Chapter 5 Mate

Naomi.

Julian stood in the ring, a white sheet of paper in his hands. He addressed the student and started to call out names. They had made the combat classes compulsory everyone had to learn how to fight.

My body tensed at a voice behind me, so close to my neck.

"You keep staring at my brother. Do you have a thing for him?” I felt her hot breath against my neck. I took a step forward. She itched closer and leaned in.

“You are not his type of girl.”

My hands balled into fists. Adrenaline rushed up the back of my neck. Why wouldn't she just leave me alone? I wish I could make her disappear.

Who cared about her brother?

I was here for the training and I had to pay attention to what he was saying.

We had received information yesterday that we would be having combat classes every Friday. Mr. Rex and Julian would be our sports coordinator.

However it was just Julian. We were told that Mr. Rex had some important business to attend to and he would only join later on.

“Calix and Gillian.”

Julian called. A wave of relief watched over. Calix placed a hand on my shoulders, she squeezed then gave a gentle pat before stepping out of the line. I knew this was just the beginning of what she had in store for me.

She entered the fighting ring. Gillian climbed in after her.

The attire was a long loose brown-sleeve top over loose brown pants.

The whistle was blown. They started fighting.

The fight ended with both of them coming out equal but Calix had some minor bruises on her cheeks. She didn't look impressed.

"Naomi and Marshall."

Huh? I let a low gasp.

Marshall?

He couldn't put me against a boy. He was in my class and always acted like he had loose screws in his head.

He was somehow close to Calix, even though they were rarely seen today. His father was the vice principal of Sandalwood.

Calix gave him a thumbs up as they bypassed each other.

I entered the ring, my back facing Julian.

Julian blew the whistle. Marshall stepped forward. He swung his arm at my face. I duck my head back. He kept coming forward, giving me no time to attack.

"Show me what you got." A smug smile crossed his face. He balled his hands into fists, urging me forward.

Someone said my name in the crowd. On impulse, I turned to see who called. In a split second, I felt a hard knock on the side of my cheek. I heard a crack. The sound, loud in my ear.

My feet lost balance and my back came crashing to the floor.

He didn't stop. He lurched forward, leaning against me. His hands started flying all over my face. I braced my hands on my face. However, he tried to preyed them open with one hand while he threw punches with the other.

“Come on. Can't you fight? You are this weak and think you can stand a werewolf when they attack?” He sneered in my face.

My nose scrunched up as I felt his spittle splashing on my face.

I lifted my legs and aimed a kick at his stomach and he stumbled behind with a shock expression on his face like he was expecting that from me.

No one tried to stop him. This wasn't part of the training. He kept coming at me like we had a personal problem.

With his hands around his stomach probably feeling the pain, he darted towards me.

I was ready to receive the impact of his punch. But that didn't come. Like someone finally heard my inner thoughts, Marshall was yanked roughly from the back.

His body flew across the ring. His back hit one of the padded posts and crashed down to the blue foam floor.

Was it Julian?

My right hand reached for my bruised cheek. I struggled to stand up.

"Is this part of the training or something personal?"

My butt fell back to the floor when I heard the voice.

It wasn't Julian's. It was him. Mr. Rex.

He stood a few inches closer to Julian, towering over Julian.

His dark rimmed-glasses were perched on his nose. His hair was in cornrows, the ends tied behind his back in a low bun.

“That's why it's a combat class. They need to defend themselves." Julian said not losing his stand as well.

“You are supposed to let them fight and not separate it.”

“Let them fight like that when it's your sister's turn.” He sneered, his head turned in my direction, a knowing look on his face. He started moving towards me.

I avoided them and stood up.

“I don't know who you think you are and how you even got this job…”

Julian stepped next to him.

“You are here to coordinate and not stop the fight. If you try this next time, you will lose the job.”

Mr. Rex turns to face him, ready to fight.

I let out a painful hissed. Anything to stop the heated gaze. Julian had some balls thinking he could stand up against Mr. Rex.

He faced me yet again, but I couldn't let him get any further.

I dashed out of the ring before it could get close.

The training was over by 12:00 noon.

The hall was mostly empty by the time I left class. I had stayed back to do some assignments.

With my backpack slung across my shoulders, I stepped out and closed the door behind me.

I walked the long hallway and just when I was about to descend the stairs, I felt a pull on my backpack, yanking backwards, my butt hitting the floor.

"Mr. Rex hasn't been to class even once, yet, you already have something to do with him. You brought him to challenge my brother in front of the students.”

Calix leaned in front of me, sweat dripping down her face and her chest heaving with rapid jerks like she had run all the way up here just to get me.

"I don't understand what you are talking about." I replied ignoring the pain on my butt as I tried to stand up.

"You don't know? Just like you don't know how I hate repeating myself?"

Before I could respond, a resonating slap landed on the side of my check that was injured.

My hand flew up to it as I felt a salty metallic taste in my mouth. I walked my tongue in my mouth and felt the cut.

I glared up at her. My nostril flared, my teeth bared.

I didn't care what would happen after this or if she got me expelled. But I couldn't let her continue to treat me like this. I had to give her a piece of my mind. She had done more than enough.

"You need to stop this, Calix. I'm warning you."

The words flushed out of my mouth before I could stop it.

"What did you say? You are warning me?" She snorted as she laughed in her mouth.

A serious expression took over her face and she stepped forward.

She grabbed my hair and dragged me towards her.

I couldn't take this. I needed to fight in whatever way I could.

Like a sudden force entered me, I caught her wrist. I twisted her hand and she let go of my hair.

Without much of a thought, my left hand reached around her neck. I had no idea what was going on, but I felt her feet dangling in the air like I had just lifted her off the floor.

I didn't care. I just wanted her to die and leave me alone.

“I warned you. Stay away from me. Stay away from me.” My hold tightened around her neck. I saw her struggling for breath. But that was the last thing I cared about right now.

"What is happening, you are going to kill her."

The voices of her friends sounded like wind. I felt feet rushing towards me. But they suddenly stopped.

Then I heard a devastating scream.

"Put her down!"

"She will die." My head snapped to the side at the cries of one of her friends.

Then another frightening scream echoed.

"What is happening to her hand? She yelled again, backing away from me.

My eyes darted down to my hand.

Eyes wide, mouth falling open. I stared transfixed at what was happening.

The fluid filled blisters were glowing one after the other. My eyes traced the veins at the back of my hand that seemed to have grown extra large. They were walking at the back of my hand like worms in a pot of stale soup. They were black. I followed their movement up to my nails. My nails were growing longer. Not like the usual nails. They were like the claws of an owl.

“Let her go, Naomi. You will kill her.”

I heard his voice. Low ,soft and pleading. Like whatever was in me heed to his voice, my hand slid off her neck. Her body fell in front of me with a loud thump.

He said something to her friends. They moved in front of me and pulled their friend away.

I stood motionless, frozen. Body trying to digest what just happened.

“Did she die?” I managed to ask, my eyes glued to the spot she fell. There was blood where her head was.

He didn't answer but came to stand in front of me and snapped a finger in my face.

I blinked, eyes meeting his. Dark pupil with streaks of blue around it.

“She didn't.”

“Nothing happened right? It's probably just some hallucinations. Nothing happened.”

“That was all a dream.” My eyes frantically searched my hand. There was nothing there. Just the blisters. No long nails nor big veins. It was all normal.

“It happened, Naomi. But I promise to make those who witnessed it forget that it happened.”

I looked at him like he was blabbing. He would make them? How?

Why was I even talking to him?

My steps retracted back. I wanted to leave. I wanted to go home. Sleep and forget it all.

I turned away from him. But his hand shot out and grabbed mine.

Then I felt it. Like my entire body had a touch of current, shock waves exploded throughout my body.

Like he realized it too, he let go and just then I heard something. I had no idea if it came from his mouth or mine.

But I was certain the word “MATE” didn't come from me.