Chapter 7:

• Flora’s P.O.V
• “Wolf anatomy is very similar to human anatomy, unless of course, we are in our wolf form.” Clay told the classroom as a diagram appeared on the board of a wolf and a human, side by side with all the internal organs in vivid details.
• It was hard to believe that he was the same man who had chased me yesterday, adamant in his belief that we’ll end up in bed together, making me question everything I believed about myself…and here he was today, in a dark blue suit jacket and trousers paired with a white shirt underneath, all prim and proper like he wasn’t bothered by our interaction at all.
• The lights in the class were turned down low to allow the projector to focus images on the blackboard, and it made his emerald eyes glow from within, making them seem translucent. For a brief moment, I think I saw them flicker in my direction, but then he turned towards the blackboard like nothing had happened. Like that look he just gave me didn’t just sear me right to my core.
• “We evolved from wolves instead of apes. It’s impossible to tell how we embraced humanity, but magic was said to be involved.” Clay continued in a deep voice; the magic of his storytelling captivating everyone in class. “During the pre-historic era, when humans had just evolved from apes, their animalistic instincts still at the forefront, wolves had been their favourite animals to hunt. They had been captivated by the beauty of the wolf fur and wanted to own our ancestors.”
• “Hunting wolves became a sport to the Neanderthal man and our numbers kept on declining. That was when an entire pack was slaughtered, leaving only a single wolf pup alive. He would’ve been murdered too, if he hadn’t ventured out on his own. But his little mistake kept him alive.”
• The picture on the screen changed to that of a wolf howling at the moon. It was beautiful, captivating scenery.
• “The pup howled at the moon, grieving the loss of his family. Its cries were so painful that it brought the heaven to its knees as stars fell from the sky. And then, Selene, the Goddess of the Moon, appeared before the wolf pup, in all her ethereal beauty. She held the pup to her chest and grieved with him and then she kissed his forehead.”
• “A bright light surrounded the pup and within a few moments, a small boy stood in place of the wolf. He became the first werewolf, the first ever Alpha. A human in wolf form and a wolf in human form. Since then, the humans hadn’t been able to hunt us anymore and our numbers increased. Wolf fertility rates are low, which is why we aren’t an overpopulated species, but it was the birth of a new species caused by the greatest of grief.”
• Clay looked at the class, at each and every face as he spoke next, his voice that of his wolf and it resonated within us, as our wolves came to attention.
• “Remember that first sacrifice every time you complain about the simpler things in life. And remember that pack is family. The moon Goddess gave us a gift and a curse. Once we start losing contact with our pack, our feral side takes over, exposing us to the risk of becoming rogues, creatures who have lost all empathy and humanity.”
• Becoming a rough is probably the biggest fear of every wolf around the world.
• Rogues are inhuman wolves who go after their loved ones first. They have lost all sense of empathy and they are feral wolves who can rarely be reasoned with. Once a wolf starts to lose connection with a pack, their wolf starts to get angry and soon that anger consumes them.
• It is true that we are always taught to value our pack as family right from a very young age. But there was something I wanted to know.
• “Have we ever heard of rogue healers?” I asked, almost in a whisper, afraid to disturb the tranquillity of the classroom, but he seemed to have heard me.
• “No.” Clay immediately shook his head. “Healers have always been too ingrained into the pack to be rogues. Not only do healers have a bond with the Alpha once they come of age, but they also have a bond with every single person in the pack. That bond forms over time, after the healer has been ingrained into their duties and after healing their packmates but their bond with the pack is unique. So, healers, by default, will never feel lonely or be without support.”
• I nodded my thanks as another girl asked him another question and everyone noted it in down their notebooks. I went back to taking notes as well but I did feel Clay’s eyes on me from time to time. As the bell rang, signalling the end of class, Clay asked me to stay behind, surprising me yet again.
• After I had packed my backpack and put my desk in order, I went to the front of the class to stand in front of the table. Two other female wolves were talking to Clay about ‘wolf anatomy’ and asking if he could tutor them privately, but Clay smiled and gave them the politest rejection by reminding them about the school rules.
• “Yes, Mr. Scotsman?” I addressed him formally when we were almost alone, as the last of the students left the classroom.
• “Here.” Clay handed me a note from his file. “Take this to the school nurse’s office and don’t peak into it.”
• “Right now?” I asked, taking the note from him.
• “Yes. The nurse is waiting for you.” He told me sternly before he wound up his files and started for the door. “Close the lights on your way out.”
• Blinking back my surprise at his weird behaviour, I went to the switchboard to turn off all the lights and then headed for the nurse’s office as Clay had instructed. On my way, I texted Ruth that I had to cancel lunch with her because I was stuck being the teacher’s pet. She replied with a sad emoji, followed by a picture of the steamed dumplings she had brought for lunch.
• ‘Traitor!’ I texted back and smiled when she invited me over for dinner tonight. Apparently, her mom was on a cooking spree today and was preparing a lot of new dishes to feed the entire pack.
• It was a short walk to the nurse’s office, which was located right at the centre of the college for easy accessibility. Nurse Minkhwan Sitwat was a young woman in her prime who was another healer, but not as strong as our primary healer who works under the Alpha. But she is just as valuable as any healer. It’s best to say that wolves aren’t exactly the most cautious of creatures and accidents during shifts or when someone is feeling particularly ‘snarly’ is a very common occurrence.
• Arriving at the nurse’s office after a short two minute walk, I was about to knock at her door when the door flew open to reveal the Thai woman with a worried look on her face.
• “Nurse Khwan?” I asked hurriedly, proceeding to give her the note that Clay had given me but she took my hand and pulled me inside and slammed the door behind me.
• “Thank God, you’re here on time!” She sighed in relief. “We have an emergency.”
• At first I didn’t understand what was going on, but then I heard a low groan coming from the bed. Turning towards the sound, I saw something I didn’t think I’d be seeing this early in my life.
• A boy of about my age was on the bed, groaning in pain but he was close to being unconscious. What bothered me however was the fact that his right leg was twisted in the completely opposite direction than it was supposed to be and a bone was poking out of his knee as blood dripped everywhere.