Page 100 of Black Hollow: Awakening

Hearing his last name, Will stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around slowly, waiting for the man to approach him. The voice was unfamiliar.

When the guy pulled down his hood, Will didn’t recognize his face at first either, but then he saw something familiar. A square jaw, blue eyes, light curly hair, and a falcon tattoo on his neck… It was Axel Owens. A senior and the school’s football star. They had never exchanged a single word.

“What’s up?” Will asked uncertainly.

“Will Morgan,” Axel said simply, studying him with a watchful gaze.

“Yeah. That’s me,” Will confirmed weakly. “Is something wrong?”

“No, but it could be.” The blatant and completely unexpected threat made Will take a step back. “You know it’s dangerous to walk home alone at night, right?”

“Thanks for the warning,” Will muttered warily.

“That wasn’t a warning,” Axel stated firmly.

“I have to go,” Will said nervously, turning away quickly.

“Where are you rushing off to, hexer?”

Those words paralyzed him. First, because Axel knew what he was, and second… that term… Norma had explained it was a derogatory name for wizards. For some reason, Will started to think about the lunatic who almost killed him. A cold sweat broke out on his skin.

Axel blocked his path.

“Stay out of our business, or you’ll fucking regret it,” he hissed, looking Will straight in the eye.

“What business?” Will asked, confused.

“Liam’s business.”

At that moment, it all made sense.

“You’re a werewolf.”

“And you’re a little human whose magic tricks don’t impress me. But you hurt one of ours, and we don’t forgive that, understand?”

“What?” Will protested indignantly. “I didn’t hurt anyone!”

“Didn’t you use your powers against one of us?”

“In self-defense! They were hassling Blake!”

“So, to defend a bloodsucker. That’s even worse.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose! I can’t control my abilities yet. Besides, that guy was fine. He got right back up.”

“That doesn’t matter. We don’t forget,” Axel stated, his voice devoid of emotion. “We know very well what happened to our kind centuries ago. How they were persecuted. Marginalized. Murdered for the amusement of people like you. There’s always a breaking point, and it will come this time, too.”

“I really didn’t do it on purpose. I’m sorry. And Liam doesn’t want anything to do with all this, so just leave him alone.”

Axel suddenly grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him close. Will barely managed to hold back a scream. His heart was pounding like crazy.

“You don’t seem like the type to fight back, so I’ll give you one last warning,” Axel muttered, his face inches from Will’s. “Stay away from Liam, or I’ll fucking make you.”

Then he shoved Will away. Will swallowed nervously before quickly running off, glancing over his shoulder every few moments.

Why did he always find a way to get himself into trouble?

January 28 | Tuesday