Chapter 76: Chapter 14

VIRGIL

Haley and I managed to spend more time together at Cinnabon, then shopping for training clothes. Jason had to get Natalie’s gift, and Glory went with Audrey to look at baby stuff. We kind of lost Cambry and Luke for a little while.

I couldn’t resist and kissed her a few more times, but eventually, we had to leave with the promise to call and text every chance we got. We’ve been in contact every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and I swear she’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.

Today is the first day of my senior year. Thanks to Dec, I’m taking senior classes as if I had been in school all this time, and I’m scheduled to graduate with my class. Haley is a junior.

“Able, come on, you lazy sod! It’s the first day of school,” Jason calls out from his truck. “He’s going to make us late.”

“Not the way you drive,” I chuckle.

“Well, he’s going to make us miss Natalie. I haven’t seen her in months.”

“You have all year to see her,” I tell him. Able finally comes out of the pack house with a breakfast sandwich in his mouth.

“I’m still thinking of switching packs. I like it here and everything, but she’s my best friend, and this place has never really felt like home.” Jason has been saying this since Natalie left. I get it, but I’m loyal to the Redd Pack, especially Dec.

“Keep your pants on, I’m coming.” Able tosses his backpack through the back window then hops in. “What’s your rush? We’re just going to school. No big deal.”

Jason growls but tears out onto the road, we leave just as the bus crosses the territory line. My brother and sister ride the bus, and I feel like an ass for not being with them, but Anna has wisdom beyond her years and understands my need to be…a teen, I guess.

She figured out that Haley and I are dating. Haley wasn’t the least surprised, but swore her to secrecy, not that she would say anything anyway. Anna waves as we pass her by, and I place my hand to the window as I always do.

After getting our schedules, Jason and I wait fifteen minutes before Natalie’s bus shows up. She gives us each a hug then they start walking toward the cafeteria with Kenna tagging along. “Are you coming?” Kenna asks me.

“Nah, I’m going to wait for my brother and sister, make sure they get where they need to go.” It’s a lame excuse, but it’s the only thing I can think of. Luckily Haley’s bus shows up first.

Glory hops down, and I hug her, then Haley in a matching outfit. I hum having her in my arms. They wave to their cousin as he runs into the school. “Good morning, Virgil. Are you waiting for Anna and Little D?” Glory asks.

“Yeah. Their bus just pulled in,” I point as it parks near the curb.

“Glory, can you get our schedules? I want to say hi to Anna.” Glory grunts, but goes.

I reach for Haley and pull her closer. Her fingers graze mine, and I half smile. Anna rolls her eyes, but keeps D distracted so I can actually hold Haley’s hand.

Haley stares at D with a questioning look. “Is everything all right?”

She looks up and smiles at me. “Of course.”

After making sure D gets to the right place, which he already knew, Anna gives us both a hug, and I walk hand in hand with Haley back to the cafeteria. I stop her just outside and pull her body to mine for a quick kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

She smiles up at me. “I’ve missed you too. You were able to tell us apart.”

“Was that a test? If it was, it wasn’t very good.”

“Lies. Even Louisa had a hard time this morning.” Her eyes go unfocused for a millisecond, and the crescent moon shape birthmark glimmers.

The first time I saw it was when we still lived at the camp. I always thought it was so pretty, like a little jewel some women wear, but it’s so faint you wouldn’t notice it if you weren’t looking.

She lets my hand go once inside the building. “Still want to keep it a secret,” I comment, and she gives me a pleasing look. “It’s fine. I was just hoping.”

“I might make it public if these girls don’t stop staring at you,” she whispers.

“What girls? Point them out, I’ll be sure to bend over in front of them so they can check out my ass.” Haley playfully growls.

I laugh, and Glory shows up with their schedules. “We only have two classes together,” she whines.

I look over mine then show the girls. “Haley. We have four together. You’re taking senior classes?”

She looks over our schedules. “Looks that way.” I’m trying like mad to keep my excitement and pride in her from seeping out.

“I’m going to see what classes the rest of the strays have. I’ll see you later.” I give her a wink while Glory pouts over her schedule.

Second hour, I sit at the very back lab bench. Haley comes in shortly after and takes her seat. I grab her chair and slide her closer. I sneak a quick kiss to her jaw.

She bites her lip and looks around to make sure no one saw us. “Virgil,” she cautions.

“No one saw. I looked. I told you I’m going to keep us secret, but I’m not going to miss out on a chance to kiss you.” I reach down under the table. “Or hold your hand.”

She squeezes my hand back, and our teacher begins his introduction.

We walk hand in hand to the next two classes. Unfortunately, they don’t have benches, so she sits in the desk in front of me so I can still smell her hair and touch her shoulder. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier, other than when she let me kiss her the first time.

During lunch, Glory pulls me aside while Haley is in the bathroom. “Virgil, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure, what’s going on?”

“I-I’m Glory.”

I cock my brow at her. “I know. I’ve been able to tell you apart since the day I met you.” Glory gets a dumbfounded look on her face. “Glory? Did you need something?”

“Yeah, I’m worried about Haley,” she began, folding her arms across her chest. “Usually we’re together, but this year we’re not able to be since I have different classes and everything.”

I paused, waiting for her to get to the point. “Well, anyway. She trusts you,” she continued, hoping I would understand. I couldn’t say anything more, though.

“So, I was hoping you could help her out, because I can’t.” I gave her a nod, encouraging her to continue.

“She does this thing where she blanks out sometimes. It can be a brief second or it can last hours. If something like that happens, can you wake her up or snap her out of it?”

“Blanks out?” I asked, puzzled.

I’d seen her do it so many times, I wondered why it was a big deal now.

“Yeah. She just stares off into space or meditates or whatever. Uncle Ryan said that no one is supposed to find out about her doing that, but I can’t watch after her.”

I was confused. What was going on?

“I’ll make a deal with you,” I proposed. “You tell me why no one is supposed to know that she does it and I’ll look after her.”

Not that I wouldn’t do it anyway, but I wanted to know what they knew and see if I could help in any way.

“And she has to know too.”

“I don’t really know why,” she admitted. “It’s annoying sometimes, but other times she grabs her head and screams. She gets nightmares a lot, but it has happened during the day too. She doesn’t know that we try to keep anyone from knowing. I just don’t know who else to ask.”

Why wouldn’t they tell her?

“Then ask your uncle. You can link him, right?” I suggested.

She worried her lip for a moment, then started fidgeting. “Shit. He’s a bit leery of putting this on you since he doesn’t know you. My uncle said Haley is important. He hopes you would be willing to help out a friend. Haley has told him that you’re her only real friend.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed a hand down my face. This felt like going behind her back and I didn’t like it, but if they were worried about her safety, I had to put that first.

She was more than a friend. I cared about her.

“Agreed, but you have to tell her that you asked me to look out for her. I’m not going behind her back to make her think I’m babysitting her.”

Glory kind of whimpered and fidgeted a bit more. “Uncle Ryan promises to tell her tonight.”

“So if I bring it up tomorrow she won’t look at me like I’m crazy?” I questioned her, just to be sure.

“That’s right. My uncle is a good alpha, he’ll keep his word.”

I cocked my brow but smiled when Haley started walking toward us.

She gave me her slight smile but looked between the two of us. “Hey. What’s going on?”

~I wish I knew, but your family likes to keep secrets.~ I wanted to link her and tell her. I didn’t like this, but it was only for today and she’d be told everything tonight.

Haley looked straight into my eyes as if she heard me.

~You’re looking at me in a way that makes me think you can hear me.~

The corners of her mouth slightly elevated. ~I can.~

My mouth dropped open. It was a good thing Glory was ordering her food and didn’t see it.

I quickly recovered and swallowed.

~You can hear me?~

~I did just tell you that. But please, please, please don’t say anything.~ She pleaded with her pretty hazel eyes.

Goddess, she was so beautiful. Her light brown hair flowed softly around her smooth face. Her cute little nose had a slight upturn to it.

Her lips were full and pink, lips I was dying to taste right now.

~Virgil, please?~

~Haley, of course I’m not going to say anything.~

She let out a held breath and closed her eyes. ~Thank you. I’ve never told anyone that I can do this, not even Glory or Uncle Ryan know.~

~Your family sure likes their secrets.~

She gave me a questioning look. ~What does that mean?~

~Don’t worry, Moon Flower. You’ll find out tonight. And if not, ask me tomorrow. I’ll tell you everything. Promise.~

She nodded and grabbed her tray. Glory started walking toward a random corner, but I stopped them.

“You know you can sit with us. There’s plenty of room.”

Haley smiled, but Glory looked uncomfortable. In the end, Glory took the end seat, then Haley and me.

Jason, Natalie, Kenna, and Able took up the other side. They all knew not to sit on my left.

Glory waved at a freshman, but otherwise stayed quiet through lunch.

Haley tickled my knee and I reached under the table to hold her hand, even though I wanted nothing more than to hold her tight to me and kiss her.