by Bailey, G.
And no one in my family seems to understand that. To them, blood and what family you are from is all that matters.
Hard work is for the poor, as my father likes to remind me.
"You need to stay away from the hybrid," she tells me, and I ignore her like I always have since we were kids. Amelia was always the bossy one, the sister who thought she needed to look after me just because my powers don't work. I appreciate that she cares, but sometimes it feels like she wants to control me rather than try to understand me. Amelia catches my arm as I walk past, making me stop. I effortlessly pull my arm from hers and she raises an eyebrow. "You little liar, your powers work fine enough when you need them."
"Strength is one thing. Everything else just feels blocked," I all but growl at her. "Now get out. I'm tired."
"Dad called me today--,"
"Good to know he calls one of his children. How is mum?" I question and she narrows her eyes, a touchy subject for us both. Dad is domineering and always in control…and mum is shy and weak. She is the complete opposite to him, and he controls her every waking move. If he could control her dreams, he would.
"Don't be like that. Dad loves you," she says, lying so effortlessly and avoiding the subject of mum all together. Typical Amelia. And Dad wonders why his kids are cold and emotionless assholes. "Anyway, he said the hybrid is dangerous to the whole shifter world and the shifters of every clan are watching her. You can't be noticed at her side, so drop the tramp and find someone else to bang. She isn't even that pretty!"
I lean against the wall, crossing my arms as I swallow the anger that bubbles in my throat. I'm usually the master at controlling my emotions, but something about Amelia calling Millie a tramp has me wanting to scream at her. And about her not being pretty? Amelia must be fucking blind. Any shifter in this academy can see that Millie Brix is fucking gorgeous. She could bring any man to his knees. Me included.
I can see why Boots would be a big interest to the shifter community if I really think about it and why my sister would want me far away from her. They really don't have anyone like her, and she is clearly linked to every clan. Effectively she could lead all of us when she is older and if she is as powerful as I suspect she actually is.
Either way, I have no intention of staying away from her. I feel something, some kind of connection to her that I don't know how to explain exactly. Either way, I want to find out more about her life, and whether she feels anything for me.
I don't give a shit if my controlling sister and father want me away from her.
"I'm going to say this once. I love you, Amelia. You're my sister and I care about your opinion usually, but not this time. I'm friends with Millie and you need to get over it," I tell her. The moment the words leave my mouth she growls, and stands up from the chair. If looks could kill, I'd be a dead vampire right about now.
"Hunter!" she screeches.
Sighing, I walk to the door and hold it open. She stares at me like she has never seen her brother before. I smile as she stomps to the door, coming to a halt right in front of me. "If you won't save yourself, then I will have to."
I grab her arm before she can escape. "Hurt Millie and we will have a problem."
She smiles sweetly as I let her go and she leaves my room. As I shut the door, I rest my head against the cold wood and pray to the shifter goddess that Amelia lets this go.
I will protect Millie, even against my sister.
Chapter 16
Maybe it was the story that changed the dynamic between the five of us, or maybe it was just the fact that we were all stuck in detention together. Whatever the reasoning, by the time the dinner bell rang and we were allowed to leave, I felt a strange sense of camaraderie with the other guys. It wasn’t like we suddenly became friends or something, but even after the professor who was still half-asleep at his desk, waved us out the door and we went our separate ways, I found myself hoping I would see them all again. Even Hunter, as quiet and broody as he is.
I ate dinner with Hazel, and she spent the whole time asking me questions about detention, about the brawl, and about the others. I didn’t mention anyone’s past, as it didn’t seem like my story to tell, but that didn’t stop her from being intrigued, her eyes wide as she gave me the update on what I missed on campus. Having someone to socialize with continued to improve my mood, and by the time I went up to my room to turn in for the night, I was feeling almost as good as I had been before the whole Amelia business went down. I spend the night sleeping like a baby, exhausted from the first day and ready to put the unpleasantness behind me. I’m so comfortable in bed that when the first light of the morning makes me stir, I almost nestle back into my covers. Then my eyes fly open and I sit up in bed. I said I would meet Shade today before class.
By the looks of it, we’re well before the breakfast bell, but I can’t tell by how much, so I scramble out of bed and get dressed rather than waste any more time. I feel a surge of nervousness as soon as I poke my head out of the door; the dormitory is quiet, with only the occasional scuffling of feet on the floorboards to break the silence. There’s no rule against getting up before the bell, as far as I’m aware, but I can’t help but feel like a delinquent as I pad down the hallway, off to more illicit shapeshifting under the tutelage of the wolf shifter I met yesterday. At one point, I nearly jump out of my skin when I pass one of the housekeepers, who is in the middle of distributing fresh uniforms to each of the dorm rooms. But she barely spares me a second glance, and I tell myself to calm down. Nobody seems to care what I’m up to, and besides, Shade seemed pretty well-acquainted with rule breaking yesterday. In all likelihood, he has unsupervised shifting down to a science.
Shade is waiting for me in the quad, shielding his eyes from the rising sun as I make my way across the lawn to him. “I almost thought you weren’t going to show,” he says when I approach.
“Sorry,” I reply, feeling sheepish. “I almost overslept. Almost.”
“Well, you’re here now,” he says, grinning, and I find myself admiring his gray eyes once again. Boys have never really been a big part of my life--always moving from place to place makes it hard to date, let alone form a relationship with someone. But I can still appreciate his sharp features, and the effortlessness with which he carries himself.
A blush begins to creep into my cheeks and I say, “Well, shall we?”
“Here?” Shade snorts. “No way. We’re out in the open. Here, follow me. Once we’re under the trees, no one will be able to spot us.” Without another word, he turns and begins to walk out of the quad, heading in the direction of the trees in the distance. I have to hurry to catch up to him, and he doesn’t bother to check to make sure I’m still with him; we continue in silence until we arrive at the edge of the forest. The trees tower over me, making me feel even smaller, and the dense foliage makes it difficult to see very far in. That doesn’t deter Shade, however, and he strides in between the trees, hands stuffed in his pockets, with me following uneasily behind him.
“Is it… safe in here?” I ask, my voice low.
Shade laughs. “As safe as any forest can be, I guess. If you’re asking whether there are monsters living here or something…” He shakes his head, turning to me. “Not likely. Although the faculty will probably tell you differently--it’s an easy way to make sure everyone stays within the bounds of the campus.”
“I see,” I say, looking around. I can hear the sound of a woodpecker tapping away at a tree in the distance, and all around us, birds shout and crickets chirp. It’s quiet, almost tranquil, and I allow myself to relax a little as I turn to Shade, spreading out my arms. “All right,” I say. “Here we are. Do your worst.”
There’s a gleam in Shade’s eye as he replies, “I like your style, Boots. All right.” He takes a step back, giving me an appraising look before continuing. “So tell me a little about what your magic feels like.”
“I…” I think back to that feeling in my stomach, those cool fingers branching out and radiating through m
y body. “I guess you could say it feels cold,” I reply. “A bit like that feeling you get after drinking ice water--that sort of coolness in the pit of your stomach.” I shake my head, realizing how ridiculous that must sound. “God, I sound like a lunatic.”
“Not at all,” Shade replies without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Everyone’s magic feels different. Mine feels a bit prickly--like, itchy, you know? Sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint it at first.”
“I’ll say,” I mutter.
“But you’re already a step ahead of the game if you can recognize it,” Shade continues. “It took me nearly a month just to get that part down.”
“Really?” I raise my eyebrows. “You seem so confident.”
“Damn right, I’m confident,” Shade replies. “But I was a late bloomer. Anyway, I want you to close your eyes.”
“But I already did that,” I protest. “In every class I’ve had, they say that’s the first--”
Shade holds up a hand. “Who’s the one doing the teaching, here?”
I give an exasperated sigh. “Okay, fine.” My eyes drift closed. “Now what? They kept talking about trying to concentrate so I can find my magic, but I have no idea how.”
Shade snorts. “And that there is why the teachers at this school are idiots. It’s not about concentrating, Boots--it’s the opposite. It’s about letting go.”
“Letting go?”
“Yeah. Hippies might call it meditation, but I like to think of it more as letting your senses experience the world around you. In my experience, the key isn’t to focus on the magic itself--that’s like trying to hold on to water. You can’t force these things.”
“So then how am I supposed to control it?” I ask.
“You have to let it come to you,” replies Shade. “And the best way to do that, at least at the start, is to stop trying so hard.” There’s the sound of crunching leaves, and I open my eyes to see that Shade has moved closer to me, standing to my right. There’s silence between us, but I’m intensely aware of his proximity to me. If he moves any closer, his chest would be brushing my shoulder. “Here,” he says, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t be so tense. Let your body relax. And keep your eyes closed, damn it.”
“Okay, okay.” I do as I’m told, and I feel his hands gently smooth my shoulders down. I didn’t even realize how much tension I was carrying until just now.
Slowly, Shade moves one hand to my lower back. “That’s it,” he says. “Now take a deep breath. Forget about the magic, forget about where we are, forget about everything. Just listen to the forest and let the world around you come in.” He goes quiet again, and I take a slow breath in, trying to force myself not to think about the magic itself.
Instead, I focus on the sounds of the woods around me: the rustling of animals in the high tree branches, the gentle whisper of wind, the distant chirping of birds. I can still feel Shade’s hand on my spine, and its presence is both comforting and thrilling.
“There you go,” Shade murmurs, his voice close to my ear. It sends a shiver up my back. “Now, when you’re ready, start feeling for the magic. Don’t try to grab onto it. Just become aware of it.” His other hand moves to my stomach. “Look for it here,” he says quietly.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been so flustered in all my life, but even still, as I continue to breathe, absorbing the feeling of Shade’s hands and the sounds of the forest, I gradually become aware of something below his hand, in my abdomen. It’s that familiar, cold feeling, like a pool in the pit of my stomach. For a moment I feel a surge of triumph. It’s working! I force myself not to pounce on it, instead just continuing to feel it. It’s almost comforting, like meeting an old friend who you haven’t seen for a long time. “Do you feel it?” Shade asks quietly.
“Yes,” I breathe, my voice barely above a whisper.
He hums in approval. “The key is to not jump on it. Just let it do its thing, okay? When you’re ready, visualize your form. Think of every detail.”
“Okay,” I reply, taking another deep breath as I let an image come to mind. A wolf: not a werewolf, but a timber wolf, with gray-brown fur and bright, watchful eyes. I remember what I can about the partial transformation I managed earlier--the texture of the fur, the way the muscles felt, and throw myself into perfecting the image, all the while aware of the cold sensation of my magic running through me. And just like that, I can feel the energy start to branch out, flooding through my body like a cooling wave.
The hairs on my arms stand on end, bristling into fur, and my muscles lengthen. Then I’m leaning forward, dropping onto all fours as my senses grow even more powerful. I can feel my teeth changing, the shape of my skull shifting under my skin into something canine and primal. And then I’m on the forest floor, feeling like both a human and an animal, the current of shapeshifting magic buzzing through my body.
“Yes!” cries Shade. “You did it, Boots!”
For a moment I’m afraid to open my eyes, afraid I’ll lose this progress, but I slowly allow them to come open, looking down to see that my body is no longer human. It’s lupine, and enormous--larger than a wolf has any right to be. The smells of the woods are enhanced, and my vision feels more acute. I feel strong… powerful. And I’m all wolf, no other clan features to be found. I turn back to Shade, watching as he grins electrifyingly at me…
And then the breakfast bell rings, its loud chime echoing all the way across the campus to where we are. It startles me, and in a split second I lose the thread, bursting back into my human form in an instant. Now I’m just a girl again, on all fours on the ground. For a moment I stare at Shade, wide-eyed, and then he starts to laugh. “Not bad for a first-timer, Boots.” I can’t help but laugh, too; I probably look ridiculous.
Getting to my feet, I brush the leaves off my pants and follow him triumphantly back to the quad. “Thank you, Shade,” I say when we arrive on the main path. “I mean it. I was starting to think I would never…” I shake my head.
“My pleasure,” Shade replies, giving an exaggerated bow. “I’ll be here all day.”
I meet his gray eyes with my own, and I swear something passes between us. I’m on the verge of asking him what made him offer to help me in the first place when the sound of a familiar voice draws our attention away. It’s Hazel, jogging down the road towards the two of us and looking distraught. “Millie!” she exclaims when she approaches us. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Her eyes narrow a little when she sees Shade. “He’s not bothering you, is he?”
“No,” I assure her. “The opposite. He was helping me.”
“Huh.” She raises her eyebrows, looking skeptical, but then shrugs and turns to me. “Listen, we all need to get back to the academic building. Right now.”
I frown. “Didn’t the breakfast bell just ring?”
Hazel shakes her head, eyes wide. “The president called an emergency assembly. One of the Academy students has gone missing.”
Chapter 17
Shade and I stare at each other. “Missing?” I ask, turning to Hazel. “Who?”
“One of the upperclassmen,” she replies, beckoning to the two of us. We follow her in stunned silence, walking fast. “A guy named Brody Patton. At least, that’s what people are saying.”
“How do they know he’s missing?” asks Shade, falling into step next to me.
Hazel looks at him. “I’m sorry, who are you, again?”
“Shade Ivis,” he replies.
Her expression darkens. “Right. Shade. I’ve heard about you.” She looks like she’s going to make another comment, but then she shakes her head. “Apparently he wasn’t at dinner last night. Everyone thought he was sick. But then he wasn’t in bed this morning, either. Apparently they searched the dorms and the academic building. But there’s been no sign of him.”
“Could he have just wandered off?” I ask, thinking back to my training session with Shade. Considering how big the forest is...
“I don’t know,�
�� Hazel replies. “All I know is that they can’t find him anywhere. Hawthorne wants everyone to meet him in the East Lecture Hall. It’s the only space big enough for the whole school.”
I nod, mind reeling, but don’t say anything else. By the time we get back inside the main building, it’s immediately clear that something isn't right. Students hurry through the foyer in clusters, murmuring urgently to one another, and faculty members weave through the crowd, doing headcounts while shooting each other concerned looks. We follow the crowd down the east hallway, and I spot Josie herding confused-looking students in the right direction. “Save me a seat,” I tell Hazel, before jogging over to her. “Josie,” I say, “what’s going on? I heard someone’s gone missing.”
“Hi, Millie,” she replies, looking distracted. “Listen, I’m not allowed to say much right now. The president will explain everything at the assembly. Where were you, by the way? I didn’t see you in the dorm, so I thought maybe…” Her voice trails off.
“I, uh… I took a walk,” I reply. “I just needed some air.”
“I’m glad you’re alright,” she says. “But you need to stay inside until the president gives us more information. It’s possible this will turn into a…” She stops herself.
“A what?” I ask.
“Nothing,” Josie replies. “Go find a seat. I’ll see you after the meeting.”
Unable to get anything more out of her, I weave through the crowd in search of Hazel. She’s already seated in the auditorium by the time I arrive, looking uncomfortable next to Shade. To his left are Landon, Silas, and Hunter, all looking equally concerned. I squeeze in alongside them, thankful that they’re all here. It’s strange how… necessary they feel all of a sudden, even though I’ve only known them for a short time.
“Boots,” Silas says. “There you are. I was getting worried.”
“I told you she was fine,” Landon says. “She was training with Shade, remember?”
