by G. Bailey
Hawthorne clears his throat, and for a moment the auditorium is silent save for the shifting of students in their seats. The president’s eyes sweep the room for a moment, as if gauging the reactions of all the students present. For a moment I could swear that his gaze settles on me, but as soon as I narrow my eyes, he’s moved on.
“Now,” he says, “I know that this is probably very confusing, and perhaps a bit frightening to all of you. I want you to know that you will be informed of any relevant new developments as they come up. That said, this is an unusual situation, and it’s not clear yet whether Mr. Patton is simply lost, or met with foul play.”
My heart drops at the idea. Shade said that the woods were safe, but what if he was wrong? What would he know about it, really? Hawthorne himself just said that the island is thousands of acres. What if there’s something in the forest? Or someone? My mind is already swimming with possibilities, the paranoia that only comes from a lack of information already sinking its claws into me. I tell myself to calm down, glancing at the others for reassurance, but none of them seem particularly calm, either.
“I have spoken with the rest of the school board,” President Hawthorne says. “We have determined that, until we know what became of Mr. Patton, we are going to make a few temporary adjustments to the rules at the Academy. This is first and foremost for the safety of the students here, so that we can err on the side of caution and prevent something else like this from happening. Therefore, effective immediately, we will be instating a mandatory curfew of nine PM. Additionally, no students are to be allowed off campus for any reason without express permission and a faculty escort. This means that you will be required to stay within the Academy buildings and on the lawn. The forest is off-limits until we have more information.
Additionally, no students are to leave the dormitory before the breakfast bell sounds. We will have faculty members patrolling the grounds to enforce these new policies and help maintain security while we search for Mr. Patton. We are taking this situation very seriously, and we expect you all to do the same. Now,” he says, putting his hands behind his back, “I’m going to give the mic over to our head of security and co-chair of the board, Ms. Evelyn Rose. She will answer any questions you may have, and then you all will be able to resume your day. Thank you for your time and attention. Ms. Rose…”
He steps away from the microphone to allow a gorgeous, dark-haired woman to take his place. “Hello, everyone,” she says. “Some of you may know me. My name is Evelyn Rose, and I’m in charge of campus security here at Shifter Academy. I wanted to take this time to address any concerns you might have before we continue…”
What feels like every student in the lecture hall raises their hand at once, but I’m already tuning the discussion out, my gaze instead lingering on Hawthorne. He has moved off to the side again, but his eyes are sweeping the room once more, and I can’t shake the sneaking feeling that he’s looking at me.
“Well,” says Landon as we slowly file out of the auditorium ten minutes later, “that was… a lot.”
The hallway is choked with students, all looking bewildered as they make their way back in the direction of the cafeteria. All in all, the meeting took about half an hour which at least gives us enough time to get some food before we head off to class, but I can’t fight the growing sense of unease that I’m feeling in the aftermath of Hawthorne’s announcements.
“That’s putting it mildly,” Shade mutters. “It’s always overkill with them, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?” Hunter asks.
“Calm down, daddy’s boy,” Shade says. “I’m talking about the school in general. This is total overkill, and I’m willing to bet most of the other people here agree with me.”
“You think this is overkill?” Hunter asks. “Someone’s gone missing!”
“Yeah, and he’ll probably be back by the end of the day,” Shade replies dismissively. “If you ask me, the guy just got lost. They’ll find him cowering under a tree somewhere, and then we’ll all be wondering why the hell any of this was necessary.”
“You’re not at all worried something might have happened to him?” Hazel asks incredulously.
“No,” Shade replies. “Like what? Eaten by a monster? There’s no one on this island except for the people at this academy.”
“Exactly,” Hazel points out. “That’s what makes me nervous. If it was foul play, how do we know someone at the school wasn’t responsible?”
“Great,” says Landon. “Now I can add ‘trapped on campus with a serial killer’ to my growing list of phobias.”
“You really think a student would have done something to that guy?” I ask, frowning.
“Maybe not a student,” Landon replies. “Maybe a faculty member.”
I shiver, muttering, “Glad I asked.”
Landon laughs, slinging an arm around my shoulders. His body feels warm and sturdy against mine. “Don’t worry, Boots. I’ll protect you.”
Hunter snorts and rolls his eyes, while Shade raises an eyebrow. We come to a stop outside the cafeteria, each of us still processing everything that was said.
“Silas?” I say, turning to the dragon shifter. He’s been strangely quiet this whole time, his head low and his shoulders hunched. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Silas replies. “It’s just… something the president said is bothering me a little, that’s all.”
“Which part?” I ask.
He looks up at me with thinly veiled worry, and something in his expression makes a fresh surge of fear rush through me. “The part about nothing like this ever happening here before,” he replies in a low voice. “That was a lie.”
Chapter 18
"Hey, bestie. I love your hair today," Hazel comments, sitting next to me in the cafeteria and flipping my braid on my shoulder. The sun is just coming up outside, marking a new day. "Can you show me how to do that kind of braid."
"It's called a waterfall braid and sure," I reply. "Did you get the message that we have siren studies all day for a special class?"
"Yup," she replies, before taking a bite of her toast. "That's why I'm here early. I wonder what it's about."
"Same," I say, just as Silas and Landon sit down opposite us.
"Morning, Boots. Hazel," Silas grumbles, never the morning person until he has had a few cups of coffee.
Landon grins and winks at me as Silas drinks his first cup of coffee and then picks up his second. "You look lovely today girls."
Hazel just rolls her eyes as I focus on Silas. "How come you are up early? I know why we three are."
"Early morning flight training," he tells me. His third cup of coffee is empty now and normal Silas is here. "It's an advanced year class, but the professor wants me to learn with the higher-ups."
"Congrats man," Landon pats his shoulder. "So, girls, we should get a move on. We have ten minutes to get to class."
We all gather up our things and get a move on to the classroom because none of us wants to be late to Mrs Leggers class. I'm intrigued by what goes on in the siren class other than reading books, which is all we have done in the lessons up to this point. I know pretty much all the history of the Siren's now. How they were created by turning seals into humans, but the magic got stuck in their souls and bred a whole new race. Sirens are faster than any creature in the water, and they can breathe underwater.
And sing. Their songs are meant to be the most enchanting sound in the entire world if they use their magic in their songs.
Landon chats to Hazel about some party coming up, but I pretty much tune them out as I try not to be nervous about whatever today holds. As much as I want to learn what clan I really belong to, at the moment it feels like I am just hovering between all the clans and never really finding a home.
At some point, we get to the classroom and I walk in first to see the room is full of students on the one side. This room is newer than most of the academy and almost shaped like a giant dome. The one side has pure
glass walls, with views over the fields and trees in the distance. Right in front of the glass is Mrs Leggers and Mr Hawthorne, both of them talking quietly and not looking away from each other. Hushed whispers fill my ears as I find three empty seats and Hazel and Landon sit to either side of me.
Landon's knee presses against mine and I turn to him."You okay?" he quietly asks. "You look lost."
"Out of place, I guess," I softly admit.
He takes my hand, surprising me a little. "We all feel that way in our little group, but you aren't out of place with me. Not one little bit."
I link my fingers with his as the room quiets down, and Mr Hawthorne claps a few times.
"Welcome young members of the Siren Clan. We are delighted you could join us here for the day," he starts off. "We have a very special visitor here today who will spend the day teaching you many new things about the world of Sirens."
Mr Hawkthorne claps his hands, and so do all the students as a red-haired woman walks to his side. Her long red hair falls in waves down her back, like a river of red curls, and she wears a skintight costume of some sort. It's thin, almost leather-like in texture and covers her from her neck downwards, showing off way too much.
"Hello everyone. My name is Crystal, and I am a leader of the sirens in the Great Council. I am proud to be here today to show you what you can become if you truly try," she tells us, and I look to Landon. His jaw ticks and his hand tightens on mine. "Have any of you heard a siren's song?"
Resounding no's come from the crowd, and Landon finally looks down at me.
"She is testing you. There is no way this is random," he tells me. "You need to pass whatever test they are going to do."
"How?" I whisper back, but Landon doesn't seem to have an answer.
"This isn't good," Hazel tells me, looking worried. "You're not all siren. The siren's song hurts other races, it can even kill them."
Figures.
I go to stand up, but Landon pulls me down, holding me to his side. "I got you."
Before I have a chance to ask what he means, Crystal lets out a tune like nothing I have ever heard. I turn to her as her skin changes from normal to beautiful blue scales and her red hair changes to pure silver. Every word that leaves her mouth is seductive until suddenly it isn't anymore.
My mouth opens in a silent scream as every part of my body feels like it's being stabbed. Suddenly Landon cups my face and brings my lips to his. The kiss is soothing, washing away the sound of Crystal's voice, and slowly I realize Landon is humming his own song against my lips. His siren song.
And it doesn't hurt me.
If anything, it pulls me to him like a gentle wave brushing against my skin. I sink my hands into his hair, forgetting the world except for Landon's kiss.
I forget everything except for how perfect Landon feels.
"Guys, stop!" Hazel whispers, grabbing my arm and shaking me a little.
Landon breaks away from me, but I'm still in a haze as I stare at him.
He looks in exactly the same haze as me, like both of us just realized something big. And we kind of did. I don't see how we can be just friends after this.
"I hope you all enjoyed my song. For the rest of the day, you may ask me any questions you like," Crystal says, and I turn to see Mr Hawthorne’s eyes on me, a frown etched onto his face. He shakes his head and walks out as Crystal starts answering the many questions thrown at her.
Landon was right, that was a test.
And I clearly just failed.
Chapter 19
"How was dragon shifter class?" Shade asks as I leave the table and he walks with me to our joint wolf shifter class in the forest. Out of all the classes, wolf shifter class is where I feel a little bit at home. We spend most of the classes in the forest, searching for our connection to nature and everything around us.
"I could hold my fire breathing for a minute. I see it as process. The teacher does not," I answer as we head outside and across the green to the meeting point.
Shade hums. "Even though you are connected to all the clans, I sense your wolf more than others. Maybe that is just simply because of my wolf."
"Will you shift for me today?" I ask as we head into the trees.
Shade smiles down at me and shakes his head."I'm not allowed to shift around others," he tells me, running his hand through his hair. "My wolf...has issues with dominance."
"Explain that one to me," I ask, feeling a little confused.
He sighs, looking around like something will save him from telling me this. "My wolf is an alpha, and he expects everyone to bow to him. Until we leave the academy, we can't make a pack and while I'm here, I'm protected from the alpha leaders challenging me."
"Would they challenge you?" I ask.
He nods, meeting my eyes. "My wolf would not rest until he is in charge and their wolf would not like having a threat out in the world. It would be a deathmatch with one alpha winning in the end."
Something in my chest hurts at the idea of Shade fighting anyone to the death for alpha rights. I don't get to reply as we come into the clearing with ten other wolf shifters waiting around Mr Hexin, the temporary wolf shifter teacher we have. Apparently there is a permanent teacher, but she is on maternity leave for the year.
I like Mr Hexin anyway, he has a warm feeling about him and he bothers to learn all his students’ names.
"Today we do not have much time in the forest. A storm is coming in and we all need to be inside. So off we go, find your place in the forest!" he shouts to us all. A student I don't know, a guy with brownish hair and blue eyes smiles at me as he passes us.
Shade places his hand on the middle of my back, leading me in the opposite direction of the guy, and I look up to see his usual playful smile gone, and instead he looks rather serious.
"Everything alright?" I ask Shade as we get deeper in the forest and Shade doesn't stop, his large footsteps eating up the ground. He comes to a halt and quicker than I can think, he pushes me behind his back.
"It's rude to follow someone in the woods, Tedore," Shade dryly comments. I peek around his shoulder to see the brown-haired guy from earlier and he isn't alone. At his side are three other guys, and I don't recognise them from our class. "And with three higher years to protect you? Are you afraid to challenge me alone?"
"Shade, get out of the way. It's the hybrid we want," Tedore admits, and my hands shake as fear takes over. "Our families want the hybrid gone."
Shade laughs and looks over his shoulder at me as he says one sentence that all but melts my heart. "Boots is mine."
The word mine is growled out, and he shifts almost effortlessly into a giant black wolf. The wolf is huge, stretching above my head, and I try not to be scared of him as I stumble out of the way. Shade's wolf growls low and hard, and lightning snakes across the sky, like the weather is backing up his protective call.
Tedore shifts into a much smaller brown wolf and the three guys behind him shift too, but Shade is already running at them. They clash in the middle of the forest, clawing and ripping at each other as they smack into trees, breaking them.
I jump out of the way of a fallen tree as Shade battles all four of the shifters on his own. One of them, who I'm pretty sure is Tedore, breaks away from the battle and stalks towards me. Blood drips from his mouth onto the fallen leaves and branches between us.
A cold feeling drifts over me and instead of fighting it, I let my wolf take over and shift me almost effortlessly into my wolf, landing on my four paws. Taking Shade's idea, I charge at the wolf and aim for his throat. He catches me with his mouth and throws me across the woods. I slam into a tree, shifting back without meaning to and freezing as the wolf slowly walks towards me. I can't see anything but the blood in his mouth, feel the pain in my shoulder from his bite as he opens his large mouth full of sharp teeth.
Suddenly Tedore's wolf is thrown away from me and Shade's wolf holds him down on the ground, his mouth around his neck. A scary growl comes from Shade's wolf and Tedore goes stil
l under him.
I think he is submitting.
After a long pause, Shade's wolf lets him go, and he runs into the forest and out of sight. Shade shifts back and rushes to me, kneeling in front of me. He cups my cheek and lowers his hand to my shoulder.
"Close your eyes, boots," he softly suggests.
I nod and close my eyes, trusting him completely. He is my alpha wolf and I think he will always save me. A warm feeling fills my shoulder for a moment, and then it's gone. I open my eyes and look down at my shoulder. My shirt is torn and soaked with blood, but the bite mark is gone.
"How did you do that?" I ask Shade as he helps me stand. Shade might have blood on his clothes and a few bruises, but he doesn't look as hurt as he should be after fighting off four wolves. "In fact, how are you okay?"
"Alpha wolves can heal their pack. My wolf and I see you as ours," he softly tells me. "And my wolf will bow to no one. Especially not another wolf."
We smile at each other just as the skies open and heavy rainfalls down on us. I laugh, grabbing Shade's hand and we run through the forest towards the academy.
My alpha wolf saved me, and one day, I'm going to save him from the biggest danger I can see: Himself.
Chapter 20
"It's weird to be in nice, normal clothes," I admit to Hazel, who moves to stand at my side in front of the big mirror. I'm wearing high-waisted dark denim skinny jeans and a shimmery silver top tucked into them, a gift from Hazel. She said she bought them and they didn't fit her right and thought they would look amazing on me. I think she bought them for me, judging by the tags I found on them, but I don't want to point that out. I know she’s being a good friend and knows I don't have any nice clothes with me. "You look amazing, Hazel."
And she really does. Dressed in a tight red dress, her blonde curls pulled back into a braid I did for her, and silver high heels, she is stunning.
"I hope he likes it," she admits.
"Who?" I question and she shrugs, avoiding my eyes.