Page 1 of Operation: Ogre

Chapter One

Jaxon

Istepped onto the campus of Creelin U with a massive sigh and sagging shoulders. Even with the creaking gate and slightly creepy gothic architecture—not to mention the gargoyles (some of which were alive and protected the campus)—it was so nice to be back. Being a freshman last year had been overwhelming, to say the least, especially as I had roomed with a human—the first year humans had been admitted to the school. But having Christopher as my roommate had actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He was friendly, kind, social, and had easily become my best friend.

He should already be here, as he was on the soccer team; second-string, though I had no idea what that meant besides that he sat on the bench most of the time, which he was determined to change this year. He wanted to play more, I guessed. I didn’t get it, but supported him nonetheless. But being on the soccer team meant he was here, as athletes arrived earlier for training, though he’d had a training camp over the summer as well.

I carried my hulking suitcases with ease and winced at the bright sun. Not a single cloud in the sky to protect me from the overpowering rays that seemed to want to stab my eyes out. It wasn’t that I hated the sun, per se, but I didn’t love it either.

As an ogre, in a family of ogres, we lived in a fully-finished cave, deep in the mountains where I didn’t have to deal with the bright light or people. It was the dream.

A werewolf, who I also believed was on the football team, rushed past me, shouting at their friend in an enthusiastic greeting. The pair clasped in a tight hug, then did the bro-back-slapping thing that I’d truly never understood. Though I didn’t really enjoy most people touching me, so perhaps that was why I didn’t “get” it.

Another plus about the cave in the middle of nowhere. Very few people. I didn’t dislike people, per se, but I was perfectly content not being around them all the time. I was happy with my own company and didn’t require other people. Well, except Chris. I would be upset not to see him, though he usually came with me when I went home.

I jerked to a stop, blinking. What the actual fuck?

A naked man. Like, a legit naked man was streaking across the campus. His ass jiggled, his cow tail swayed, his back like bark and his skin a lovely green, as he bolted in front of me and roared in drunk-sounding laughter, drawing my attention for a moment. People shrieked, whistled, and clapped. I rolled my eyes. Probably a stupid frat prank. Yet another reason to not be around people.

However, ogres being alone or on the outskirts of society didn’t help all the misinformation about us, like us eating babies and children. Disgusting. Boogle and Witchipedia were determined to keep those damn legends, though. Who could say why? People did have a love of the macabre. But I wasn’t a cannibal (no ogre was), thank you very much. Hell, I didn’t even eat meat or animal products of any kind. One look into the soulful brown eyes of a cow as a child, and I was done with all animal-based products. Nope. Cruelty-free life for me.

I nodded and grunted at the few people I actually knew, or more accurately wanted to speak to, on my way to my dorm. Chris and I had been lucky enough to secure a private room with our own bathroom—even if it was still in Poe Hall, filled with mostly freshmen—so it was just the two of us, which made everything so much easier. No communal shower or suite crowded with people for us.

“Jaxon,” a cheerful voice called out, and I turned toward it moments before a much smaller frame collided into me. “Aw, I missed you so much.”

“Samantha,” I sighed by way of greeting. Samantha, or Sam depending on her mood, was Chris’s younger sister. She was a house cat shifter—his whole family was—and she was starting at Creelin U this year.

“Why didn’t you come see us this summer?” she demanded, sticking out her bottom lip. Her black hair hung around her long face, but a few strands draped in front of her monolid eyes.

“Because Chris was with my family for most of the summer,” I commented.

She waved her hand as if that hardly mattered, and I just stared at her. Chris spent more than half the summer with my family—who loved him—then went back home not long before he had to return to school. The only time he’d left was for his training camp. It had been the same with school holidays last year as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Kim traveled a lot for work, not to mention going to South Korea to visit Mr. Kim’s parents, and weren’t always home for different holidays. They tried to be here for Christmas, but they always spent Chuseok in South Korea with family. It was during the school year anyway—the end of September this year—and at Christmastime they were always inundated with new clients, so they didn’t always succeed.

“Still,” she said, “you could’ve come with Christopher when he finally decided to show up.”

“Why?” I was seriously curious. I knew she didn’t have a crush on me—she was a lesbian—so why would she care if I was around?

“We’re friends.”

We were? That was news to me. I didn’t know Sam all that well. Also, I tended to not assume anyone was friends with me. It worked out better. Most of the monster community was rather accepting of people, no matter what type of monster you were, but I did bother some people. Ogres were huge, and we did have that nasty reputation and all.

Before I was forced to respond to her comment, another body collided into me.

“Jaxon,” Carter shouted, wrapping his arms around me. Chris’s older brother.

I swore the whole Kim family was like this. They would all hug, cling, and smile. It wasn’t that my parents were standoffish—they weren’t—but we weren’t all sunshine. Maybe it was because, much like their shifted forms, the Kims did love to nap and bask in the sunlight. They must have absorbed the sun somehow.

Perhaps the phenomenon should be studied. If I were better at talking to people, I would approach one of the science majors.

“Hey, Carter,” I said, trying and failing to pat his back in a “bro-hug.” I was holding too many suitcases to manage the feat.

He slapped my back and tousled his sister’s hair, earning a swipe and a hiss in return. Carter ignored both. “Great to see you, man. Why didn’t you come this summer?”

A chuckle rumbled from deep within me, sounding more like gravel in a coffee grinder than laughter, but I couldn’t help it. My voice was much deeper than humans’ and most monsters’.

Carter lifted his eyebrow, silently demanding an answer. He was a true older brother. All protective, annoyed, and commanding rolled into one person. He had adopted me into the fold last year, which was rather nice as I didn’t have siblings.