Once Upon A Wolf: A Dark Academy Reverse Harem Bully Romance (Everafter Academy Book 1)

by Scarlett Snow

  He happily complies.

  He’s fucking me so hard that my breath comes in gasps. My whole world is nothing but his body and mine and the way they’re coming together. I’m bleeding, tearing apart from the inside. It hurts so good I don’t want it to end.

  An entirely different pain stabs through me as Lucifer takes my dagger and slices into my back. He’s cutting my skin, carving me. The blood drips down my sides, the feeling so erotic I can’t stand it. My entire body tenses up and his cock twitches inside me.

  Cut after cut, blood trickles down my back, and I scream into the altar, delirious with pain and pleasure.

  He makes the last cut, and I cum hard.

  I’m a quivering, gyrating mess, a tortured lump of happiness that he’s impaled. He jerks inside me once more and then he floods my insides with his cum. It’s hot, hotter than anyone else’s, and it’s almost like being scalded, but not quite. The pleasure is unspeakable and I burst into tears from the sheer power of it.

  Lucifer drops my dagger beside me and pulls free of my body. I want to reach for him, to pull him back, but I’m so pleasure-drunk that I can’t move. It’s like he quite literally just fucked my brains out. Being a Satanist has never felt so good. Why did I ever leave?

  I can see him picking up his robe and pulling it back on. With a wicked grin, he disappears, leaving me alone with the most profound afterglow in existence.

  I’m just starting to come down from the climax when I feel it.

  Magic.

  It’s suffusing through my veins, taking me from inside.

  His cum transforms into pure magical energy and fills me up to the brim.

  It changes me in ways I could only ever dream about.

  I have never felt this powerful before.

  I was always strong prior to losing my magic, but now I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do. I could pull galaxies out of the sky. I could string stars together and wear them like a necklace. I could heal any wound, cure any disease, cast any curse, even countermand the power of death. I start shaking, but not because of the sex and not because of the cold. It’s the power. It’s becoming me, and I know more than ever where and to whom I belong.

  I belong to Lucifer.

  It takes me a while to get a grip, but once I do, I gather up my tattered clothing and walk through the forest to Broin’s cabin.

  I know this place like it’s my second home and in a way, it is. I often stay over and even have a chest filled with clothes. Those clothes and my mother’s locket are now my only possessions. I took them for granted before. Now they’re all I have to my name.

  The slightest bit of air touching my back is excruciating. I can feel my magic healing the wound, but something is stopping it working completely. Another gift from Lucifer. He wants me to suffer for longer and I’m grateful.

  When I reach the cabin, Broin is sitting on the windowsill. He flaps his wings when he sees me.

  —You’re alive! I heard all that screaming and I was afraid.—

  I laugh at his dry tone of voice. “Why didn’t you come and see, then?”

  —I couldn’t.—

  “What do you mean, you couldn’t?”

  He hops toward me. —There was a force field keeping me out. I couldn’t get any closer than the edge of the clearing.—

  His tone is resentful. He knows those screams he heard weren’t because I was in danger and he wasn’t there to at least watch.

  I turn around and show him my back. “Is it beautiful?”

  He mentally sighs. —Use the mirror.—

  I go into his cabin. On the inside of his closet door, he has a full-length mirror that he bought for me to use when I stay over. It was one of the sweet, spontaneous presents that he’s always prone to give to me and Redera. My pure, untainted twin never made use of this mirror, but I’ve used it plenty of times. I know exactly where to stand so I can see my whole back. The sunlight through the window falls onto my still bleeding skin, bathing Lucifer’s handiwork.

  It’s an inverted star, the upper points at my shoulders and the bottom point just above the cleft of my ass. In the middle, the goat’s head is skillfully rendered; I’m astonished by the details and artistry that Lucifer was able to create. It’s the most gorgeous piece of artwork I’ve ever seen. Lucifer has claimed me. I hate that I love it and love that I hate it.

  “Thank you,” I whisper to my Dark Lord. “Thank you… for everything.”

  I feel the slightest hot breeze and my ass tingles in memory. My power surges through me in one massive wave and I know that he is here, watching but unseen.

  I grin at my reflection in the mirror. “Hail Satan.”

  The next day, the tingling of the physical pleasure is only a memory and my emotional pain has come roaring back. To further torment myself, I’ve stopped by the cottage on my way to Everafter Academy. I wanted to take one last look. Although ‘cottage’ isn’t the word to describe my home now. There’s only a pile of rubble buried in the ash. Even the ash tree where Grandma and Redera had been hung has been burned to a husk. The flames must have caught the leaves after I left. It’s razed our entire land.

  It’s all such a desolate waste now, just wisps left to float on the wind. This isn’t my home or my life anymore. But it is a painful reminder of why I’m still standing here in the first place. I have only one job to do now, one goal, and that’s to kill every last member of the Rosso Lupa Pack. Lucifer gave me my magic back for a reason and I plan to use it wisely.

  The black stallion I’m riding showed up outside Broin’s cabin a few hours ago. He was just standing there, grazing away in his halter and his saddle, when I got up to look for breakfast. He’s been glued to my side ever since and I’m pretty much convinced that he was a third gift from my Unholy Lord. He has to make sure I get to school on time, after all.

  It’s just past noon and Broin is in raven form on my shoulder. I must look quite the villainous part—a girl with her steed and raven. When I told Broin what the rabbit said in the woods, he thought I was crazy to trust an apparition. For all I knew it was just a spirit attempting to lure me into a trap. But then Lucifer spoke of Everafter, too, at the altar. It was practically one of his terms: graduate and then become his.

  It doesn’t seem like a big ask since I get to complete my mission in the meantime. All I want is to find the wolves and destroy them, one by one. To do that, I need to find their alpha. If you can kill a pack’s alpha, you kill their cohesion and their will to fight. That’s what Grandma always said. I’m convinced that the Big Bad Wolf is going to be at Everafter. What better way for a wolf to hide than to blend in with the sheep? That’s what the rabbit was hinting at and that’s probably why Lucifer was so insistent that I graduate from that academy instead of Nevermore.

  I have every intention of doing this. There’s just one little problem.

  They’re expecting Redera, not Ravyn Hemlock.

  We are twins, so the resemblance between us is obviously strong. It’s just a matter of a wiggle here, a glamour there, and my appearance is now exactly that of my late twin, complete with her freckled cheeks. Before we set off for Everafter, Broin watched me cast the spell and put a permanency effect on it. With a nod, he’d approved.

  —I still approve— he says. —You look just like Big Red did.—

  My stomach heaves with guilt at the mention of her name. Sometimes I wish Broin wouldn’t eavesdrop through our bond.

  “How about you search ahead?” I suggest, squeezing my ankles into Mephisto’s side. The name was stitched on his saddle blanket, so I just went with it. He seems to like and answers to it, so, yeah. His name is Mephisto and I’m going to be his mom now.

  Broin flies away and I guide Mephisto away from the cottage. Without a backward glance, we head for Everafter Academy.

  It’s time to hunt a wolf.

  I’m so glad to have my magic again. I can see the schools beaming, one gold and one emerald, one in Fantasia and the other Draoich. The lights are supp
osed to guide those who belong there to its gates. Until now, I’ve never been able to see Everafter’s light. If I’m to look the part of a white witch, I guess Lucifer gave me the power of one too. That explains why I feel stronger. He’s given me white and dark magic. I have a part of my twin nestled inside me forever now.

  I turn west and follow the paths twisting through the forest. The trees are taller here, but spaced out instead of crammed together, and not quite as skewed. The leaves are greener, too, and the sunlight is able to bathe the ground in luscious golden hues. It’s a stark contrast to what I’ve been used to all these years—the eastern side of the forest, where nothing new ever seems to grow and everything is trapped in darkness.

  Yet there is beauty to be found in Draoich. The way the moon shines over the rocks and riverbanks; the moss winding around the trees like wayward blankets; the stars glittering through the leaves and spiderwebs; the crystal-clear water sliding into the Black Ravine. Darkness is all I’ve ever known and witches like me have learned to seek beauty in the strange and unusual.

  Admittedly, I am excited to see what Everafter will look like. I wonder if the surrounding landscape will look any different and if the school really is all it’s cracked up to be. There’s only one way to find out.

  Beads of perspiration slip down my spine, sizzling against the wounds on my back. My magic has healed them for the most part, but the process is slow, which I’m happy about. Moving certain ways still hurts and reminds of what Lucifer has given me.

  I shrug my cloak off and let it drape over Mephisto’s hind. Up ahead, I see Broin cawing in the clear-blue sky and in the distance Everafter Academy sparkles behind him. We’ve finally arrived.

  The academy is located in the sort of castle that you see in every fairytale book and movie. Gleaming white walls with blue tiled roofs. Four round towers on each corner, with a tall central spire over the great hall. All five—the towers and the spire—fly the flag of Everafter, which is a gold star trailing a rainbow over a white background, surrounded by a gold hem. How unbelievably twee.

  Students turn to look at me as I lead Mephisto toward the stables. I’m obviously the last one to arrive and sitting on top of such a magnificent creature, I’m sticking out like a sore thumb.

  A boy in all black gestures me to the nearest stall. There’s no way every student’s horse is kept in only three stalls. They must be under an enchantment of some kind. I guide Mephisto over, throw my leg over his withers, and jump off.

  “You better hurry,” the boy tells me, taking hold of the reins. “She’s already started.”

  He takes Mephisto into the stall before I can ask who ‘she’ is. As soon as they step over the hay-covered threshold, I catch a glimpse of what the stalls are really like, and they’re absolutely enormous and beautiful. They’re more luxurious than any home I’ve ever been in. I’m glad Mephisto will be living there. Hopefully that bodes well for what my room is going to be like.

  I pull on my cloak, and that’s when I see a tall, incredibly thin woman snapping her fingers at a crowd of students trailing behind her. Some of them are the same age as me and others a few years older. The latter must be seniors. They’re wearing dark sweaters over white button-down shirts, tucked into either red tartan skirts that barely reach the knee or black slacks with cuffs. Everybody wears highly-polished black leather shoes, which probably makes the short skirt thing entertaining for the boys and girls who like to sneak a peek at what’s underneath that plaid.

  The newbies, like me, are all wearing their own clothes, which tells a lot about them already. Leather, chokers, denim and sneakers. They’re definitely not what I imagined. I’ll freely admit that I was being judgmental in assuming the do-gooders would be wearing polo shirts with sweaters tied around their shoulders.

  “Seniors—make sure to control your designated groups,” the woman calls over her shoulder, her ivory cloak billowing behind her. “First Years, remember to stay with your guide and please do keep up. The last thing I want to do is arrange a search party for blubbering students who get lost simply because they cannot follow instructions.”

  “Whoa. She doesn’t seem very nice,” a girl whispers to her friend, trying to keep up with the group. I fall into step with them, but I keep quiet. “She looks like she’s been sucking on sour lemons all day.”

  I choke on a snort, trying my best to sound like I’m just clearing my throat.

  “That’s not very nice, Sirena,” the girl next to her chides. Her voice sounds strangely familiar, though I can’t figure out why. Her porcelain skin is swan-white, almost translucent and her short, pixie-cut hair is jet-black. She’s small and dainty. “Although she does seem rather annoyed with us already.”

  “You think?”

  “Who is she?” I ask the girls quietly.

  The small, dark-haired girl turns to me, her sapphire eyes large and unblinking, reminding me of an owl who hasn’t slept for weeks. “Mrs. Philomena Thornhart. Our Year Head. And who are you?”

  I give them both a bashful smile, hoping to come across warm and, well, nothing like a villain. “I’m Redera and I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

  Sirena giggles. She’s much taller than the other girl, and her hair is a vibrant shade of purple. In fact, everything she’s wearing is purple, from her blouse and jeans, right down to her knee-length boots. Her eyes and lips are pale blue, like the ocean. “Join the club, sweetie, we’ve got t-shirts.”

  “I think our guide is over there,” the other girl says, pointing to an exasperated senior trying to wave us over. “My name is Alice,” she adds, her attention fixed on the senior. Heaven, I don’t think she’s even blinked yet. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “And I’m Sirena,” her friend adds, looping arms with the girl, “her best friend. I’ve never met a Redera before.”

  “Ever heard of Little Red Riding Hood?”

  The girls stop, and Sirena squeals. “No. Way! You can’t be serious?”

  “Oh, yeah.” I smile at them. “That’s me. Well, the new and improved version.”

  They exchange a glance and my pulse spikes in fear of what they’re about to say. Was that a stupid thing to tell them? Little Red Riding Hood was supposed to be a hero, right? And no one, apart from our coven and the Witch Hunters, know we were cursed… Right?

  “Should I tell her?” Sirena asks. “I want to tell her.”

  Alice nods. “Tell her.”

  I raise an eyebrow, and Sirena winks. “There’s rumours that a wolf goes to this academy. How ironic is that? It’s just a rumor though.”

  My jaw. Fucking. Drops. Just what I suspected! On my shoulder, Broin digs in his claws.

  “Ladies!” Mrs. Thornhart puts her hands on her hips. “Are you coming? We’re waiting for you. Chop, chop.”

  We hurry forward and she shoos us through the school’s entrance. Students gasp in awe at the ornate furnishings. The rooftop is a dome with enormous hoops that rotate around each other, reminding me of the inside of a gilded clock. The ceiling is a mixture of clouds and rainbows that drift along an enchanted sky. Even the floor is magical. With each step, the illusion of rippling water spreads out beneath the elaborate tiles, making it look as if I’m walking on the ocean. Fish dart under my shoes and at one point, a massive blue whale swims by.

  We’re ushered through an open door and into an auditorium. The stage is empty except for a single podium, and the gas lights flicker and smoke. Our guide herds us toward the left side, in the wing seating, and we’re more or less pushed into seats. I make sure I get the aisle. I also notice that I’m the only one with my familiar. Everyone else must have already been shown to their dorms.

  The echoing clomp of hoofbeats sounds from the stage. A gray-haired centaur, his human part dressed in an old-fashioned professor’s robe, comes into view. He walks to the podium, his tail flipping lazily. The students, who had been buzzing with talk and laughter, fall silent as he folds his hands in front of himself. He takes a deep breath, his mus
cular chest puffed out to the extreme.

  “Welcome,” he intones, his voice so deep I expect bats to be living in it… except bats wouldn’t be welcome here, would they? “Welcome to Everafter Academy, where lessons are learned, friends are made, love is found and everyone lives happily ever after.”

  The crowd applauds and I try not to roll my eyes. The centaur continues.

  “A hundred centuries ago, the God of Light, our Storyteller, created Draoich from the mist of dreams. He told the first story here in this Great Forest. He brought forth fairies and moonbeams and wishes that come true, and true love’s kiss.”

  In the row ahead of us, a pretty girl with long blonde hair and big blue eyes sighs rhapsodically, followed by an intense yawn.

  “Let me guess,” I whisper. “Sleeping Beauty?”

  She turns around to glare at me. “My name is Aurora,” she informs, as if I should have known that already. “Don’t forget it.”

  I shrug. “I’m trying to think of a reason to remember it.”

  “Ssh!” Mrs. Thonrhart says, frowning. Aurora looks back at the stage and I decide I might as well, too.

  A huge golden eagle swoops into the auditorium and perches on a chair beside the podium. I swear that chair wasn’t there a minute ago. I don’t sense any translocation magics, but I do see a team of brownies running off stage left. I guess they’re the crew for this production. The centaur keeps talking.

  “All was well. All were happy. But then… disaster.”

  He takes another big breath and the simpletons around me are hanging on his every word. It’s like they’ve never heard anybody tell a story before. I cross my arms and my legs, forgetting in my impatience to act the way my twin would. Broin squeezes me with his talons again and I remember who I’m supposed to be. I unfold my arms and try to look just as rapt as the students around me.