Page 172 of Plug and Drain

Susie blinked up at him in surprise.

“Is that all right?” he asked.

Susie looked relieved. “Thank you. Yes.”

“She’s quite tall and strongly built. I think she will be able to manage—but I’m available to assist if needed.”

It was clear from Susie’s expression that she did not want his help.

“Well, I’ll send her in, shall I? And when you wake up, and are feeling better, I promise we will talk.”

He cringed internally when he said, “feeling better”. As much as he wished that would be true, it was wrong for him to presume such a thing. Once Susie came off the medications and had a clear head, she would be forced to come to grips with the reality of Henrikk’s assault. There would be no ‘feeling better’ for a while.

His fists curled in anger at himself, and he shoved his hands into his pockets to hide them. One assault after another, and he’d repeatedly failed to protect her.

What use am I?

He pivoted and left the room via the black door, checking through a peephole to ensure it was empty first before unlocking it and stepping through. The office was mercifully empty.

Sarah was waiting in the corridor, along with a dozen other wolves—mostly females—sitting on the ground balancing a tray of food and juice on her knee. She jumped when she saw him, nearly losing the tray.

“Sarah,” he greeted. “You may wait in my office, next time.”

The tall girl rose unsteadily to her feet and shook her head quickly. “Th-that’s all right, sir. I’m happy to wait out here.”

By happy, she meant she preferred to spend as little time in his presence as possible.

Fair enough.

“Very well.” Arken glanced up and down the corridor. in decorations than the rest of the academy, but had very little in the way of furniture. “I’ll have a chair brought for you for next time.” He glanced at the other wolves, who stood a little straighter, shoulders back and chests out at their best advantage. He was quite sure the school blouse buttons should have been done all the way up, and there was more cleavage on display than he was comfortable with.

He cleared his throat. “I’ll…have chairs brought for all of you. I’ll be with you presently.” He ushered Sarah into his office, and glanced back at out at the waiting wolves. “I really only require one of you tonight.”

A soft collected gasp, hopeful eyes flashed, and then…

The students turned to each other and bickering ensued.

Arken sighed and shut the door. He really needed some sort of system. He hadn’t anticipated such an overwhelming response to his request.

At least the volunteers’ presence would help mask the reason for Sarah’s constant presence. No one else knew that Susie was staying with him, not even her other pack members, and it would stay that way.

After impressing upon her the utmost importance of keeping the room’s existence a secret, Arken led Sarah through the false panel.

There was a bag of books slung over Sarah’s shoulder.

“For Susie,” Sarah explained, noticing him looking.

“Very thoughtful of you.” He nodded inside. “She’s on the bed.”

My bed.

Arken lingered long enough to see Susie’s face light up when she saw her friend. As Sarah rushed over to Susie’s bedside and began to fuss over her, Arken left to give them privacy.

As he stood in his darkened office, staring at the ghostly moonlight mottling the walls, he couldn’t help but think that a single one of Susie’s friends was quite possibly worth a hundred vampires.

With a regretful sigh, he returned to the corridor and gestured at a wolf at random.

“Come.”