Alek watched Chloe weave in between the students in the hallway. She was so graceful. He loved to watch her walk. He tried to clamp down on his feelings. His job was here to protect the Uniter, not date her. But he wanted to date her so badly. He loved how she smelled. Her walk.
"Stop thinking of her like that." thought Alek to himself as he sat down at his desk. I must protect her from the other Prides and the Order. Alek worried about the other Prides especially with what the pride from Brazil did. He felt something brush against his mind like a probe. He had heard about some Mai having some telepathic ability. But he thought that ability died out ages ago. He looked around to see who was doing this. His eyes settled on Stephen Jameson. He looked at him in the eyes, he felt a stronger probe into his mind this time. This angered him, and he let Stephen know it by flashing his eyes at him. If he was a Mai, he would have to respond. But Stephen eyes stay the same and looked startled that Alek did that. He was so startled that he grabbed his desk like he was trying to stay seated.
"OK everyone please take your seats and put your cell phones away," said Mr. Mulwray as he walked into class. "Mr. Jameson can you please collect everyone homework."
Alek put his body in a fast response mode. To anyone looking at him, they would have seen a teenage boy sloughing. But to anyone who was a Mai, they would have seen a teenage Mai ready for danger. Alek watched Stephen get up and collect everyone's homework. Alek knew if Stephen was a Mai that he would have responded. Alek was also sure that was the one trying to scan his mind.
"Are you OK Jameson?" asked Alek balancing on the back of the legs of his chair. "You look like something that the cat dragged in."
Stephen just gave him a strange look but did not answer him as he took his paper and walked towards the front of the class. Alek watched as Stephen put the papers on Mr. Mulwray desk. Alek felt someone kick the chair out from beneath him. Alek didn't fall because of his Mai abilities. But the chair made a loud crash, and everyone turned and looked at him.
"Mr. Petrov," said Mr. Mulwray. "How many times have I told you not to lean back in your chair?"
"Sorry Mr. Mulwray," said Alek placing his chair back into its correct position. He looked at Stephen and noticed that he was staring at him weirdly. This seemed to irritate him even more. "Get a hold of yourself." he thought to himself. He was not sure why he was angry with Stephen. But there was something about him that was different. He wondered if he was a Jackal. He sat down and looked towards the door as a brunette girl was coming into class. She headed towards Mr. Mulwray and handed him a sheet of paper.
"Hi Ms. Cameron Smith," said Mr. Mulwray. "Welcome to class. Please take any empty seat that is available."
Alek watched as the brunette took a seat in the middle of the classroom. She was pretty for a human he supposed. But there was something kind of off about her. Her movements were slightly different from most humans. He could not figure it out. But there was something different about her. He glanced over at Stephen and saw that he was looking at the new girl a little funny as well.
"OK clear your desk, everyone," said Mr. Mulwray. "Pop quiz." There were several loud sighs as kids cleared their desks "This should be a breeze if you read last night reading."
Alek received his quiz from the person in front of him. He looked over at Stephen, who was already writing on his paper. He looked over at the new girl. She was looking around the classroom. She seemed perfectly normal to him now. "Maybe these nighttime training exercises are getting to him." he thought to himself.
"Ms. Smith, you don't need to take the test. But while everyone else is you can read over last night reading pages 118 to 121," said Mr. Mulwray.
Alek finished the pop quiz and placed it on Mr. Mulwray's desk. On his way, back to his desk, he looked over at Stephen again. Stephen still had his head down doing his quiz. Alek sat down and looked over at the new girl. She was still looking around the room. She looked at him and smiled and continue looking around the room. There was something off about her, but Alek could not put his finger on it.
"Maybe because she was new." Thought Alek to himself.
Mr. Mulwray started lecturing the class. Alek mind started drifting back to Chloe and how he was going to protect her from the Order, but mostly his mind went back to her smile and the way her body moved when she walked.
"Stop that," he said to himself. "Focus."
He looked at Stephen, there was something there that his Mai self-was warning him about. Stephen had his elbow on the desk and hand underneath his chin looking like a typical bored kid in class. Alek could not see his face. He assumed that it had a bored expression on like everyone else in Mr. Mulwray's class. Alek needed to find out what Stephen saw. He could have accidentally put the Mai at risk by provoking Stephen to show that he was a Mai. His mind started to race on how many Mai laws he broke today. Valentina was going to be infuriated with him for exposing himself to humans. The bell rang and brought his brain back to reality. He grabbed his stuff and headed out the door. He needed to find Stephen.