Chapter Nine
1305 Words
Chapter Nine
Great.
Georgie decided to skip school today. I glance at the swift apologetic text that popped up on my phone. Something about a headache. I snorted from years of knowing Georgie. It was almost impossible for that cheery vividly bright girl to develop headache.
She was probably holed up somewhere with some guy. I knew that.
The scarf sat warm around my neck. My feet dragged on almost squeamish towards Harmony Hall. A day without Georgie felt like I was walking on eggshells. God.
Maisie Howard stood with a sly smile at the doorway, her fat ass leaning plumply against the polished frame.
She looked me up and down with a pitiful glare "Well, if it isn't Alpha Almost."
I sighed. "Morning, Howard."
"Your life support Georgie isn't with you today?" Her gaze drifted theatrically over my shoulder. "How tragic."
"She's sick." I said flatly .
Maisie clasped a hand dramatically over her chest. "You poor thing." Her smile sharpened. "Who's going to defend you now?"
"Probably me," I replied, trying to edge past her. She blocked the doorway.
"That's adorable." Galen appeared beside her, grinning. "She thinks she can defend herself."
A few students laughed as they filed into the lecture hall.
I inhaled. Exhaled. "Move."
Maisie sneered. She stepped aside with exaggerated elegance and a mock bow "As you wish... Wolfless."
The last word followed me into Harmony Hall. Galen's loud piercing laughter escorted it.
I slid into my usual seat halfway up the middle row and placed my bag on the desk beside me. The empty chair looked strangely lonely without Georgie. I hated it. Around me, conversations rose and fell in excited waves.
"Cold today, Alpha Wolfless?" The haughty voice snickered behind me. My face flushed. God. I had forgotten that ugly stupid Summers.
I turned to face him "Warm blooded rare wolfless wolves like us sometimes do get hit by the weather" My smile had no ounce of mirth.
Summers tugged at the edges of my scarf slyly. I slapped his hands away.
He smiled and raised his voice by an inch "Does getting hit by the weather have to do with a certain unglamorous office? He added more emphatically "The office of Dr Sullivan?
My throat burned "Wait.. What??" I stammered.
Summers snorted "Solene posted all about it on the group chat." My face flustered. "You are not aware you are trending? " His voice dropped to a nagging whisper "Feeble poor thing".
I ignored him and searched madly for my phone. I found the damn thing forgotten somewhere in my bag. I closed my eyes before logging into my w******p.
What I saw was enough to make me wish the ground would open up and swallow me.
The Belcaris Academy Seniors group had over three hundred unread messages. Three hundred. My stomach dropped.
At the very top sat Solene's name. Solene Thorne *"Let's all be kind to my sister today. 💙 She starts therapy with Dr. Ismelda Sullivan this Wednesday. Apparently they're hoping it'll help her dormant wolf finally wake up."*
A second message followed almost immediately. *"Please don't laugh. Mental health matters."*
The replies beneath it were anything but kind. 😂😂😂😂😂 *"Therapy for a wolf?"*
*"Can the doctor prescribe a personality too?"*
*"Maybe they'll hypnotize a wolf into her."*
*"Someone tell Dr. Sullivan miracles aren't covered under tuition."*
*"Poor thing."*
*"I heard she's been talking to herself."*
*"Didn't she scratch herself this morning?"*
Another flood of laughing emojis. Another. Another. Someone had even made a ridiculous sticker using my yearbook photo. Across my forehead, in obnoxious red letters, were the words: THERAPY LOADING...
My vision blurred. I locked the screen so quickly my thumb almost missed the button.
The laughter around me suddenly sounded louder. Too loud. Were they all laughing at me? Probably.
Summers leaned closer "So..." he murmured. "How does it feel being Belcaris' newest celebrity?"
I swallowed. My mouth had gone completely dry. "Go to hell."
"After you." He leaned back in his chair, thoroughly pleased with himself. I gripped the edge of my seat , my eyes scanning the room for Solene.
She sat perfectly innocent with Vale at her usual front seat. Now this was the height of it.
I stood up abruptly.
"Have your seats everyone" A chippy voice announced. Turning my head, I saw a tall crisp woman walk in gingerly on heels that kissed the floor in pointy hisses.
I groaned suddenly deflated. Other students that had also been standing scrambled back to their seats. A hush fell upon the classroom.
"I am Ms. Alpen, your Lycanography Teacher."
"Senior year," she began, clasping her hands behind her back, "is where children discover whether they are fit to become wolves... or merely spectators." Lycanography is not simply the study of wolves." She picked up a piece of chalk. "It is the study of civilization."
Elegant handwriting bloomed across the blackboard. THE FIRST PACK ACCORDS "Every treaty, every Alpha" Her eyes darted to the doorway and she froze.
Our eyes followed hers and we too kinda also froze.
A young man stepped inside.
He was tall. Perhaps six foot three. Not broad in the intimidating way warriors often were, but built with the effortless athleticism of someone whose body had been shaped by years of discipline rather than vanity. His academy uniform was immaculate. The navy blazer buttoned. The silver prefect-style tie perfectly centered. Black shoes polished until they reflected the classroom lights. Dark hair rested neatly above a thoughtful face, interrupted only by a single streak of silver near his right temple. It wasn't the silver of age. It gleamed softly, almost beautifully. Like moonlight had decided to stay.
A lump caught my throat. I was holding unto my pen as if I could bleed it. My heart stopped, restarted and stopped again.
Meanwhile Ms. Aspen was almost tripping over herself "Mr. Ash. A pleasure." Then she said more enthusiastically "Welcome home, Mr. Ash. Welcome home".
Another girl on the row besides me whispered "He's even prettier in person.". Technically not a whisper because the class had gone into an electrified hush since Tyleen's entrance so everyone literally heard her. And half the heads in the classroom turned to glare daggers at her.
Tyleen ignored her. He said to Ms. Alpen "Thank you, Ma." And the voice. Oh. Like music. I swallowed.
Ms. Alpen grinned broadly "Class," she said, "I trust all of you remember Tyleen Ash."
A chorus of enthusiastic yes, ma'ams erupted immediately.
Ms. Alpen glanced around the lecture hall. "Unfortunately, every seat is occupied except one."
No. Please... Not...
Her gaze landed squarely on me. "There's an empty seat over there"
Every single girl in Harmony Hall turned to look at me. Some with disbelief. Some with envy. One looked ready to murder me outright.
Tyleen made his way down the aisle with measured steps. When he reached my desk, he stopped. His smile was small. Warm. "Good morning," he said. Then, politely... "May I sit here?"
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. Absolutely nothing.
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