The gate at Werewolf Academy was freaking huge. I had never seen anything like it in my life. Even the gate to the White House couldn't compare.
Something about it made a shiver creep down my spine. I got the feeling the gate wasn't just designed to keep things out, it was also meant to keep things in.
Beyond it stood a massive stone building that reminded me of a castle. In the distance, smaller buildings dotted the grounds. The whole place was enormous, which made me wonder: How many werewolves were in this world?
At that moment, four bodies dropped to the ground beside me.
Theo jumped to his feet and moved to stand next to me. "You already changed back into your human form." He sounded surprised.
I nodded. "I woke up this way."
"Wow." His blue eyes met mine. "Werewolves hardly ever shift back that fast after their first transformation."
"So, what are you saying?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"That you're apparently as powerful as you're supposed to be," he murmured.
Something about the way he stared at me made me want to kiss him again. But I didn't. Kissing him the first time had already opened a whole new werewolf world. Plus, Aiden, Rhys, and Colton were here too, and truthfully… I was drawn to all of them. Even though it was Theo who pulled me the most, I didn't want to ruin my chances with the others by giving him all my attention.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed his face in a stony expression. Had he heard my thoughts again?
"Are you guys enrolling as students? Or are you already students?" I asked.
"Not a chance," Aiden chuckled. "We graduated years ago."
"Oh." I frowned. "Then why are you bringing me here?"
"Headmaster Black requested your presence," Rhys explained. "But don't worry, Raven. We won't leave your side."
"We're teachers now," Colton added.
"Teachers?" I just stared at him, wide-eyed. They didn't look much older than me. What could I possibly learn from them?
"Trust me, we have a lot of wisdom and knowledge to pass along. We're hundreds of years old," Theo said.
"Hundreds of years old? But you look maybe nineteen or twenty," I insisted.
"That's because werewolves are mostly immortal," Theo replied.
"Mostly?"
"We can be killed, but we don't die of natural causes."
He moved closer to the gate and stood in front of it. I watched as he bowed. A moment later, the massive doors slid open, allowing us to enter.
I raised an eyebrow. "How did that even work?"
"Magic," Theo replied.
"Werewolves can do magic?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"This magic isn't mine, but yes, we can. That brings me to something else you should know." He glanced at me. "Forget everything you've ever heard about werewolves, only parts of what humans believe are true."
Not that I'd ever gotten into werewolves and vampires like my friends had. Honestly, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Teen Wolf had never been my thing. I'd never been able to get on board with things that weren't real.
Except now… werewolves were real. And I was one of them.
"Are you ready to meet the Headmaster?" Theo asked as we began walking toward the school.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a shrug.
"We're delighted to have you as a student, Raven," Headmaster Black said, sitting across from me in his office. He was tall, with short dark hair and a muscular build, similar to Theo, Rhys, Aiden, and Colton.
"I'm very sorry to hear about what happened to your parents."
"Thank you." I glanced at the floor, uneasy. It had only been two weeks since their deaths, and the pain was still raw. Talking about them could easily send me into a fit of tears, and that was before I learned they had actually been murdered. That made it even worse.
"I've spoken with the Darken pack in depth about this, and we all feel this is the safest place for you," Headmaster Black continued. "Fortunately, the timing is impeccable. Classes begin first thing tomorrow, but tonight we have our Sorting Ceremony."
"Sorting Ceremony?" I eyed him curiously. I was starting to feel like I was at Hogwarts.
"There are four Houses," he explained. "The Lupines, the Descendants, the Marked, and the Crescents."
I blinked. I'd been expecting something closer to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Honestly, I wasn't even sure which House I hoped to be in, or what any of these names really meant.
"Once you've been assigned a House, you'll get a roommate and your course schedule."
"Do we have to wear uniforms?" I asked. Boarding school… it made sense if we did. I had always liked the idea of a uniform; no morning outfit battles.
"No. We encourage individuality and comfort here. You're free to wear anything you like, within reason. Use your best judgment on skirt or dress lengths, and things like that. If it was okay at your old school, it's probably okay here too."
"Okay."
"There's one more thing." Headmaster Black leaned closer. "I'm not sure you quite understand the opportunity you've been given. Werewolf Academy is the leading boarding school for wolf shifters. Only about three hundred students are chosen each year."
"Three hundred?" I gaped. "I had no idea there were that many werewolves in the world."
"Oh, yes. There are far more than three hundred werewolves in the world," he chuckled. "And this is the best place for any of them. Our alumni not only graduate with the tools they need to succeed, but they emerge as some of the most powerful werewolves in the world. You might also be interested to know that both of your parents attended the Academy."
My eyebrows shot up. "They did?"
"Indeed." He smiled. "I'm sure you'll be able to find pieces of them here, if you look hard enough."
"Wow. Thank you," I whispered. I wasn't sure how I felt about Werewolf Academy yet, but knowing my parents had been here definitely sparked my curiosity.
"Of course. I understand you've been through a lot, Raven. You're also one of the only students here who didn't grow up knowing they were a wolf, so the adjustment will be significant. If there's anything you need, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask."
"Thanks." Headmaster Black seemed nice enough. I liked him. Hopefully my teachers would be just as kind.
"Dinner is served in our Dining Hall," he continued. "That's also where the Sorting Ceremony will be held tonight, promptly at seven. Please be on time."
"Okay." Then it hit me. "I don't even know what time it is now." It should have been really late, considering it had been around eight p.m. when Theo and I kissed.
"Of course you don't. Time isn't the same in the human world as it is in the wolf world." Headmaster Black glanced at the clock on his desk. "It's currently four p.m. This gives you some time to explore the campus. Let the Darken pack give you the grand tour." He paused. "I think that covers everything. You're free to go."
"Okay. Thank you." I rose and headed back into the hallway where the Darken pack was waiting.
"You guys are supposed to give me a tour," I said.
"I'm pretty sure we can handle that," Rhys nodded.
"We just can't be late to the Sorting Ceremony," I said. "Are you guys attending that?"
"We'll be there," Theo replied.
I felt a slight relief knowing they'd be there too. "So, where should we explore first?"
Where was there to explore? I wasn't sure what Werewolf Academy had to offer, but I wanted to see every inch.
"I have a few ideas. We'll start slow, then show you the more interesting areas last," Theo said.
My eyes trailed down the pack's strong, muscular backs as they led me outside. I really wanted to see where the guys lived.
"Or we could start with the most interesting first," Aiden said, glancing over at me. "Want to see my bedroom?"
"There's nothing interesting about your bedroom," Rhys said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, not yet. But I know just the girl who could make it more interesting," Aiden said with a wink.
I wasn't going to lie; I would have been down with that.
Before I could respond, Theo pinned him against the wall of the building, growling in his face.