smacked my arm that reality hit.
“What?” I asked her.
She frowned at me. “What is going on with you today?”
“Sorry, just some issues at home,” I admitted, leaning my shoulder into hers as we walked.
“Boy issues?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes. “No.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” I grumbled.
“Well, I’m here if you need me,” she said, kissed my cheek, and then skipped off to her class.
“Hey,” Nick said softly behind me.
I turned to face him, but then dropped my eyes to his shoes. “Hey.”
“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered, wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me into his chest. “No matter what happens, I’ll stay by your side.”
“I won’t take you away from your pack,” I whispered soft enough that I wasn’t sure if he heard me. He didn’t respond, which led me to believe he had not, in fact, heard me.
“Don’t worry about something that you aren’t sure of. Dad may just want you to start training. It might be nothing. Dad may just want to fireproof your room. I’m okay with that. I would actually feel better if we made your room fireproof.”
He was rambling. He only did that when he was really nervous. As much as he told me not to worry, Nick was out of his mind with worry right now.
I hugged him and then stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I love you.”
Before he could respond, I walked into my classroom and hoped that he was right.
I stood in the living room, my bag at my feet, and my eyes downcast. My fear had come true, Dad was sending Nick and me away, to some school for witches and Guardians called Moon Academy.
I didn’t want to say bye to them even though I’d known at some point I would have to. They were my family. Every day since my parents were murdered, I had been with this crazy group.
Now, I was taking their brother away, which made me even sadder.
Mason wrapped his arms around me. “I’m going to miss you. Promise to write?”
I sniffed and nodded vigorously, hugging him back.
One by one, they hugged me and Nick.
Dad hugged me and then wiped my cheeks. “This is for the best. You’ll learn to control your powers. It’s not forever. You’ll come home on holidays and once you have learned to control your powers.”
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
We walked outside, and Gary leaned against the side of the truck, waiting for me.
I stood before him, memorizing how he looked, and then hugged him tightly, drawing in his scent one last time.
He squeezed me back and inhaled with his nose buried in my hair. “I’ll be counting down the days until you come home,” he whispered.
“Behave while I’m gone,” I said and kissed his cheek.
He smirked. “I never behave.” Then, he pressed his lips to mine and ran off, shifting when he was halfway to the trees.
My first kiss. Gary had given me my first kiss and it might be the last time I ever saw him. Joy filled me at having my first kiss, but sorrow also filled me since I didn’t know what would happen to me or Gary.
“Come on,” Nick said.
With one last look at my home, I climbed into his truck, buckled my belt, and closed my eyes.
The first hour was driven in silence.
I opened my mouth, and Nick interrupted me.
“If you try to apologize, I will pinch you,” he growled.
I closed my mouth.
He set his hand, palm up, on the middle of the bench seat.
I set my hand in his, and he squeezed.
“This is why you have a Guardian. To protect you and keep you safe no matter where you go. And for your mental health. No way would I have let Dad send you to a strange school without me.”
“I am really happy you’re coming with me,” I admitted.
He smirked. “Of course you are.”
I scoffed and then smiled.
We stopped at a small diner off the freeway for lunch and then just as the sun set, we made it to the new school.
A huge metal gate blocked the driveway, but the monstrous building was still easily seen. It looked like a gothic mansion from a cartoon we used to watch with a vigilante billionaire hero.
Nick pushed the call button on the box.
“What took you so long?” a gruff female voice asked.
“Uh…” Nick looked at me, and I shrugged.
The gate opened.
“Stop dawdling, wolf, and bring her inside,” the woman snapped.
We drove in,