of her impending rejection. It only compiled the stress she faced. Anna's stunt in dragging her to the club Friday night had only delayed the long list of assignments and study projects she needed to do before classes started again.

"This was old news before we started this class." One guy mumbled behind her. "And Professor Venton went over it the first day of class."

"Silence!" The professor snapped. "I truly hope you paid attention through the semester. Because you are about to put it to use. For your final exam, you are going to go against instinct. The first half of your exam today is to write a short story with two primary characters. You will write your human side as one and your wolf as another. Each independent of the other. In your story, you must include detailed characterization and one significant conflict that the two characters must overcome together." There was a groan heard around the room, with rumbles of how the class wasn't a creative writing class. The professor merely rose a brow and continued. "This story is due at the end of this class. And when you return to class on Wednesday, your stories will be returned. At that point, you will exchange the story with the partner I've had you work with all semester. Wednesday's class will be spent analysing each other's stories. This is a class on shifter psychology. So, I will expect you to delve into the details you learn from your partners story. What psychological indicators could be found? You've had a semester to get to know one another from a superficial standpoint. So, I will anticipate seeing some context and added evidence being provided. If someone shows a common tick in day to day life, does it rear its head in the story? If so, which character displays it and why? Show me you learned something from this class."

"But Professor Venton, you paired me with the runt." Isobel whined.

Nadine desperately wanted to rip every strand of auburn red hair from her scalp. The snobby bitch had been, unfortunately, her partner through the class.

"I've told you before, there is no acceptance of that derogatory term in this class, Ms. Farris."

"But Professor, you can't expect anyone like her to have a wolf. There's a reason she's so small. Without a wolf, her kind doesn't grow like the rest of us. I don't even know why she's in this school when she can't do the assignments. It's a waste."

A deep growl ripped from Nadine before she could stop it. She was so tired of the assumptions.

It was true, in wild wolves, runts of a litter were likely to be sickly and not live long. And with shifters, a wolf usually added to the growth, strength and size of a shifter. Thus, shifters who didn't have a wolf were seen to be like runts. Too frail, too small, too weak to be of true importance in the pack.

Many shifters who didn't find a wolf, did die.

However, unlike the natural explanations of a wild wolf, most shifters without wolves died by other means. They became omegas, the lowest rung of wolf hierarchy. Weakness was worn like a cloak with a giant target on their back. Those who couldn't defend themselves, became the punching bag of anyone who needed someone to vent their frustrations on. Worse were the females, used to slack sexual frustrations as well. If the abuse didn't kill them, many omegas took their own lives.