Read Online Werewolf Academy 07 Chosen by Cheree Alsop - Free Book Online
Authors: Cheree Alsop
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toward improving our relationship with the man.”
Jaze sighed. “I don’t like this.”
“ Trust me,” Alex told him. “I don’t like it either, but I don’t see another way. I can take it.”
Jaze nodded. “I know you can, but you shouldn’t have to. We’ve had classes held out in the forest before. Technically, that makes it part of the school grounds.”
“ Only if you want to tell Mr. O’Hare the nature of the classes,” Alex shot back. “I’d rather take this one then open that can of worms.”
A slight, begrudging smile spread across Jaze’s face. “You’re starting to think like a dean.”
“ What?” Alex replied in surprise.
Jaze nodded. “Listen to you. You’re more worried about the school than the punishment you’re going to receive for a violation you didn’t even know about. You’re willing to put your pride aside to keep this investigator in check, and I haven’t once heard you talk about your own problems since the moment you got in here.”
“ What problems?” Alex asked uneasily.
Jaze speared him with a look. “Alex, you smell like blood and bears. What’s that about?”
Alex studied the dark wood of the desk in front of him. It was familiar, like the slight curve of the railing on the stairs or the board near the backdoor that creaked whenever he walked on it. He could have just not stepped on the board, but that wasn’t the point. The board was a part of him as much as the school.
The wood of the desk was covered in the tiny scratches and marks of years as a part of the dean’s furniture. ‘Torin’ had been scratched along the edge where Jaze wouldn’t see it from his seat. The letters were crude and oiled, as much a part of the desk as the wood itself.
“ I went for a run in the forest,” Alex finally said. “I heard a scream and found Mr. O’Hare cornered by a bear. Somehow he had gotten between the grizzly and her cubs. I fought the bear so he could get away.”
The dean’s gaze was sharp. Alex could feel it even though he kept his gaze on the desk. He had never known Jaze to miss anything.
The dean’s voice was quiet when he said, “So you saved his life and he wants you to turn yourself in?”
Alex gave a reluctant nod.
Jaze sat back in his chair. “It’s not worth it.”
The words were so quiet Alex barely caught them with his sensitive werewolf hearing. He looked up at the dean.
Jaze was watching him with a concerned look. “It’s not worth it,” he repeated, louder.
Worry filled Alex. “Worth what?”
“ This,” Jaze said, motioning to Alex. “I’m not going to stand by while one of my students goes above and beyond to protect a human only to be punished for it. I’d rather lose the Academy than stand by while injustices like that happen.”
Alex shook his head quickly, shocked by the dean’s direction of thought. “No, Jaze, you can’t do that!”
“ Werewolves take care of their own, Alex. You may have chosen to be a lone wolf, but you’ll always be like a son to me. My pack is your pack, and I won’t stand by while some anti-werewolf activist tears down someone I care about.”
Alex stared at him. Jaze had truly been his father figure for most of his life. To hear the dean say as much in his own way gripped Alex’s heart in a tight fist.
“ We’re not going to lose this place,” Alex said with determination. “It’s worth fighting for.”
Jaze watched him, his gaze distant as though he saw something other than Alex standing in his place.
“ Don’t stop fighting,” Jaze said quietly.
Alex nodded at Jet’s words. “Never stop fighting.”
Jaze let out a slow breath and nodded. “Alright, then what do we do. Should I remove you from being his assistant?”
“ And give someone else the torture?” Alex replied with a half-smile. “As much as I’d like to give the honor to Torin or Boris, I think they would have killed Mr. O’Hare by now. I’ve already conquered one bear. How much harder can it
Jaze sighed. “I don’t like this.”
“ Trust me,” Alex told him. “I don’t like it either, but I don’t see another way. I can take it.”
Jaze nodded. “I know you can, but you shouldn’t have to. We’ve had classes held out in the forest before. Technically, that makes it part of the school grounds.”
“ Only if you want to tell Mr. O’Hare the nature of the classes,” Alex shot back. “I’d rather take this one then open that can of worms.”
A slight, begrudging smile spread across Jaze’s face. “You’re starting to think like a dean.”
“ What?” Alex replied in surprise.
Jaze nodded. “Listen to you. You’re more worried about the school than the punishment you’re going to receive for a violation you didn’t even know about. You’re willing to put your pride aside to keep this investigator in check, and I haven’t once heard you talk about your own problems since the moment you got in here.”
“ What problems?” Alex asked uneasily.
Jaze speared him with a look. “Alex, you smell like blood and bears. What’s that about?”
Alex studied the dark wood of the desk in front of him. It was familiar, like the slight curve of the railing on the stairs or the board near the backdoor that creaked whenever he walked on it. He could have just not stepped on the board, but that wasn’t the point. The board was a part of him as much as the school.
The wood of the desk was covered in the tiny scratches and marks of years as a part of the dean’s furniture. ‘Torin’ had been scratched along the edge where Jaze wouldn’t see it from his seat. The letters were crude and oiled, as much a part of the desk as the wood itself.
“ I went for a run in the forest,” Alex finally said. “I heard a scream and found Mr. O’Hare cornered by a bear. Somehow he had gotten between the grizzly and her cubs. I fought the bear so he could get away.”
The dean’s gaze was sharp. Alex could feel it even though he kept his gaze on the desk. He had never known Jaze to miss anything.
The dean’s voice was quiet when he said, “So you saved his life and he wants you to turn yourself in?”
Alex gave a reluctant nod.
Jaze sat back in his chair. “It’s not worth it.”
The words were so quiet Alex barely caught them with his sensitive werewolf hearing. He looked up at the dean.
Jaze was watching him with a concerned look. “It’s not worth it,” he repeated, louder.
Worry filled Alex. “Worth what?”
“ This,” Jaze said, motioning to Alex. “I’m not going to stand by while one of my students goes above and beyond to protect a human only to be punished for it. I’d rather lose the Academy than stand by while injustices like that happen.”
Alex shook his head quickly, shocked by the dean’s direction of thought. “No, Jaze, you can’t do that!”
“ Werewolves take care of their own, Alex. You may have chosen to be a lone wolf, but you’ll always be like a son to me. My pack is your pack, and I won’t stand by while some anti-werewolf activist tears down someone I care about.”
Alex stared at him. Jaze had truly been his father figure for most of his life. To hear the dean say as much in his own way gripped Alex’s heart in a tight fist.
“ We’re not going to lose this place,” Alex said with determination. “It’s worth fighting for.”
Jaze watched him, his gaze distant as though he saw something other than Alex standing in his place.
“ Don’t stop fighting,” Jaze said quietly.
Alex nodded at Jet’s words. “Never stop fighting.”
Jaze let out a slow breath and nodded. “Alright, then what do we do. Should I remove you from being his assistant?”
“ And give someone else the torture?” Alex replied with a half-smile. “As much as I’d like to give the honor to Torin or Boris, I think they would have killed Mr. O’Hare by now. I’ve already conquered one bear. How much harder can it
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