Chapter 7 - What's rank got to do with it?

I tried to focus on class, but I just couldn’t. Between wondering if Ezra had gotten out of town, and whether Carlo was going to look for more ways to punish me, I couldn’t listen to a word my teachers were saying and, at the end of the day, had to ask Lilith what homework we had. She usually asked me, which meant we were both going to be in serious trouble when the teachers wanted to check our work.

I honestly couldn’t wait to get out of there. Once I have finished school, I could go to college or university. I would be able to spend time with intellectual people who were just as interested in helping people as I was. I loved Lilith and I would miss her terribly if we ended up going to different establishments after school, but I had a goal in mind and I wasn’t going to let go of it.

After Carlo rejected me, it was clear that I would never be his beta. Once my father retired, our family would either become gammas. Retired betas usually get the honorary rank of gamma, but they don’t do the work. That would instantly make me a gamma wolf even if I was born a beta. I hated the ranking system with a passion.

I had just finished talking to Lilith and was on my way to my car when his voice echoed over the school courtyard. A shiver ran down the back of my spine.

“Blanca! How was work this morning?” I rolled my eyes and continued walking as I heard his friends laughing beside him. I wasn’t going to answer him and here at school he couldn’t do a damn thing about it! “I hope they showed you how to use the toilet brush first. I would hate it if our people had to use dirty toilets!” He shouted again, and I almost wished that he had exiled me after rejecting me!

At least, then I wouldn’t have to listen to the constant insults! As I opened my car door, his hand gripped tightly around my wrist and a burst of energy ran through my arm, up my body. I whipped around and was just about to slap the smile on his face when his hand flew up and caught my other hand. I felt confused. Shocked at my own reaction. I have stood up for myself over the years as best as I could, but I have never physically tried to smack anyone, never mind the alpha!

“Did you just try to hit me?” A spark of something flashed in Carlo’s eyes before his expression turned to amusement. I didn’t answer him. “You actually tried to hit me.” He laughed and my eyes took in the scenery behind him. His friends weren’t there, which explained why he looked so damn amused. If they were there, he would probably have punished me there and then. The bastard never missed an opportunity to humiliate me.

Over the years, I had convinced myself that Carlo hated me because I wasn’t a male. I wasn’t the best friend he hoped he had. I wasn’t what my father was to his father. I messed up his perfectly planned-out life. That was one thing I could give the guy. He was arrogant, but he got what he wanted and didn’t give up until he did.

“Well, it seems one day had clearly not taught you a lesson! Maybe I should make you clean the toilets for the rest of the year.” He let go of me as anger flashed in his eyes and I silently swore at myself. He had been rambling on and I was standing there like some robot that had been turned off. I wasn’t listening to one damn word he had said!

“I’m sorry, alpha.” I didn’t look away like the others from our pack did, and I didn’t actually mean my apology, as was evident from my tone of voice.

“Yes, well. I will have to think about it before I blindly accept YOUR apology.” He sighed as his friends joined us and I could have sworn that he actually looked irritated that they did. What the hell was wrong with this guy?! He turned around without another word and walked to his car where his friends were waiting.

We were the only two who had cars of our own in our age group in the pack. The others either had to grab a lift with one of us or use the bus. If I wasn’t bullied so much at school, my parents probably wouldn’t have bought me the car. It was their way of taking me out of the situation and it was the best gift they could have given me.

Opening the roof, I turned the cherry red 1971 Triumph Spitfire sportscar into a cabriolet and I slipped behind the wheel. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as his sportscar, but I loved every inch of it. It had only two seats, and it was a classic no matter what the others said. Opening the engine when I hit the open road, I put on my sunglasses and couldn’t stop myself from grinning as the wind blew my hair everywhere.

I loved the sound of the engine as it roared along the road, but that was soon interrupted by Carlo revving his engine right behind me. I rolled my eyes, hearing the laughter coming from his car as he hooted before pulling in beside me. I winked at me while his friends shouted insults about me and my car before pulling out in front of me.

“I don’t care who the hell you are, Carlo! You can become the best man in the entire world and I wouldn’t take you back even if you beg!” I shouted as his car disappeared into the distance. They couldn’t just bully me at home and at school! No, Carlo and his damn spoiled friends also had to take away the short peaceful moments I had while driving!

Thankfully, by the time I got home, he and his friends had already disappeared into his office and I could go upstairs without anybody saying anything. Yeah, I had completely forgotten about my mother who popped her head out of my room the second I put my first foot on our floor.

“Hello, darling! How was school?” She smiled, but I knew why she was there. She wanted to know why I had been punished and what the punishment was and then she would probably run straight to my father, who in turn would not be able to resist telling Carlo’s father and that would just start the vicious cycle all over again, landing me with more punishment for being a rat.

“It was great, thank you mum. How was your day?” She rambled on about something she and Carlo’s mom did before finally asking me. “So? What’s up honey? Why have you been punished?” She sat down on my bed beside my desk while I unpacked my books.

“I snapped at Carlo and now I have to clean the toilets for goddess knows how long.” I sighed, knowing she probably already knew that. There was no lying to my mom. I could hide things from her, but I had never been able to tell a lie or even just a half-truth. My mom had this uncanny power of always finding out the full truth and then I would be in deeper trouble than I already was.

“Oh, well, I’m sure if I speak to his mother … Under the circumstances … You know, darling. You were meant to be his equal, that is why you …” Her eyes darted in every direction but mine. I knew what she was getting at. Even though he rejected me, I was meant to be his equal. I was meant to be his Luna, which gave me more power in the pack than anyone else. Even his parents at the moment. I had felt that power over the past couple of days and I frowned.

“Mom, what happens to your rank once you are rejected?” I sat down on the chair in front of my desk and leaned on the back studying her. “I mean, you were chosen by the moon goddess to be that rank, right?” I frowned and she nodded. “But then you are rejected … What happens to your rank?” She started to gape like a fish out of water before excusing herself.

At least, I could focus on my homework now, but my mind kept drifting. If it wasn’t running around trying to find Ezra, I was wondering about my rank. Werewolves were considered to be the same rank as their parents until they finished high school and started working in the pack. Once they started their job in the pack, they were given their new rank, or if they were female and they were mated to a higher rank than that of their daily job, they received their mate’s rank.

It was a very complicated system and it frustrated me to be living in it more than words could ever say! I softly growled as I turned my attention to my homework and tried to figure out what I had missed all day.