Chapter 11

I have agreed to receive elite training. My heart leaps up into my throat. I have not been in a school in years, and I am very eager to study. I have not had the chance to because I needed to take care of my younger sister Emily.

I am very excited about the opportunity. I am in a new red and white school uniform complete with new red shoes. I haven’t worn one of these in years. My stomach churns with the odd mix of excitement and pure fear.

I will be the only human there. Alone, again.

King Harvey has explained to the marking ceremony will happen the next full moon night.

King Harvey has set several of his Betas around to go and spread the word. Currently, he sits at his massive oak desk drafting off an official document for me.

He has chosen the best high school in the pack for me and will send me over shortly.

“King Harvey,” I start timidly. “Will… you visit me?”

King Harvey slowly raises his head from his piece of paper and smiles at me. “Yes, Elena. I will be on standby if you need anything at all.”

“Thank you again, for this. I have always dreamt of finishing my schooling if I had enough money after sending my sister through her schooling.”

The thought of my dad enters my mind, but I have nothing that I feel for him. King Harvey has done away with him as far as I understand. I don’t care to ask where he is after what he did to me and the hell, he has put my sister and I through.

As horrible as it sounds, I feel relieved.

King Harvey puts his metallic pen down, a shining wolf head is the top of the pen, with bloodied white fangs. “Elena, how do you feel about all this?”

“Excited and nervous, King Harvey.”

“…I will miss you.” King Harvey whispers after staring at me a beat.

Freezing, I just stared back at him. “Y- you will?”

“Yes. We are tethered, Elena. You may visit me on the weekends if you’d like… we can plan something, Elena.” King Harvey stares me intensely in my eyes. “I would like for you to take notes of what you learn and come to me with questions. You will have professors and the rest, but I should be the one to verify the information. As your mate, it is my duty to teach you. This will strengthen your inner power.”

“Inner power?” I question innocently.

I am not following; does he mean my heart?

“You are very brave, Elena. All lunas must be brave.” King Harvey’s massive hand splays across his chest over his heart. “You have the heart of a wolf. I must believe we share that.”

We share a heart? Or courage?

To not sound stupid, I smile at him.

“Thank you, King Harvey.” I keep my thanks general just in case.

“King Harvey, it is time.” Beta calls from the front door.

King Harvey nods, then rolls up the paper he is writing and pushes it through a red velvet fabric tube.

He pockets his pen then offers me his arm to guide me out the side entrance of the castle that is nearest his study. Beta is carrying one big red suitcase overflowing with new clothing and uniforms for me and supplies I will need.

I haven’t had new clothing in years!

Once we get to the slick black car waiting for us, King Harvey pauses at my door and motions for the Beta to get in the car.

He does.

King Harvey presses both his hands on my shoulders and moves me so I face him.

“If you need me, for anything, you say my name. I will hear from you. If that does not work, Elena, here.” King Harvey presses his warm pen in my hand and presses down on the wolf head. Its eyes glow red once. “Do you understand?”

“…thank you.” I breathe gently, in awe of his kindness and whatever he is hinting at for me.

I surprise myself when I take his hand and shake it vigorously. He laughs loudly and I blush, then he bundles us both in the car.

Humans must pay more tuition fees than werewolves if they want to go to school and seeing that I dropped out early, I can’t help but wonder how much I cost. This is all because of King Harvey.

The car drives smoothly in silence until the Beta finally speaks.

“King Harvey, we have arrived.” Beta Adrien announces as he suddenly takes a sharp turn onto a winding pastel yellow stone path.

Unable to stop myself, I find myself falling to my side uncontrollable into King Harvey’s warm chest.

“I... I am sorry!”

Breathing through my mouth, I try to stop my panic. My sweaty palms and scalp will dirty King Harvey’s expressive suit. I have no way to repay him.

Tears of frustration begin to prick at the corners of my eyes as I try to think of what to say or do to apologize.

King Harvey chuckles as he wraps his arms around me tightly in a warm embrace. Werewolves have a warmer body temperature than humans. He warms my cold body up. I have been in a cold sweat since we got in the car.

“King Harvey?” I whisper apprehensively.

“Do not be nervous, Elena. Just treat it as if you are here to play. No one must be taken into consideration. You have my protection, always.”

His causal tone tells me he is king of the pack, and he has free reign always.

Silently, I nod at his words. My heart beats fast.

Between what he said and the proximity of him and I, I have no room to breathe. King Harvey is as attractive as he is kind. I can’t ignore the clawed hand combing through my hair leisurely either.

It is as if he is admiring me.

My heart begins to beat so hard it hurts.

“Relax, relax, Elena.” King Harvey drops his head to rest it on my shoulder and whispers to me. “You are safe.”

“King Harvey, several students who have the potential to become Betas are awaiting you.” Beta Adrien says as he looks into the rearview mirror at us. “They can’t wait to meet you.”

King Harvey moves away from me slowly.

Beta parks and grabs my bag, as King Harvey helps me out the car. The headmaster appears behind King Harvey, a tall woman in a red suit with pinned back brown hair. She looks down at me with a false firm smile.

King Harvey takes one glance at me and sees it.

King Harvey stares back at her coldly. “It is my decree that Elena is well taken care of, do you understand, Headmaster?”

“Yes, King Harvey.” She bows loyally and quickly.

The second smile on her face seems a bit more genuine but for her sake. Even though both her smiles are fake, even the fake pleasantries are something that was impossible before. Without King Harvey, I couldn’t even dream about getting into this school.

The headmaster quickly ushers me into the freshman class and explains because of my time away from school, I must be brought up to speed. I should be in my junior year.

This is embarrassing… between the age gap and the room overflowing with werewolves… will I be able to keep up with them?

“Since when do humans come to our class?” Some student asks as she fixes her red glasses.

“She should go to a special human class! We are elites! How can she sit with us!” A student yells from the back of the room.

I shrink into the corner of the room in silence.

“Quiet!” The headmaster snaps. “King Harvey has ordered this!”

At mention of his name, everyone sits up straight and remains silent. Their faces are ashen.

“Is… this the human chosen by King Harvey?!” The student with the red glasses gasps.

I bite my tongue and say nothing.