Work Text:
Addison was sitting at her desk in math class, taking a test. She was trying to find the answer to a particularly difficult question, when she heard something outside.
RUMBLE ... BOOM!
It looked like a thunderstorm had started. Addison quickly checked her phone, and found that the storm wasn't supposed to last longer than the school day.
"Miss Wells," came the voice of the math teacher, Mrs Johnson, "you're not cheating, are you?"
"No, ma'am," Addison replied, showing her the phone screen, "just checking the weather."
"Alright, but I'm keeping my eyes on you," Mrs Johnson told the white haired girl. "Just because you're a monster now doesn't mean you won't follow the rules like everyone else!"
"Yes, ma'am," Addison replied, and went back to the test.
She had just finished, and was about to turn it in to the teacher, when her phone buzzed.
"Miss Wells!"
"I'm done with the test, ma'am," Addison quickly explained. "I'm going to turn it in right now. That noise from my phone just means someone texted me."
When Addison placed her test on Mrs Johnson's desk, the teacher said, "Fine. Since you're done, you can mess around on your phone until class is over. But you had better not be giving anyone your answers!"
"Understood, ma'am." Addison returned to her desk and checked her text, which turned out to be from Wyatt.
Hey Addy, it read, Willa just ran past my classroom. Can you please find her and make sure she's ok?
I don't mean to be rude or anything, the white haired girl responded, but why aren't you looking for her?
His reply was simply, Jerkstein.
That made sense. Jerkstein, also known as Mr Dirkstein (it rhymed, you see), was notoriously stubborn when it came to students leaving his chemistry class early, for ANY reason, even emergencies. Addison was in his class last semester, and it was NOT fun. (Honestly, she was surprised he hadn't been fired for some of the things that happened in his class.)
"Um, Mrs Johnson?" Addison raised her hand. "Can I be excused for a bit?"
"You've done everything you need to do here," the teacher replied, "so I don't see why not."
The Great Alpha quickly texted, Ok. I'm on it to Wyatt, and left the classroom to look for her co-Alpha.
(This is a line break.)
Addison was searching the hallways. She was trying to find Willa, but the wolf in question was nowhere to be found. Addison was getting worried.
Then, she heard a rattling noise coming from a nearby air vent. It was as if something had gotten in there and was shaking the metal.
Or someone.
The white haired girl moved the grate of the air vent (which was pretty loose for a vent so close to the ground) out of the way and looked inside. And there was Willa, shivering like crazy.
But it wasn't cold in the air vent, so why was she shivering like that? Why was she even in the air vent at all?
"Willa? Are you okay?"
Willa quickly turned her head towards Addison, seeming surprised. She must not have noticed the white haired girl arrive. She seemed to recover fairly quickly, though, and responded, "I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
"Wyatt told me he saw you running through the school," the Great Alpha explained. "We got worried."
"There is no reason to be worried about me."
"Then why are you hiding in an air vent?"
Willa seemed to hesitate before saying, "That's none of your business."
"Willa," Addison told the wolf in question, "you're my co-Alpha, and more than that, you're my friend. I just want to know what's wrong so I can help."
"Nothing's wrong-"
KABOOM!
Before the white haired werewolf had time to register what happened, Willa had hidden around a corner in the air vent. Only her boots were visible from where Addison was. And judging from the rattling noise coming from the vent, she was shivering again.
"Oh..." Addison realized. "It's the storm, isn't it? That's what you're hiding from."
The shivering girl's response was an embarrassed "Shut up...."
"You don't have to be embarrassed," Addison told her friend, crawling into the vent and towards Willa. "I'm not going to laugh at you. Everyone is scared of something."
"I don't get scared. I'm the Alpha Wolf. I'm the one that protects the Pack."
"Yeah, well, I'm an Alpha Wolf too," the white haired girl replied. "A Great Alpha, in fact. And that means I'm supposed to take care of everyone in the Pack." Addison had reached Willa by then, and grabbed her hand for emotional support. "And you're part of the Pack, Willa, just as much as anyone else."
Willa gave a small smile at that. Then, she asked, "Shouldn't you be getting back to class at some point?"
"Are you coming out of the air vent?"
KABOOM!
Willa went further into the vent.
Addison figured that was as good an answer as anything. "Well, if you're not leaving, then neither am I. I'm sticking with you until the storm blows over."
"You really don't have to do that -"
"No," said the Great Alpha, making her way to Willa again, "but I want to."
She quickly sent a text to Wyatt, saying I found her in an air vent, will keep you posted, and started to give her friend a hug.
(Line break one more time.)
BRRRING!
The bell had rung. And Addison and Willa were still in the vent.
KABOOM!
And that was why. The storm was still going strong. Addison held her co-Alpha tightly, comforting the shaking werewolf.
Then, they heard footsteps just outside of the vent. "Sis? Addy?" Wyatt's voice called out. "It's this one, right?"
"This one what?" Another familiar voice could be heard. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, hi Eliza," came the wolf's nervous reply, "what's up?"
"You're looking for Willa too, aren't you?"
"Wait, how did you-"
"She texted me," the zombie girl explained.
Addison knew she was telling the truth. Willa had in fact texted Eliza while they were in the vent. Apparently, Wyatt hadn't been the only one who noticed Willa running off, and Eliza had sent a message to see if her girlfriend was okay. Willa had sent a short reply before another crack of thunder had freaked her out again.
"Wait, what?" Wyatt sounded upset. "Why didn't she text ME? I had to get Addison to see if she was okay!"
"Why didn't you just-"
"Jerkstein."
"Oh."
"And for the record," Willa called out towards the vent opening, "I WAS going to text you, Wyatt, but I got distracted by-"
KABOOM!
Willa whimpered and squeezed Addison so hard, the white haired girl thought she might pop.
"OH," Wyatt realized. "That would explain it, all right."
"Little tight, Willa," Addison managed to say. Willa relaxed her grip a bit.
"Wait, Willa, are you scared of thunderstorms?" Eliza seemed to catch on.
"... Maybe," came the Alpha's sheepish reply. "Please don't laugh."
The wolf girls heard a banging noise coming from the entrance to the vent, and getting closer. "I'm not laughing," Eliza assured, her voice getting closer as well. "Everyone's scared of something, right?"
"Addy said the same thing earlier," Willa replied. "But if it happens to EVERYONE, then what are you guys scared of?"
"Well, you already know what I'm scared of," said Wyatt, whose head peered at the two Alphas around the corner. "Bears. Remember that one time I tried to get some food, and then a bear came along and jumped me for what I caught? I still have a scar on my back from that!"
"And I don't like needles," Addison said. "You know, the kind that a doctor has? I don't really know why I hate them so much. I KNOW that they don't hurt that much, and it's supposed to help in the long run. But every time I see one, I just ... freak out."
"... Snakes," admitted Eliza, who had reached the wolf girls, and was sliding next to Willa (on the opposite side of where Addison was). "I can't stand snakes. They're just so CREEPY. There's also fire, I guess, but that's more of a general zombie thing, like you guys and silver, so I don't know if it counts."
"See?" Wyatt said, trying to climb on top of his sister so he could cuddle with her as well. "Everyone's scared of something, sis."
"Well, I guess-"
KABOOM!
Willa whimpered again. Her brother, girlfriend, and co-Alpha all embraced her to make her feel safe.
And that's how they all stayed until the storm was over.
THE END