Wunderhein Academy: Book 1- Awakening

“Stupid Lexie.” Kitten seethed as she headed back towards the dorms. “Jerk-face, idiot, fu- ahhh.”

She found herself being grabbed from behind and twirled into the courtyard, ending up with her back pressed against the wall.

She blinked, looking into a pair of beautiful eyes that were looking back at her in mirth.

“Careful Cat.” Tom chuckled. “For a moment there it sounded like you were going to swear.”

“How do you keep doing that?” She gasped. “This appearing and disappearing thing?”

“Practice.” Tom lowered his head, brushing his lips against her temple before she could push him away. “Lots of practice.”

His movement took her by surprise, making her heart run frantically in her chest like it wanted to explode. Usually, if it did that, it was because she was scared. She didn’t feel scared. She felt a little annoyed. It felt good though, she admitted to herself. Like the day she had made cookies with Ivan, good.

She closed her eyes and relaxed her hands before leaning closer towards him, pulling in his scent. Strange how different he smelt from all the other boys. Not bad, just like something she wanted to keep smelling. Not that she would tell him that. It would give him too much satisfaction.

“Are you done sniffing me?” His laughter made her open her eyes. She felt her face flaring up.

“No, I’m not.” She protested hotly, making a failed attempt to push him away. “Sniffing you, I mean.”

Her denial only made him laugh more.

“Relax, I’m teasing.” Tom lowered his head, rubbing his face alongside her own, nuzzling her. “How was your day?”

She opened her mouth but the words died before she could even utter anything. If she was honest, he didn’t just smell good, he felt good too. His skin was soft as it rubbed against hers.

She inhaled another helping of his smell, feeling a catch in her throat as she did.

In a panic, she opened her eyes but it was too late.

“Well now.” His eyes twinkled. “You purr?”

She shook her head frantically. “No.”

She tried to push him away again but felt him slip a finger under her chin, pulling her back towards him.

“Cat, it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine.” She choked. “Everyone says it’s fine. Everyone says it’s the gift from the island but I’m not a cat. I’m a person. I’m …”

She halted to catch her breath, wishing she could throw something, anything, to help relieve the aggravation.

“Purr.”

The sound next to her ear caught her attention. With wide eyes, she turned to Tom who was continuing to smile as if nothing had happened.

“You purr?” She gasped.

“Why do you think I keep telling you we’re mates?” He grinned, reaching out to brush some hair away from the side of her face that wasn’t marked. It made her feel weird. For the past month, her hair had decided to become wild and no matter how she tried to tame it, it always stood upon the top just on the sides. Her ears, Boris called it.

“But you purred.” She leaned closer, her finger running slowly along his throat as she examined the muscles there. “How? I mean… did you just make it happen? Mine is random. And how are you doing it? I never heard anyone else purring here? Is it just us?”

“Relax. There are lots of guys here that can do it. It’s actually not a big thing.” She felt each word vibrate under her fingertip as he spoke them. “Only they’re something else. I’m a cat like you.”

Kitten halted at Tom’s last statement and looked up at him. “But we’re people.”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a way we talk about our gifts.” Tom shrugged. “It’s all animal type stuff so we call ourselves after the animal we think we’re most like. Haven’t you noticed it yet?”

“I thought the animal names were just to show off. I mean I get Boris has really amazing stuff he can do. I thought it was a coincidence he was called the Rat with the stuff he did.”

Tom burst out laughing. It was a strange sound. Soft but with a strange catch to it, like when someone scratched their fingers over a chalk-board. “That’s adorable.”

“I’m not trying to be adorable.” Kitten pouted. “I’m a Brawn. We’re not adorable.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. The names we go by are the names we choose for ourselves once we get our ‘Cuts’. Animal names just make it easier. Especially for the Adults.” Tom frowned slightly. “You notice soon enough that they don’t know or care who we are.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Never trust an Adult. Anyway, you can be whoever you want to be although I quite like your name.” He leaned his head closer towards her, brushing a soft kiss on her forehead. She felt her hear jump again. “And don’t worry about the purr. It sounds beautiful.”

Kitten found herself blushing at the compliment and hating herself for it. Brawn did not fall for pretty words, she reminded herself furiously. Brawn were stronger than that.

“You don’t use an animal name.” She pointed out, harsher then she intended.

“I do. Tom.” He smiled. “As in Tom-cat. I prefer being called that to my real name.”

“Why? What’s your real name?” Kitten wasn’t sure why she asked. To be honest she preferred the name Tom. It slipped off her tongue easily. Only Boris and the others used their real names around her. What was wrong with his real name that he couldn’t share it?

“The people that do know it, have a habit of not liking me very much.” He replied in a solemn voice.

“Well, right now the feelings mutual.” She tried to push herself away but found herself being pulled back into his embrace. “Let me go. Someone might see us and think we’re together.”

Tom didn’t obey her. Instead, he raised one finger to his lips, indicating for her to keep quiet. The action made her even angrier. She opened her mouth to yell at him when a cough stopped her.

“Hey, you two. Knock it off. It’s after hours.” The Grunt that was on his patrols yelled at them before his next coughing fit, making a sick wet noise as if he was trying to bring up flem. He swore for a moment, using words that would have shocked Kitten in the past but now meant nothing to her thanks to Dmitri’s daily lessons in colourful language. When he remembered they were there, the Grunt’s voice was filled with hate. “You’re breaking curfew.”

“Flip, I’m going to get a warning.” Kitten hissed. Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Tom took a step away from her.

“You should leave now.”

Tom’s words seemed to annoy the Adult more. The man took a step from the hallway into the courtyard. His hand slipped towards his belt, reaching for the gun there. Kitten had seen those before. There were darts in them that made you sleepy if it hit you. All the Grunts carried them.

“Tom.” She whispered a warning, in case he hadn’t seen the item. Grunts didn’t just carry those guns, they carried sticks too that they beat you with.

In response, Tom raised his arm. The Grunt didn’t look like he was going to stop until he neared Tom. Then he let go of the gun, raising his hands to his forehead instead, in the form of a salute.

“Sir.” The Grunt’s voice held a hint of displeasure.

“Get lost.” Tom’s eye’s narrowed for a moment. “I’m on official business.”

Immediately the Grunt turned around and vanished around the corner to inspect another part of the dorms.

“How did you do that?” Kitten whispered in awe, watching the adult leave.

“I have high authority for both Level fives.” Tom replied. “I told you before.”

“You control the grown-ups?”

“Not all of them.” Kitten didn’t miss Tom’s voice hardening slightly. “Some Adults are still higher then what I can control.”

“That was still amazing. Hey, wait a minute,” She turned to glare at him. “What official business do you have here?”

“My own.” He held out his hand towards her. “Come on. You’ll like it. I promise.”

She hesitated before stepping towards him, refusing to take the hand he was offering her. That would make her weak. Brawn were not weak.

“I don’t care who you control.” She warned him, her eyes narrowing slightly. “If you try anything I’ll bite you.”

He burst out into that laughter again.

“As promising as that sounds, it won’t get to that.” He held his hand closer towards her. “Shall we?”

“Let’s go.” She lifted her head and began walking ahead of him before stopping, realizing she had no idea where she was going.

In one smooth motion, he slipped by her, brushing against her shoulder. “This way.”

She looked back towards the dorms, wondering how much trouble she was going to be in if she didn’t go back.

“Cat.” His voice made her turn back to him.

“Coming.” She replied, her even steps changing into running strides the further she went. It wasn’t long before he was also running, laughing as he tried to catch her.

It was like a game. One she played with the other Meat-Bags.

“Tag.” She laughed, jumping ahead and touching his arm. “You’re it.”

“No.” She felt his hand grab her wrist as he twisted his body to confront her. She waited for him to let her go so she could chase him again. Instead, he kissed the inside of her wrist. “You’re it. And we’re here.”

“We are?” Her smile vanished as she looked around her. The field under her was covered in grass. The horizon melted into darkness while stars shone above her head in a breath-taking display.

“This is the Track.” She gasped, recognising the place despite the lack of light.

“You always come here don’t you.” Tom smiled. “The track?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So now it’s yours.”

“You’re crazy.” She giggled as she pulled her arm from his slackened grip. “You can’t just give the Track away. It belongs to everyone.”

“If that’s what you think.”

She shook her head at him before looking at the track field. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was as if it went on for miles and miles either way and all she had to do was run. She took a step forward before taking another.

“Hey Tom,” She turned around and her smile faded as she hunted for the other cat. When she couldn’t find him, she began to panic. If she was caught out here alone, she knew she would be in the biggest trouble ever starting with Lexie. “Tom, this isn’t funny.”

“Is everything alright?”

Furiously, she spun, finding the darkness melting off him like a cloak as he walked towards her.

“Where were you?” She burst out, hating how scared she sounded.

Brawn were not afraid, she tried to remind herself. They weren’t ever meant to be afraid.

“I was over there.” Tom pointed to the place he had stepped out from, frowning. “Didn’t you see me?”

“No!”

“Mmm.” He stepped towards her and she forced herself not to cringe when he placed his hands around her eyes. A moment later, a light flashed, making her hiss.

“What was that for?” She yelled, pulling her face away from him.

“I was checking your eyes.” Tom replied in a flat tone most Medics she knew switched to. It made her want to rip his throat out. “I thought your eyesight would have improved by now.”

“Stop it.” She hissed as she tried pushing him away. “You’re being creepy again.”

“Cat wait-“ He began but she turned to cut him off.

“I’m Kitten.” She snapped. “Not Cat. Kitten, Kitten, Kitten.”

“You’re my Cat.”

“I’m not your Cat. I’m not your mate.” She spat. “I don’t belong to anyone. I keep telling you that. I said I didn’t do meds.”

“Really?’ He smiled before gripping the end of her jersey and pulling the sleeve down. Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the bracelet on her arm.

He stayed silent, waiting for an explanation. She kept staring at her arm, clueless what to tell him. How had he known unless he felt it when he touched her arm earlier. Or had he seen it when he kissed her? Hundreds of thoughts ran through her mind but none were what she was looking for.

“You look beautiful with it on, by the way.”

“Huh.” She looked up from her arm to Tom. “Beautiful?”

“Yes. Like one of those girls in the movies.”

“Lying Medic.” She brushed her hair from behind her ears to the front of her face, making sure it hid her birthmark. “Brawn aren’t beautiful.”

“No,” He smiled. “Just stubborn.”

“I should get back.” She made to turn around when the school bell echoed in the distance. Silently she began to count the chimes, trying to work out how late it was.

“Midnight.” Tom whispered before she even reached the twelve chimes. “Happy Birthday Cat.”

“How did you know it was my birthday?” She turned back at him in surprise. She hadn’t told anyone, not even Boris. To be honest, she had almost forgotten about it herself.

“I have access to your records.“ He closed the gap between them before leaning his head down and kissing her. It was a strange kiss, different from Ivan’s light peck or the way Boris had timidly nibbled her lower lip.

She wasn’t sure how, but Tom had managed to coax her mouth open. His rough tongue was trying to play some wrestling match with her own. She tried fighting back but she wasn’t sure who was winning. She did feel her heart begin to pound quickly. For a moment she wondered if it was going to break free from her chest and she would never see it again.

She liked this game, she decided. This was a Brawn’s game.

She had managed to gain territory and win access to his mouth when he pulled away from her.

She cried out in disappointment.

“That’s enough.” He told her, running his fingers along the side of her un-marked face. “It’s time for bed.”

“But that was fun.” She whined. “I wanna play again.”

“Next time, I promise. We have to start going back to the dorms.” He began nuzzling her neck. “Finally you stopped smelling like a wolf.

“Wolf? You mean like my captain?”

“Exactly like your captain. That scent was driving me crazy.” Tom touched her hair, running it through his fingers. Her insides felt strange again. “I don’t like you smelling like him.”

“That’s silly. I’m around him most of the time, of course I’d smell like him. In fact, I should smell like the others on my team too.” She lifted her arm and sniffed it before continuing. ”Especially Boris since we play together a lot.”

“You should find a new team.”

“My team is fine.”

“Your loyalty is a credit to your leader.”

Kitten felt like laughing. She didn’t feel very loyal to Lexie. But he was still her captain, even if she did want to kill him.

“So have you thought about your birthday wish?” Tom’s question cut through her thoughts.

“Birthday wish?” Kitten tilted her head in puzzlement. “What’s a birthday wish?”

“On your birthday you get to make a wish for something.” Tom explained.

“No.” Kitten shook her head. “No, I don’t have one. I never heard of that rule before.”

“Would you like me to make a wish for you then?”

“I guess you can.” Kitten bit her lip for a moment. “I mean I’m not going to use it except to wish I get my ‘Cuts’ but I want to work for those myself, not take the easy way and get them.”

“Fine. Then I wish you were older.”

“Older?” She frowned. “What are you talking about? I just turned older?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s personal reasons.” He began nuzzling her neck. “We should go back.”

“It because my papers say I’m eleven isn’t it.” Kitten snarled angrily. “You can’t tell me you’re secret because the papers in my files say I’m still just a kid.”

“A very cute kid.”

“So I’m right. It is because of that. You shouldn’t be sneaking in my files.” Kitten stamped her foot. “I’m not a kid. I’m fifteen.”

“I guessed about thirteen. You look younger.”

“I’m still not a kid.”

“No, you’re not, but you’re also not old enough.” He reached out and rubbed her un-marked cheek. “I want to mark you. But I want to wait until your old enough to enjoy it too before I do.”

“Mark me? What does that mean?” Her brow furrowed. “Like make me your territory? I told you I don’t belong to anyone.”

He laughed slightly. It sounded like the only sound in the world and ran down her spine.

“You’ll understand it better when you’re older.” He leaned forward and kissed her again. Not the fight kiss from earlier, but a swift kiss on her clean cheek. “Come on, it’s time for you to get to bed.”

She wanted to protest but the words died in her throat, leaving her feeling more confused than ever.

“Yeah.” She muttered, looking away from him. “Whatever.”

This time there were no games on the way back. Tom waved off the few guards that tried to stop them as he had done before until they reached the passage of her dorm.

“You can go.” She didn’t look at him as she took the few steps towards her dorm. “I can get there myself.”

“Are you mad at me now, Cat?”

“I don’t know.” She admitted. “I don’t like you looking through my stuff, to be honest. You should just ask.”

“Would you have told me when you hate medics so much?”

“I guess not.”

“Cat, you’re my mate, you should know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“I wish you would drop that.” Kitten frowned. “I’m not your mate.”

“Are we really going to fight about this again?” He pointed to her arm. “You accepted my gift.”

“Just shut up.” Kitten rolled her eyes before turning around and storming off to her room.

Why did she ever have to meet that stupid Tom-Cat.

She had just unlocked her door when the sound of another door behind her opening up made her freeze. She turned around and found Aleksei watching her, a pile of folders in his arms.

“Explain.” His cold eyes seemed to grow colder.

She swallowed.

On no. Busted.