The Wolf leisurely makes his way towards me, and my heart jackhammers in my chest at the sight. If he could do something like that to his childhood best friend, who knows what he has planned for me. My jaw begins to chatter, and my ears ring as he kneels before me, lifting his mask so it rests atop his head. Whisps of dirty-blonde hair stick to his temples from sweat. His features are hard, but his eyes are soft as they search mine. He calmly reaches to the back of my head, untying the fabric that binds my jaw and frees it from my mouth.
“Reed,” I rasp after an excruciating swallow. My lip quivers, and he runs a thumb over my cheek, wiping a tear away. I close my eyes against his touch, trying to calm my nerves and remind myself of the charming and kind person I’ve gotten to know over these past few months.
“Shhh, it’ll all be over soon,” he says, nodding to a member behind me. I look around in a panic.
“Reed? What’s going on?”
“Power comes with sacrifice,” is all he says, as he gently peels my robe from one shoulder. I peer over it at the memberstanding behind me. He lifts the poker that has been simmering in the brazier since Reed had entered the room. I notice it isn’t just a poker at all, but a branding iron. The letters H-I-S, along with six petals of an iris flower, detail the brand at the end of the metal rod, burning a red so bright my skin crawls at the sight of it. Panic slams into me. Reed grabs hold of my chin, dragging it back to face him. He shoves the cloth, which is now bunched into a ball, into my mouth.
“Bite down,” he says, and I don’t hesitate. A white-hot pain, worse than anything I’ve ever felt, sears through the back of my shoulder and consumes my entire being. I scream, or at least I think I do, and The Wolf’s hazel eyes are the last thing I see before pain devours me whole.
TWENTY-FIVE
VERENA GRAVENHURST
Acar horn sounds in the driveway as I race down the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. I sprint towards the door, not wanting to keep Reed waiting, almost tripping over my untied shoelaces in the process. Closing the large doors behind me a little harder than I had intended, I turn to see Reed chuckling in the driver’s seat.
“What’s the rush, Gravenhurst?” He snickers, lounging back with his arms folded behind his head.Very funny.I graciously open the door and slide into the passenger seat. Plucking Reed’s sunglasses off his face, I put them on and flash him a cheeky grin.
“Let’s roll, Sullivan.”
He shifts the car into gear, and we take off through the iron gates, ready to take the world by storm.
My eyes flutter open, and I lie frozen, unmoving, fear-stricken deep within me as the memories of the initiation take over my entire being. My breathing is shallow, and I notice the room is darker and much quieter than it had been moments ago. Sitting up cautiously, I take in my surroundings, my eyes adjusting to the dark, damp tunnels. The concrete beneath me is cool to the touch, but my shoulder blade burns with the ferocity of a wicked, angry flame.
“Gravenhurst.” Reed’s voice sends a chill down my spine. Leaping to my feet, I turn to face him, backing away from his approaching footsteps. Everyone else is gone, leaving us entirely alone. And right now, I’m not sure that’s a place I’d like to be.
“Stay away from me, Sullivan.” He stops in his tracks and raises both hands in the air, a sign to show he means me no harm—but the pain shooting from my shoulder, into my arm, is a persistent reminder that I can’t trust his words or actions.
“Ren, I’m sorry, I had no other choice. You kept pushing for answers, and once you found out the truth, there was no going back. Initiation isn’t pretty, but you took it so well, and now you bear the Hollow Iris Society Crest…You’re one of us. You’ll always be one of us.”
My back meets the rough stone wall. Reed proceeds to stalk towards me with timid strides, careful not to spook me.
“I didn’t want to hurt you. Please believe me when I tell you it was the only way.” His eyes, pleading for me to believe him, look sincere.
I struggle to hear his words when my world feels completely off-kilter. Branded by the society, making me a member for the rest of time. I know this is supposed to be an honourable moment—a legacy claiming her rightful position among the other founding family members—but the pain overpowers any sense of pride I have in this very moment.
“It-it burns,” I cry out, allowing myself to be vulnerable. He wraps his arms around my shaking body, hushing me,and I wince at the sharp, intrusive pain radiating from my shoulder. I let him hold me, bringing me comfort during my moment of despair. Every member has gone through this. I’m not special. And now, the worst part of it is over. I groan, whimpering against Reed’s chest, letting the tears fall free.
“The pain is temporary, Gravenhurst, but the society? It’s forever.”
My hair whips around my face, and I smile to myself, making waves in the wind with my outstretched hand as we drive to the academy. It’s as if something has shifted in my world overnight. I feel lighter—happier—and have a new sense of belonging in this town I’ve been struggling to call my home since I arrived.
Verena Gravenhurst, a legacy member of the Hollow Iris Society. Who would have thought? Granted, the initiation process was brutal to say the least, and my skin still burns with the intensity of a thousand suns from the brand that is now permanently scarred into my shoulder blade. I suddenly feel a deep connection to the roots of Hollowcrest. Like the soul of the town and my own, are one and the same.
We reach the parking lot, and Reed flashes me a smile that tells me he’s happy, too. We needed this. No more secrets between us, just him and I and the loyalty of the marked ones.
Grabbing my books from the backseat, Reed comes around to my side, hovering over me and entrapping me between his hard body and the car. He presses into me, placing a small trail of kisses down my neck, and then abruptly pulls away.
“You know the hold you have over me, don’t you, Sullivan?” I tease.
He waggles his eyebrows,confirming that I’m right.
“It’s not my fault you’re hypnotized by my irresistible charm.”
Shaking my head, I laugh, finding his feigned innocence endearing. He threads his fingers between mine, leading me through the academy doors.
Reed is greeted right away by Jenkins and a few of his other buddies.
