CAUGHT IN A DIRE-BOND

SNAGGED IN A DEATH TRAP

CHAPTER TWO

SOLEIL

I almost choked on the surprise that camped in my throat. Sweat instantly broke out across my skin and my heart thumped against my ribcage like it wanted out.

"Delvarys?" Sera and I asked in unison, our voices raised in a half-shout.

Velma's smile grew even bigger. "What? Is that a no?"

I couldn't even speak, all I could do was watch her face transform from evil to downright terrifying. Energy started to crackle in the air around us.

"You know," Velma started. "The thing about getting mated is, your powers become heightened. Like your little friend here whose alchemy skills became even more profound."

I swallowed down the fear that was pushing against my throat. I knew exactly what she meant by that. There was a reason we all feared Velma, it was not just the fact that she was the only female wolf that reached Gamma status here in Wolvaris, it was the fact that her family was powerful enough to have powers that went beyond shifting forms.

Sadly, I had been the victim of those powers more times than I could count, and I didn't want to imagine what it felt like to have an even stronger version of it hit me.

"I'll go," I blurted out as her fingers started to point at me one after the other.

Sera turned to me, shock evident on her face. But I couldn't explain to her that I wanted this even less than she did, not with Velma halfway through unleashing hell on me.

"Good. I knew you were smart." Velma flashed another one of those cold smiles of hers. "I want my diamond bracelet back by tonight. It's in the top floor of dusk court. Don't be late."

I held my breath until she and her cronies closed the door behind them, and then I turned to face Sera.

"The dusk court? Delvarys? Are you crazy?" I could hear the fear in her voice as she yelled at me.

My throat felt like it was blocked with a stone, but I refused to consider the thought that defying Velma was a possibility. It wasn't.

Sera wasn't giving up, though. "I know how scary Velma is. Trust me, I've experienced it first hand. But the Dires are not to be messed with. There's a reason both campuses stay away from each other."

And there it was. The very reason why this was a death trap in and of itself. There were two different species of wolves here in Nazzgrath - the Werewolves and the Direwolves, and both species avoided each other like the plague.

For good reasons too. One specie was fed by the moon, and the other fed directly on darkness. They were ten times bigger and scarier than we were and I was about to sneak into their campus.

"I don't have a choice." My voice was low and shaky.

"You can't go. You can report her."

I scoffed. "Like that has ever helped anyone before."

Sera forged ahead with her rant. "You know what could happen if you got caught. The Were Council would have you immediately expelled, and that's if you don't get killed on sight in Delvarys"

She got out of her seat and started to pace. "I don't think this is a good idea. This is far too dangerous, and you don't have anything to aid you. You're..."

I stopped her with a weary sigh, and a quietly uttered, "I have to go, Sera. I can't defy Velma. That in itself already promises death."

"You're going to sneak into the building that's exclusive to the Dire princes just to escape Velma? What happens if they catch you in the act?"

I didn't want to think about that. I shook my head. "You just have to promise me you wouldn't tell a single soul about this. I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to come back."

********

Everyone had heard about how scary Delvarys was, but nothing, and no one, prepared me for the trek through the dreary woods that sat between both our campuses.

The wind seemed to laugh everytime I stepped on a twig and shrieked in fright.

"You need to keep quiet if you want to return here alive," my wolf advised weakly in my head.

My heart ached for her and the pain that she was feeling. "I'll make sure we make it back," I promised, because I couldn't do anything to help.

By the time I made it all the way to Delvarys, my heart was in my throat. Their walls were huge and dark, and upon each wall was mounted with the statue of a huge direwolf that looked like it was keeping watch over the woods.

I held my breath as I slipped through the slim passage I had heard about many times before from those who dared to play pranks amongst the weres.

Cobwebs lined the narrow place, and the space smelled damp, like no form of life had ever existed here before. I forced one foot down in front of the other and kept at it until I emerged on the other side.

The huge courtyard was empty, save for a couple that was having s*x against the wall in the distance, the girl's moans louder than my footsteps. I pulled my hoodie down and hurried along.

Finding the dusk court was a lot easier than I expected. Gold and black caressed each other as they ran along the walls of the tall building. The dorm was set apart from the rest of the huge buildings that lined the space.

The door was a massive mahogany, its handles a brass sculpture of twin dire heads. I swallowed and pushed it open slowly.

There wasn't even a single sound as it swung open. That was stranger than the fact that it was even unlocked.

I thanked the moon goddess for my good fortune as I stepped inside the immaculate space. There was no time to look around and admire it, not when my heart was wilding out inside my chest.

I pulled out the small device that could help me find the blood-pierced diamond bracelet - Velma had given it to me earlier before I left.

My time was running out, but I was sure being late was better than being unsuccessful. I held my breath as I scoured the place, but then a footstep sounded behind me.

I spun around instantly, eyes scanning the otherwise empty space. My heartbeat picked up. They were all supposed to be at dinner right now. I checked their schedule.

There was no one else here except me. I heaved a grateful sigh and continued on my journey. Time seemed to crawl by the more I ventured in, but then a beep caught my attention.

There it was. A beautiful, red diamond bracelet on the arm of the flawless statue of a naked woman.

Vain much? I thought.

I scanned my surroundings once again. And once again, I found that I was alone. I sighed, then reached out a hand to grab the snake-shaped bracelet.

Maybe the moon goddess had decided I deserved to be compensated for the events of the last three nights. Just maybe...

That thought died hard and fast as a cold voice boomed from behind me.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing?"