Chapter 5 - Troy

~Troy’s Point of View~

I’d always been leading a double life, walking a fine line between my beast, my devil and then trying to be human. But now going to an academy and still having my responsibilities at home? Yeah this was going to be biting off way more than I could chew.

I didn’t normally get “tired” exactly but today my body was feeling the exhaustion of it all, and if I kept this up I’d have to feed more, and animal blood wouldn’t cut it. I didn’t know how I’d handle that if it bubbled to the surface.

As if all that wasn’t enough I kept running into Alice. If I could imagine a dream female, a perfect mate … she would be everything that Alice wasn’t. She’d be beautiful of course but kind, sensitive and understanding. Shit you’d have to be the definition of understanding to deal with my baggage. She’d be warm and welcoming, have a smile and touch that feels like home. 

Alice would never be any of that, so why couldn’t I stop thinking about her? The moment I saw her fall into Colton’s lap, a guy I’d only just met moments before, my devil wanted nothing more than to sink its fangs into his neck and drain the life from him. I’d never felt jealousy over a girl and that coupled with a 17 year old’s raging hormones was a bad, bad thing. 

“You okay mate,” Jesse said, falling next to me on the couch. 

I already had an assignment to make a business plan for a small business and I had a bunch of things spread out over the coffee table. I didn’t know how to do any of this shit. I’d never been in a proper school before. I was only enrolled in a two year program and it already seemed impossible.

“Just uhm trying to figure this out,” I said, waving to the mess. 

“Let’s see what ya got. What’s your business idea,” he asked.

Well at least that part I didn’t need to fake or make up. I already basically lived it.

“It’s a farm that sells its crops and also has a restaurant,” I said, turning to look at him.

“That’s a hell of an idea. Real farm to table, humans love that shit,” he said, smiling. 

He took a minute and looked over some things. 

“You know you could also sell ready made meals. It’s a win-win. If you have things left over from the night before that didn’t sell, your chef could make little microwavable things for humans to take and have for lunch or whatever,” he said, sitting back.

“That’s a hell of an idea! A lot less waste and the chance to make money off it. That’s great Jesse thanks,” I said, smiling.

It was a great idea but it still wasn’t what I needed for this assignment. I stared at the spreadsheets and sighed as he got up and wandered off. 

“You need a laptop,” a voice said from behind me. I turned to see Dustin.

“I wouldn’t even know how to use it,” I said, shaking my head. 

Technologically advanced I was not, that was certain. He sat next to me.

“A small business can’t live in the stone ages, not in today’s world. You need an online presence, website, social media. Where are you getting your capital,” he asked. 

He might as well have been talking in Greek to me, but he was surprisingly patient. Over the next hour he dumbed some things down for me and we even made a plan to go to the mall so I could get a computer. 

“Do you have a car? We’re not taking your helicopter to the mall are we,” I laughed.

“I do have a car and a driver,” he said, proud of himself. He quickly took out his phone and called for the car to come get us. I rolled my eyes. 

“Did you say you’re going out? Can I go? I need some new running shoes,” Ryan said, strolling down the stairs. 

“Sure! Driver will be here in ten,” Dustin said, putting on a suit jacket. 

Why the hell was he dressed like that to go shopping? Not to mention it was like 80 degrees outside. I shook my head. 

“I’ll come too, maybe we could catch a flick,” Jesse said, following behind Ryan.

“A movie,” I said, somewhat cautiously.

“It’ll be okay,” Ryan said, putting his hand on my shoulder. 

Two devils, in the dark with innocent, unsuspecting people. 

Yeah that’s a good idea. 

The only movie theater-like place I’d ever been was outside on a big screen. To be crammed into a small black room with a hundred people for a couple hours was not my idea of a good time. Going to class was hard enough. 

Dustin and I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the electronics store getting the right thing, and I felt guilty using my mom’s credit card but I did feel it was a valuable purchase. If it would help our business grow and expand it would pay for itself. 

Dustin’s driver met us and took our purchases to the car. By the time we were done we wandered out into the mall to look for Jesse and Ryan. 

We finally found them at the food court, surrounded by females. I shook my head. 

“Crocs are really not that scary though you can’t let them sense your fear,” Jesse said, as I threw myself into a chair. 

“I got us a pizza, help yourself,” Ryan said, shoving a box forward. I opened the lid to see it full of meat and I grinned.

“Miranda there you are, what have I said about wandering off? I’ve been looking for you for ten minutes,” a voice yelled. 

Alice, I’d know her shrill anywhere. My whole body tensed, and I swear my heart skipped a beat.

I looked up to see Ryan staring at me, and he winked. He knew. Shit. I turned to look at Alice and she had easily five shopping bags in each hand. Where was her little boyfriend to carry them for her?

*You can help her,* my wolf suggested. 

I forced him to the back of my mind, which I very rarely did, and he’d let me know later he was pissed about it. I didn’t believe in shutting him out, we were one and we both respected each other’s opinion. Afterall, we’d be together for eternity so we had better learn to get along.

I quickly turned back to my plate and threw it in the empty box then began to try and look busy cleaning up the table. 

“Sorry, I ran into Jesse from my math class. I just love his accent,” Miranda giggled.

He did have a cool accent and I bet these American females just ate it up. 

“I got the tickets, I bought out the whole theater, that way we won’t have to deal with any nonsense,” Dustin said, waving a bunch of tickets around. 

“You bought the whole damn theater out? Holy shit, that had to be a lot,” Ryan said, laughing.

“Well worth it, now we can all be comfortable. Ladies? Shall we,” he said, holding out his arm to some girl. 

I got to my feet, feeling a bit better about the movie if it wouldn’t be full. But was she coming too? Sure enough, she followed the group but she didn’t seem happy about it. 

“What is the movie anyhow,” Alice asked, in her little snotty voice. 

She was right next to me and just having her so close made my pants suddenly see a size too small. I willed myself to calm down but it was useless. My body wanted her. She had a boyfriend though, a rich star athlete no less.

“It’s a comedy about shifters living in the human world, supposed to be good,” Dustin said, dryly. 

Dustin loaded us up with popcorn, soda and all kinds of crap. I tried not to eat a lot of sweets since my body didn’t like a lot of sugar but popcorn was my vice. My mom loved it and I became addicted. 

As we sat down everyone seemed to shuffle around and sit next to the person of their preference, by the time I realized what was happening Alice was next to me. I gave her a quick look and when she looked at me, we both abruptly turned away. 

Her scent was strong and I loved it, I couldn’t get enough of it. Having her this close for two hours would probably kill me. Or her, if my devil got his way. This … was … why … I … didn’t … date.

The amount of blood I took from that elk would normally be enough to hold me over for days, but at this rate my thirst would return with a vengeance soon. If that happened, animal blood wouldn’t be enough to put out the fire.