Vincent let out a sigh, feeling the weight of the day, and the way the teacher had treated him, weigh him down. The information he had taken on this week was wearing on him, so he was gd it was the end of another day, gd to be done with this css in particur.

  After pcing their wooden swords down and making their way out of the gymnasium, Castile called out to Isabel.

  “Isabel Dawn?”

  “S-sir?” she said with a start.

  “May I have a word?”

  “Certainly,” she said, looking frightened at the prospect of what they might discuss.

  She exchanges gnces with Vincent, and as soon as Castile saw her looking to Vincent, he frowned.

  “Alone, please,” Castile said, motioning her with his hand.

  Isabel nodded and scurried over in his direction, and Vincent wondered what this teacher’s deal was?

  “Somebody’s in trouble,” Acard said in a sing-song tone, as he pushed passed Vincent with a shove of his shoulder.

  Vincent shook his head, not knowing which would be worse: dealing with Acard day in and day out, getting punished and reprimanded by Castile, or figuring out the Power of the Were. Either way, he was gd the day was over.

  He looked around and noticed that Alexander had walked over to a girl wearing yoga pants and a sports bra with a body that showed she took appearances seriously, or perhaps she was just born with great genes and knew working out and keeping in shape only enhanced her seeming perfection. Vincent realized that this was something Alexander often did, as no one else seemed to be saying anything about it. He shrugged it off, and joined the others as they made their way out of the gym.

  Making their way down the hall to the doors that led outside, Max stretched his arms over his head. “Well, another day down,” he said with a relieved sigh.

  Acard, not far in front of them, chuckled. “Must be nice to be away from those scary wooden swords, eh?”

  Max scowled at Acard, but didn’t say much of anything back to him.

  “Granted,” Acard said, eyeing Mizuki up and down with a snicker. “It would have been much more fun if we practiced physical contact so we could get down and dirty.”

  “I’m not gonna lie,” Max said with a daydreamy look. “I wouldn’t mind that either.”

  “You’re such a perv,” Mizuki said, punching him in the arm.

  He frowned and rubbed his arm. “Hey, why’d you have to hit me so hard?” He gnced at her chest, feeling his face get hot as he thought about things he shouldn’t be.

  Mizuki, catching him staring at her chest, grabbed him and pulled him inward, ruffling his hair as she held him in a choke hold.

  “Lemma go, Mizuki,” Max said, struggling to break free.

  They burst outside of the doors, Mizuki maintaining her headlock on Max until he looked like he was going to pass out.

  “You act so tough, Max, but I think you’re scared of Acard.” She pushed him away in a pyful manner, his face a mix of red and purple. “If you want to get physical, I’m sure Acard would oblige you.”

  “No way,” Max said with a disgusted look. “He stinks.”

  “You know it’s funny,” Vincent said, scratching the back of his neck as he felt a candid moment hit him. “It’s fine to be scared of something. I was terrified when I was on the roof the other day, especially when Acard pushed me.”

  “I ain’t scared of nothing,” Max said, flexing his arm. “Especially not of that stinky Acard.”

  Mizuki eyed him in a way as if she knew he was lying, so she grabbed him and pulled him forward, both of tumbling to the ground as he tried to break free.

  “Gah, get off me, Mizuki,” he said, struggling against her as she rubbed her knuckles against the top of his head. They were both smiling, which made Vincent chuckle.

  While Mizuki’s smile was of one a sibling might give, Max’s was more of an eted grin as if he was enjoying something pleasurable, especially as his cheek rubbed up against her chest. Still, he looked peeved to not be able to break free from her. “Lemme go, Mizuki.”

  Vincent looked down at his open hands. “Well, I’m scared, Max. Scared of a lot of things. Still…” he clenched his hand into a fist. “I’m determined to face it head on.”

  Mizuki had let go of Max, and they were both staring at him.

  “Dang, dude,” Max said, looking like an idiot with his ruffled hair. “That was kinda deep.”

  As Max and Mizuki stood up, Vincent couldn’t help but get a gnce of her chest, thinking about why Max had looked like such a fool rubbing up against her like that. Still, it was quite improper to have those kinds of thoughts, right?

  Mizuki stared at him, and he felt his face get hot as she pced hands on hips.

  “You know, Vincent,” she said. “You’re not like most werewolves.”

  Vincent chuckled, as he had heard something simir from Isabel. “What are most werewolves like?”

  “Unruly pains in the butt,” Max said, brushing himself off. “Like Acard.”

  “I wouldn’t say that about all werewolves,” Mizuki said, pyfully shoving Max. “I don’t really know what it is. But something about you is different.” She smiled broadly. “I think I like you, newbie.”

  Vincent gulped, not sure what to think of her comment. “T-thanks,” he said, feeling embarrassed as he rubbed his neck.

  “What about me?” Max said with open jaw looking a bit jealous, pointing at himself. “Am I different?”

  “No,” she said, punching him in the arm again. “You’re just a perv.”

  He rubbed his arm, frowning. “Am not.”

  “Oh,” Mizuki said with a mischievous grin. “You’re not, eh?”

  “Nope,” he said, crossing his arms in a proud motion as if pleased with himself.

  “Oh, boy,” Mizuki said, her voice smooth and sensual as she removed her jacket, tossing it aside. “It’s so hot out here, isn’t it?” Then she slowly and sensually began to unbutton her dress shirt, one button at a time. With each button, Mizuki’s boobs seemed to be on the verge of bursting free of their constraints, ripping free of her shirt to reveal cleavage and boob and bra.

  Max leaned forward like a starving dog waiting for its meal to be served, licking his lips as he was frozen in a staring motion, jaw dropped open, drool sliding slowly down one side.

  “Aren’t you guys hot?” Mizuki said in that same silky-smooth voice that was wrapped in sensual undertones as she waved her hand in front of her chest. Since three buttons were undone, a little bit of the outside of her bck bra and skin of her cleavage was revealed, leaving little to the imagination.

  And Max was definitely imagining things as he gulped and wiped saliva from the side of his mouth.

  Mizuki didn’t let up. “I may have to take my shirt off,” she said in a serious but sensual voice as if she was really going to do it. “You guys wouldn’t mind, right?”

  Max gulped and nodded like a little child.

  At this point Vincent had to stop looking because he was convinced she was going to do it, and while he was curious, more than curious, he couldn’t just look at her when she was obviously teasing and messing with them. It wasn’t right, so he turned his red face away.

  Max, on the other hand, was pulled in by his own perverted idiocy. “Yes, yes. It is hot out here, isn’t it. Keep going.” He was panting like a freaking dog thirsty from the heat of summer, his eyes ser focused on her chest in anticipation as if waiting for more buttons to be removed, or something more.

  Vincent had a hard time not looking at this spectacle, even if it was kinda pathetic of Max to be looking like that, he didn’t bme him as Mizuki had totally ensnared him with her tantalizing show.

  She was good, that was for sure, and they were both fools for falling for it. Even from a quick gnce, a short moment, he couldn’t help himself from getting excited, so he turned away as he was getting a little too excited, in more ways than one.

  “Go home and help yourself, perv,” Mizuki said, stomping over to him and shoving him and making him fall face first in to the grass. She stood over him, shaking her head, arms folded. “You’re a perv, through and through, Max. But I still love ya.” Max prone against the grass, sprawled awkwardly in a pathetic heap.

  She then buttoned up her shirt and put her cardigan back on, rolling her eyes. “You boys have one track minds, always the same.”

  Max rolled over, spitting up some grass from his mouth, frowning. “Love hurts.”

  “That ain’t love, Max” Mizuki said, giving him a judgmental look. “It’s lust.”

  Alexander appeared, one hand in pocket, sly smile on his face. “Whatcha guys up to? Besides, you know, enjoying the exciting show.” He winked at Mizuki.

  “Back off, pyboy,” Max growled, looking intimidated by his competition as he growled on all fours like canine in a humorous manner.

  Mizuki grinned, happy to meet Alexander with his banter. “So, who’s the lucky girl?” She motioned in the direction the girl went.

  “Seeing the dispy you just put on, I would say we are the lucky ones.” He gave her a smooth smile.

  “I aim to please,” she said, flicking her hair in a flirty motion.

  Another group of girls came from the outside, all wearing simir workout clothes, one of them was the girl Alexander was chatting up. Alexander met eyes with each of them, slight nod as they moved by with giggles. His movements, when Vincent compared them to Max’s, were slow, and deliberate, as he knew exactly what was going on, whereas Max’s movements were often jerky and apologetic, as if he knew exactly what he was doing and how wrong it was. Alexander, on the other hand, held eye contact with each girl, never looking away, not moving at all. There was an intensity to his stare, and energy as if he knew exactly what he was doing and how right it was. It was interesting to contrast the two.

  “That’s quite the compliment,” he said, returning his sly smile and gaze to Mizuki in a smooth motion. His eyes were passionate and purposeful, but also mysterious. It was no wonder that girls often reacted the way they did around him. It was as if he was casting a spell that made them swoon, but Vincent surmised it was not magical at all, but more of his personal charm and character, as well as his freaking perfect face.

  Max frowned with frustration as he gnced at the girls’ rear ends in a lecherous way, jerking back to Alexader after he did. “Do you have some kind of wisdom you’d like to share with the rest of the css?” Max was clearly jealous of Alexander’s skill with women.

  Even Mizuki had admired the girls walking by, giving a little nod of acknowledgement, impressed by their form, or perhaps thinking about how the css might help her keep in shape.

  “I’d like to know myself what your secret is,” Mizuki said with a sly smile. “And don’t say something silly like, ‘it’s magic’ or I’ll slug you.”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure myself. It’s quite the mystery, and I do love a good mystery.” He held his eyes on Mizuki’s not wavering or flinching, or blinking, confidence exuding from him. “Like that little glow show you did in there. Tell us about that.”

  This, made them all look at her in silence, and Mizuki for the first time flushed.

  Only for a moment, though. She shook it off and held herself steady, for a time, but eventually let out a little frustrated scoff, and turned away from his gaze. “That was nothing,” she said, brushing her wild hair to the side. “Some things are best left a mystery.”

  Alexander smirked and nodded. “Indeed.”

  Max blinked, looking quickly from Alexander to Mizuki in an interrogative manner. “What is going on here?”

  Alexander leaned back, lifting a zy hand, that sly grin showing. “Well, whatever it was, was magical, to say the least. And I know a thing or two about magic.” He winked.

  Max, blinked, then let out a little angry growl. “You’re so weird, dude.”

  “We all need a little weird in our life,” Alexander said, turning his curious gaze back to the door that led to the gym. “What’d the teacher want with Isabel?”

  “Don’t know,” Vincent said, looking in the direction of the gym. “But I’m sure we’ll find out.”

  .   .   .