No College


    No College


    Matt POV


    Everything felt off. I have no idea why.


    Mom and dad had returned after meeting Tam. She called me when they were there, but I didn''t pick up the phone. Not because I was with Tulip, but because Tam was history. Past. I wanted to focus on the future. My college. Tulip. Friends. My breakfast, right now. I knew that I would get over those nightmares soon, especially with her gone. It was a relief. A tremendous relief to not see her around the house, or listen to her stupidlyughing and giggling at everything and anything. Ugh. I hated those days. Of hating her. Of not wanting her around me. Finally, I was free. So yeah, when she called, it was obvious that I didn''t pick her phone.


    But as I sat at the breakfast table, listening to mom and dad about her, I could barely focus on anything. My mind was all over the ce. I wanted to forget about her, ignore the feeling bubbling inside me, but no matter how hard I tried, my parents'' talk would bring me back to her. My mind felt like it was spinning out of control as anger mmed inside me along with confusion.


    "Enough!" I shouted. "Can you just stop talking about her?"


    Both mom and dad looked at me with surprise. "Matt?" Mom said. "What happened? We were only talking about Tam."


    "I don''t want to talk about her, or listen about her!" I shouted. "Can you understand?"


    My parents stared at me like I had grown two heads. They exchanged a nce and fell silent. Good. At least this way! would handle the mess I was stuck in.


    "Okay..." my father said. "Have you thought about college? There''s a very good one at Shadowfang pack. Alpha Lucien has thetest-"


    "No!" I snapped. "I will not go there."


    My father was again surprised. "Matt, what is wrong? Alpha Lucien is going to take good care of you."


    I clenched my fists. "I don''t want to go there!" I growled. "I have been epted at three Ivy League colleges in the human world. I''ll join one of them."


    Father looked flustered, but he didn''t say anything. But mom said, "We were hoping you would join that college Matt. That way you will be near us. Your father wants you to take charge of the Everme pack when you graduate. And being near us would mean that you could help him while you are in college as well."


    "No!" I snapped. Throwing the napkin on the table, I got up and ran outside, unable to understand why things just felt...


    wrong.


    When I reached the tree line at the edge of our territory, I gave way to my bear. Torben had been restless for a long time. He broke free, pushing through me dly. And then he darted into the deep forest. And before I could stop him, he was heading toward the ce I was strongly against. The Shadowfang pack. I didn''t understand. I didn''t want to understand his stupid fascination.


    ''Go back!'' I screamed at him. This is wrong. I don''t want to be here.''


    But Torben was a powerful beast. His instincts were stronger than mine. He kept pushing forward. Eventually, I had to threaten him to not let hime out for a week if he didn''t turn back, and then only he turned back.


    Three monthster as I sat at my desk in my room, staring mindlessly at the eptance letters of universities, I felt like my mind was going in circles.


    "Matt?" Father''s sharp voice cut across my thoughts.


    I straightened in the chair. "Yes?" I asked, putting the letter down.


    He came to sit on the edge of the bed. "So which college have you decided, son?"


    I shook my head. "I don''t think I want to go to college," I replied in a low voice, keeping my head low.


    "What? Matt, you should focus on your future. College is a good start. You have been epted at Yale. You should go


    there."


    I shook my head again, barely looking up. "I''ve decided I won''t go to college." I could feel tension rising in the room, in my chest. "I''d rather help you with the pack. That''s where I need to be right now."


    I was expecting my father to blow up, but his face softened. He sighed deeply. He was clearly disappointed, but not angry." Are you sure?" he asked and paused as his eyes locked onto mine. When I nodded, he said, "Alright then. If you''re not


    going to college, you will take charge of the Everme pack. You will be the Alpha of that pack, taking the ce of your uncle Magnus,"


    The words hit me like a punch. "What?"


    No College


    He nodded. "You''re 18 now, Matt. It''s time you stepped up, if you are not going to college. I help you, but it''s time for you to take reins. And if in future, you feel like going to college, you can always go. I will support you in your decision." "Daddy." My throat choked with emotions. How could Veles give me such wonderful parents? I didn''t deserve them." Thanks...


    He chuckled and got up. I also got up with him. Suddenly, he pulled me close to him in a bear hug. And for the first time, I closed my eyes and felt happy. “You''ll do well, son," he said, patting my back. "I have full confidence in you."


    I felt the weight of the responsibility settle on my shoulders. "I don''t know if I''m ready I admitted


    "You''ll learn as you got he said with a smile. "You''re stronger than you think."


    Taking charge of the Everme pack independently wasn''t ever in my dreams. But


    it felt right. Like I could finally do justice to Uncle Magnus.


    Mom entered the room and when she heard my decision, she was not happy at first. However, when my father reasoned with her and assured her that I could join college whenever I liked, she grunted, but she agreed.


    1 think you will do well as an Alpha; she finally chuckled. "Why don''t you take Tulip with you? She can help you with day-to-day work