Seth

Sunday, December 8th. The cold evening temperature tells us it's time for yet another mandatory assembly in the auditorium that carries my last name.

After spending a couple of hours cleaning the cafeteria with Jayden - and the school staff, who supervised us - I can honestly say there are worse punishments in life than hard labor with the man you had a crush on for four months.

Granted, Sean was a very nice boy who had won me over with his English accent and quick wit, but I never got over my initial crush on Jayden. I just moved on from it because I had to. It has always remained there, lurking in my mind whenever I caught a glimpse of him during combat practice outside on the patio - that is when he wears the minimum amount of clothes due to the intense physical activity. *swoons*

I don't really know what else to say at this point. It has always been Jayden for me.

I didn't care what pack he was from or how they would benefit my father. I don't care about our difference in ethnicity - does anybody? - and I certainly did not care about his last name. Johnson or Lockwood, it's all the same to me, as long as he comes with it.

I guess I am a sucker for him. What can I say? He is an Alpha and I am an Omega. We are made for each other, or so I have been told from a very early age - that Alphas and Omegas almost always end up together because they represent two sides of the spectrum. The yin and yang of the werewolf world.

History teaches us that the first Omegas came from indigenous tribes, the two-spirit indigenous people that would get mated to the same biological gender as them. Nowadays, it is what we call non-binary but started with the indigenous tribes.

Those two-spirit individuals were widely accepted within the tribes and it was no surprise when they started getting pregnant from their mates. I mean, it was a shock at first, but the Goddess never plays to lose.

Remember the legend of Bidziil? The undefeated indigenous warrior who got mated to a white Alpha? Indigenous tribes did not believe in mate rejection, so he just went for it. They tried to kill him, but no one ever could. They were an undefeated couple for decades to come.

The power couple ended up founding a town that now we call the Stronghold pack, the largest werewolf territory in the United States of America and still to this very day, the most fearsome wolf pack in the nation. It all started with them, can you believe it?

We settled down inside the auditorium for Headmaster Lockwood's weekly speech.

But instead of him, Professor Roberts was there to welcome us. What is happening?

"Good evening, students. I trust you all spent a pleasant weekend in the castle, preparing for your parents' visit next Saturday." He started with a cordial smile.

"I know you expected Headmaster Lockwood to be giving this speech, but unfortunately he is not feeling well, so the school nurse advised him to rest in his room while she called a doctor to check up on him." He informed us and we all gasped in shock. He was just fine during lunchtime when he was yelling at us for the claiming debacle between Jayden and me.

"What?!" Jayden shouted in disbelief. "Why wasn't I told of this?" He was mad for being caught off guard on such a matter.

"Your grandfather doesn't want to see anybody at the moment, Jayden. It is up to him when to divulge his health issues and to whom. I am sorry that you are hearing about this now. I am sure he would like to hear from you later, so I'd suggest calling him. Unfortunately, he is not too keen on you after that scene earlier during lunch." He told Jayden, who was baffled to hear this.

He was mortified for possibly having caused his grandfather to have health issues and I wanted to comfort him at this moment, but we were far apart inside the large room.

"Oh my Goddess!" Jayden cried out, exasperated.

"You shouldn't feel bad, young man. It's nothing serious for the time being. He was medicated and is now resting until the doctor arrives." Professor Roberts tried to not make him feel guilty, but Jayden looked wracked with remorse.

For all their trials and tribulations, they are family. Headmaster Lockwood is the patriarch of his family, his mother's only surviving parent. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now, but I'll be sure to check on him after this is done.

With somber faces, the students heard Professor Roberts speak about the week of exams that we are about to have and the upcoming Christmas Ball next Friday. He kept it light and short, then dismissed us. Jayden received comfort from his Alpha buddies who were with him in the corridor, including my brother, who looked distraught by the news.

After they dispersed, I approached him carefully and offered him a hug. Jayden looked destroyed by guilt. He never could have imagined that one little thing could have led his grandfather to sustain health issues.

"He'll be fine. You'll see. When you least expect it, he'll be back berating us about something." I tried to cheer him up, but he was inconsolable.

"You mean, berating me, right?" He corrected me with a snarky tone.

"Jay, you didn't do anything that would warrant that kind of reaction from him. You don't know what caused his health issue. It could have been something he ate at lunch. You know how old people are... Don't beat yourself up about it." I tried to comfort him before he went down on a spiral.

"Thank you for saying that, Seth. Please excuse me, I need to go to my room." He spoke, sounding distraught. He rushed past me and sprinted out of the auditorium towards the Alpha dormitory.

The students dispersed from the auditorium with worried faces for their headmaster. We don't know the extent of his issues. It could be something simple or not, but from what I can tell, he doesn't strike me as someone who would be so easily taken like this. If he is not giving his self-congratulatory speech, then it must be serious enough.

I am sure he will be alright after a good night of sleep and a visit from the doctor.

I walked back to my dorm room while Jake tried to make me feel better about the fact that I shouldn't have encouraged Jayden when he came to our table earlier to claim me. I don't feel guilty about it because I didn't see the harm in it, but I know now how disrespectful that was. I didn't realize it at first, but I certainly do now.

"He'll be alright once his wolf healing kicks in. I am sure there is nothing too bad or they wouldn't have sent him to his bedroom alone. Plenty of things can be cured with a good night of rest." Jake argued, trying to make me feel less worried.

"I hope you're right. If anything happens to Lockwood, Jayden would never be able to forgive himself for it." I muttered, distraught.

We had about forty minutes until dinner time, so I just went to my dorm room to rest. I still have detention after dinner. Oh yeah, detention in Ravenwood is nothing like in ordinary schools. It's a real punishment, not time away secluded. That wouldn't punish anybody since we are all secluded here. An hour more or less would not change anything for us.

I kept replaying in my mind the distraught expression on Jayden's face after we were told of the news. He looked so unwell and wracked with guilt. All I wanted was to make him feel better. I just wish I'd have the chance to be with him tonight in our detention duty.

I hope Jayden doesn't skip it because that will not go well with his grandfather.

Plus, if you skip detention you are not allowed inside any class, and tomorrow the end-of-term exams begin. This is not the time to play hooky, not at all.

Later that evening, we were all reunited in the cafeteria as we stood in line for dinner. Jayden is looking taciturn and is not speaking to anybody, despite his friends' attempts to socialize with him. He is barely here, it seems.

I cannot fault him for this reaction, I am a family boy through and through. It's the country boy in me who values family above all things, so I can relate to his troubles. I sat down across from Jake, but I was not in the mood to talk tonight.

If Jayden is not well, then neither am I.

I cannot pretend that everything is well in the world when a person I like is suffering.

At the Alpha section, the boys kept their conversations light-hearted, respecting Jayden's privacy and his somber mood. Roberto told him that his grandfather is a tough man and that he would be alright.

"We are all pulling for him. I am sure he will recover in no time and tomorrow he'll be back to announcing another set of couples approved for contract negotiations." The foreign exchange student argued in a light tone.

"Thank you, Beto. I really wish you'd find your match here. I can honestly say that my life is better because I have Seth in it." He stated and I could cry right now. Not exaggerating.

"I already have found my match, but he is not available for contract negotiations." He countered, glancing at Kyle at another table in the same section.

"I am sorry about that. There is no law that says that two Alphas can't be together, but I understand Kyle's predicament. I couldn't show up at my pack with a non-Omega either." Jayden tried to empathize.

"I know... it's just hard when we can't be together with the person we like due to social conventions." He breathed out a frustrated sigh.

"You can say that again... You wouldn't believe the stories I heard from my grandma when she got mated to my grandpa." Jayden related to him, thinking about them for a minute.

He gets misty-eyed thinking about his grandfather and the food gets hard to swallow all of a sudden. Jayden gets in his head thinking about his grandparents and their amazing love story. Tears come to his eyes and it is being noticed by all the other Alphas.

"I am sure your grandparents lived a fantastic love story that brought about a beautiful family. But with the utmost respect to your grandmother, that doesn't mean old man Lockwood is ready to meet her in the afterlife. He will get better, just wait and see." Roberto argued, trying to cheer him up.

"Sorry." A tear escaped from his eyes in sorrow. "I just got carried away thinking about them for a minute. You're right, he will pull through. Thanks, Beto. You are such a great guy. I wish I could bring you back to Georgia when school is over. I would love to continue our friendship." Jayden was moved by his words and so was I. Roberto laughed at his proposition.

"You will go to college after this, but I appreciate the offer. If I could go to college in America, I would. But it's very difficult to get approval for a spot while living in a foreign country." He spoke, sounding defeated.

"Just know that you will always have a friend in me, if you need one. I'm one call away." Jayden declared, emotional.

Wow. Who knew that they would strike up such a good friendship like that? Why couldn't he and my brother have that?

After dinner, Jayden and I were back at our labor together as we helped out with the cleaning of the cafeteria. The staff has to get the room ready for tomorrow's breakfast. Considering there were a ton of dirty dishes, Jayden and I were stuck washing them.

He continued looking taciturn and moody, so I didn't strike up a conversation with him. Not like we did during lunch. I respected his privacy by making myself useful and available to talk. After we were done, I told him that if he needed me, I was available.

Considering how dirty and tired we were by that point, all we needed was a good shower and a night of sleep, so we went our separate ways. But before we did, he held me for a moment at the steps of the second tower, where the dormitories are located.

He hugged me for a while and I could tell how much he needed comfort at that moment. He felt shaky and nervous to me, still blaming himself for what happened to his grandfather. I was just there for him and I would hug him all night if I could.

"Good night, Seth. Thank you for keeping me company." He pecked my cheek before walking upstairs to the Alpha House.

"Good night, Jay. He will be better in the morning." I told him, trying to make him feel better.

Monday. December 9th. 7 a.m.

The students began to walk the corridor towards the cafeteria for breakfast. Hordes of students from all three houses converged in the same corridor, talking or listening to music on their headphones.

Jayden and I were far away from each other, but judging by the way he looked, he didn't catch much sleep last night. I was worried for him. My only hope is that his grandfather is better now and he can put the whole 'claiming gone wrong' debacle to rest. I am sure he is.

Professor Roberts greeted us at the entrance to the cafeteria, looking somber. This is uncharacteristic of him. He never does this, much less ambush us before we have the chance to have breakfast.

"Good morning, students. I am afraid it is my duty to inform you that Headmaster Lockwood..."

https://youtu.be/BxuY9FET9Y4

A|N: What?

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Léo.