“See you in a few minutes. Don’t forget your camera,” Holt said once we reached the top of the steps. He released my hand and disappeared through the door that led to the boys’ dorms. I headed to the girls’ side, my mind racing with what his plans might be.
I couldn’t figure it out. It couldn’t be the movie I wanted to go see, because he’d already agreed to see that tomorrow. Plus, he’d also said I needed to bring my camera. A hike was out too, because we were already scheduled to do one in the morning.
I grabbed my ID card from my back pocket and slid it into the door of my dorm. When I opened the door, Summer was at the desk, eating a bag of Twizzlers while watching something on her phone.
“Hey,” she said without looking up from her cell as I closed the door behind me. “Did you two finish studying so soon? I figured you guys would be down there all night with exams next week.”
“Yeah. I thought we would have been too, but it’s okay. I still have time to go over everything once or twice before the test,” I said as I headed to the closet for my favorite camera and to change into a thicker sweater. The temperature had dipped already. Since I didn’t know where we were going, I figured changing might be a good idea. After I pulled the sweater on, I grabbed my camera.
“Heading out to take some pictures? I haven’t seen you do that all week,” Summer said as I attached my most comfortable strap to my camera. I didn’t know if we’d be walking a lot wherever Holt was taking me, and this one would ensure I didn’t have a crazy rash on the back of my neck by the time I got home. “You okay? It’s rare that I see you reach for your camera on a Friday night unless something is bothering you. The academy getting to you? Or is it Holt? Are you two having problems?”
Her questions came at me like rapid-fire. How much sugar had she consumed today? Knowing Summer, that could possibly be her second bag of Twizzlers today.
“I’m fine. Holt said I needed to bring my camera. There’s someplace he wants to take me tonight. It’s a surprise,” I said as I slipped my camera over my neck. I grabbed a hair tie next, and twisted my hair on top of my head.
Summer’s eyes glittered. “A surprise?”
“Yup.” I allowed the P to pop, showing my disdain.
“Doesn’t he know how much you hate surprises?”
“I told him, but he still wouldn’t fill me in on where he was taking me tonight. He told me to trust him and go with the flow.”
Summer laughed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh, because I’m sure this has you all kinds of stressed, but he has a lot of learning to do when it comes to you and going with the flow.”
I frowned. “Yeah, well.”
“Girl, you know I love you. It’s just that going with the flow really isn’t your cup of tea. Like at all,” Summer said once she was able to contain her laughter. “Surprises are not your thing. I’m sure this is driving you nuts and I’m sort of glad. Maybe it will force you out of your comfort zone.”
“Oh, I’m feeling nuts, but not in the way I normally would. It’s weird.” I moved to glance at myself in the mirror behind the door. “I can’t explain it, but I’m not as worked up as I normally would be. I’m pretty sure it’s because of Holt.”
“Aw, you two are so sweet.” Summer took a bite of her licorice strand. “I’m glad you gave him a chance. Also, I can tell you’re falling for him.”
My face heated due to the way she grinned at me. “I’m not falling for him. It’s too soon for all that.”
“Lies. All lies,” she insisted. “You’re falling for him. He’s falling for you. You’re going to live a happy life together and make loads of cute babies.”
“Whoa there. No baby talk, please. We haven’t even slept together yet.”
“You will tonight.” She winked before taking another bite of her licorice strand. “I’m sure he has someplace awesome planned to take you to tonight so you can finally do the deed. Hope you shaved your legs this morning,” she said in a sing-song voice.
“That’s not how tonight is going to go.”
Was it? Well, even if it did, the good news was that I had shaved my legs this morning. Thank God.
“Stop resisting him. Holt is sexy as all get out, and you know you want him. Let it happen,” she said. “And don’t worry, I won’t be waiting up for you. I have plans of my own to get laid tonight. After I learn how to do this kickass braid.” She waved her phone in the air.
I rolled my eyes, but laughed. Summer was a trip. “I’ll see you later.”
“And when you do, I expect all the juicy details of the night.”
“Promise.” I swiped my Chapstick from on top of my dresser and applied a layer before heading out the door to meet Holt.
As soon as I stepped through the door to the girls’ dorms, I spotted him. His hands were shoved into the front pockets of his jeans and a boyish grin twisted his lips when he looked at me. Butterflies burst into flight through my stomach as Summer’s words about doing the deed tonight rushed through my mind.
I knew right then that was exactly what was going to happen and that I was ready.
“You remembered your camera. Good,” he said. His eyes skimmed over the length of me. “I’m glad you changed into a sweater, too. I didn’t think about what the temperature might be where we’re going. I’d hate for you to freeze.”
“I’m sure you would’ve found ways to keep me warm.” The words had sounded better in my head. Way sexier. Out loud, they just sounded awkward. My face grew hot. I risked a glance at Holt, gauging how he’d taken what I’d said.
He wore a shocked expression, but it melted quickly as a pleased one took its place. “Oh, absolutely.”
I played with a strap on my camera and rolled my ankles unsure of what I should follow up with saying. “So, can you tell me where we’re going yet?”
Not the best, but it would at least steer the conversation elsewhere. I was not good at trying to be sexy. It felt too forced and awkward, and I was positive it came off exactly that.
“Nope. Not gonna happen.” He held a hand out to me, and I slipped mine in it, lacing our fingers together. It was the most natural feeling in the world. His hand was warmer than mine, but it felt like heaven. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
We started down the stairs, making our way outside. Holt steered me in the direction of the faculty and staff building. I didn’t ask where we were going again. Instead, I decided to trust him and roll with it, like he’d asked previously.
At least until we stopped in front of the double doors to the faculty and staff building.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, unable to help myself.
“Like I said, just trust me and roll with it.”
He motioned for me to step inside first. I did, but I made sure to glance around while doing so. Were we even supposed to be in here? I hoped we didn’t come face-to-face with any teachers or staff members. They would definitely wonder what the heck we were doing in here on a Friday night, same as I did.
Holt headed to the staircase dead ahead, but I pulled his arm, jerking him to a standstill.
“Where are you going? We can’t go up there,” I hissed, not wanting anyone to hear me.
He flashed me a wicked smile and pointed to the ceiling. “We’re going up.”
Up? Oh my gosh, he was taking me to the tower!
I’d said more than once that I wanted to go up there. From the height and the position of its windows, I’d be able to photograph the entire academy. I was giddy with excitement at the thought.
“The tower?” I asked, praying he said yes.
“That would be the surprise.”
I fought the desire to release a scream. “How are we going to get up there? And when we do, how are we going to get inside? I’m sure the door to that area is kept locked.”
Holt reached in his pocket and pulled out a key. He dangled in front of my face. “With this.”
How the heck had he gotten that? The question burned on the tip of my tong
ue, but I didn’t ask because of the sexy smirk twisting his lips. It said that I needed to trust him and roll with it, yet again. When Holt started walking, so did I. Nerves twisted through my stomach as worry we would run into one of our professors, the headmaster, or any member of the faculty or staff and be asked what we were doing.
I hoped he had a good lie already picked out in case because I had nothing.
When we made it up two flights of stairs, Holt grabbed my waist and pulled me to a stop. I let out a gasp and then looked up at him. He placed his index finger to his lips, letting me know I needed to be quiet. My heart hammered as I glanced around, trying to figure out what he’d heard that I hadn’t.
Heels.
They clicked on the stairs above us, coming in our direction. My eyes bugged out as I glanced back at Holt again. He looked calm. I didn’t know how, though.
We were about to be busted.
The sound of the heels grew closer. I licked my lips, my legs trembling beneath me as my mind raced with reasons for why we might be here to give. A cell phone rang, echoing through the stairwell. Holt pulled me to the right. I didn’t resist, hoping he had crafted a plan that might stop us from being found because, as much as I wanted to head to the tower and take some photographs, my desire to not get into trouble was greater.
Holt pulled me behind a leather sitting chair and motioned for me to crouch down. I did while thinking to myself how crazy it was that fear had blinded me from spotting the hiding spot myself. It was genius, especially since the woman had answered her phone and seemed to be in a heated conversation with someone. She’d most likely be too distracted to notice the two of us crouching behind the sitting chairs in the small landing area.
At least that was the hope.
“And, what do I always tell you? I feel like we have had this conversation on multiple occasions and you still don’t seem to comprehend you shouldn’t come to me with these matters. There’s a certain pecking order,” the woman said in an irritated tone as she continued past us down the stairs. “What happened with Mathias is being taken care of. His trial will be in a few weeks. I don’t need to tell you any details beyond that.” There was a pause as someone else spoke. “Yes, Lionel will still be attending the academy. You leave that to me. I feel he will easily come to our side. He talked to his father. That was what we wanted. Now he’s been awoken to the truth. So has his girlfriend, Miss Mayor. Things are shaping up. We’ve just had a few mishaps here or there. The resistance has been craftier than we gave them credit for; that much is clear.”
Her last words were barely audible considering the amount of distance between us and the force she slammed her heels against the marble staircase with, but both Holt and I were able to distinguish what she’d said. We waited a few more heartbeats before slipping out from behind the chairs and resuming our trek to the tower.
“Lionel? As in Lionel Daniels?” I asked in a hushed tone once I figured she was far enough away.
“I don’t know, but I can’t think of any other Lionels that I know. It’s not a super popular name.”
I continued to jog up the stairs as quietly as I could beside Holt. “You’re right. It’s not. Plus, I’m pretty sure Gloria Mayor is in Bound too. I had a class with her last semester. She’s in my lunch this semester, and I am ninety-nine percent sure she and Lionel are a couple.”
“What do you think she was talking about when she said he’s been awoken to the truth?” Holt asked, casting a quick glance at me.
“No clue, but it brought up thoughts of what happened in front of Last Call between Teddy and Rich,” I said.
“Do you think Rich is part of the resistance she was talking about? The one that was giving them a few mishaps? And who are they?” Holt sounded confused.
I glanced at him. His brows were pinched together. It was clear he was working through things in his mind, trying to fit pieces of a puzzle together. I left him to his thoughts as we continued to climb the stairs. We were close to the top of the tower; we had to be.
“There have to be two groups. I think that’s what’s going on here,” Holt said, surprising me. He glanced at me, and I spotted excitement shifting through his eyes. It was clear he’d worked through something in his head and was trying to share whatever it was with me, but I was lost. “Two opposing groups.”
“Opposing groups to what though?” I asked as we started up what looked like the final flight of stairs.
Holt ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not exactly sure, but from her conversation, we now know that one of the groups is called the resistance. I don’t know what they’re resisting, but I’m willing to bet it has something to do with Rich wanting to reveal himself to everyone, even the humans, at Last Call.”
“So, one of the groups might be about revealing our true nature to the humans, while the other might be about resisting or opposing it?” I asked, not with the intention of humoring him, but with the intention of trying to figure out what this big breakthrough he felt he’d stumbled upon was.
“Exactly.” Holt paused at the top of the staircase and dug in his pocket to retrieve the key for the tower door. “Why would a group of wolves want to reveal themselves in the first place? And if they did, and they had a good reason for it, why would there be a group forming to go against them? It seems like Lunar Academy holds even more secrets than any of us bargained for.”
My mind bogged down trying to follow his train of thought. “You could say that again.”
Holt sighed. “Let’s not worry about that right now,” he said as he inserted the key into the door to the tower. “Let’s focus on this.” He winked before turning the key. The sound of the lock falling away echoed through the narrow stairway we stood in. Giddiness flooded my system. “Ready to get those pictures you’ve been dreaming about?”
“Absolutely!”
Holt swung the door open and motioned for me to step through. “Ladies first.”
I wasted no time walking through the threshold and into the tower. The air was stale, lukewarm from the fading sun, and smelled musty. There was a hint of something else lingering in the air, but I couldn’t pinpoint what. I felt around for a light switch, wanting to see the room completely.
“I can’t find the light switch,” I said. My fingers continued to feel along the place where I thought one should be.
A loud crack from beside me captured my attention, and seconds later, the room filled with an eerie green glow.
“Wow, that’s stealthy and ninja-like of you. Where the heck did you get a glow stick from?” I asked once I realized what he held.
“Convenience,” he said, naming the only gas station in Brentwood. “I figured it would be best to use something like this instead of the flashlights on our phones or the actual light to the tower. It might draw less attention.”
I smirked at him. “You don’t think a green glowing light coming from the tower isn’t going to draw any attention?”
Holt shrugged. “I didn’t say that. I just said that it might draw less attention. Maybe whoever sees it will think it’s a professor up here, performing magic for next week’s lesson.”
His theory made sense. It also had me wondering if the odd scent mixed with the musk in the air was the lingering residue of magic. “Hmm, maybe.”
“Aren’t you going to look around?” Holt asked. The air of satisfaction about him made my smirk turn into a wide smile. “Maybe take some pictures? We did come up here for a reason.”
My teeth sank into my bottom lip as I tore my eyes away from him. While the glow stick he held didn’t offer much light, I was still able to make out the space perfectly. The ceilings were tall. The windows were narrow, arched, and nearly ran from the floor to the ceiling. I was in love with every aspect of the tower, right down to the weathered wooden floors.
“It’s beautiful,” I said in awe as my gaze continued to bounce around.
“It’s empty.”
I blinked. He was right. There wasn’t a single piece of furn
iture in the entire room. Nothing. While this wasn’t necessarily an odd thing, the lack of dust and cobwebs was. It hinted that this space was used frequently, but for what?
A shiver slipped along my spine. I stepped to the nearest window in the hopes of pausing my overactive imagination about the things that might go down here away. The window was drafty, but that was to be expected out of one so old. My gaze drifted out the window and across the campus.
“You can see everything from up here,” I said. The quad. The winding road that led to the academy. The bushes and small garden. Students coming and going, oblivious to me watching them. You could even see the edge of the woods along the property. “It’s amazing.”
I lifted my camera and started snapping shots, capturing the view. There wasn’t much light left in the sky, but I angled myself and my camera just right to take advantage of what little remained. Photography was all about the right angle and using the light available to you.
Holt moved to stand behind me. I could feel the heat of his body pressing against my backside. Energy pulsed between us, charging the inches remaining between us. My breath hitched at the feel of it. I struggled to regulate my breathing, knowing he’d most likely taken notice to its change. Thank goodness it was dark in here, because my face was flaming with my embarrassment from the way my body had reacted to his sudden close proximity. Even my wolf had nipped at me for it.
She liked Holt. She wanted him. But she didn’t want me to make a fool of myself.
“It is a pretty amazing view,” he whispered in a husky tone still standing behind me. Did he know how sexy his voice was? Was he trying to turn me on? “I’m glad you enjoyed coming up here as much as you thought you would.”
“I am. Definitely. Thanks for bringing me up here.” My voice quivered when I spoke. He was so close. I knew all it would take was for me to turn around and stand on the tips of my toes, then our mouths would be together. That kiss would lead to something more, though. I could feel it in the charged air between us. Was I ready for that? I’d thought I was earlier. “I know you probably went through a lot to make this happen, and I want you to know that I appreciate it. This is the perfect surprise.”
Wolf Bitten: Lunar Academy, Year One Page 11