Lily was shaking slightly as she walked up to Nova High's gates on a chilly Monday - the weekend passed with no more events besides several terms worth of homework she had to quickly skim over. No more surprise visits from werewolves or from her inner creature.

She was still panicking like she was about to be ambushed - were people still talking about her outburst on Friday?

Lily shifted the straps across her shoulders, anxiety crawling around her stomach. She felt sick. As the gates loomed, she paused and dug into her pockets of her jeans for her phone and earphones. 

Music always calmed her down. It also allowed her to focus on something other than people's gazes of pity or curiosity. She liked music, and it somehow made her feel like she belonged somewhere else.

With one earphone slotted in place, Lily's music soothing in her ear, she walked through the dreaded gates of Nova High. She kept her head down while heading to the main entrance and tried to ignore the burning stares of the students around her.

Lily tuned out her thoughts, and those stares, trying to focus on the music in her ears. Renegades? She realised, losing herself to the rhythm before it was interrupted when someone called her name. 

"Lily!" She froze and turned to the source of the shout, and relaxed only a little when she saw Jack wave a ring-covered hand and head towards her with a curious Claire and a nervous Karen in tow. Lily removed her earphone as they reached her, and was pinned under Jack's curious stare.

"How's your weekend?" Jack asked, shifting her bag. Claire was tapping her pen against her notebook like she was rushing to finish some homework before class started. Karen was clutching her binder like her life was stored inside.

"It was alright, had a tonne of homework to do." Lily said, fiddling with her earphones as her anxiety slowly churned in her belly. 

"Yeah, Mrs Khan told us that you've been added to all these new classes," Jack frowned. "That sucks."

Lily shrugged. "There's nothing I can do."

"Besides drown in homework?"

"Yeah," Lily smiled a little, and nodded to Claire. "Is that what you're doing?"

Claire blinked. "Oh, I've done my homework. This is Jack's."

Jack smiled innocently at Claire. "Thanks a tonne!" 

Claire scrunched up her nose but continued filling out Jack's notebook. The witch turned back to her. "What's your first class?"

Lily picked out the timetable she'd tucked into her back pocket. "Vamp Science?" She said warily. "Is it Week B?"

"Yep - you're with Karen then." Jack turned to the vampire next to her, who warily looking at Lily through her long dark hair. Her binder was still gripped tightly in her hands. "You okay?"

"Yes!" Karen squeaked as Lily looked at her. "Sorry, I'm just a bit nervous!"

Claire frowned. "Karen, babe, you're always nervous." 

"Well, I-you know..." Karen sheepishly looked at Lily. "I'm sorry, I just can't get Friday out of my head."

Lily stiffened and shuffled her feet. "You're not the only one."

Jack scoffed. "The song's not that bad."

Karen blushed. "No, I meant-"

"I know but you're being ridiculous." Jack crossed her arms. "Just don't touch Lily's bracelet and you'll be fine." The witch looked to Lily, to her bare wrist, and frowned. "Where is your bracelet?"

Lily still felt that ghostly weight around her empty wrist. "It's too damaged to wear."

Jack's expression softened a little. "That sucks." Jack looked to her own wrists adorned with bracelets but focused on her non-existent watch. "Ooh, my watch says my homework should be done!"

"Gimme a few Jack, hang on!" Claire furiously scribbled on the notebook as the school bell quietly went.

"Are you okay showing me the ropes in science?" Lily pushed aside her anxiety and asked the shy vampire.

"Yes," Karen nodded. "It just may take a while before I'm used to you. I'm...I'm just very shy." 

"That's okay," Lily smiled softly as her anxiety faded away and she could breathe a little easier. "My anxiety makes me shy too."

Karen's brown eyes gleamed a little as Lily admitted their shared trait. Jack looked between them and smiled. "Good! Alright, let's get this hellish day over with." She rubbed her hands together, sparks of green magic flying but she paid it no heed as she walked towards the main doors.

"You'll need your notebook!" Claire shouted after her and raced to catch up. Karen just smiled at the two of them.

"They'll take a while to get used to as well." Karen smiled softly, tucking her long curtain of hair behind her ear, and began walking with Lily to their first class. Lily's anxieties eased as she realised she had at least one friend in her new classes.

Karen walked into class with her, arriving a little early before the main group of students went in. Their teacher, Mr Ren, was a vampire hailing from another continent and spoke with an accent that rolled his r's. He came over and introduced himself to Lily and explained where they were in their studies; he was pleased to hear Lily had read through their past classes so she was somewhat up to date.

"That makes this easier for you," Mr Ren said. His eyes were dark as he took in her getting out a new notebook. 

"As vampires, whom rely heavily on blood we need to learn about where it comes from, what's beneficial to us, and what could be in it." Mr Ren explained while more students entered and took their seats. "Vampire science goes through the genetics of blood, what can be carried through it, as well as different diseases and viruses that can be picked up from it."

Lily nodded along, finding it interesting. She always had a thirst for knowledge, and Lily guessed it was her favourite highlight of being put into all the classes - she was actually learning something new. 

Mr Ren pointed the whiteboard where he'd written up some instructions for the lesson. "I'm sure Karen will help you during our lessons. I'll only be lenient with your homework for this week Lily, I expect you to be up to date by next week."

Lily could only nod, despite the despair in her gut at the workload awaiting her when she got home. I officially have no life. She wordlessly started to write down what was on the board, Karen doing the same, as the rest of the class filtered in.

"Hey what's she doing here!?" Lily snapped her head up as Isaac Munford stared at her, all his friends pausing at her presence as well.

Mr Ren pointed at a chair. "Take your seat Isaac, Lily's in this class now and that's all the explanation you need." 

Isaac was shocked, Lily could tell from his wide eyes, but shrugged off his bag when he got to his desk. "Alright, Mr Ren." He scoffed, glaring at Lily as she turned her head away and got back to her notes. Karen gently nudged her to smile softly, and Lily returned the smile - at least she had one person supporting her.

Lily did her best to keep up, jotting down as many notes as she could, while Mr Ren explained the next class of genetics to them. Karen whispered explanations to her as he went on, ignoring their chatter.

It was when they got to the practical experiment that things changed. 

"Okay, pair off between each other-" Lily and Karen locked eyes in agreement, "-and I'm going to come around with your jars; one of you grab the aprons, safety goggles, and gloves, the other can clear your station."

Lily started to move their stuff about to clear the table while Karen went to grab the rest of the equipment, seeing as she was the only one who knew where it was. As she was moving their stuff to the side Isaac approached her bench.

"Enjoying yourself, freak?" He grinned, a snake's smile, unnerving Lily.

Mr Ren, however, had reached her bench as well. "Head to your station, Isaac." He said as he put a jar down on her bench.

Isaac leaned against Lily's bench. "But this is my bench, sir, Lily and I are a pair!"

"No we're not." Lily said bluntly. Isaac blinked at her as his friends snorted. She frowned at him, what was he thinking?

Mr Ren looked at Isaac. "Back to your station," was all he said as he kept handing out the jars. Isaac glared at him but left. Karen came over with Lily's apron, glasses and gloves while Karen already wore hers. It made her eyes larger, the innocent doe eyes taking in the clear station with a smile.

Lily then saw what was in the jar. "Is that a heart?"

Karen nodded, her face dropping. "It's a cow's heart, the poor thing. We're dissecting it to look at the valves." 

Lily paled a little. She wasn't fazed by blood, not really, but it was still unnerving to cut into a heart. With gloved hands she reached for the jar as Mr Ren instructed for them to open them and begin dissecting, to be very careful with their scalpels and to follow his instructions 'word for word'.

Lily was struggling to open the jar as Karen recited the instructions, double checking she had the chopping board and scalpel ready. Lily huffed, removing her glove so she could get a better grip on the metal lid. It was slightly wet from being in a cooler so her hand was slipping a little. 

She twisted her hand and gasped when her hand sliced open along a sharp edge of the lid. The class went silent as Lily looked down to see her blood lining her little finger and down her palm. It wasn't a deep cut, it would scab over in a few hours, but as Lily looked at her hand she realised the class was still silent.

Lily looked up, about to explain to Mr Ren she cut her hand open, when she took in everyone staring at her. Students were gripping the tables as the smell of her blood wafted through the room. To her it was just metallic, but to a vampire who had senses a lot stronger than hers, they must have smelled an underlying scent.

They were looking at her like she was food.  

Lily looked to Karen to see she was surprisingly clear-eyed but struggling a little as she took in Lily's injury. All the vampires had their gazes locked on the red blood now beginning to pool in her hand.

"Lily," Mr Ren said calmly, hands raised defensively. He was the only vampire who wasn't struggling. "Slowly walk towards the door and to the sick bay. Don't make any sudden moves please."

Lily slowly reached out with her good hand for her books but the teacher shook his head. "Leave your things, collect them after class." 

Lily nodded, trying to calm her racing heart and slowly stepped out from the bench to walk down the aisle of the classroom. The vampires' eyes followed her every move.

"What's going on?" She asked, her voice naturally a low whisper. Something shifted in her stomach as she realised she was in trouble. Instinct swam through her blood and told her to not stop walking.

"A scent is a lot stronger when it's attached to blood." Mr Ren explained as he slowly walked with her to the door. "Your scent is normal, altered enough to know you're not human, but it magnified when your blood was exposed to everyone's noses. It's similar to a trance. I'll explain more about it when you return for your books." 

Lily just nodded, her fear drowning her instincts out as she walked out the classroom. She jumped when Mr Ren shut the door behind her, leaving her in a hallway alone with a bleeding hand and a lot of questions.

What an excellent start to her week.

Sick bay wasn't much help - the fairy teachers tutting over her accident, warning her to be careful. Their purple magic though, trying as it might to weave her skin back together, wasn't working. Their magic slid off her skin like oil so they had to heal her hand the old fashioned way. As they bandaged her up she was asking questions about vampire trances, about bloodlust, but they didn't have any answers.

"We're fairies, Lily." The nurse just said. "We know just the anatomy, not the instincts of us supernaturals!" 

Lily scowled at her thickly bandaged hand - she couldn't form a fist, let alone grip a pen properly, and for today where she was in a whole bunch of new classes it was the last thing she needed.

Lily spent the rest of the lesson in sick bay, arriving back at Mr Ren's door when the bell went for recess. She didn't look too closely at the vampires that left the classroom, ignoring their itching stares as they locked onto the bandage around her hand. Their noses twitched like her scent still tickled them.

When everyone had left, Isaac passing her with a mixed glare, Lily entered the classroom to see Karen packing up her things and Mr Ren pinching his nose. 

"Sir?" She asked, getting their attention. Karen weakly smiled at her and Mr Ren stared her down with a baffling expression.

"All healed up?"

"Somewhat." Lily waved to her bandaged hand. "Their magic doesn't work on me."

Mr Ren frowned. "Interesting." He picked up some paper from his desk and extended it to her. "Your homework is due in our next lesson. Karen took all the notes you'll need."

"Thank you." Lily took her bag from Karen and smiled at her, but the vampire was a little ashen. "What happened?" 

"One's individual scent is magnified when their blood is exposed, as I mentioned before." Mr Ren explained, as Karen wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Because you're an incredibly rare creature there's no information about your supernatural side for us to learn about - but we now know what the smell your blood can do to a vampire."

Lily felt her anxiety begin to pool in her stomach. "Which is?"

Mr Ren stared at her. "It starves their senses, meaning your scent comes across as the one thing they need to survive. It gives them the overwhelming urge to drink it." 

Lily gulped and clutched her wrapped hand, hesitantly looking between Karen and the teacher. Mr Ren narrowed his eyes. "I teach my students to master self-control, Lily. I make sure they understand there are more highly nutritious things to consume rather than blood, like beetroot for example, even if blood is easiest. You don't need to worry about Karen, or myself, attacking you. We're in control."

Lily's worry didn't lessen. "What about the others?"

"You might experience some unwanted attention but the rest of the teachers will keep them in line." Mr Ren said. "May I suggest avoiding the cafeteria for lunch today? Just because your scent is still in their noses." 

Lily shivered. The cut on her hand burned as her anxiety swam up her throat, clawing at her. "Great." She choked out.

Mr Ren opened the classroom door for them. "Once your hand's all healed up in a few days, they'll be fine. Just don't cut your hand open again."

Lily just nodded, her body walking out the classroom with Karen following. Her skin wasn't as pale anymore, a little bit of colour returning. The vampire looked at her under her curtain of black hair. "Are you okay?" Karen asked.

"Yeah." Lily said automatically. "I think so."

"I'm sorry if I scared you..." 

"Nah, you're fine." Lily's gaze wondered over the students gathering for the next class, feeling itchy under their stares. "You weren't who I was worrying about."

Karen frowned. "Isaac?"

Lily nodded and quietly told her about the confrontation last Friday morning before her wolf 'bodyguards' stepped in. Karen's eyes were wide, mouth open in shock. "He threatened to bite you?"

Lily pursed her lips. "He was probably bluffing, but what if he wasn't?"

"And now he's scented your blood?" Karen put the two together and paled again, clutching her precious binder. "Lily, he wouldn't do that on school grounds, no way..."

"Are you sure?" Lily slowly walked them to their lockers. "'Cause I wouldn't trust him not to."

Karen adjusted her binder as she looked up at Lily. "I'm sure Jack will help you if he does something? She hates him."

Lily almost smiled at the idea of the two of them battling, placing a little wager in her head on Jack winning in less than a few minutes. She cocked her head at Karen. "Any reason why?"

Karen thought for a moment. "I think he just gets under her skin, that's all. I've never seen Jack back down from a fight though. She'd happily fight anyone." 

Lily halted by her locker, seeing Jack and Claire standing a few metres away, and really looked at Karen; the shy vampire who couldn't stomach the idea of pain. "What did it smell like?" Lily whispered, hesitating for a moment.

Karen rubbed her nose, not quite looking her in the eye. "Like...it was a life. A refreshing glass of life that I needed, 'cause I was dying."

Jack and Claire had walked over and overheard Karen's haunting description, Lily's face was pale, but Jack just raised an eyebrow.

"That's poetic," she deadpanned. "Was science that boring?" 

Karen flushed, tucking her face behind her binder. Claire narrowed her eyes between the vampire and Lily, spotting her bandaged hand. "What happened!?" She exclaimed.

"It was an accident, the jar wouldn't open." Lily muttered, picking at the stupid bandage.

Jack frowned. "How'd that go down in a class of blood-loving creatures?"

"I'm not allowed in the cafeteria at lunch." Lily said, grabbing an apple out of her bag. There wasn't time for anything more filling so the apple would have to do.

Jack whistled low, Claire's eyes lighting up at the idea of gossip. "Which maths do you have now?" The fairy asked. 

Lily scowled looking at her full timetable. "Mathematics?"

"Mathematics, not General Maths?"

"Yeah..?

"Excellent, you're with me." Claire's grin was full of delight. "You can fill me in on what happened in science."

Jack groaned. "Karen please tell me you have a family emergency that requires you to be in sick bay all day and I can be a good friend and be there for you?"

Karen smiled softly. "Sorry Jack, you're stuck in maths for 90 minutes."

"That's too long." The witch whined as Karen began walking with her to their class. Claire led Lily to their own, her new teacher barely giving her a second glance as he stared at the room.

"Alright. Trigonometry." He said, holding the textbook in his hands like it was holy. "Work through pages 347 to 359 for this lesson. Exam style, so complete silence."

Lily almost left the classroom right then and there. Luckily her teacher wasn't too strict, ignoring Claire's quiet whispering on what 'x' truly was and how the graph was to be laid out, keeping her up to date. 

In return for Claire's help, she wanted details on what happened in science. Lily tried not to look too closely at the vampires around them - they hadn't bounced back as quickly as Karen had. Their skin was sickly. Some were scratching their nails on the table as though pain kept them grounded on reality.

Lily's hand still burned under the bandage and she struggled to write the equations out with her pen.

Despite the pain and burning over her palm, Mathematics passed by quickly. As she checked her timetable, Claire bouncing beside her with the new gossip recharging her energy for the school day, Lily felt dread sink in her stomach.

She had PE next. Werewolf PE. And she didn't have any friends in that class. 

Lily didn't eat. Her anxiety ate her stomach instead. She just kept remembering to breathe as she walked, alone, to the next class. Jack, Claire and Karen couldn't say anything to help her, although Jack did try.

"Well, you know you can punch them." Jack shrugged. "Worked the first time, right?"

Lily put the witch's violent advice aside as she walked in the classroom, and cringed as she saw the werewolves in their sport gear, sprawling on the basketball court. Some were warming up, throwing 3-point shots with ease.

The coach, another werewolf teacher named Miss Winters, scowled as she saw Lily still dressed in her normal casual gear, and scowled further when she saw the thick padded bandage coating her right arm. 

"Morgan?" Miss Winters marched over with her clipboard, eyeing her up and down. Assessing a pack member, a student, and kept scowling as she stared at her arm.

Lily nodded. "Lily." She held up her hand helplessly. "I injured it in science this morning."

"I heard." Miss Winters was still scowling. Lily suspected that was just her face. "We're playing basketball today - you'll have to sit on the lines thanks to your arm. Have you played before?"

Lily paused, gulping. "Years ago." She admitted, remembering playing with her sisters when she was younger, when they were still alive. "Not for a while." 

Miss Winters nodded. "I'll ref the game and explain it while you watch. Take notes."

"Miss Winters?" A student called, interrupting them. Lily ground her teeth as she watched Croft walk over to them. His sport gear was tight across his muscled frame, hanging loose over his narrowed, trim waist. His shoelaces weren't tied but tucked into the sides of his shoes carelessly. Lily stared at him as he watched her with those sky blue eyes, flickering between her and the teacher.

"Yes Croft?" 

"We'll have an odd number without Lily playing - I can sit out and talk her through the game while you ref the others?" He said, waving a hand to the students behind them that were not-so-subtly listening in. Lily watched his posture, that confident chin-up and stare down at another wolf in his pack.

Miss Winters nodded curtly after a moment. Lily also guessed she never smiled - she didn't blame her, high school drained any emotion from her as well. "That's kind of you Croft. Explain to Morgan the teams, strategies, and the scoring systems. The position of the players as well; teach her everything." 

Lily tightly smiled in thanks as she and Croft walked to the bench. The other werewolves watched as they sat next to each other, Lily grabbing her notebook without looking his way, but they all winced as Miss Winters blew her sharp whistle in their ears and began yelling at them.

"Seems like a delightful class." Lily muttered, opening the book.

Croft looked at her, taking in the braided auburn hair and the absence of make up on her face, those dark eyes bored as they looked back at him. "How are you?" He asked.

Lily frowned. "Fine?"

"Your hand? What happened?" He said, shifting his weight.

"I sliced it on a jar in science this morning." She shrugged. "That was bloody fun."

Croft smirked. "Pun intended?"

Lily paused, looking up from the new scribbles in her notebook. "No?"

Croft smiled, the crease in his cheeks unnerving Lily for a moment before she went back to writing.

"So. Basketball." Lily started, waving a pen to the class being ordered around by Miss Winters.

"Before I explain," Croft began. "I'm sorry...about Saturday." 

Lily shrugged. "It's fine." She'd quite happily go the rest of her life without bringing up that embarrassing moment but Croft didn't get the hint.

"I shouldn't have assumed about your aunt, and pushed you into coming to the pack house." Croft blushed. "It wasn't fair of me to...interrupt your family's time."

Lily stared at him, a little speechless. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, watching her reaction with a piercing look. He'd never turn from her gaze first, he was too dominant a wolf for that, but Lily didn't feel the urge to look away.

"You didn't know." Lily said. "It's okay."

"I just wanted to apologise to you-" 

"Croft." Lily interrupted, ignoring his surprise. Most people wouldn't interrupt a werewolf but she learned a long time ago she wasn't most people, most supernaturals, and she'd already had a long day. Lily didn't want to go down memory lane and suddenly open up to him about her family, about the lovely day she had with them. "It's fine, okay?"

Croft blinked. "Okay..."

Lily turned back to jotting down all she remembered about basketball from when Rio used to teach her when she was younger, Delta being the supportive one clapping on the sidelines. There was an awkward silence between her and Croft as they both stared at their class now beginning their first game.

"How's Alice?" Lily asked, remembering the little alpha.

Croft paused, the hesitation not going unnoticed. "She's okay," he eventually said. "Still asks about you."

Lily softened at the thought of the young werewolf. "And how's Andrew?" She said. She'd lost family, knew the pain and the ache that followed her every day. The day she lost them was still a raw wound for her so she knew exactly what Andrew was going through, and how hard it was to take it day by day.

Croft stared at her, frowning a little. "He's doing okay, despite everything."

Lily didn't believe him. No one does 'okay', they just put on a façade for everyone else to see. She didn't press. Instead she watched the game Miss Winters was yelling over; Lily spotted some of the werewolf girls glaring her way, honed in on her interactions with Croft. Great. She thought miserably.

"Sorry for bringing you out the game." Lily said, scrunching up her bandaged hand. It was still burning and itching as she used the pen.

Croft shrugged. "It's fine. Basketball's not my favourite thing anyway." 

"Sure," Lily whispered under her breath, "I bet it's flower-pressing."

When he suddenly drew back in surprise and barked out a laugh, Lily felt her face flush in horror realising he'd heard her quiet comment.

The class turned their way as Lily ducked her head in embarrassment, Croft was slapping his leg. "Yeah!" He chuckled. "You got me. I'm an expert flower-presser." 

Lily shook her head at him, trying to stop the nervous smile from peaking out. Lily just focused on the game and wondered why he'd laughed so loudly.

Her stomach dropped when she saw the werewolf girls staring at her in hatred, locking onto her like a rabbit in the woods. Lily scowled, kicking herself mentally for making herself a bigger target. Be invisible this year, remember? Her mantra wasn't going so well. She just wanted to be left alone. 

As she scribbled away notes, Lily didn't notice the curious look Croft was giving her but felt his piercing stare. She didn't bring it up. She just kept her head down even though what she really wanted to do was tell him to stop staring, them all to stop staring, and to finally get rid of this tension that was slowly building up. Lily hated the looks, hated the stares, and hanging around Croft only made them worse.

Her creature randomly emerging made it worse. They doubted her before but now they fear her, her name no longer muttered under breath but whispered quietly in groups. 

Croft nudged her shoulder with his own, making her jump. "Are you still okay to come over to the pack house later?" He clarified, ever the diligent wolf to his alpha.

Lily nodded, not saying anymore. She didn't trust her tongue. That restless anxiety was churning in her stomach. They both looked up when they heard rain start to patter on the roof of the school, a light storm.

Croft frowned. "There was meant to be a storm tomorrow." He was confused. "Guess the weather girl got it wrong again."

"They always do." Lily tucked a stray hair behind her ear. 

Lily didn't match Croft's curious look and kept her head down for the rest of the lesson. When the whistle blew, she had more homework from Miss Winters - a report on basketball strategies, which she was thoroughly going to enjoy.

At lunch, avoiding the cafeteria, Lily had permission to eat her food in the library under Ms Li's watchful and stern gaze. She was surprised when Claire, Karen and Jack joined her, who laughed when she complained about the large workload she'd had dumped in her lap.

"Wait until you have Witch Ag with me, Lily." Jack breathed a laugh. "That's the definition of homework." 

Lily groaned but the three of them offered to help where they could. She was grateful for her new and fragile friendships that were forming; she wouldn't know where she would be without the three of them. Alone in class, overwhelmed by everything no doubt.

When history rolled around, Lily pushed aside the doubt that the girls were just using her, just pretending, as Jack sat next to her for once. A wicked grin was on her face as she twirled her rings, those light sparks of green magic shining on their metallic surface.

"Does Mr Booth still hate us?" Jack murmured, mischief dancing in those vibrant eyes. "Maybe he's had a change of heart over the weekend?"

When the werewolf teacher walked in, scowling at the two of them sitting next to each other, Jack raised a brow at her. "Apparently not..." Lily smiled as she got out her other notebook, rubbing her bandaged hand again.

Students were still rolling in but the class seemed to pause as Croft walked in, the smile on his face freezing as he saw Jack sitting next to Lily. He didn't hesitate as he walked up to their desk, an icy expression on his face.

"That's my seat, witch." He scowled as Jack leaned back in her seat, looking innocently at the chair beneath her.

"This one?" She smirked. "I don't see your name on it." 

Croft was still standing there, scowling. Lily frowned at him, what was he thinking? Jack's chopped dark hair fell to the side as she cocked her head.

"How's your eye?" Jack narrowed her eyes, making no effort to move her stuff. Croft's lips curled into a snarl, his face and the yellow-stained skin around his eye scrunching up. "Would you like a matching one?"

"Enough, Jack." Mr Booth said. "Grab a seat, Croft." 

With one last glare at Jack he marched to the back of the classroom with his pack members. Through the whole lesson Lily felt his piercing stare on the back of their necks but whether Jack felt it or not she didn't react to it. The witch was focused on the history being taught in front of them.

Lily, however, was half listening. Intrigued as she was about the reign of the powerful supernova werewolf, Illya, she was focused on the brooding werewolf a few rows back. She dreaded the dinner tonight; it was like an impending wave of chaos was about to crash down on her. 

If he was this aggravated now, what was the dinner with the alpha going to be like tonight? Lily swallowed her nerves and tried to put her mind elsewhere; the light rain outside, the wicked mischief in Jack's expression, and the droning voice of Mr Booth. It was a trick she'd learned a long time ago to stop her from focusing on the impending doom of socialising.

But it didn't work; Croft swam in her thoughts the whole time, even with Jack whispering jokes in her ear as the lesson went. His words kept repeating over and over in her head.

That's my seat.