GRIMM Academy : The Complete Collection

by R L Medina

  “The others?”

  Before I could ask more, the door opened, and I turned to see Tío along with members of the council I’d seen before, and some I hadn’t met yet.

  “What is this?” I glanced around the room.

  The headmaster motioned them all in and I scooted to the side to make room. Tío entered first followed by the others. My eyes met one of the strangers, a pale skinned, green eyed woman with red hair pulled up in a tight bun. The serious look on her face unnerved me.

  What was going on?

  I glanced at Tío, but his usual stony face hinted at nothing. Though I could read in his eyes the warning to behave myself. Already my hackles were raised.

  “We have an assignment for you.” The headmaster spoke first.

  An assignment? I whipped back to face him.

  “I know that you’re aware of the recent attack on our LA office and now New York as well.”

  “Uh yeah? You literally just gave that announcement before you dragged me in here.”

  Someone sucked in a breath, surprised, or offended by my rude response. Tío scowled at me.

  The headmaster rose to his feet and pinned me with his stare. He was pissed at my outburst. That I had the audacity to disrespect him in his own office in front of his colleagues.

  “Headmaster Rutherford, Sir,” I tacked on quickly.

  He glared at me. “Well, we have some intel on the vampires that led that attack. Los Reyes, it seems have been doing their own sniffing around.”

  I perked up at the mention of the wolves. I hadn’t heard from them but had been curious to know what they had been up to. Was Michael still looking into the wizard for me?

  “And they’ve agreed to assist us with finding the culprits involved in the attack here. However, they’ve requested your… involvement before they talk to us,” the headmaster droned on.

  My mouth dropped open. Though they didn’t say it, I could read the question in their eyes. What did a criminal group of werewolves want with me? I was just as surprised at the request. Had Rafael decided to get over the fact that we shared a father?

  “And you want me to go talk to them for you?” I looked around at the stern faces.

  “Not alone, of course. There will be a team with you,” the redhead spoke up.

  I glanced at her. It was cute that she thought I was scared of the wolves. Little did she or any of them know, that I shared blood with the alpha. Rafael was my stepbrother. It was still so weird to think about. How could my mom have fallen for a werewolf?

  “Yes. Your uncle has agreed to go with you along with Miss Weatherstone from the Council of Extraordinaire Rights. As well as some of our own capable council members,” Headmaster Rutherford added, a pointed look at my tío.

  Tío ignored the dig, looking as unfazed as ever. Though I knew being kicked off council had been a hard blow for him. It made him even more of a jerk at home.

  “And what are we actually doing?”

  “We’re going to get the information Los Reyes has on Luna Negra and convince them to help us,” the woman replied.

  The headmaster grunted. “They’ll help. They don’t have a choice.”

  She frowned at him. “Under the Law of Extraordinaire Rights, actively assisting the OG in any of your operations is not mandatory. They have the right to refuse their help.”

  Another member scoffed at her. “Not when it halts or interferes with our investigation.”

  Her head whipped toward him. “They aren’t messing up any investigation.”

  “Withholding evidence? Evidence that could help us catch those damn witches?” He sneered, “We have the right to use whatever means necessary to extract the information they have. We should be beating it out of them. Instead, we’re here sending some goody two shoes girl scout to beg for their help.” His tone hardened.

  Anger rolled inside me. I turned toward him, ready to cuss him out, but the woman stepped in front of me. Oh. He was addressing her. Not me.

  “Girl scout? I did ten years in the academy same as you, Helmstead. I’m more qualified for your job than you are. In fact, they even offered your position to me first.”

  I bit back a smile. One of the other council members chuckled as the jerk’s face reddened. Despite her heels and desk job attire, she could hold her own in a room full of GRIMM. Who was this woman and why hadn’t I met her already?

  “Yes. We all know Helmstead is a useless waste of space, can we please move on.” Another man waved for Headmaster Rutherford to continue.

  Ouch. I glanced at the insulted man, whose face was mottled with rage and humiliation. He caught my stare and scowled at me.

  “Yes. I want you to form your team and leave at once. Agent Young is leading the investigation. He will meet you there.”

  “Meet us where?” I turned to Tío.

  “Their home in Malibu,” he answered.

  “Was this meeting set up with Rafael Peña? Did he agree to all of these agents coming to his house?” The woman frowned.

  I doubted the alpha had agreed to have a bunch of GRIMM stomping around his mansion.

  The headmaster sighed in irritation. “How should I know? I’m not leading the investigation. Young said to meet him there. I’m sure if the wolf isn’t cooperating, you all can handle him.”

  I didn’t like the sinister grin one of the council members gave him in response. Weapons and an overload of testosterone were not a good mix. Though I doubted any of the agents in that room would be any kind of threat to Rafael and his wolf pack. I’d seen the wolves in action.

  “With diplomacy and respect, of course,” the woman shot back.

  He gave her a tight smile. “Of course, Miss Weatherstone. I’d expect nothing but professionalism.”

  “Grab what you need and meet me outside House Dragon, Rose.” Tío’s voice startled me.

  I didn’t realize he’d moved closer and was now towering over me. I met his hard stare.

  “Did you hear me?” His voice was gruff.

  My lip curled at his attitude. “Yeah. You’re shouting it right in my ear. I think everyone heard you.”

  Anger flashed across his face before he schooled his features into his usual mask, remembering where we were, and that he couldn’t scream at me or threaten me in front of everyone.

  Eyes were on us as he straightened and motioned for me to leave. I turned on my heel and headed for the door, ignoring their curious looks. Juggling my heavy pack, I made it back to the dorms.

  What had the wolves discovered that they wouldn’t tell the GRIMM about? Why were they requesting me personally? Did it have to do with the wizard? Hope stirred inside me.

  Surprisingly, the council didn’t question me about my involvement with Los Reyes. I had given my statement to the GRIMM before when I’d been rescued from the witches, but I’d left out the fact I’d been seeking their help to find a wizard or the fact that I was related to Rafael.

  I doubted they believed my story about stumbling up to their house by chance, but no one had ever questioned me further. Maybe they didn’t care about the wolves. Cassiano had all but admitted that the GRIMM knew and allowed them to push illegal drugs.

  “Hey.” A voice made me jump.

  I turned to find Tyler standing in the lobby, eyes narrowed. My heart slammed against my ribs. Darting a look across the room, I locked eyes with several other students who had turned to watch.

  He wouldn’t hurt me with everyone there, would he? I took a step back as he approached. Hurting me was exactly what he looked like he wanted to do.

  9

  “You went to the headmaster?” Tyler demanded.

  “He called me into his office.”

  Tyler moved closer. “And you opened your big mouth, didn’t you?”

  I glared at him. “No. Actually, I didn’t but—”

  “Stop lying, witch. He gave me a mark.” He held out his arm for me to see.

  A red line ran along his forearm. I gaped at him. What was he talking
about?

  His eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t know why he’s protecting you, but I swear when this mark dissolves, I’ll be back for you.”

  Whispers echoed around us. Noticing the audience, we had, Tyler schooled his face and marched away. I was left, stunned, as he left, wondering what had happened.

  How had the headmaster known about our encounter? I didn’t know what the mark was, but I assumed it was meant to keep the psycho away from me. Why did the headmaster want to protect me?

  Ignoring the stares, I brushed past the students and headed for the elevators. I nearly bumped into one of the girls standing there. I met her gaze, recognizing her straight away. It was the girl I’d seen in the library with Tyler. She avoided my stare and shuffled away. Had she told the headmaster on my behalf? Shaking off the questions, I pushed the button and hopped onto the elevator.

  My heart raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening. There was too much going on to worry about Tyler. He was a problem for another day.

  Once inside my room, a shudder of relief went through me. I looked up, surprised to see Shiloh there.

  She rushed toward me. “Are you okay? What happened? Is it Grayson? Brady?”

  My chest tightened. I didn’t want to think about them at that moment. We weren’t any closer to saving them and things were just getting worse and worse.

  I threw myself on the bed with a heavy sigh. “No. No news. Though the headmaster showed me a crystal ball and it showed Brady. In rehab. Doing fine.”

  Shiloh frowned. “What? Are you sure it wasn’t an illusion?”

  My head pounded. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think anymore, Shiloh. Or who to trust.” I turned over to my back and looked up at her, “I don’t get it. Isn’t there like some magical object or place or creature that we’re supposed to find to help us? That’s how it is in the books. What is our next step, Shiloh?”

  She sank onto the edge of my bed and shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve scoured the library for anything about the wizard or Luna Negra, but there’s nothing I’ve found that could help us. I guess we just wait for the GRIMM to do what they’re trained to do.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, ‘cause they’ve been so successful so far.”

  “I’m sure they have a plan that they’re not sharing with us. We are technically still students.”

  “But it’s our lives at stake and our friends.”

  A lump grew in my throat as I thought of Grayson. What if it were already too late to save him?

  Sympathy flashed across Shiloh’s face. “Whatever you need, I’m here. I’m not going to just sit and wait either, Rose.”

  I smiled at her. “I know. Thanks.”

  She bit her lip and gave me a long look. “What did the headmaster want? Did you get in trouble for breaking curfew?”

  “No, actually, he didn’t say anything about that. They want me to go with them to talk to Rafael.”

  Her nose crinkled. “Los Reyes? Why? What’s happened?”

  I shrugged. “I guess the guys found something, but they won’t tell the GRIMM unless I’m there. Do you think it could be related to the wizard?”

  “Or Luna Negra, maybe.” She tapped her chin in a thoughtful look.

  A knock sounded, startling me. Shiloh stood and went to the door. “It’s Javi. Do you mind if he comes in?”

  “Sure. He can come in.” I swung my legs off the bed and dropped my head into my hands.

  There was a dull ache running through my head now and my stomach growled, reminding me I’d missed lunch.

  Shiloh opened the door and Javi strolled in with a giant iced coffee for me and smoothie for his girlfriend. His smile faltered when he met my eyes.

  Concern flashed on his face as she set the drinks down on my desk.

  “What is it? What happened?”

  I groaned. “Why does everyone ask me that? I’m like the last person to know anything around here.”

  He studied me carefully. “I saw my dad leaving the offices building. What’s going on, Rose?”

  I smirked at his admission. So, he had followed me at least to the building? To make sure I was okay?

  “We’re going to Los Reyes. They have news about something, and they asked for me to come.”

  “What news?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why we’re going there to find out.”

  “Who’s we?”

  I rolled my eyes at my cousin’s interrogation. “Your dad, some council members, and me. Oh, and some other woman. I think she’s from that organization that helps extraordinaires or whatever.”

  “You mean the Council of Extraordinaire Rights?” Shiloh asked.

  I shrugged. “Maybe? I didn’t ask.”

  “Well, I’m coming too,” Javi insisted.

  “I don’t think they’d allow that, Javi,” Shiloh replied, retrieving our drinks from the desk.

  She held my coffee out to me, and I gladly accepted it. Javi ran his fingers through his hair, still scowling.

  “I have to go. If Rose is going, I am too.”

  “Come, don’t come. I’m not going to stop you.” I took a big gulp of the flavored java.

  Shiloh shook her head. “But it’s not up to you.”

  “It’s not up to my dad, either. I’m coming. I want to hear what the wolves know. It’s time we made a move against Luna Negra.”

  The determination and excitement in his eyes startled me. How could he want this—a war? I knew he was raised in the GRIMM ways, expected to become a soldier just like his dad, but how could he so willingly accept it?

  I rose to my feet and walked toward him. “Is this really want you want to do, Javi? Kill monsters for the rest of your life?”

  His eyes met mine. “It’s not like we have a choice, Rose.”

  “But we do. That’s the thing. You don’t have to be a GRIMM.”

  He scoffed. “How can you still hate them after all you’ve been through? Without the GRIMM, Luna Negra would be able to do whatever they wanted. No one would be able to stop them. Is that what you want? A world ruled by monsters?”

  “Of course not. But this doesn’t have to be our life forever, Javi. Your parents were right. We’re just kids. We’re not supposed to be hunting monsters.”

  He shook his head. “You still don’t get it. We are not like the ordinaires, Rose. We can see the things they can’t. And we’re not kids anymore. A fight is coming whether you want it or not. I’d rather be ready then pretend like it doesn’t affect me.”

  “You think that’s what I’m doing? That I’m pretending it doesn’t affect me?” My hackles rose.

  “No, of course not. No one thinks that.” Shiloh frowned at my cousin.

  Javi ran his fingers through his hair. “No, that’s not what I mean. I just think you could be a little more grateful for what we’ve done, for what we do. We’re not the bad guys here.”

  Heat rushed over me. “Grateful? You want me to be grateful? For which part? Shunning me and my parents for most of my life? Failing to do your job and protect my parents? Or is it the compulsion bracelet and forcing me to come here that I’m supposed to thank you for? I was fine before you guys ever showed up.”

  The words were spewing out of me now, my emotions erupting all over the place, and it was too late to stop what was coming.

  “You were fine?” His voice rose with anger.

  “Javi,” Shiloh warned.

  He shook off her arm and stood in front of me. “You were fine? Your father was killed by a shifter. You were kidnapped by Luna Negra. Without the GRIMM you would have been dead already. You wouldn’t have lasted out there on your own. You need us.”

  Rage tore through me. You need us. Deep down, I knew he was right, but I hated it. Hated that my whole life was a royally screwed up pile of shit, a prison, that I could never escape from. I wasn’t really mad at Javi. I was mad at the world for being so screwed up.

  “I don’t need you. I don’t need the GRIMM. You’re the one who
needs them, Javi, not me. You’re the one who needs someone to tell you what to do, what to believe, and what to think.”

  His face hardened, but I wasn’t done.

  “Guys, please.” Shiloh stepped between us, still holding onto her smoothie.

  “This isn’t like the movies, Javi.”

  “I’m not the one living in a fantasy world,” he snapped.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Enough, please. Stop,” Shiloh pleaded.

  Javi shook his head. “I know who I am. You’re going to have to accept what you are sooner or later, Rose. You can’t walk away from this.”

  Anger surged through me. I was so tired of hearing what I had to do or what I couldn’t do. My life wasn’t theirs to decide.

  “My mom did.”

  Shock flashed across his face. “Is that what you want? To be a traitor like your mother?”

  His words stung. I was used to hearing the insult from the others, but not Javi. Is that how he really saw things?

  “At least she was free to make her own choices.”

  He scoffed. “Yeah, and look what a great job she did of that.”

  “You don’t get it, Javi. I don’t want this life. I never wanted this.”

  “You don’t even know what you want, Rose. I don’t see why you’re so against us.”

  “This is not about you, Javi. Why do you have to make it personal? You’re so obsessed with making your dad proud of you by being a good little soldier. You don’t even see how royally messed up you all are.”

  My fists curled by my side. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it was time for me to shut up. That I was venting all my anger and grief, and some things I wouldn’t be able to take back.

  But my words continued pouring out. “Your dad is never going to be proud of you, Javi. He doesn’t care. Because you’re just a blind follower. A foot soldier—a nobody. That’s all you’re going to be.”

  He flinched, hurt flashing in his eyes. Instantly, I regretted my words. Shiloh’s head snapped to me, shock and anger written in her stare. I’d never seen her look so upset and it only made me feel guiltier. I’d struck him where it hurt most.