chapter 26 unexpected results

Gavin sighed as he returned to his room. When he returned that evening, there were indeed two packages waiting at the door to the dorm. One for Jackson and himself. Jackson followed Gavin inside as he took the package from Gavin.

Gavin opened the brown box and inside was a slick silver-colored arm band much like the one that Principal Shepard showed off during his speech. In the center of the arm band was a large round black section that was currently blank. From what Gavin saw of Principal Shepard's band, that was where his rank would be displayed after completing the tests the following day. If Gavin didn't get kicked out, that was.

Jackson looked over at Gavin and shook his head. "You never told me you were a shifter," he said, his voice laced with apprehension. Jackson didn't care about his roommate being a shifter. It was what he shifted into that caused Jackson to worry.

"Didn't think it was that important to mention," Gavin replied as he plopped down on the couch and hung his head. "I shouldn't have shifted like that," he said quietly as he ran his hands through his hair. He still couldn't fully control his animal instincts to shift at times. Even with the entire summer as practice, he still couldn't fully control himself.

Jackson hesitantly approached his roommate. "You act like you aren't used to shifting," he observed.

Gavin jerked slightly as if he had been slapped. He lifted his head to glance at him. "Truth be told, I'm not. "I didn't even know I was a shifter until a few months ago," Gavin admitted to his friend. Why bother hiding the truth now? Jackson had already witnessed him during one of his worst outbursts. He hadn't had a shift go that had since the ambush at the studio.

Jackson was both surprised and at the same time he wasn't. His actions showed that he wasn't in full control of the potent animal instincts of the wolf. But at the same time, he found it hard to understand how anyone that was a shifter could be so inexperienced at controlling their animal selves. "What do you mean?" He asked him tentatively as he pulled over a chair and sat in front of him.

Gavin rubbed his hand over his face. He debated for a moment before he relented and told Jackson almost everything that had happened over the summer. No need to inform him he had already killed two men. Even though it was necessary at the time, Gavin still felt sick to his stomach over the memories of that night.

Jackson sat back in his chair for a moment as Gavin finished his tale. It didn't take long, but man was it a lot to unpack. "Have you ever heard of Alpha shifters?" Jackson asked him quietly as he rested his head on his hands, elbows on his knees as he leaned forward again.

Gavin did in fact know of the alpha species, thanks to his conversation with the god Koray. But he decided to play dumb right then. "No I haven't," he replied.

Jackson sighed as he nodded. "The Alpha shifters were groups or species of shifters that had immense power. They were all kinds of different alpha predators. Lions. Tigers. Bears," he paused as he looked into Gavin's eyes, "even wolves," he said. "They were animals that were at the top of their respective food chains. Apex predators and hunters. When humanity first blended human and animal DNA, they desired the strength and power of these animals," Jackson informed Gavin.

Gavin nodded as he listened. This all lined up with what Koray had told him that night. "Normally, all the personality traits of an animal were able to be erased, and only the strength of the animal was blended with human DNA. But the alphas were a different story. Traces of their fierce personalities still lingered in the combined DNA. The protective natures, desire for dominance etc. were still strong in people that were shifters," Jackson said softly.

"You sure seem to know a lot about this," Gavin commented in surprise. So far, no one knows about the history of wolves, at least.

Jackson let out a soft chuckle. "My family are historians. We know a lot about things in the past," Jackson said before he continued on with his tale.

"Eventually, the hyper-aggressive nature of the alpha shifters led to a tragic number of lives lost. It got so bad that the world government decided to round all the alpha bloodlines and purge them from the world. Obviously, some have survived all this time," Jackson said as he inclined his head towards Gavin.

"So you're saying, I'm one of these lost alpha shifters?" Gavin asked.

Jackson nodded. "You shift into a wolf. Something that hasn't been seen in public for a couple of hundred years. How would you explain it?" Jackson responded. "On top of that, you said your birth family was slaughtered?" Jackson asked for clarification.

Gavin nodded. "That is what I was told when my adopted family found me. They said it looked like a bloodbath."

"Then I'd say you are lucky to be alive, my dude," Jackson said with one of his charming grins plastered on his face. "Maybe the gods have a plan for you," he said jokingly. Gavin coughed a little in surprise at the last comment. Jackson had no idea just how right he was by that innocent comment.

"Either way, I'm sure this will kick up the hornets next with the administration. That's the third so-called fight I've had with him on the first day," Gavin said thoughtfully.

Jackson shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe. Maybe not though. Each time was self-defense though, right? He started it and made the first move?" Jackson asked him.

Gavin nodded as he thought about the three encounters. Each time was indeed Bradley approaching him first and starting the confrontations. He deliberately antagonized Gavin into retaliating every time. "Maybe it has something to do with our animal species?" Gavin wondered out loud.

"Brad kept mentioning something about smelling bad to him, or smelling off. I think maybe the dog in him was reacting to the wolf in me. That was why he was so active in picking a fight with me," Gavin mused quietly. He was only guessing at this point and couldn't be one hundred percent sure about it unless he talked to Bradley himself. He had no intention of being near that punk right now. 

"That actually makes a lot of sense to me," Jackson said in agreement as he nodded his head. Wolves and dogs are the same genius species, but different enough that territorial instincts would react in the wild when around each other. The dog would feel threatened by the wolf and purposefully attack the wolf," Jackson mused his thoughts out loud. 

Suddenly, there was a series of loud knocks on their dormitory door. One. Two. Three. The sound was startling in the quiet of the dorm room while they talked. Gavin sighed deeply as he had a deep feeling what that knock was about. "How much do you want to bet that is a teacher or staff member coming to expel me?" Gavin asked ruefully as he got up from the couch and walked over to open the door. 

Standing there was a large man with black dreadlocks down his back, a simple black turtleneck shirt and dark navy blue slacks. He had a cross shaped scar that intersected over his right eye. Gavin remembered seeing this man at the ceremony. "Professor Okeeba, right?" Gavin asked hesitantly.

Professor Okeeba nodded grimly as he spoke. "Correct, Mr. Johnson. Would you mind coming with me? Principal Shepard wishes to speak with you, immediately," Professor Okeeba Okinawa asked, his deep low voice sounding like thunder in the silent dorm room.

Gavin gritted his teeth. He figured he'd be summoned sooner or later, but figured he'd had until atleast tomorrow. Jackson walked up behind him and placed a hand comfortingly on Gavin's shoulders. "You'll be okay. Anyway you look it's all been self defense. They can't expelled you for that," Jackson said in an attempt to cheer him up.

Professor Okeeba said nothing as he stepped aside and allowed Gavin to walk out of the room. "Your hands please, raise them," the professor commanded. There was no softness or gentleness in his tone. Confused, Gavin did as he was instructed and raised his arms chest high.

Professor Okeeba put a set of black steel cuffs around his wrists.

"Alert. Magical jamming device detected. Device is used to neutralize magical abilities. Currently blocking effectiveness to communicate with you. Do you wish me to fully neutralize the effect of the cuffs?" Veronicas soothing voice rang out in Gavin's head urgently as information was made known. So they wanted to prevent him from attacking or using his magic in anyway? Gavin would never allow anyone take him helpless. Not again. "Yes Veronica. Neutralize the cuffs effect discreetly." Gavin responded internally as he felt the drain on his mana from the cuffs blocking off manaflow.

Instantly the drain disappeared as Veronica worked her magic and blocked the jamming signal of the cuffs. Gavin still pretended to be weakened by the cuffs as the professor led him away and out of the building. Students made way for them to pass without any instruction from professor Okeeba as they walked. It was as if the professors aura was so intimidating that they instinctively knew to clear the area.

They walked for a few minutes from the dorms in the west towards the administrative buildings in the east of the campus. The main building was a four story massive building made of the same white marble stone as the others. They walked through the entry and didn't stop until they entered the elevator. Gold trim lined the black doors as they swung open and they stepped inside. The entire time professor Okeeba remained silent as they waited for the elevator to join the fourth floor.

The elevator dinged and they stepped out. They walked down the hallway until they reached a door at the far end. There was a plaque made in bronze that had Principal Shepard. Lead Magi, emblazoned on the front. "Step inside, do not speak unless spoken to," professor Okeeba commanded as he opened the door and stepped aside allowing Gavin to walk by.

Instantly a familiar scent filled Gavin's nose as he entered the principals office. He couldn't place his finger on it. But it was almost comforting, which made no sense to Gavin since he never met the principal before today.

The principal was seated behind a large red wood desk on the far side of the room. The room was comfortable in a way. Large enough for the walls to be covered by bookshelves floor to ceiling. Two love seat couches and a few office chairs sat neatly arranged in the room with a cheer red coffee table the middle. The principal looked up as the door opened and Gavin walked in. "Thank you, Okeeba. You may wait outside," Principal Shepard said softly as he smiled at the professor that brought Gavin.

"Of course sir." Okeeba responded as he reached out to shut the door with a soft click.

Gavin turned to face the principal not saying anything as he stood there. "Come now young Gavin. Please take a seat," Principal Shepard said softly as he pointed to the couches and chairs in the middle of the room. Gavin nodded and walked over, taking a seat on one of the black love seats.

Principal Shepard smiled warmly as he walked over and took out a key before he removed the cuffs from Gavin's wrists. "There now, I'm sure that feels better don't it?" Principal Shepard asked with a gentle smile as he took a seat across from Gavin.

Gavin rubbed his wrists as he nodded. "Yes sir, thank you," Gavin responded.

"You look just like my son," Principal Shepard said suddenly after a long moment of silence between them.