Chapter 2

Marx caught Mayo by the back of his neck just as he was about to plant himself on the stone covered earth. Muscles flexed beneath his shirt as he hauled him up in one swift motion. Mayo's limp frame sailing through the air like a leaf caught in a sudden gust. When he landed on Marx's shoulder, the impact was barely a thud.

Too light, Marx thought.

Turning toward the welcome party, his lips parted intending to inquire about the infirmary.

Alavanz's smirk greeted him first. Around her, shocked eyes stared back at him.

Marx had acted so fast that the dust from Mayo's near-collision point hadn't been stirred by the sudden tumble. Intercepting him before gravity could claim its prize.

Qi Lin released a sound that was nearly a breath. "Whoa."

One that a normal person wouldn't catch, yet it resounded clearly among Alavanz, Davin, and Vanessa's enhanced hearing.

What Marx had done was possible for any of them. Such a show of power was expected for a wolf, yet his grace, speed and control were surprising for a young wolf with such a bulky frame and he didn't seem like a delta.

Some wolves were known for their sheer mass, especially those from the Northern regions of the Lycan empire. Southern wolves were only slightly larger than normal humans, at times mistaken for particularly tall humans. Those were the wolves who interacted the most with the other supernatural species.

"If you can move like this already." Marx's supposed vampire master, stepped forward with an unblinking stare. "Imagine what I could do to you."

Marx shifted, adjusting Mayo's body on his shoulder. While he was 6,9 feet tall, Mayo was 7,1 feet tall already.

The vampire girl received a glare he was sure could probably melt sand from Alavanz, causing her to shrink into herself. Clearing her throat and straightening her back she cautiously took a reluctant step and offered, in a barely audible murmur.

"This way to the infirmary."

Marx followed behind her, just as he caught Sandesh gently pulling his mate towards him. Alavanz tried to hide her smile as she hurriedly dismissed the group.

*******************

At the infirmary the receptionist called a nurse the moment she saw Mayo's pallid face. The nurse arrived and instructed them to follow her to a ward. Marx placed Mayo on the bed. She was fast and precise, pulling back the sheets and checking his pulse.

When she attempted to use healing magic to wake him. Mayo's body trembled, convulsions coursing through him like a flowing electric current.

They'd just arrived, Marx's jaw tightened, arms crossed as he thought. What the fuck, kind of stunt was this druggie pulling?

"Step back," the nurse ordered pressing a button on the wall a red light fleshing above the door. "I need a doctor-now."

Vanessa stepped back, Marx did not move.

"I said-"

"I'm not leaving."

The nurse opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Something in the alpha's expression made her reconsider. She focused on Mayo instead, her hands glowing with green light, trying to stem whatever was happening to him. Mayo's back arched, his convulsing became erratic as his mouth started to foam.

"Stop." Marx ordered the nurse. "You're making it worse."

"I'm just doing my-"

"So, you want to kill my beta!?" His alpha tone came out eyes fleshing blue. The walls and the nurse's hands trembled, she stopped using magic.

A human doctor arrived minutes later, his robes billowing behind him. He pushed Marx aside without any ceremony, eyes scanning Mayo's convulsing form.

"Magic?"

"Yes," the nurse responded giving Marx a cautious glance, "but it only worsened his condition."

The man nodded, and ordered Marx and Vanessa. "Turn him onto his side."

Vanessa approached, Marx glared at her extended hand. She stepped back. Turning Mayo on the side he held his convulsing body down.

"Give him 30 mg midazolam buccal now." The doctor instructed the nurse.

The nurse drew the exact amount and administered it. They watched closely yet Mayo's seizure continued, his body spasming, sweat beaded at his forehead.

"Set up an IV and give him 13 mg lorazepam."

The nurse did as instructed. Drawing a liquid into a syringe attached it to the IV port and pushing it slowly. All of them focused on Mayo's breathing and heart rate.

Minutes passed and Mayo's body ceased its convulsion and his breathing calmed. Marx let go turning him to rest on his back.

"He'll live." The doctor said, eyes scanning Mayo's resting form. "Not stable enough to move yet. Come back at sundown."

Marx nodded once, then turned and walked out, Vanessa trailing behind him.

************

"Uh. Um, we have training this evening at Coombe." Tucking her hair behind her ear. "I can show you the way."

Marx responded with a curt nod, mind still stuck in the ward.

Vanessa glanced down at her phone. "You need to settle in. So... let's, let's find, biting her lip," she added. "I meant to go and find Davin."

In an effort to fill the heavy silence and console her new teammate. Vanessa tried to start a light conversation.

"I'm sure your friend's going to be fine, biting her lip, she added, the school's infirmary is very efficient."

Marx didn't bother to respond, baffled by the moving walls and shifting corridors. The path they'd taken to reach the infirmary was gone, now they were faced with a staircase. It seemed like the vampire girl knew where she was headed, so he allowed her to take the lead, for now.

The thick scent of warm meals, composed of the heavy musk of werewolves, the artificial scent of humans, potions from witches and wizards, drifted into his nose. Reaching the dining hall Vanessa swiped her student card through a card reader at the entrance once. Seeing his confusion, she took another one and used it to allow him entry.

Upon entry his eyes swept through the dining hall past circular and rectangular tables, packed seats and multiple lines of supernatural bodies. Some were waiting on the dessert line, fast food vegetarian and more. To his left was the kitchen, opposite the kitchen across the hall and feeding section, stood a stage.

Catching a familiar scent, he turned his head and spotted Davin. He sat among a crowd composed of a mix between large and normal sized bodies. His nose had always been a more efficient pair of eyes. Davin sensing his gaze turned and grinned at him. He made a hand gesture, motioning that he was coming.

The group was mostly composed of werewolves, some wizards and humans. Davin approached him, a tray of food in hand. Giving Marx a nod of acknowledgement, and offering him the tray. Seeing this, Marx took the largest piece of meat.

Davin, chuckled at this act turning to his table with a thumbs up. A small part of the table jumped up and cheered. It was the non-lycans. He gave Davin a questioning glance. Davin sniggered. Grabbing his shoulder and leading him out of the lunch hall, leaving Vanessa behind.

"I'll tell you on the way," brows scrunching, his tone grew concerned. "By the way, how's your friend?"

Marx shook his head, a sigh falling from his lips. Confused, both of them paused at the dining hall entrance. Vanessa appeared again swiping a card for him, and walking in the opposite direction.

"Undead..." Davin snickered at her retreating figure, the word sounding like something vile rolling of off his tongue, "always expecting us to grovel," he gave Marx a pitiful look, adding. "Careful during training."

"Do I need to be worried?"

Nah, they wouldn't dare, Davin reassured, chuckling and adding in a grave tone, Daegon would probably leave an ocean of icy limp bodies at Coombe.

"Wolves and vampires?"

Having them share anything didn't seem like a good idea, he thought. Their footsteps came to a halt, in front of a seemingly plain stone wall.

"Witches, humans and wizards too." He said, eyes staring intently at the wall. You were unlucky enough to get picked for the unification policy- The wall shifted to the left. "Run." Davin instructed and Marx followed.

They sprinted down a staircase with disappearing steps, dusty walls closing in on them. Marx's figure trailing closely behind Davin's, mimicking each one of his actions. Marx could feel his vision blur. Finding it difficult to differentiate between far and close or one foot from the other.

In the past he'd run greater distances than this, with a greater pace. Yet his ears felt like they were underwater, a thin film resting in his ear canal. Reaching the ground, they ran toward a wall that parted for them just as the others collided. The building spat them out in a secluded area near the bus stop.

"You're pretty quick."

Marx shot him a death glare. Back bent, and hands on his knees while taking large gulps of air.

"It'll wear off soon," Davin informed, "just the effect of the spell cast in the area. He headed toward a road covered in asphalt. Not really allowed to use those shortcuts."

"Then, why did you use them?" Marx grumbled, following after him.

"Not gonna circle the whole building just to reach the bus stop." He said pointing ahead, adding. "So, the policy is about promoting peace through coexistence."

Marx scoffed. "Aren't we doing that already?"

"Jack doesn't seem to believe it."

"Jack?"

"The dean of student affairs," Davin responded in pace with Marx. "AKA, the cause of your future suffering and multiple others."

Marx scratched his head.

"It was enforced by having cross species students in one group." Davin shrugged nonchalantly. A bus stop that somehow seemed modern and aged all at once, built up off of aged brick and glass appeared before them. "At least, for those lucky enough to have a Professor offer to mentor them."

*********

At the bus stop, Davin's eyes scanned the area and approached a fellow werewolf student. She was Eastern with green hair and two piercings on her nose bridge, another under her bottom lip.

"Hey, Wylerr?"

"Not here yet." The eastern wolf girls responded. Don't you have class after this? She looked at Marx. Who's this? Is there anyone you don't know?

Davin sighed and massaged his temple. "Una pretend you didn't see me-"

"But I did."

Davin took a deep breath and reassured. "This is important, I won't skip class."

"Whatever." Una rolled her eyes, returning them to her phone screen.

"Eventually some wolves, vampires, witches and wizards already started training with humans, at the beginning of the year," Davin continued to narrate, taking an empty seat next to Una. "But, for undead and werewolf territory none of them participated."

"Where do I come in?"

"Alavanz isn't one to let a good opportunity slip from her grasp." Davin informed, relaxing into his seat. "Been begging, the Daegon the last two years to train a wolf, even Cassian to allow it."

"Wait, she finally found a wolf from home, that wasn't enrolled here?" Una stopped typing, interrupting the conversation.

"You're looking at him." Davin pointed at Marx.

Una's offended eyes landed on him. "Why the heck did you agree?"

"Didn't even know I agreed." Marx shrugged. Mayo must have signed the agreement for him, he thought. "Just found out."

"Cassian allowed it, and the Daegon's conditions were met." Marx took the seat next to Davin. "Surpassed humans. Now vampires have everyone, wizards, a wolf, witches, nurthe and humans."

"You mean Abingdon," Una corrected.

Davin defended, "I meant them as a whole."

"They're not a whole," she said. Marx nodded.

"But they were, once-"

"In the past." Marx and Una's voice sounded at the same time.

"Who invited you to this conversation?" Davin asked Una, tone dripping in vexation.

Una rolled her eyes.

Marx's voice broke the silence. "Why don't we have vampires?"

"Actually," Una said, practically springing up to answer him, "during last year's summit the Daegon reaffirmed what he'd said at the summit during his first year."

"Which was?"

"Vampires no matter which kind, old or emergent can freely roam in lycan territory as they desire," Davin smiled, adding, "just as he can act out his own desires in his territory, and hold no consequence."

"Considering how many vampires have gone missing in our territory, the past two years." Una shook her head.

"Rumors are true then?"

Una and Davin shrugged. Una's voice followed. "Don't know, no sane vampire's willing to try and find out and-"

"Those who do, never return to tell the tale," Davin finished, adding. "Till then we're only second from scum. I mean, the Nurthe only have their own.

"Wylerr's here," Una informed, over the sound of an engine drawing closer.

"Not coming?" Davin asked.

"Nah, I'm taking a full circuit. Gotta make a delivery," She said shouting above the busses engine, heading to board a different bus.

"Let's go." Davin headed toward the Wylerr bus.

"Hey, new guy!" Una paused mid step, turning toward them. Marx looked at her, just as the crowd stopped to listen in.

"You're pretty hot and your accent, is just as sexy."

She didn't wait for his reaction, or response. Like she'd stated a fact, the sky was blue, ice was cold and no one could dispute it. Like the bus stop, packed full of werewolves, humans, witches and wizards was empty.

The crowd parted for her, as she strutted to the full circuit bus. Wearing a shear crop top and a red lace bra, paired with a damningly short low waist neon green miniskirt, and knee length black boots.

Everyone's gaze scanned her retreating figure then fell on him. A pale skinned wolf, with dark brown flowing hair. Cloudy grey eyes under bushy brows, paired with a sharp nose and jaw.

Cheers resounded around him. Una boarded her bus without looking back. Thankful, a tension released from his shoulders. His body was thick, accent even thicker. Knowledge that some weren't averse to it, was calming.

"Okay hot shot, you're beautiful." Davin pulled him up to the bus. "Let's go."