Turning ✔️

Chapter 21. Milkshakes

William took his time in driving us to Peggy's for our milkshakes. As we drove, I stared out the window thinking about how I had skipped school. It wasn't like me and I frowned thinking about it. At least the school year is almost through, only a couple more weeks and I would finally be done with high school.

I planned to go to RISD, but now I wasn't so sure. Rhode Island School of Design is one of the most prestigious art schools in the world, and I had gotten in. It had always been a dream school of mine, which is why I had always made sure to do well in school. RISD is adjacent to Ivy League school Brown University and they offer cross-registering for classes at no extra cost. I could say I went to an Ivy League school.

But now, I'm not sure that it would even be possible. I have this whole new life that I couldn't have ever planned for. I'm enjoying this new journey, but it makes me feel sad in a way. It's like I have to throw away my human life now. Thinking that I felt grateful for my eighteen years of normalcy.

I looked over to William with a smile on my face as we approached the parking lot for Peggy's. Since it was a weekday, they weren't very busy and we had our choice of parking.

"Do you know what you want already?" He said looking back to me for a moment as he pulled into a parking spot in front. I nodded quickly in response.

"Of course. I always plan ahead."

"Perfect. Let's get them to go so we can talk in privacy in the car."

"Alright," I said in response as we stepped out of William's car and headed inside the diner. The waitress, Maggie greeted us from the cash register as we walked in.

"Hello, gentlemen! Table for two?"

I shook my head, as William answered for us and looked down at me with a smile before he broke our eye contact and looked to the waitress.

"No ma'am, Nathan here wanted milkshakes."

"Sounds delish!" Maggie said turning to me and smiling sweetly. "We have chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry shakes. Which one would you like sweetie?"

"C-c-chocolate," I answered her quietly while I looked down to my feet nervously, avoiding her eyes as she scribbled into her notepad.

"Alrighty...Anything for you Will?"

"Yes, could I get a strawberry milkshake, please?" He said politely as I felt his hand rest on the small of my back. I looked up to him and caught his eye with both us grinning at each other.

"Okie dokie. If that is all, your total today is $6.50." Maggie said pleasantly with a smile. I looked back to Will letting out a quiet snicker as he dug out his wallet from his back pocket. He gave me a playful glare before turning to Maggie with a ten-dollar bill and handing it to her. She gave him the change and told us it would be about five minutes.

Once our milkshakes were done, we exited the diner and went back into the car. We stayed parked in the lot as we sipped on our milkshakes, listening to the radio that played softly in the background.

"So we need to work on your stealth, but other than that, I'd say you are a natural in hunting. As you hunt more, you will get better with it."

"Thanks," I say as I slurp down the milkshake. After taking my gulp, I continued. "What else can I learn?"

William looked away from me and out the window for a moment, his expression darkening slightly. He didn't speak for a moment, gathering his thoughts. When he finally spoke, his husky voice was soft and in a low tone, almost whispering.

"From very young, I was taught about being a werewolf. Being in a pack is kind of like being in a cult. You live and breathe everything werewolf. I would have to go to regular elementary school and go to basically a second school for us children of the pack. During this time, the Awakenings would happen."

"The Awakenings?" I asked, pausing him from his story.

"Yes," He said, looking at me with a soft expression. "It's difficult to explain. The best way to describe it is like your brain connects the dots and it triggers your first turn."

"Oh, I see. Please go on." I urged him as I continued to suck down my shake.

"Okay, so basically after your Awakening, is when you get moved to level two. Level two is refining your werewolf abilities, kind of like what we are doing now with you. Level three is all fitness training and while in it, every kid is separated into different classes for what their best route would be for in the pack."

"Oh wow, that must have been hard," I said softly, putting my hand on his lightly. He intertwined our fingers giving me a soft smile.

"It's okay, now that I'm with you."

He really knew how to melt my heart. I leaned forward, giving him a tender kiss from across the car. His mouth tasted sweet from his strawberry milkshake. "I feel the same way," I mumbled out softly after I pulled back from his lips.

I continued to sip on my drink, as I listened to the music and escaping into my thoughts. I wondered what it would be like to be apart of a pack. By the way, William made it seem, it wasn't enjoyable. But yet, he was still in the pack, so it couldn't be that terrible. I need to know more about pack life.

I wondered what it would entail for me to actually join William's pack. From what he told me, I'm like the equivalent of a twelve-year-old in his pack. How could I ever be allowed into the pack? I need William to train me as hard as he can, so I can show him I'm good enough.

After we had both finished off our milkshakes, William turned back to me with a small frown on his face.

"I have to get you home. It's already almost four o'clock."

"Do we have to?" I whined in response, I was not looking forward to going home. I'm sure that my mother had been notified that I wasn't at school so I knew drama would definitely ensue when I got home. If only I could just stay here in this moment for longer. Everything inside of me craved William. I took a deep breath, savoring the moment with him. But alas, everything must come to an end. I sighed deeply as I buckled up and William began driving out of the parking lot towards my house.

Time to accept my fate.