Mates

The classroom door slammed open with enough force to rattle the windows. A tall woman with an impossibly long neck coils stood in the doorway, her head nearly brushing the ceiling. But with her crisp suit and stern look, it was hard to focus on anything except how intimidating she was.

Students scattered to their seats, including the wolf girl, who disappeared from my side and materialized at a desk in record time. I remained frozen in place, suddenly aware that I had no idea where I was supposed to sit.

"Good morning, class," the teacher's voice carried a warning tone. Her gaze landed on me, still dripping in the middle of the classroom. "Ah, you must be our new transfer student."

I nodded, trying not to stare as her neck stretched even further to bring her face level with mine.

"I am Kubiya-sensei, your homeroom teacher. Please find a seat so we can begin."

I surveyed the room, desperately searching for an empty desk. From her seat, the wolf girl was frantically waving and pointing to the empty spot next to her.

Yeah, no.

I spotted an empty desk in the back corner - perfect for avoiding attention. Just as I took my first step towards my sanctuary, a blur crashed through the window in a shower of glass. Wings spread dramatically, a girl with flame-like hair landed gracefully in the seat.

"Sorry, Kubiya-sensei!" The girl folded her wings back hastily, looking embarrassed. "Does this still count as being late?"

Kubiya-sensei's neck coiled tighter as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Suzaku-san, we've discussed appropriate entrances before."

"Right, right. Windows are not doors." The girl grinned sheepishly, her yellow eyes catching mine. She gave a little wave.

Great. With that seat taken, I grudgingly turned toward the only remaining empty seat - next to the wolf girl. Her tail was wagging so hard it was thumping against the chair.

"I saved it just for you!" she whispered loudly as I slid into the desk.

"How thoughtful," I muttered.

I slumped in my chair, trying to put as much distance between myself and the wolf girl as possible, which wasn't much given how she kept inching closer.

Kubiya-sensei's neck curved as she picked up the attendance sheet. "Let's begin roll call." Her neck swayed slightly as she read each name, marking responses.

"Akatomi Akane?"

"Here!" The wolf girl's hand shot up enthusiastically, her tail still wagging.

Akane. The name was surprisingly pretty, wasted on her personality.

"Kusunoki Ryou?"

"Here," I answered flatly, hoping to draw minimal attention.

"Now, before we get to announcements," Kubiya-sensei's neck swayed as she addressed the class, "I'd like to properly introduce our new vampire transfer student. Kusunoki-san, please stand and tell the class about yourself."

I stood reluctantly. "Kusunoki Ryou. Nice to meet you."

I started to sit back down, but Kubiya-sensei's neck stretched towards me. "Surely there's more you'd like to share with your classmates?"

Beside me, Akane was vibrating with excitement. Fine. Two could play at this game.

"Actually, I should mention that I'm deathly allergic to werewolves. In fact, I can feel hives forming already."

I shot a pointed look at Akane, hoping Kubiya-sensei would take the hint and reassign my seat.

Akane's tail was wagging even harder now. "Wow, Ryou! You're willing to suffer just to be near me?"

"That's not what I-"

"What a noble vampire," Kubiya-sensei nodded approvingly. "Putting aside your weakness for a sacred bond. This is exactly the kind of esteem we strive for at Nebou."

I slumped back into my seat as the class burst into applause.

Kubiya-sensei started running through the day’s announcements, but before I could focus, Akane slid a note onto my desk. It was a doodle of a stick figure with fangs riding triumphantly on a wolf's back.

I crumpled it immediately. 

This only encouraged her to poke my arm with her pencil instead.

"What?"

"Nothing," she grinned, clearly pleased to have gotten a response. "Just making sure you're paying attention."

I turned back to the front, determined to actually listen this time, when suddenly everyone started standing up and filing out of the classroom. I blinked in confusion. At my old school, the teachers came to us - we didn't move between classes.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Akane's ears perked up as she turned to me with an insufferably smug expression. "Oh? Now you want my help?"

I let out a grunt.

"Each class needs a special room. Like potions needs the laboratory, combat training needs the arena, and herbology needs the greenhouse."

My head snapped up at that last part. "Herbology? Is that our first class?"

"Yeah, why- whoa!" Akane's eyes widened as I grabbed my bag and practically leaped from my seat. "Someone's excited."

"Where's the greenhouse?" I demanded.

"I'll show you," she grinned, linking her arm through mine. "But you have to admit we're mates first."

"The greenhouse, Akane."

"Say it~"

I sighed. "Fine. We're..."

Akane just hummed, examining her nails with disinterest. "Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

"...mates." 

"Hmm?" She cupped a hand around her wolf ear. "You'll have to speak up~"

I glanced at the classroom door, watching as the last students filtered out. At this rate, we'd be late to herbology - my first chance to actually study something I cared about.

With a deep breath and what remained of my dignity, I uttered: "We're mates."

Akane's ears instantly perked up. Before I could react, she scooped me up in her arms like I weighed nothing at all.

"Now was that so hard?" she grinned down at me, holding me in a princess carry. 

"Wai-"

"Don't worry, I'll get us there in no time!" And with that, she took off running through the halls at what had to be supernatural speed.

Students dove out of our way as Akane barreled through corridors, taking corners so sharply I was sure we'd crash. My hair whipped around my face as she bounded up stairs three at a time.

"Left or right?" Akane asked as we reached an intersection, not slowing down in the slightest.

"How should I know?!"

"Just pick one!" Her tail wagged expectantly.

"Fine. Left."

"Left it is!" She bounded down the corridor with renewed enthusiasm.

As much as I hated to admit it, being carried like this was... oddly refreshing. The cool night air rushing past, my clothes finally air drying...

That's when I noticed something familiar about this distinctive glass dome.

"Akane, are we going in circles?"

"What? No! Of course not! I'm just... taking the scenic route!"

"We've passed the greenhouse at least three times now, haven't we?"

"Maybe..."

"You just wanted an excuse to carry me around, didn't you?"

"I can't help it! Your heart does this funny little skip when we take sharp turns. It's such a cute human reaction!"

Before I could protest, Akane pulled me closer, pressing my head against her chest. "See? Like this - thump thump thump! That's what you sound like."

The erratic thump of her heartbeat echoed in my ears. I forced my expression to remain neutral, even as my chest tightened with an unfamiliar sensation.

"Let go," I managed to say, though my voice lacked its usual edge.

"Your heart says otherwise!" she laughed, the sound vibrating through her chest and into mine.

I wanted to be annoyed. I should have been annoyed. But as we sped through empty corridors, my world narrowing to the sound of our synchronized heartbeats and the surprisingly gentle way she held me, I realized something that terrified me more than any creature at this school ever could.

I felt alive. Really, truly alive. Not just existing between sleepless nights. My heart was racing, and every nerve in my body tingled in a way I'd never knew was possible.

And it was all because of this insufferable wolf girl.