Chapter 7 - ZANDER

I had to drag myself out of bed this morning. I ran patrol for about 8 hours and didn’t get home until 1am so I was mentally and physically exhausted after last night.. I have half a mind to skip my first class because it was study hall, and no one really cared that much about it. But I don’t want to get a scolding from dad, so here I am, half-awake, getting ready for school.

Danni practically tackles me to the ground for the keys when he sees how exhausted I am, insisting that he will drive instead. To be honest, I didn’t mind letting him drive, it means I get about 30 minutes' extra sleep. By the time we reached school, I managed to get a bit of energy about me. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m weak now, would I?

After shoving the rest of my stuff in the locker, I made my way to the library. Study Hall was nearly always in the library, mostly because it had access to everything you needed for whatever reasons, so if you forgot something there was no excuse. This week I had two sessions. One today and one on Thursday. I needed to catch up on a few different bits of homework, but honestly, I just wanted to find a nice corner and try to sleep more.

They renovated the library just before I left for Alpha training and now, you’d have to walk up 25 steps to reach the top. Today as I walk in it seems that the library is all booked out. Busy as anything, people were lining up to borrow things or to ask about one thing or another.

Huge double-thick glass windows wrapped around the whole library building bringing in natural light. Double doors lead out to the courtyard and football field. Bookshelves weaved and wrapped around the middle of the library, with little desk nooks with computers and printers next to them.

The library allows students to print what they need, but for a fee, which is deducted from their key card. You always had to carry your key card to print or borrow something. It costs about 20c a page to print. They tend to make a bit of money if you forget an assignment back home.

Besides the main library floor, there are four big rooms - two computer rooms and two study conference rooms.  These rooms could be split up or combined as needed. When combined it could hold 100 people easily. Under the stairs is the bag room and restrooms.

The study sessions were always in the conference rooms and today it seemed everyone was taking advantage of the free class because it was full. Only one more table was left at the back of the room. I sighed happily. Thank God, I can finally get some rest by just sitting and relaxing.

I go over to the teacher to confirm I had taken the class and make my way to the back corner. It’s not too bad; it has a view of the oval and one of the tennis fields. Not that anyone was doing anything on them, but it was better than nothing.

I bring all my books out to make it seem I was ‘doing work’ and sit with my back to the teacher and the rest of the class looking out at the view trying to relax my busy mind.

Fifteen minutes into the class, the door to the room flew open, nearly slamming into the back wall.

“Miss Steward, you need to watch yourself and not damage the school property,” the teacher scolded.

“My apologies ma’am, here is a note from the office.” I hear her sweet voice respond.

I could hear the rustle of the paper and the tapping of the computer. “Very well. As you can see, we are quite full today, but there is one spot left, over next to Mr. Blackwood.”

I could feel the tension in the air thicken as she explains the situation about our packs. “I ... but we ... I umm, don’t think that would be a good idea ma’am,” she finally sputters out.

The teacher sighed and said, “I understand you all have “issues” outside school hours, but there is an agreement that when you are at school it won’t be a problem, is this not the case?”

I rolled my eyes at the discussion that was playing out. I could hear her footsteps come closer as she made her way over.

“Yes, ma’am, my apologies. Never mind, I’ll take that seat,” she replies.

As she takes the seat near me, I turn to her and say, “you know I don’t bite, right? Well, only if you want me to,” I add, tossing her a wink.

Her cheeks turned bright red upon hearing what I said. “Pig,” she muttered softly.

I just laugh and she looks up at me stunned. I shrug, “I’ve been called worse things.”

Now it’s her turn to roll her eyes. Ashleigh sits opposite me and starts scribbling furiously in her book.

“Can’t get it right?” I ask as she tore out her fourth piece of paper and threw it into the trash.

She looked up startled and I suppose we had been sitting in silence for the last twenty minutes.

My mind is too jumbled to do anything right now, with her sitting across from me smelling the way she does. It’s been driving Jace crazy. I’m sitting here trying to control him not to say or do anything stupid.

“Just can’t get the start of the report,” she replies.

I nodded. I always hated the beginnings of any report or assignment, especially if you didn’t get it right the first time since it basically determined where it would go and how it would finish.

“Sorry, I’m not much help with them either.”

“You don’t have anything to work on?” she asked.

I shrug, “probably.”

She rolls her eyes again and mutters, “typical boys.”

I flashed her another smirk as we sit in silence until the end of the class.

“Till next time, Beta Ashleigh,” I smirk and pick up my stuff.

“Huh,” she says distractedly.

“You know this class is finished now, right?”

“Shit, shit. Ugh, thanks,” she groans.

Her voice suddenly does something to my dick as it twitches in my pants, perking up and getting ready to have some fun. I look back in surprise. I’ve never thought about Ashleigh in a sexual way or any way, for that matter. I guess with our pack's history, it’s just been off limits … taboo. Now I’m here supporting a semi. I will have to get Grace to take care of that for me.

“Later,” I muttered, and left the library as quickly as possible.