Initiation (Wolf Blood Academy Book 1) by RaShelle Workman (best book club books for discussion txt) 📕

But I was wrong. Instead of sleep came thoughts of Wyatt. Without a doubt, his wolf saved me. Why? And how had he known I was in trouble?

Thoughts I didn’t want to believe came to mind. Like had he been one of the guys who tried to kill me in the first place? That made sense. They were the only ones who knew where I was. But then he was a wolf. Maybe he smelled them or me and came over after the men left. I couldn’t be sure, and it was with those thoughts that I fell into a fitful sleep.

Chapter Nine

The following morning, Penelope and I went down to breakfast. We wore our uniforms: Tan pants, white shirts, and a button-down sweater with the Academy crest on the pockets. Oakus was once again in my pocket. I tried to get him to stay in my room, but he wasn’t having it. Penelope gave me more than one strange look but didn’t say anything.

She was quiet this morning. Whether it was because of me or just her nature, I didn’t know. It was too soon in our roommate partnership.

In the cafeteria, which looked more like it belonged in a palace and not an Academy, hundreds of students were seated on long wooden benches at equally long wooden tables.

As we made our way over to a couple of empty spots, the students quieted until it was uncomfortable, their eyes locked on me like they were missiles, and I was their target. It was disconcerting, to say the least. This much attention wasn’t something I enjoyed.

“I can tell it’s going to be hard to be your friend,” Penelope whispered as she sat.

“Might want to get out while you can,” I said, feeling morose and wishing I could disappear as I plunked down beside her.

Was there magic that could make someone invisible? Was it possible for a wolf blood to perform such a feat? Yet another thing I didn’t know. But hey, I didn’t know anything about magic, the Academy, or even how I came to be. There hadn’t been time for mom to give me a history lesson, except to say I came from a long line of Legacy wolves.

A woman dressed in all red brought Penelope and me each a plate of food. There were utensils, napkins, and water already set at our place on the table.

“Thank you,” I said.

She grunted and moved away.

I picked up my fork, desperate to forget all the eyes on me, but it was difficult.

“Everyone, get back to your food. The second test is coming up, and you better be prepared.” That was Wyatt who spoke as he stood, picking up his plate and walking down the aisle, where he forced everyone to slide down the bench so he could sit beside me.

The group slowly began to talk again, and I let out my breath. I dug into my scrambled eggs. Penelope and Wyatt did the same, and I felt myself relax even more. “Thank you,” I managed to say to him after a few minutes.

He smiled, keeping his lips together while he chewed. When he finished, he bumped into my arm playfully. “You sure do know how to make an entrance.”

That was putting it mildly, even though it wasn’t my intention. “Is it because of my wolf color or that I’m in last place?” I asked, only mildly desolate.

“If I had to guess, it would be both.” He smiled.

Penelope chuckled on the other side of me.

“Don’t worry. You’ve got me as a friend, so you’re good to go.” He bit into his buttered toast, watching me while he chewed.

I’d stuck my hand inside my pocket to feed Oakus a chunk of my toast. At Wyatt’s words, the little monster bit my finger. “Ouch,” I said and winced.

Wyatt gave me a funny look, his mysterious eyes watching me. My breath hitched, and my body warmed. Yep, he was hot.

“You don’t want to be friends?” he asked, his eyebrows scrunched together.

I thought about his question. He had attacked me in the coliseum, but then again, it was because he wanted me to shift. He’d been trying to help. Not only that, but I was pretty sure he was the wolf who saved me from drowning. His wolf looked exactly the same anyway.

“It’s isn’t that,” I said, casually checking out my finger. Oakus had drawn blood. I wiped it on my napkin. When I looked at my finger again, the wounds were gone, but my finger felt a little numb. “It’s…” I didn’t feel right about telling anyone I had Oakus. He was a monster from the Shade. Even I knew that keeping him as a pet was a bad idea, not that I intended to give him back. I smiled. “I’m really glad I have at least one friend,” I said, thinking that was my safest response.

“Make that two,” Penelope said. “I couldn’t care less what these people think of me,” she added, sipping her water through a straw, her eyes lingering on Wyatt.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one with the hots for the guy. But even as I thought about him, something inside rejected the two of us together. It was the weirdest feeling.

Wyatt pointed his half-eaten toast at her. “That’s the spirit.”

A loud bell sounded, and the room went quiet.

“What’s happening?” I asked, no longer hungry.

“Round two,” Wyatt said, dropping his toast onto his plate and wiping his hands on his napkin.

Oakus dug his claws into my leg, and I handed him some eggs.

My father, the dean, appeared at the front of the room. “Good morning, initiates. I hope you’ve had a good breakfast and are feeling well-rested. Today’s test will be even more challenging.” His gaze lasered in on me. “Do your best,” he said and clapped his hands once.

Almost as one, a bunch of people dressed in black uniforms appeared and lined the outside of the room. They stood at attention, their backs straight, their eyes