“Wolves were once slaves,” he said. “To vampires.”
“Vampires?” I laughed. How could this possibly get more ridiculous than werewolves?
Fucking vampires.
Maximus nodded sincerely. “Years ago, we finally won back out independence. But not without cost. There was a long war with the vampires. It was a war my elder brother fought in. He was stationed here, on campus. One clan of vampires attacked in the dead of night. They sought out the wolfless specifically, looking to kill any attempt of increasing our forces by awakening new wolves.”
He paused and I watched his lip tweak in anger. He looked off behind me. “My brother guarded the wolfless,” he said softly. “He lost him arm in the process. Ripped clean from it’s socket by a vampire. It nearly cost him his life in the end.”
I couldn’t help the horrified look creep on my face. Vampires were that strong? They could dismantle a full Alpha without even so much as a second glance. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
“Your apology is not needed,” Maximus snapped back at me. “My brother was an honorable warrior. Still is. But the wolfless caused this.”
“The vampire took his arm though?” I frowned. I didn’t like where this was going. He turned his eyes back to me. They shined in the afternoon sun. “Because he was protecting those who could not protect themselves,” he said. His voice was hard. “They needed someone to do it for them. They were weak.”
I bit my lip. He wasn’t wrong but I still didn’t agree with him. “So what happened to the vampires?” I said.
“They were locked away by our Queen,” he said. My mom. I schooled my face neutral. “But the Emperor vowed to return. He threatened the queen’s livelihood. Yet, she prevailed and he was trapped in the shadows.”
“How long has he been in there?” I asked gently.
Maximus turned to look off again. “Eighteen years.”
Eighteen years. Exactly how long I’d been alive.
I couldn’t help but think that it couldn’t be a coincidence. Maybe there truly was a reason Victoria sent me off. Maybe she was trying to keep me safe. “So that’s why I hate the wolfless,” Maximus said. “You are all weak and nothing more than humans.” He ground his teeth together. “And humans do not belong with wolves.”
He turned on his heel and took off towards the dorms. I supposed his reasons were valid. If my sibling had been killed defending someone weak then I supposed I’d be just as bitter as well. However, I didn’t understand his lack of empathy. Wasn’t he wolfless at one point? Did he view himself as weak then? I pondered this the rest of the walk to my dorm. Maximus walked next to me in silence. When we pushed into my dorm building, I thought I saw him frown. Then we climbed the stairs to the third floor, I was certain I saw it. When we stopped in front of my door, he finally said something.
“This is your room?”
“Yeah,” I said, pulling out my key. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
As he was about to answer, the door flew open and a flurry of white and pink launched itself into my arms.
Loren folded her arms around me and squeezed.
“Oh thank the Gods, you’re okay! I was so worried! I though about calling the staff and asking them to stop it but then I looked up and Professor Lunerly was there so I figured maybe someone else called him but then I felt bad and – “
“Loren!” I gently pried her from me. I locked eyes with her. “What are you doing in my room?”
She quirked her head slightly. “Wait – your room?”
I held up the key in my hand. Loren smiled brightly back at me. “Oh wow! My first roommate!” I sighed in relief.
“Thank god you’re not a psycho,” I said. “Only a little bit,” Loren said with a wink. She smiled softly then launched herself at me again, wrapping me in a hug. “Well, good!” she said. “I would’ve been so upset if I lost my new roommate.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Over my shoulder, Loren finally noticed Maximus standing next to me. “Oh,” she said, unwinding from me. “Hi Max. Where are you coming back from?”
I turned to look at both of them. Maximus looked entirely uncomfortable.
“That explains a lot,” Max grumbled. “Wait, what?” I said, looking between the two of them. “Hello, Mini Moonbeam,” Maximus said, completely ignoring me. “I was just returning her to her room.”
“Oh yeah!” Loren bounced besides me. “I finally got a roommate! Aren’t you excited to be neighbors?”
“Neighbors?!” I blanched.
Max pointed to the door net to mine.
“This is my room.”
“No…” I breathed.
“Max is our neighbor,” Loren said. “Though I told him if he’s not nice to you I’d beat him up!”
“Like you could take me Mini Moonbeam,” Maximus snorted.
Loren put her hands on her hips. “I totally could because I’d catch you off guard with how quick I am!”
Then, quick as lightning, she shifted and barreled into Max’s calves. He shifted slightly but barely moved. Loren whined slightly then tried again. It earned a deep rumble from Max’s chest.
“Good try, pup,” he said. Loren whined again then shifted back to her human form. She grumbled as she pushed past me and into our room. I couldn’t help but stare at Maximus as he unlocked his own door. He caught me staring and raised an eyebrow.
“Can I help you?”
“My neighbor,” I said softly. “Great.”
Maximus barely paid me any mind as he opened his door. He gave me one last glance. “Just don’t be too loud, too smelly or too generally annoying and we’ll have no problems.”
With that he walked into his room. The door slammed shut behind him. I stomped my foot in frustration then stormed into my own room. My door also slammed shut and startled Loren where she was sitting on her bed.
She was doing that thing where she chewed on her lip, again. She played with the lace of her bedspread, sheepishly.
“He’s not that bad,” she said softly. “Did he tell you about his brother?”
I sighed deeply and let my eyes flutter shut. I nodded once then looked back at Loren. She gave me a half sympathetic shrug.
“I don’t blame him,” she said. “If I lost my sissy, I’d be inconsolable.”
“I just doesn’t make sense,” I said, shaking my head. I walked across the room and perched myself on my own bed. “Weren’t you all wolfless at some point?”
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