The Alpha Curse

the hallway, arms waving a scattered notebook. His gla

m gasped, skidding to a stop

a basketball sized locker combinati

d underlined in red ink, Wolf bite, puncture wounds set two inches apart. Healing accelerated b

es widening. And suddenly b

have all heard strange animals

wood Ethan said. Yeah not Unt

ockers. Thunk. What's next? You

inted to a photo, a muddy paw print, claw marks scored into the e

hallway around them quieted. From somewhere through the ci

d, listening. "Do y

What, the janitor si

wall. Through the thin barrier

ext period," said a male

oo much," Simmons repl

cker than theater flats. Ethan had heard Ms. Taylor laughing over coffe

nd dashed to his mouth.

e, it said anyone bitten by a

face shifted from mockery to dis

ns in biology,he said slowly. He said so.the three of them exchanged lo

at rows beneath the green chalkboard. At 10:15, Mr. Powell swept in tall, slim, with close cut off hair and a

nd I will be supervising your biology class today." He turned

gnized more than just a student. Then the teacher's lips curved into som

. Something abou

report on subterranean wolf packs. There's so

ind buzzed with the previous moment's clarity a wordless conversat

heories. During lunch, Prija slipped into the booth across from Etha

ible above the cafeteria din. I

eart thudding. I a

ould see behind his skin. Y

still echoed in his dreams, the knowledge burning inside Liam's note

careful".she kissed him, then sh

class, trying to follow Mr. Henderson's lecture on quadratic equations, but the letters bl

ast thing he

earth and pine so overpowering it made his head spin.

at the kneeand a thin layer of grit coated his

ed tissue. No phone, no wallet, no watch. He tried to recall the past hour. Had he le

ds far from any path he recognized. He shielded his eyes and saw a service road snaking

stood beside the road, and an old pickup idled outside, engine ticking. He waved frantically, br

kid?" the

His throat closed in a dry knot. Finally

wed. "Late start? Yo

"No... I..." He coll

They were back in Ethan's bedroom, the morning light creeping pas

ent. You have been out for an hour. He held up his phone.

shame flooding him. "I... I

expression was uncharacteristically sobert. "Saw you drop," Jake said. "Y

head. A faint pain pulsed beh

ith Liam. "I believe yo

t them. "You..

orning. Mr. Henderson said to Mr. Simmons that

p. And I found it

is flight through the trees swirling together. He felt

shoulder. "We will fig

ed, swallo