Chapter 8

8

LEIF

Violet's strange thoughtfulness that led her to spend time with me came as a bolt from the blue. An afternoon with the girl I love soothed some of the aching fear that she'd reject me now because of my link to Viktor.

Last night, I didn't get a chance to ask anybody about brooches, so after my date with Violet, I approached one of the girls who still talks to me, although she fidgeted and looked around all the time as we spoke. Lucy couldn't tell me where to buy a brooch for Violet, nor would she say where hers came from. Then Lucy proceeded to show me a jewelry website suggesting something different to buy Violet.

Although tempted to order the small pin of a pink poodle, solely to see Violet's reaction, I resisted.

An eerier atmosphere settled over Thornwood Academy over the last weeks. Wes's murder, the incident at the spring ball, mysterious wolf sightings, and Holly now presumed missing has driven a greater wedge between the humans and supes. Many never leave Darwin House after dark, always moving in large groups if they leave the grounds for town. The tensions in class spills into arguments and threats by humans against supes that teachers struggle to calm.

Wes's nightly crusade to bully supes was limited to a small group of human assholes, but that attitude towards supes has infected more of Darwin's residents. The gloom and chill hovering around the academy add to the sinister possibility that a mysterious creature might appear this evening, but there aren't any humans looking for fights with witches. I've heard whispers someone will die on the full moon, but this isn't the first time ominous rumors have spread. Werewolf and full moon? We all know what prompted this gossip.

I meet Violet and Rowan in the shadows of the cloisters where Violet sits on a stone bench beside Rowan, and I lean against the opposite wall. Grayson refuses to walk around campus at night, but his reason isn't fear of other supes. If another attack happens, and somebody saw him wandering around beforehand, Grayson will struggle to escape accusation. The same applies to Violet, but, of course, she doesn't care.

To be honest, I'm not in the mood for anything apart from somebody fixing my mind. Until that happens, how am I supposed to focus on anything else? Although, considering what happened to Oz in his cell that night, leaving makes more sense in case Dorian decides I'm too big a threat and kills me too.

Yeah, like I can ever escape him—or the shifter elders, who are occupied with deaths and necromancy. At least that means the elders dropped their crusade against forcing me to join them. For now.

I'm forced to admit that I have no update on the brooch situation, and Rowan explains his encounter with Marci and Mrs. Eldridge.

"A secret meeting?" Violet says. "Isabella and Helen are involved with whatever Marci is up to, and this must involve the brooches."

"Marci and her group met in the library. Maybe the group didn't get everything they wanted?" I suggest. "You and the librarian interrupted them. Marci once took books to create a protective talisman for Rory. I bet she took one earlier today."

"Yes. I've considered that the brooches are talismans of some description, which is why we need to get hold of one and examine it," says Violet. "This time, the brooches may not be protective, and instead part of a plot to cause strife in the academy or damage to humans."

"Then why are humans involved with the witches?" asks Rowan.

"We'll intercept a meeting. Track the girls more closely," says Violet. "What spell books were missing from the shelf, Rowan?"

"Potions and runes. Nothing sinister."

Violet's teeth clench. "I don't like this. If we don't find answers by tomorrow, I will accost Marci myself."

"Yeah, smart idea. That'll end well." Rowan glances at me as I take a sharp breath at his sarcastic response. "Just saying."

Violet stands and straightens. "Any reports of the wolf this evening, Leif?"

Hillside does own a Wolfhound, and I was with Violet when she witnessed the man walking the huge, hairy creature this afternoon. She pursed her lips, informed me the dog did not resemble a wolf, so this proved nothing, and we'd search tonight.

"I asked about the wolf, and most sightings are after nine." I scratch my cheek. "Apparently it circles Darwin House and then sneaks towards the academy before disappearing."

"Good. Then the visit hasn't occurred yet. I'd also like to circle the academy grounds."

"There's something else I discovered earlier," I say cautiously. "The latest rumor is that someone will die on the next full moon."

"Good grief. Is this the racist werewolf theory again?"

"We can't discount the possibility, Violet," says Rowan. "If humans are being targeted, whoever's responsible could take advantage of folklore and fears."

"Hmm." Violet turns her face upwards to where the clouds water down the moonlight to a faint glow. "When is the full moon?"

"Eight days."

"Plenty of time." She smiles at the cloudy sky as I exchange a look with Rowan. Violet expects to solve this within a week?

Rowan opens his mouth but clamps it shut again. I speak for him. "The wolf wouldn't reveal itself with you walking around."

"Good grief. Give me some credit. I can sneak. One scout around campus, and then I'd like to wait close to Darwin House."

Violet stomps away, and I sigh. "I hope Violet finds answers soon. She's getting harder to deal with."

"I hope we find Holly soon," says Rowan and stands too. "And that she's in one piece."

"Rowan!" I reply in hushed shock. "You saw how Violet reacted to Grayson when he suggested Holly might get hurt."

"We're all thinking the same things, Leif," he whispers. "But nobody dares say anything."

Rowan is right, but I haven't admitted the idea to myself yet. Viktor screwed with my head. If the necromancer has Holly, chances are he'll do something. But I survived. Holly could too.

We separate, but stay in sight of each other, sticking to the shadows as we move between buildings, and occasionally pausing to check in with each other. None of us have seen anything, nor has Violet sensed a shifter. If the wolf did creep into the academy tonight, they left again because they saw us, or the shifter never came at all. What if this really is Mr. Hillside's dog or a figment of humans' imagination?

The night cools more as the evening extends into night, but only Rowan feels—and complains—about the cold wind. Fortunately, Violet doesn't comment on this, and the pair drop their frustrations as the night progresses.

But I'm sick of the fruitless search.

Our current vantage point under the sports hall's eaves gives us a view of the rear of the darkened academy building across the lawns behind Darwin House where light shines behind curtains in almost every room.

I wince as Violet squeezes my upper arm. Her whole body straightens and tenses as she pulls me further into the shadows cast by the academy's taller tower.

I stumble at the force. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Rowan," she urges, and yanks Rowan toward us before crouching. "Look."

My eyes strain as I focus on where Violet points to, crouching alongside her. Rowan sits on the ground on her other side and sighs. "Tell me what you see."

The canine figure is barely visible to me as it slinks from the direction of the bordering woods, belly low to the ground. Only when the creature moves closer to Darwin house do I appreciate how bloody big the thing is.

"Shifter," whispers Violet.

On cue, Rowan and I grab one of her arms each before she can stand. "No. Watch," I say.

"But—"

"Violet."

She thins her lips, and Rowan chuckles at me silencing her.

The shifter continues to prowl across the lawns headed straight for Darwin House, not leaving the safety of the shadows for a second. My knotted stomach unties slightly when the wolf doesn't circle around to the front of the building. They stop beneath the windows spanning the back of Darwin House and tips their head upwards. Yellow eyes shine through the gloom,

"They're looking for a way in," Rowan whispers. "How well can wolf shifters climb? What if there's an open window?"

"No. Shifting to human form would make more sense if they wanted to sneak into the building," says Violet.

"And wolves can jump far but not climb all the way up a wall," I add.

"Then what are they doing?" asks Rowan. "Waiting for a victim to walk out?"

"Not until the full moon, remember?" says Violet.

Realization strikes me. "Violet. Your room faces this way. The shifter could be looking for you?"

"One way to find out," she remarks.

"No!"

Too late. Violet already blurred half the distance between us and the shifter, who's now hiding closer to the building's wall.

Rowan swears. "Don't follow," he says. "If the shifter is stupid enough to attack, Violet will uh… subdue them."

The wolf's head turns sharply towards Violet, but they don't move. Neither does she. I hear her speak but not what she says, and the moment Violet takes a step towards the shifter, the animal sprints away.

Violet doesn't pause before pursuing the wolf, the pair swallowed by the night in seconds. Light suddenly streams across the ground, and a girl screams as Violet collides with her.

"You know who the wolf is!" cries out Cassie as she's knocked backwards onto the lawn.

I charge across, Rowan at my heels. A group of four humans with flashlights huddle together, Logan shining one into Violet's face, as Dane and Sara stand with him.

"What are you doing?" Violet shouts. "I'll lose the shifter!"

The humans look in bewilderment as Violet streaks into the night in the direction the shifter ran. Do I follow? Dane places a hand on my chest. "What are you doing, Leif? Is that wolf connected to Violet?"

"No! Violet is trying to catch the wolf," I say and pull his hand from my chest.

"She shoved me out of the way." Cassie stands on wobbly legs as Isabelle helps her up. "We were looking for the wolf, and Violet stopped us."

"Looking for? To do what?" Rowan emerges from the dark beside me.

"Catch the bastard." Logan holds up a knife, and Dane beside him pulls cable ties from a pocket.

"Are you insane?" I choke out.

"Four of us against one of him," Logan retorts.

"And what if the shifter is waiting to kill someone?" I ask, incredulous at their stupidity. "You've no idea how strong and violent shifters are. Did you miss that one killed Wes? You're bloody stupid!"

Cassie sniffles, holding her chest. "Violet stopped us. She's in on this."

"For fuck's sake," mutters Rowan. "‘In on this?' Violet has more chance of catching the shifter than you do."

"Is it her dad?" asks Sara.

I gawk. The humans' paranoia is going too far."Are you serious ? Why the hell would one of Violet's fathers stalk Thornwood?"

"One is a wolf," retorts Logan.

"No. Zeke is Tigris. Tiger shifter. Ethan is… not," I say.

Cassie screams again as Violet reappears at her side. I hastily scan Violet's hands and face for blood, but the only thing covering her is a furious expression.

"Where's the shifter?" asks Logan.

"I couldn't catch them after you interrupted me." Violet growls, and I close my eyes in despair as she flashes her teeth.

"I thought you had super powers?" says Sara. "Like, you can run super fast."

"Good grief. Yes, as fast as a shifter, but not when a stupid and inconveniently placed girl gets in my way."

Rowan steps up and takes Violet's hand.

"The shifter escaped? Well, that's convenient. Did someone tell you that we planned to hunt it tonight? Were you helping a friend?" asks Dane.

" Hunt a shifter?"

"Yeah, I already told the group what a dumb idea that is, Violet," I say. "All the humans have is a knife."

"Against a shifter's claws and teeth? The wolf would've eviscerated you all before you could blink. And I mean all . You're lucky we decided to look for the shifter too." Violet straightens. "I need to leave this place."

"Could you still catch the wolf?" I ask.

"No." She takes a deep breath and turns her face to the sky. "But if I remain with these individuals, my anger will not subside."

"We won't stop until we catch the werewolf," says Logan icily. "The academy won't help. They don't give a crap about a supe hunting humans."

"It might have hidden Holly in its lair!" puts in Sara.

" Lair ?" Violet tears her hand from Rowan's. "Your ignorance knows no bounds. No wonder humans die often and will continue to do so."

Crap. I stare after Violet as she stalks away leaving a hushed horror behind. "Violet wasn't threatening anybody. She means humans are physically weak."

"Yeah, against people like her murdering us." Dane steps up to me. "I knew Violet would show her true colors eventually. You definitely are, Leif. Whose side are you on?"

Even if I argued with these kids all night, nothing would change how recent events have twisted their beliefs, including my roommate's. Is someone at the academy behind the wolf's appearance, and the full moon rumor true? Because Mrs. Lorcan is either ignoring the growing trouble or has buried her head in the sand.

I'm as pissed as Violet that the Darwin kids interrupted us because I swear that whoever the shifter is, they were looking for her.

But then why run?