Canis Falls Academy- Year One Read online

  I shifted my body in the seat so I could gaze up at the person whose fingers were gently grazing the skin of my forehead. Golden eyes looked down at me, his brows knitted together in concern. His hair was dark waves above a beautifully angular face, a sharp nose, and full lips that held a hint of a smile. Sun kissed skin stretched over the lean muscle of his arms, disappearing beneath a dark t-shirt that clung to every plane and bulge of his chest.

  He pushed his other hand through his waves to pull the strands from his face. “I’m Sergio,” he said, his fingertips working designs on my forehead. He thrust his chin toward the front of the car. “That’s Amber up there driving, and Colton beside her.”

  “I’m Brinley,” I said, my voice coming out barely above a whisper.

  “Yes, everyone here knows exactly who you are.” Colton’s words came out so severe I could imagine him rolling his eyes. “I’d like to ride in silence if you assholes don’t mind. I’m sure you’ll all get the opportunity to impress her once we’re back home.” And with that, the car fell silent.

  Chapter Two

  Brinley

  We came to a stop before a three-story building of gray stone, large windows, and towers on either side. It was a massive structure that stood against a panorama of plush green land and rolling hills with tall trees lining the edge of the property. Sergio opened the door, pushing himself from his seat before offering me a hand. I took it, allowing him to guide me out of the car before another set of hands were pressed against my temples. A cool presence filled my head, driving away the last remnants of pain I’d felt, before the feeling was replaced with warmth and the hands fell away.

  “Is that better?” Amber asked, her gaze hopeful.

  “A lot, actually,” I smiled, rubbing my forehead.

  “Good, that means we can hurry this along,” Colton piped in.

  He turned to face me and for the first time, I was struck speechless. A strong handsome face was topped with a golden hair cut short against his scalp. Piercing blue eyes glared at me, the menace behind them both dangerous and exhilarating at the same time. And he was massive, appearing to be built of muscle, with a tall frame that stretched up to around six feet three inches. He dwarfed me by nearly a foot. Most of them did. Sergio was just as tall, except where Colton’s muscles were bulky, Sergio’s were lean and a little less defined as he crossed his arms over his strong chest.

  Colton’s lips curled into a grimace as I stood there, probably staring a bit too long for his liking. He slid his gaze toward the building, hitching his shoulders impatiently.

  “Are we going or what?” he asked, anger deepening his voice.

  I jerked back from him, confused by the hostility in his expression. He certainly wasn’t happy about something and I couldn’t fathom a reason his anger would be directed toward me. Still, I kept my distance as we walked up the front stairs of the academy to a set of glass doors that opened automatically. Stepping through the entrance, I was met with a scene much like what I’d experienced my first day in high school. Students crowded the hallways, most sticking within their groups. The sound of laughter, yelling, and fun bounced off the walls and I found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of students surrounding me. Growing up in a small town, nestled between two mountain ranges, I’d only ever seen a small number of people my age. Most of the inhabitants were far older, military retirees looking for a quiet place to retire.

  I leaned toward Amber. “Where are we going?”

  She looked down at me. Apparently, everyone in the school would, considering they were all much taller than I was at five feet three inches.

  “To Professor Stallion’s office.”

  I smirked at the name. It sounded like a name befitting a porn star with an ego larger than his penis. She must have been thinking the same. She snorted in an effort to conceal a chuckle that escaped her lips before looking forward.

  We walked down a long corridor, only stopping once we came upon a set of glass doors with Faculty painted above them.

  “Just go up to the receptionist and ask for Professor Stallion. I’ll be right here once you’re done.”

  Amber planted her back against the wall beside the door while the others went about their business.

  Trepidation slid through me as I yanked open the door and walked in. A pair of blue eyes landed on me once I was inside. Seated behind a large white desk sat a woman I could only imagine was the receptionist with a fluff of white curls pinned into some sort of near beehive style I’d only seen in old Jet magazines.

  “I have a meeting with Professor Stallion,” I said, not giving the woman time to speak.

  She scrunched her small nose and began typing information into the computer in front of her. “Miss. Brinley Cooper?”

  “That’s me,” I grumbled.

  She pointed toward the seats behind me. “Take a seat, she’ll be with you shortly.”

  The woman didn’t smile, or really do anything to show any interest in me. Once she’d given her directive, she returned her gaze back to the screen.

  What seemed like an hour later, though I’m sure it was only a few minutes, a large woman, standing around six feet, stalked into the office, dressed in a gray pant suit that screamed expensive. Her brown curls danced atop her head as she made her way to the receptionist, her heels clicking against the linoleum with a staccato that matched my heart beats. She definitely wasn’t what I’d expected of a Professor Stallion.

  The receptionist pointed her gaze toward me, which the professor followed. I stood, stepped toward the professor and offered my hand.

  She looked down at the offered hand, crinkling her nose as if the thought of touching me was beneath her. And I couldn’t really blame her. For the first time since waking up, I realized I must have looked a mess in my cotton pajamas, soiled with dirt and leaves from running through the woods.

  “Follow me, Miss. Cooper.” She spun on her heel and walked down the hallway she’d come from.

  We walked to her office, situated at the end of the hall. Once inside, I claimed a seat in a chair in front of an extra-large mahogany desk.

  She stopped on the side of her desk, her demeanor showing an air of quiet confidence. Her deep purple eyes raked over me. “You’re much smaller than I’d imagined you to be.”

  I shook my head. From the time I was thirteen, my grandma had always poked fun at my size, telling me she’d never seen a shifter so small. But it had been easy to see my size as normal against other girls my age who were only slightly taller than I was. Being here, I was beginning to understand why she’d been so concerned.

  “Where is my grandma?” I asked.

  “She’s in recovery. I’ll have Amber take you to her once we’re done here.” The professor claimed her seat behind the desk. She picked up a manila envelope, tugging out a file with Brinley’s name scrawled along the side of it. Dropping it on her desk, she opened it before scanning the contents. “Brinley Cooper. Daughter of Cobalt Robert Cooper and Emerald Chastity Blair. Granddaughter to Elaine and William Cooper on your father’s side, both Cobalts. Rene and Chase Blair on your mother’s side, both Amethysts. Is this correct?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not sure.”

  As she hadn’t heard me, she continued on. “That is quite an impressive bloodline, Miss. Cooper. I have high hopes for you here.” She paused, regarding me with a look I couldn’t quite decipher before a smile touched her lips. “I’m so sorry. I know you must be wondering why you’re here.”

  The question had come to mind a few times but I didn’t respond.

  “As you probably already know, this is Canis Falls Academy. We’d scheduled a meet and greet with your grandmother months ago, which should have taken place today. Unfortunately, we’ve had to step up our timeline when we’d heard a group of Nephrites were spotted in your area.”

  Her words stunned me. “Nephrites?”

  She gave off a nervous laugh. “Yes. I’m sure your father told you about them.”
/>   He had, so long ago I’d forgotten they existed. Nephrites, not quite human and not quite shifter, were the result of experiments conducted at the academy. From what I’d learned, they escaped the academy decades ago and had been hunting shifters ever since. But I’d also been told I was safe from them. They never left the area surrounding Canis Falls. It was too dangerous for them beyond those walls where they were unable to blend in with humans.

  I thought back on the creature I’d seen before. He was much larger than I was but still shorter than the shifters I’d seen in the academy. Fur covered him from head to toe but he’d looked odd to me. It was as if he were mid-shift with no ability to complete the transformation or go back to his human form.

  “I was under the impression they never left Canis Falls.”

  “So was I, Miss Cooper. But it seems they were motivated enough to come for you.”

  I thought about that for a moment before asking, “Why?”

  It was an incredible risk to take just to get their hands on me.

  Professor Stallion pierced me with an incredulous stare. “You really don’t know?”

  When I didn’t immediately answer her, she leaned back in her seat, folding her hands over her stomach. “You have a lot to learn here, Miss. Cooper. I’ll leave that for your grandmother. For now, classes won’t begin for another week. Amber will be your dorm mate. She’ll help you get adjusted. From what your grandmother has been able to tell me, you haven’t shifted yet, which means we have no idea your classification. You’ll be temporarily classified Citrine until you’ve been able to shift and show your abilities.”

  Classifications. I hadn’t thought much about it being in Colorado but I guessed here, at the academy, it was extremely important. Shifters had four classifications. The lowest of those were Citrines, shifters who haven’t shifted yet or have only displayed the ability to shift during a full moon. Their eyes were normally golden or yellow, depending on how the light hit them. While they were still a lot stronger than humans, they were regarded as the lowest class amongst shifters. Second to them was Amethysts, shifters able to use the power of the elements in human form. Like the stone itself, their eyes were different hues of purple.

  Cobalts were revered as the strongest amongst us, with the ability to shift on demand. While they used none of the elemental powers as strongly as Amethyst, they still had certain abilities that made them perfect for combat. They were Canis Falls defense against Nephrites or any other danger that would threaten the shifter community.

  Emeralds were the strongest of them all, having the power to wield elemental magic and shift on command. They were extremely rare. There was only one shifter with this classification alive at a time and generations could pass before the shifter community saw another one. My mother had been the last Emerald.

  “Anyway, I’ll email you a list of courses you can choose from this year. Be sure to pick courses that will help you determine where you go in the future.”

  She stood from her desk. “Welcome to Canis Falls Academy, Miss Cooper. Amber will take you to your grandmother now. If you need anything at all, please feel free to reach out to me.”

  “Actually, I don’t suppose they brought any of my belonging with them, did they?”

  “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to recover any of your belongings. However, I’ve issued you a bank card and tied it to your inheritance. There should be enough money in there to keep you reasonably comfortable.” She reached into the top drawer of her desk and produced a debit card. Handing it over to me, she smiled. “Your pin number and account information has been emailed to your student account. Amber will show you how to access them all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.”

  Amber was still standing in the same spot when I left the office. She pushed from the wall, grabbed my arm, and tugged me toward the exit.

  “Your grandmother is being a pain. She threatened to burn this entire school down if we don’t bring you to her, and I doubt she’s bluffing.”

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. That was grandma. Ready to take on the world to keep me safe.

  Behind the school, we passed a couple of building before coming upon one that had a sign that read Health Center. Standing just inside the glass doors was Grandma, her hands rested on her hips as she shifted her weight from foot to foot impatiently. Once her blue eyes reached me, she stalked toward the door, yanking it open hard enough it bounced from the walls, and tugged me into a tight hug.

  “Brin, are you okay?” She hugged me tighter, so tight I could barely breath before pushing me away to take a good look at me.

  “I’m fine.” Well, as fine as I could be in a place I’d never been before, surrounded by other shifters.

  She turned an icy glare at Amber. “Leave us.”

  Amber cowered at the sound of her voice and took a few steps back. “I’ll be right over there,” she pointed toward a group of benches surrounding a tree in the middle of the courtyard before spinning on her heel and rushing over there.

  Grandma watched as she retreated, her expression tense with anger. When her eyes landed on me again, she softened her expression. “I thought they’d taken you. I tried to fight them off but…”

  She choked back a sob and I frowned. Looking her over, I couldn’t tell she’d been in a fight but I’d heard it the night before. The crashing and banging, the whimpers that escaped her as she fought.

  “Did they hurt you?”

  “Nothing I won’t heal from,” she said, reaching for my hand.

  I took her hand and let her lead me into the Health Center. Just like any other hospital I’d been in, the reception area was bright with sterile white paint and plastic chairs seated around a small table. She led me to the chairs in the far corner before taking a seat and pulling me down to do the same.

  “I’m sorry this happened. I never wanted you to come here, even though your father was sure this was where you needed to be. But since you’re here, we’ll make the most of it.”

  I thought back on what the professor told me in her office. “Why did the Nephrites come after me?”

  “Because of your mother,” she answered, but I could tell she did so begrudgingly. She’d never wanted to talk to me about my mother before but something told me she was left with no choice.

  “What about my mother?”

  A frown tugged at her lips, sorrow filling her gaze. She swiped a hand over her eyes before lowering them to stare at her lap. “Brinny, your mother was involved in an experiment to cure the Nephrites. I don’t know if you remember much of what your father has told you about them, but they started out shifters like us. Only, they were Citrines. Before my time here, the council noticed a greater number of Citrines being born and was concerned that the lack of Amethysts and Cobalts meant we were growing extinct. To correct this issue, they began running experiments to boost the Citrine’s magic and make them stronger. Only that didn’t happen. Instead, they created a race of humanoids who stayed in a constant state of mid-shift. This state altered their minds, leaving them unable to speak or tap into their magic, which eventually drove them mad.

  “Your great-grandfather was part of the security team that was in charge of keeping them locked away in the basement but eventually, they escaped. Since then, they’ve been attacking the community in packs, kidnapping and murdering other shifters. Your mother wanted to help them but she died before she could figure out how. My guess, is they came for you, hoping you’d be able to help them find a cure.”

  The news hit me hard. From everything my father had told me, I knew the Nephrites were bad news for the shifting community and the thought of my mother helping them? Well, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  Grandma parted her lips to say something else, then clamped them shut. She looked around the area, perhaps an attempt at making sure no one was listening before saying, “I’ll be staying in Canis Falls in your father’s house. I’ll text you the address. Once you’re settled here, come see
me.”

  She stood, giving a nod to the receptionist who picked up a phone.

  “Be careful who you trust, Brinley,” was my grandmother’s parting words.

  Chapter Three

  Colton

  “Hey man, can you leave the room for a bit? Maybe a few hours?”

  I rolled my eyes at my dormmate but gathered my belongings anyway. The idiot had a knack for inviting over company at the wrong times, and this time would be no different. I’d just managed to lay down after a long night stuck in the academy’s car. I was tired and frankly, I didn’t give a fuck what he wanted to do with his dick. I needed my rest. But I left anyway, if only to avoid the incessant whining and complaining he’d surely issue were I to refuse.

  I stalked out of the room, closing the door behind me much harder than I’d intended. With a grumble, I pointed my feet toward the exit of the dorms and walked towards the common’s area. It was only my first year at the academy after suffering through four years of high school and I’d already grown tired of the place. More so, I was tired of my roommate/best friend who’d managed to mate with the one girl I’d hated since childhood. Lydia, the reckless shifter who’d managed to become a thorn in my ass the moment I’d decided I wanted nothing to do with her. The girl had managed to make with just about everyone I despised, which was fine with me. At least that would’ve kept her as far away from me as possible. That was until she’d chosen Raymond to join her pack, effectively erasing the distance I’d managed to put between me and her.

  The cunning bitch. I knew she’d chosen Raymond on purpose, hoping it would bring her close to what she truly wanted. Me. Why did she want me? I had no clue. I’d been nothing but distant with her, even going so far as to berate her every chance I got but she never got the hint. Something about wanting something she couldn’t have kept her constantly in my way.

  Truth be told, I didn’t want anyone. I didn’t need the distraction. All I needed was to complete my studies and be free of this place, free to live my life the way I wanted without anyone getting in the way.