“I punish students as I see fit, and it’s within my right as a professor?—”
“If you're not going to handle this, then I will,” Rion warns as I claw at Willow’s wrists desperately. The desire to slam my hands against her chest is unbearable, but I fight against it, refusing to expose myself.
“You will do no such thing,” Drayker grinds out through clenched teeth, effectively taking a step back from us.
How is this even happening right now?
My eyes water, my heart races, and my taste for blood runs rampant through my body.
“Let go of her before I shift and claw at every motherfucker here, starting with you, Willow,” Rion orders as my vision blurs and my throat constricts. “How are you going to punish that?” he adds, aiming his snarl at Drayker.
I’m not going to be able to contain myself for much longer. Every clench of her claws around my throat brings me one step closer to unleashing my own abilities. Attempting to focus my attention, I spy Professor Drayker out of the corner of my eye,watching as she tilts her chin up with an air of superiority aimed at the wolf who was so quick to defend me.
“Don't try me, Rion,” she bites as Willow’s claws pierce my skin.
Rion's eyes shift as he turns his attention to Willow, his claws protruding from his hand as he matches her stance; this time, his fingers are flexed around her neck, not mine. “Let go of her before I make you do it,” Rion demands.
“Rion, stop,” Thorne hollers, his dark and dangerous tone cutting through the air. “It's what she wants you to do.”
My eyebrows pinch in confusion; it’s not what I want at all. It takes a moment for me to see through the haze that he’s not referring to me. He’s not even referring to Willow, but Drayker.
My face pulses, my blood pounding in my ears, and I know my time is up. My grip on Willow’s wrists tightens and I spy her eyes widening a fraction, but movement out of the corner of my eye makes me pause.
True to his word, when the professor doesn't seem to jump at Rion's demand, it’s not just his eyes that change, or his claws; it's his entire body.
Raging beside me is a wolf, snarling and thirsting for blood as he snaps his teeth at Willow. Ayelp parts her lips as she rears back, finally releasing her hold on me.
My hand lands on my chest as I gulp in every breath. Dizzy and lightheaded, I feel like I'm gonna pass out.
“Enough,” Professor Drayker roars. If we didn't have everyone's attention before, we certainly do now. As I tilt my head to peer up at her, I’m surprised to see that it's not me her angry glare is aimed at. It’s not even Willow. It’s solely set on Rion.
Her eyes are narrowed and her teeth are bared as her voice slices through the air. “You leave me no choice, Rion, but to assign you to solitary training.”
TWELVE
RION
“Go. Get the fuck out of here before she decides to ride your dick as punishment too,” Kael snarls, his fingers curling into my fur as he whispers into my ear, and my gut churns, all while he keeps his scornful look aimed in Drayker’s direction.
She wouldn’t.
Through my wolf's eyes, I look at the woman in question. The familiar curl to her lips, the tightness of her jaw, and the way her fingers flex at her sides tells me he's right.
She would.
With a frustrated snarl, I take a step back, but not before locking eyes with Elodie. The concern is rich in her stare, but it’s outweighed by the redmarks on her neck, which threaten to send me over the edge again.
“I’ve got her, asshole. Now go,” Kael grits out.
Blinking up at him, I see the truth in his eyes, and I know I can entrust her to his protection. Before I change my mind, I take off, but not before I brush against the girl who's captured my entire attention.
I shiver at her softness against my fur before I truly make a run for it. The more distance I put between us, the faster I go, disappearing out of sight, letting my paws guide me. I don't care which Institute belongs to whom. I run for the foliage, the tree line, the earth, trodding over the ground from one section to another as Drayker’s words continue on repeat in my mind.
Solitary training?
She’s joking, right?
Maybe Kael is right, possibly Thorne too. I played right into her hands, but like hell was I going to let them continue backing Elodie into a corner. They wouldn't if they knew what she is capable of, but that’s beside the point.
