I knew Stefan was right. I threw my pencil down in frustration and said, “What would you do, then?”
“You need to tell Ethan you know he’s the Phantom, and that you’re the White Rose,” Stefan said. “If you don’t, I will.”
“You can’t,” I moaned. “It’s too dangerous.”
“What’s dangerous is to have a wedge between you and your mate.” Stefan’s tone was so certain. He grabbed my arm and squeezed it as he said, “I know you haven’t been in this society long, so it’s hard for you to understand. But there shouldn’t be secrets between mates. It kills relationships.”
“I’m bonded. I know how that feels.”
“But you don’t know the rules.” Stefan frowned sadly. “Ethan does. And to be honest— that he’s keeping this from you for so long is kind of pissing me off. I want to see you guys happy. You both deserve it. And you can’t be as long as you’re hiding things from each other.”
Warmth ran throughout my chest. Stefan really did care about us. I wanted to say something back, thank him for his kindness. But before I could, a scream erupted from outside the library.
It was coming from the hall. That sounded like Delmare!
Stefan was on his feet before I was. He raced out of the library. I left my stuff behind and followed him, running at top speed.
My stomach plummeted when I saw what was happening. Andrik had Delmare pinned against the wall. He’d wrenched an arm behind her back and was pulling up the back of her skirt uniform. He had ripped open her shirt, exposing her down the front. When she cried again for help, Andrik fisted a hand in her hair and yanked it hard. Delmare struggled as much as she could to get away, but Andrik was too strong. Tears flowed down her cheeks as Andrik forced himself against her.
Magic grew in my palms and swelled out of me as I lost control. Andrik was a dead man. I was going to make him wish he was never born.
I didn’t get a chance, because Stefan lost. His. Shit. He ran toward Andrik and pulled him off of Delmare, sending him flying twelve feet. Andrik smashed against the stone wall with so much force, bits of rubble came crumbling off.
Stefan pounced before Andrik could rise, and began beating the crap out of him. I heard bones in Andrik’s face crack as Stefan pummeled Andrik until his face was bloody.
Okay, so he had that handled. I rushed to Delmare. She was still crying. The front of her shirt was so badly ripped I couldn’t fix it.
“Here.” I yanked my sweater over my head. I had a button-up underneath it, but I would’ve exposed my tits for the whole world to see. I just didn’t care— I wanted Delmare to stop crying. She put the sweater on and wrapped her arms around herself, her mouth dropping open in horror as she watched Stefan destroy Andrik.
There was blood all over the floor. Literal puddles had formed around Stefan’s feet. Andrik was unrecognizable, his face a bloody mess. Stefan’s hands were stained with red, a color that matched his eyes as he thirsted for Andrik’s death.
I always knew shifters were protective of their Marked, but I’d never seen such violence this close up. A shiver ran over my body as Stefan leaned in and seethed, “I’m going tokillyou.”
And he would. He’d do it, that I had no doubt of. Stefan put his hands around Andrik’s neck to strangle him. Miracle upon miracles, that’s when Ethan happened to walk by.
“Stefan!” Ethan cried. He ran forward and tried to yank Stefan off of Andrik. Stefan was so murderous he threw Ethan off with one arm and continued his rampage. He was so enraged not even Ethan could pull him back.
Andrik was one of Elijah’s inner circle. If Stefan killed him, there’d be hell to pay. I wanted the bastard to die, but not at the expense of Stefan’s life. Someone had to stop this, before there were permanent consequences.
“Stop!” Delmare shouted. She stepped forward and cast a binding spell. Stefan halted in place, his one fist still in the air. Andrik hung limply, held up by his shirt that was bunched in Stefan’s hand. Delmare forced Stefan to drop him, and Andrik landed with athud.
“What is the meaning of this?” A sinister voice made my skin crawl.
Lady Korva had arrived, along with Professor Lunesta. Korva stared with vile hatred at us, while Lunesta took in the scene with disbelief. Korva’s eyes looked at Andrik, then at me.
Delmare lifted the freezing spell on Stefan. He relaxed. Though he looked like he longed to, he didn’t attack Andrik again.
“This prick head was trying to rape my best friend!” I yelled, and I pointed at Andrik, who moaned on the ground. “We walked in on it moments ago. Stefan was just defending her.”
Lunesta looked to Delmare. “Is this true, Miss Delmare?”
Delmare nodded. Her face was pale. She was still in shock.
“Excuse me, but where is theevidencefor this?” Lady Korva questioned. “If you ask me, this looks like a staged attack on an innocent student by these four ruffians.”
Gods, if I could slap her, her head would come flying off. She was the worst teacher ever.
Thank Milonna, though, Lunesta wasn’t tolerating Korva’s bullshit. “I believe Miss Delmare has reported for weeks now that Mister Anton has been harassing her, and the school has failed thus far to follow up on it. Written reports have been made. Isn’t that right, Miss Delmare?”
