Cursed Fate

9- Lunchtime

We nearly run away from our still German ranting Professor as the bell continues ringing, signaling lunchtime.

“I thought he was going to kill us” Cyla comments as we cross the tunnels to get to the canteen. Fortunately, both Soren and Anastacia have stayed a little behind.

“He can’t kill us” Olivia says. “He is a Professor. He will get punished if he does”

“I hope he gets a lot more than just punished if he kills any of us” I say.

“He sure was mad, though” Owen says.

“Say, Owen” Olivia starts. “Why were you with that new wolf this morning?”

“Yeah, why were you with him?” I reinforce the question.

“Well, he’s our new roommate” Owen shrugs as he answers.

“Say what now?” I ask.

“He’s our new roommate” Owen repeats. “I don’t see what’s the big deal. Isn’t the new wolf girl your roommate too?”

Olivia suddenly hits Owen in the head.

“Ow!” Owen shouts. “What was that for?”

“I just remembered you still owed me for yesterday” Olivia just says.

Owen rubs his head, pouting.

Cyla and I share a look, then we continue walking through the tunnels to get to the canteen. The smell of food soon fills the air as well as the sounds of hundreds of people talking.

It can be overwhelming sometimes.

Everyone at the Academy has lunch at the same time, so it is only normal that the canteen is set to receive everyone living here.

The kitchen helpers serve the many students as they step in line, waiting to be served their meals. The Cook starts cooking early morning in order to have everything prepared in time. Madam Felicia is a shapeshifter and a hard worker. She is Professor Hartwig’s wife.

As we walk into the canteen, we watch as the many tables start filling up.

We rush to the line in order to get our food. I dread the very word. Food. Yuk.

Usually, all I get is a bag of blood. If I am nice enough to the kitchen helpers, I can get two. But today, I am afraid I’ll have to eat another full meal.

“Oh, today’s meatloaf!” Owen says, excitedly.

“Hurray” I say, sarcastically.

“I’m sure it’s not gonna be as bad as the last time” Cyla says, trying to cheer me up.

The sudden familiar scent in the air tells me that is not going to be an option. I watch as he and Anastacia enter the canteen and look around in awe at all the people conversing and eating.

Although the scent is dulled because of all the other scents in the air, it is still very much intoxicating and hard to resist.

“Oh! Anastasia! Over here!” Cyla signals Anastacia waving her arm in the air.

I am about to grab her and cover her mouth, but it is too late. They’ve already seen her.

My life sucks.

I am forced to hold my breath again as I watch them come over.

Cyla seems to have realized her mistake as she looks at me apologetically. I just shake my head.

I know she doesn’t do it to hurt me. Cyla is just too naïve to fully understand the consequences of her actions.

Soren looks at me as they approach and I am forced to look away as I continue holding my breath. My eyes stop at the food being served and I can feel my stomach already starting to reject the meal I am going to be forced to eat.

Looking away from the food, my eyes go around to meet my mate’s again.

“Ve need to talk” He tells me.

I scowl at him, getting upset. I shake my head to reject him, but he grabs my arm.

“Ve need to talk, now” He repeats.

I growl at him, already starting to lose control. “Continue pushing me and I will have your head. I don’t know yet which one of us is going to regret that more”

Now that he has forced me to talk, he has also forced me to breathe. His scent invades me like a brick and I growl at him, desperately trying to control myself.

If I bite him, I will die. That is the hard truth.

Instead, I jump into the kitchen and grab a handful of meatloaf stuffing it into my mouth like an animal.

I am not ready to die. Not yet.

Silence hits the canteen as everyone watches me in shock. I ignore their looks and quietly wipe my mouth, silently walking back to where I was. Everyone is still looking at me in shock but I couldn’t care less.

I face my mate with a determined look, trying to fight the dizziness already starting to hit me.

“We can talk now” I tell him.

He seems to be a little impressed at my performance, but hides it very quickly. He leads me to a corner of the canteen as everyone around us slowly starts going back to their business. We leave Cyla, Olivia, Owen and Anastacia behind with a look of surprise.

I still look back at them to try to assure them I am fine. Anastacia looks worried, which doesn’t really help my case.

We stop at the quietest corner of the canteen, which is still very noisy, and Soren looks at me in all seriousness.

“Do you really not remember me?” He asks me.

I look at him as if he were crazy. “I have never seen you before in my life”

He seems upset at my answer. “We played together as kids. In woods. Don’t you remember?”

“I have no memories from when I was a kid” I tell him again, looking upset at him. Anastacia did tell me he knew us as kids, but I have no memory of it. I think I would remember if I had met my mate before, even if it was as a kid.

“You were human zen” He tells me, now a little sad.

“I don’t remember” I say. “Look, whatever happened in the past is gone. It won’t come back”

I press a finger to his chest. “I’m a vampire now so deal with it” I say, accusingly. “I certainly have to deal with the fact you’re a werewolf”

“I not to blame for zat. I was born zis way” He says.

My rage boils as I look at him.

“Are you saying it’s my fault I became a vampire?”

He looks a little hesitant but then answers fully determined.

“I’m saying it certainly not MY fault”

I punch him.

Right in the nose.

He doesn’t fall to the ground but does step back, looking shocked.

My hand hurts. I am still weak from the human food, but I am NOT going to let this MUTT tell me it’s my fault I became a vampire.

He doesn’t know about my past.

He doesn’t know what I went through. And he certainly has no right to judge me.

After his shock fades he growls at me and I growl back.

“Don’t you dare accuse me of something you know nothing about, you BASTARD!” I shout at him. “You know nothing about me. Mate or not, you have no idea what I have done or what I can do. So, just stay the HELL away from me!”

“You don’t know about me either” He says. “I looked everywhere for you!”

“I don’t CARE!” I glare at him. “You ruined my life by coming here! I HATE you!”

He looks stunned at this.

I realize having a mate saying they hate you is one of the worst things anyone can do to a werewolf, but I really don’t care.

I turn my back to him and run out of there as fast as possible.

Suddenly feeling suffocated, I run towards the tunnels that lead to the exit. I know those are filled with traps and illusions meant to keep nosey people out, also working on misguided supernaturals wanting to get out, but I know I can take it.

I just want out.

Running as fast as I can, I see the first trap and jump high turning in a pirouette and landing just on the other side of the hole that suddenly opened on the ground.

The rest of the traps are also quite easy to avoid. After all, these were meant to keep humans out, not vampires in.

Makes me think how does Lady Nadine keep getting herself hurt with these. She really must have been distracted.

Soon enough, I can feel the cold air from outside and walk towards the end of the tunnel, which leads to a drain leading to the river. There is a grid to further prevent people from coming in, but I can easily cut it out with my claws.

The effects of the meatloaf are quickly fading away after my run and I can feel like myself again.

I climb up to the surface and find myself in the Manhattan port, where night still rules and the many workers walk around to get their cargo to the ships.

Slipping in undetected, I make my way to the city.