Their Powerful Hybrid Mate

Chapter 6

Noah

"There is something odd about her, but I don't know what," Zack said, by a way of greeting, as he came back from a full day of working one on one with our mate. Lucky bastard.

"Are we ready to compare notes then?" Owen said, finally looking up from his desk in our new shared room.

It took several months of renovations, but our massive alpha suite was finally completed. Perfect for the three of us, plus hopefully our future luna, Lorraine. We knew she was our mate shortly after we turned nineteen and came back from college. We stumbled across Lorraine while she was walking home from school one day. It all made sense then, why we were so keen on picking on her and teasing her in high school when she was a few grades below us. The mate bond was hard at work, making sure we took plenty of notice of the new girl.

It took everything in us not to pin her to the ground the day we found out and mark her then and there. But there was something different about her. Something...odd perhaps? We spent months trying to get more information on her, which included breaking into our father's filing cabinets in search of her transfer file. It landed us in a load of trouble, but it only confirmed that she was different.

How? We had no clue. But her records were limited. So were her parents. Our father didn't know whose files we were looking at that day, which was probably a good thing, since he seemed to eye the Fuller family with caution. We never noticed it though, until after we found out we were Lorraine's mates. Since then, we have been deciding what to do about it.

We eventually agreed that it would be best until she turned eighteen to tell her. Given the three-year age difference between us, legally it could be a problem if we marked her before she was considered an adult. Not to mention it gave us a few years to let her simmer down about us always teasing her in school. So, we threw ourselves into our studies and ways to better the pack, trying to make it a perfect place for our future Luna, assuming she would eventually give us a chance once she was of age, while also trying to keep from throwing ourselves at her feet.

"She doesn't sleep well at night." I chipped in. "But just started on a new medication?" I asked, looking to Owen for confirmation.

He nodded once. "And she is not sexually active. Thank f*****g goddess."

My shoulders slumped in relief. So did Zacks.

Normally, Owen would keep such protected patient information to himself, but he justified it by saying it concerned our future Luna, which concerned the pack, and therefore he felt it was necessary to share the information with Zack and me, the future alphas. We wouldn't say anything to anyone about it anyway.

"Nor is she looking for a relationship right now." Zack chimed in.

"Is that a good thing or not?" Owen asked.

"I don't know." I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "Her school records are... yeiks. Teachers think she is cheating, they are testing her next week. They plan on potentially setting her back a few grades if she fails."

"What do you think?" Owen asked.

"I don't know. She is either a genius...or the teachers are right."

Zack let out a strained breath, Owen frowned.

"So what do we do if she gets set back?" Zack asked softly. "She made it pretty clear yesterday that she hates it there."

"Not to mention it would look pretty bad that the future Luna got held back...maybe we should tell dad, before anything gets too permanent?" Owen suggested.

"No, not yet." I shook my head. "Let's give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it's all just some misunderstanding."

"I hope you're right," Owen grumbled.

- - - - - - -

Lorraine

"So how was community service?" Sarah asked as we walked to school.

"Saturday was great. I was assigned to gardening with Zack."

"Seriously?!" Sarah lit up, her eyes full of mischief.

I hit her with my elbow and continued. "Sunday though I was put on graffiti removal, and unfortunately, Zack could only stay for an hour before he had training and whatever else it is that future Alphas do, so I was alone the rest of the day."

"I take it things went well with him?" Sarah smiled deviously.

"Goddess, you are impossible sometimes." I snorted. "He has the potential to be a friend one day."

"Kill joy." Sarah mumbled as we made our way through the front doors, ready to face another day of high school.

"Miss Fuller." Principal Manning called, Alpha Rodger at her side.

Sarah and I both quickly bowed our heads in respect before Sarah scurried away.

"Alpha Rodger, Principal Manning." I greeted dryly.

"Lorraine. I do apologize for the short notice, but I was made aware that you are to be tested this week, to see what level you are at." Alpha Rodger said, taking a few calculated steps towards me.

"Yes." I nodded, a pit already forming in my gut. "On Thursday."

"If it is all the same to you, I would like to move it to today." Alpha Rodger said, eyeing me with suspicion. "And I will be your proctor."

"Oh..." I said, my mouth going dry. "Um, yeah, sure, that's no problem."

"Then right this way."

As if it wasn't bad enough being tested on everything that I have ever been taught in school, now let's let the Alpha of my new pack be the one to lead the testing. He didn't intimidate me too much, perhaps my own pride of being an alpha princess getting in the way of that. No, my real reason for fretting was that my education hung in the balance, and my reputation. If something should go wrong today, the Alpha will think I'm dumb as a stump and a liar and a cheater. My future was hanging in the balance over some stupid teachers thinking the worst of me.

We turned a few corners and eventually ended up heading down a long hallway towards the specialized testing rooms. These rooms were lined with silver to prevent anyone from linking to one another. It wasn't really a concern until students turned eighteen, but obviously my teachers felt I was bucking the system somehow.

"Hey Lorraine!" Noah called from behind us. He was wearing black shorts and a gray t-shirt, probably getting ready for the first gym class. Mr. Davis mentioned dodgeball last week, and I had a feeling the other students were about to bite off more than they could chew with Noah in the mix.

"Noah." Alpha Rodger said his name almost like a command.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" He frowned, stopping halfway down the hall.

Their eyes glazed over, a silent conversation passing between the two before Noah bowed his head.

"Yes Sir." He said, sparing me one last glance, but not daring to say another word.

Alpha Rodger was a good leader, he had high expectations of his pack, but could be a little harsh at times because of it. I wonder what he just said to Noah to have him practically running back from where he came.

We continued down the hall, not stopping until we reached the school nurse standing at the end.

"Nurse Voilet will take you for processing before we head into the testing room." Alpha Rodger said, giving me a look that left no room for debate.

I only nodded and followed Nurse Voilet into a small room. She cleared her throat and shut the door behind us.

"Alpha asked that I hold your things until the end of the testing." She said, handing me a set of clothes. "He also requests that you wear these. Your clothes will be returned to you at the end as well."

"Why would he want me to change?" I scoffed.

"You would be surprised what lengths some of our students have gone to cheat during tests." She said, giving me a judgmental look. "Any jewelry must be removed as well."

I waited for her to turn around but then soon realized that wouldn't be happening. I huffed in annoyance but stripped down in front of the perfectly good stranger, changing into the loose-fitting clothing the Alpha had assigned me. My cocky ass even gave her a slow spin, so she could say for certain that I was not hiding anything on me. I was almost surprised she didn't ask me to bend and cough.

When she was satisfied, she let me go back out to Alpha Rodger, who finally led me into the testing room. There were only two stainless steel desks set up in the entire room. One in the center, for me no doubt, the other at the front of the room for the proctor. The walls were made of silver, and there were no posters or anything that might conceal them. The room was bare, besides a fire alarm, fire extinguisher, and clock.

There were no windows, not even on the door. Today was going to be a long day.

"I'll give you one opportunity to admit what we all know is true. I will assign you tutors to help in the areas that you struggle with, so you might still graduate on time. You will work after school, on the weekends, and during the summer, but I'll make sure you can graduate with your friends." He said, his eyes burning into mine, willing me to submit. "But if you do not take this offer, you will be placed at whatever level your grades reflect at. Whether it be eleventh, or tenth, or seventh."

I frowned.

And then I heard a familiar voice.

"Rodger has certainly come a long way," My spirit Professor, Professor Harold said, shaking his head. "He nearly failed my class in high school. I helped him like I help you. But that was back when I was alive."

I gave Harold a side eye for half a second, just long enough to get his nod that told me he would help me. Relief came over me at that. Especially once my other spirit teachers started arriving, exchanging hellos before looking at me, offering their support.

"I have nothing to admit to," I said, staring at Alpha Rodger longer than most would ever dare.

"Then let's begin."