Thank goodness, because I didn't want to deal with that. Even if I was more confident in my magic and the skills we’d gained after constant training and research, I still wanted to have some peace of mind while attempting to enjoy this year.
Please let there be no surprises, bombs, or crazy jealous shit.
I couldn't wait to meet up with Zuri later at lunch and have a calm chat while the guys talked about how strong they were or something.
We turned down the hall and had just passed the girl's washroom when Dimitri came to a dramatic stop, the action catching me off guard and causing me to walk into him .
"Oof," I grunted and pouted my lips, mostly because I’d been too lost in my thoughts to notice the sudden stop. "Dimitri?"
I blinked and noticed the second change in his demeanor, his burning aura raging around him and alerting me that he was now pissed.
Yuriel and Ryuu both moved closer to my sides, their hands squeezing mine before Wolfgang let out a low growl.
It took me going on my tiptoes and peering over Dimitri's shoulder for my eyes to widened and a surge of anger and fear to slam into me.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
I lowered to my feet and immediately had to try and calm my rapid heart, realizing that this was going to be a pain in the ass and it wasn't even eight in the morning.
"Mewr!" Star popped out of my Blazer pocket, shaking her head a bit, which made glitter flutter all over my skirt.
My wide eyes lowered to her, and she blinked, hopped out of my pocket, and ran to the girl's washroom door. It seemed to open right then, a random neko shifter walking out, giving Star the chance to run in.
"I'm...going to the washroom real quick." My voice trembled, more out of rage than fear, but the mixture of emotions was still pretty obvious.
Not waiting for the guys to reply, I tugged my hands out of Ryuu's and Yuriel's grips and was in the girl's washroom in three steps. Walking to the last stall, I closed the door and pressed my back against it.
My inhales were quick, and my chest rose and fell as I fought the urge to panic and cry.
Why today? Any other day would have been just fine. Why the fuck is she here?!
I'd known Year Three would potentially be a pain in the ass, but no way in hell had I prepared myself to see a one-armed Nikko standing proudly in front of Shirley's office.
Through the sea of students walking back and forth down the halls, her confident stance immediately caught my attention and the similar uniform she wore told me she was officially in Year Three with us.
How?! Why would Shirley allow her into Year Three after the shit she pulled? Just because we didn't have evidence meant she was literally scot-free to continue her studies here?!
I was on the floor, curled up in a ball in seconds, trying to keep my whimpers to an all-time low. Star somehow managed to squeeze into the small space between my knees and chest, her purring loud in a clear attempt to calm me down.
It felt like the world was suffocating me, and I was frightened to face Nikko all of a sudden. She'd almost destroyed a part of my world — a quarter of the happiness that shone in my life.
If she's here now, she wants to do it all over again. She's solely here to fuck shit up and make my life a living hell. Dammit. Why can't I just have a solid year of peace?! What's so precious about me that everyone is doing their best to take me down?!
I shut my eyes and rocked back and forth, trying to fight the stinging in my eyes and the urge to cry. Nikko, or whoever was targeting me, was doing this on purpose. They always seemed to be a step ahead and it was so aggravating to be caught in their trap every single time.
"Silver, calm down. Do you want me to come in there?"
Wolfgang's soothing voice was in my head, and I could imagine the dark depths of my mind and my wolf curled up in a bundle of whimpers.
We were frightened. It was fucking obvious. The testing from this morning, the machines and the way they scanned and beeped, all reminding me of my dad's inevitable death. The pressure of wanting to succeed, all while trying to act like everything was okay.
It's too much, Wolfgang. I'm frightened. I want to be strong, but ugh.
I was sure he understood me, just like the others, but how could I face Nikko like this? I could see her smug smile and the joy of being one step ahead of me.
That infuriated me.
My sense of hearing suddenly heightened, and I caught the conversation happening in front of the door to the girl's washroom — the one I was having a panic attack in.
"Shit. Is Silver having a panic attack?" Dimitri sounded mega pissed.
"Yeah. I'm gonna try and calm her down through our bond, but we can't even go in there," Wolfgang growled.
"Excuse me?" a girl's voice piped up.
"Sorry, the washroom is out of order. The headmaster told us to stand here till the maintenance guy comes," Ryuu's smooth voice explained.
"Oh! All right. Thank you," the girl responded.
There was a pause before Yuriel let out a tsk. "We're being watched."
"By?" Dimitri questioned.
"A certain ex-boyfriend," Yuriel answered. The other three groaned in response.
"You got to be fucking kidding me," Ryuu snapped. "Can he just pick a fucking side?"
"Just burn him to crisps." The deeper tone belonged to Hellsin. "Better to get rid of him now rather than later."
"This is clearly on purpose," Yuriel voiced.
"Obviously. Why would we be called here specifically at the same time Nikko is here, flaunting her 'surviving' ass in front of Shirley's office? Also, who's the tall, scary person next to her?" Wolfgang inquired.
"The all-black clothes make him look more like a bodyguard than a representative," Ryuu commented.
"We need a game plan and fast. Either we bail from this entirely or we're going to have to face it," Yuriel announced.
"That's up to Silver," Hellsin noted.
"Give her a few minutes. We still have five minutes before our scheduled appointment," Ryuu concluded. "Wolfgang? Let her know we're here and will do whatever she wants to do."
"Okay," Wolfgang replied, his voice gliding into my head, "Silver?"
Yes?
"We'll do whatever you want to do, no matter if you want to teleport out of here or go to this meeting. Whatever the decision, we're following your lead. Take a few deep breaths and try to think happy thoughts. We're making sure no one enters the washroom. You have about five minutes, but if you need more time, simply say so."
How can you be so confident in me when I'm here panicking like a noob spy?
"Silver," Wolfgang whispered. "You've been our leader and the blossom of our life for two years, going onto the third. We never want you to be in a situation you're not ready to face. We love you, and this is challenging. As your team and boyfriends, we're going to support you rain or shine. You have every right to feel the way you feel, and it doesn't make you a noob spy. We have two more years to obtain spy status, and when we do, which I know we will, we'll be able to tackle the true tasks at hand. Whoever plotted this setup wants to make you cower in fear. No matter what we decide, don't let it try and change who you are. That's what they want. For you to lose sight of yourself. To lose the Silver your father knew would reach this point. Don't let them do that to you."
His words resonated in my very soul, and I lifted my head to look at Star, who moved to sit on the top of my knees in triumph.
"Mewr!"
I reached to pet her, but she purposely scratched the back of my hand. I gawked in horror at my hand, before looking at my uni-kitten, who seemed to be happy with what she'd done.
"Star?" I wasn't sure how to react, noticing the flesh beads of blood beginning to form. The incident reminded me of what happened during our first year.
“And...I'm going to die," Wolfgang concluded calmly.
“Star! Why did you do that?" I scolded.
“My familiar is a runaway murderer!"
"I'm still alive," W
olfgang calmly pointed out.
My mind fast-forwarded the scene, and something Yuriel had said resurfaced in my mind.
“Healing is tricky. You have to settle into a relaxed mindset, even if the world is crumbling around you.”
"Even if the world is crumbling around you," I mumbled and looked at the wound again. The sight of blood always left a grim feeling inside me, but this time, I stared at it intently, remembering the crucial moment after the explosion — the moment I found Wolfgang's body buried beneath the debris.
“Wolf...gang?"
The sight of his body, the cuts and burns.
The pool of blood and how his gold eyes were wide and lifeless.
The paleness in his complexion and how some of his parts were half-healed while others were burned and in various colors of red, purple, and pink.
The silence that carried on around me, his heartbeat absent.
“Wolfgang! No...wake up. Wolfgang? We're safe! I...I don't know what happened, but we're okay. See? I'm okay. A little blood, that's all. Wake up."
The desperation that overtook me.
The way I shook him, thinking it was all a game. A prank. A valuable lesson.
"Wolfgang. S-stop joking around, silly. I don't...don't have any magic. I can't heal you like I did Yuriel. Stop scaring me, Wolfgang. C'mon. Wake up."
How hard I tried to remain calm. To try not to panic despite knowing exactly the final outcome displayed before me.
"Wolfgang! Please. No, no, no. I just need to be calm. Calm...Silver. Calm. You can't heal him if you aren’t calm. He told you that."
My world had been crumbling then, shattering around me at such a fast pace, until I was numb with only one emotion fighting for full control.
Revenge.
Was I going to sit back and let Nikko do that again? Steal all the joy in my life and force me to live in fear? No. Hell. No.
She was standing there with pride because she knew what her presence would do to me. She was gleefully waiting to see my shocked expression — to witness the amusing sight and smell the fear off of my body. She was waiting to feel victorious, to know that she'd truly left her mark on me and would dig into it until I bled and perished.
She wanted to make it clear that she would finish the task she’d been ordered to complete, and all that told me was that she wasn't afraid of me. She didn't care about the consequences or the high chance she'd be caught in her games.
She wasn't caught the first time, what would make her think she'd be caught the second?
Her appearance was out of pride, knowing she'd gotten exactly what she wanted every single time. She was winning this game of cat and mouse.
It was about time we changed those roles.
I had to stop letting her crawl under my skin. Our entire lives, she had assumed she was better than me. She was the succubus that got everything easy. The one who boasted about all her friends, the popularity, her beauty, and her skills.
She did all of that while I struggled to make friends, to fit in, to feel powerful and important.
Yet, she was jealous of me. Angered by the support I had all around me.
I may have not had friends growing up, but I had the best, most loyal group of people in my life here and now. I may not have been popular back then, but now I was known through the school and administration. I may not have had the looks then, but now I was beautiful in my own unique way.
As for the skills, I may not have been the top shifter, but now I held the traits to reach the top and surpass anything written. I was a prodigy, a unique force who had the choice to decide what path I'd take.
No matter good or bad, my men would follow, and I'd carry that support into every battle, confrontation, and mission.
I can't let them down. No, I won't let them down. They would follow me straight to the grave and stand by my side no matter what avenue I decided to take. Nikko knows that, yet expects me to bow down to her rules with her connections. Ha. Why am I falling for her act?
The grin that surfaced on my lips had Star happily purring and she began patting me with her front paws, the action leaving a bunch of glitter on them.
"Thanks, Star. I get it now." I used my other hand to stroke her little head, and she purred even louder. Looking back at the scratch on my hand, I stared at it long and hard with every intention of making it heal.
I watched the three bleeding lines begin to close, and in thirty seconds, my skin was back to normal like I'd never been scratched in the first place.
After scooping Star up, I rose and moved out of the stall, walking over to the sink where I looked into the mirror. With a nod to my reflection, I snapped my fingers and closed my eyes, intending to redo my makeup after my panicked cry fest.
Opening my eyes once more, I looked back at my reflection to see my confident smile, but I needed more.
My aim wasn't just to make an impact. I was going to make Nikko quiver with my entrance and leave her in a bundle of frustration that her plan to ruin me had failed.
The urge to be victorious in this approaching dispute tugged at a flaming desire to flaunt my power in front of all who dared think they were better than me.
My eyes flickered then, losing their turquoise color and shifting to a dazzling mixture of orange and golds. They were like dancing flames, and the wide grin that graced my purple lips made me feel extra pumped to settle the score.
"Nikko thinks she's won. I'll show a bitch who is going to take the award of kick-ass shifter of the day."
Star was on my shoulder with a poof, and I smoothed out my uniform and unbuttoned the first three buttons of my dress skirt, exposing just a bit of my cleavage. Loosening my tie to give off a more chilled vibe, I smirked in delight and tried not to giggle.
This power beating through me was like the one I'd felt during that class where Nikko, Callister, and the five other students decided it was the perfect day to try and fuck with me during our test.
I actually laughed quietly, the memory leaving me in a giddy mood and reminding me of the conversation I'd had with Dimitri about wanting anal.
A quick fucking would be so nice right now. Let's get this shit over with and after school, we can have some Penis Wars fun!
Another quirky giggle left me, and with a flick of my curly silver hair, I made my way to the door, my heels clicking against the tiles.
When I opened the door, four pairs of eyes landed on me — my gaze locking with Dimitri's. His amber eyes grew wide in shock, immediately sensing the change in me.
I'm sure the others had as well, but as much as I wanted to kiss each of them senseless and thank them for their utmost loyalty, we had a meeting to attend.
Walking toward the office first, I felt my men's presence close behind me. Nikko and whoever was with her weren't in the hall anymore, but I could hear her voice trailing out of the main section of the office that led to Shirley’s private one.
Students stopped mid-stride as I passed, sensing the pressure of magic mixed with the heatwave that hovered around me, giving them a second of warning before I passed by.
Reaching the office entrance, I walked right in, only to find Shirley, Clarissa, and Professor Xin to my right and Nikko and her all-in-black bodyguard to the left.
All of their gazes gravitated to me, and my smirk only widened to a pleasant smile. To watch the initial shock that flickered in Nikko's eyes before her jaw lost its grip and dropped was by far the best feeling of satisfaction I could ask for.
Let the show begin.
Turning my attention to Shirley, Clarissa, and Professor Xin, the three of them just as shocked to see me here, I began my greeting. "Good Morning, Headmaster, Professor Shine, and Professor Xin. Sorry to intrude, but we're here for our appointment?"
It took Shirley a second to respond, but her inviting smile and pride-filled eyes told me I was doing exactly what she wanted me to do.
"My apologies. My prior appointment seems to be taking longer to wrap up than originally agreed upon." Shirle
y purposely paused to give Nikko and her acquaintance a look before glancing back at me. "You and your team are free to wait in my office. This shouldn't take much longer."
"Excellent," I cheerfully replied, looking to my men, who were putting on a hell of a show with their alpha expressions and their body language projecting a fierceness as a unit. "Let's wait in her office."
The four of them nodded, and I gestured for them to head into the private office first. As I was about to walk in, Nikko spoke.
"So there shouldn't be any issues with my return then? The investigation is still ongoing and all, but there's not enough evidence to say I wasn't a victim in the church incident. Therefore, I'll be able to do as I please, correct?"
"And she won't be targeted by those who may think otherwise?" The new voice intrigued me, making my smile grow even wider.
I knew damn well the comment was directed to me, but I took another step forward to enter the office and Professor Xin spoke, stopping me. "Ms. Solange? Do you mind staying out to chat for a moment? It will be quick,"
I glanced over my shoulder at him, noticing the seriousness that peeked through his gold-framed glasses. "Sure." I shrugged and looked back at my four men who stood patiently in the office. "You guys sit down and get comfortable. I won't be long." I winked and watched them nod, all of them wearing calm expressions.
They weren't worried about me anymore, their obvious support only leaving me even more pumped up to settle the score between Nikko and me.
Closing the door and turning around to face her, I put my hands casually in my blazer pockets, all while Star sat on my shoulder and purred happily.
"Is there something we need to discuss?" I questioned.
Shirley didn't have the chance to answer before the tall, slender, all-in-black male spoke up. "We need verbal confirmation that you won't be disturbing my client, Nikko Fireside, during her year here."
I smiled sweetly at him. "What makes you think there would be a disturbance?"
He frowned at my response and I carried on, "From my perspective, my team and I are only here to see our Headmaster in regard to the appointment she requested. Regardless, whether we do or don't know why we're here isn't any of yours or your client's concern. I've made no contact with your client since the very brief meeting we had where we both swore in front of the jury to not lie regarding our statements about the bombing. Other than that, I've been living my best life while enjoying my summer with my loving boyfriends."
SSS: Year Three (Supernatural Spy School Book 3) Page 16
