91. Aurelia

Chapter 91

Aurelia

T he next week passes in a blur, and it's punctuated with something toxic every time I see Beak's face. Rage boils up within me, making the classroom floor shake. The worst part is, no one understands why I'm so upset, and I can't tell anyone out of my pack except Minnie. Xander and Savage glance my way far too often, as if I've got grenades strapped around my chest, ready to go off.

There's truth in that.

So much truth that it hurts.

Each day is mechanical and a repeat of the last. I eat when my mates tell me to; I shower when they take me there; I sit in class and pretend to listen and I turn my head whenever someone calls my name. Savage makes Xander take him back to the sea every evening. Each dawn when he returns, empty handed and smelling of salt, he crawls into bed and holds me tight. I kiss his shoulder and bring him food and I can tell that he eats only because I order him to.

Minnie sometimes clutches my hand under the classroom table, and I catch Yeti hugging Savage one afternoon. Raquel knows something is not right, as every wolf suspects, but my favourite anim has the grace to keep quiet about it.

I feel dead on the inside. Like one of Ghoul's shadows has opened up within me and gobbled everything good. Only darkness and stillness remain. I know Savage thinks he might return still. I know he has his ear poised for that cold rasp in our group chat.

I know it won't come. So do Lyle and Xander.

Scythe doesn't do anything by halves. He made his choice and will stick by it unless something exceptional forces him to change his plans. It's not in his nature to look back. The plane tickets lie on the dining room table like omens of doom and one night when we're having dinner at the dorm, I pick them up, tear them all into little pieces and toss them in the bin.

And that was the end of that discussion.

The chill of winter takes its time to leave, but the spring ball comes upon us far too quickly. By then, Savage has passed his literacy test, much to Lyle's happiness. I bring him a cake for afterwards, but it hardly feels like a celebration. Both wolf and dragon take their joeys to zookeeper Rick to be assessed on the care. Both pass with flying colours and have to return the little ones. To everyone's surprise, Savage refuses to give up Toastie, threatening zookeeper Rick so badly that Lyle has to counsel him afterwards. And so Savage gets what he wants, and Toastie remains in his bag around Savage's neck at all times.

On the day of the spring ball, I feel sick to my stomach. Us animas all get ready together in Minnie's room, having kicked out Marduk and Yeti to go off and get ready with my own mates.

"Sabrina sent a photo," Stacey says. "As usual, it's of her dinner. But look, the twins bought her Red Rooster."

"I miss them cheesy nuggs," Connor sighs, checking the back of his gown in the mirror. "Girlfriend is living her best life. I hope she gets what she needs there, even if she is missing the ball."

"They do all sorts of recreation." Minnie shoots glitter hairspray in a halo around her pink curls. "Scythe's really made it cool over there—" She meets my eye in the mirror and her eyes start to glisten.

"It's alright, " I project into her mind. "Pretending, remember?"

She gives me a tiny nod and plasters a fake grin on her face. "That colour really suits you, Lia!"

Lyle and Savage had picked out the sapphire blue gown with a sweetheart neckline online. It brought out the colour of my eyes, Lyle said. But whenever I look at its oceanic hue, all I can think about is Scythe.

A shiver passes over me and I try to ignore it, reaching to adjust a curl in Stacey's half up, half down style. She looks spectacular in a canary yellow two piece that shows a slither of her stomach, while Connor wears a crimson gown with ruffles he's sewn diagonally across the skirt on the hem of the long split.

Raquel has chosen a metallic grey suit that brings out the colour of their eyes and a sexy white shirt with the buttons open down to the centre of their chest.

Minnie has gone for her signature magenta, in a gown of silk with a cowl neckline.

Together, we are picture perfect.

Eugene, for his part, has been stuck to me like glue for the last couple of weeks. I don't know if Savage demanded he keep an eye on me, but he's been my little shadow. He has to stay in the dorms tonight, and I make sure the window is open so he can see us promenade down to the dining hall.

If only I could enjoy this night. I glance at the clock above Minnie's mirror. I'm pretty sure Minnie put it here when she first moved in as a subtle hint to her beasts, but I glance at it nervously now. "Time to go!"

We all head out of the pack dorms, following the stream of equally well-dressed beasts, the avians dressed in shiny sequins and feathers, the felines with leopard print ties and fur wraps. The wolves wear edgy dresses and suits in hues of silver, blue and black, while the hyenas style themselves in black lace and leather.

In a sort of procession, we make our way towards the dining hall, the sunset catching our jewellery and body glitter and making us glimmer like a string of jewels. Savage, Lyle, Marduk and Yeti wait for us to the side of the dining hall, scowling at anyone who looks their way.

Apparently my sour mood is catching.

The gang of wolves in front of them parts and my mates are revealed to me in all their glory.

Lyle always looks at home in a suit, but I've never seen him in a tux. The sleek black and white suit and waistcoat, complete with a gold chain and bowtie, makes him look like a modern Adonis. His golden hair is sleek in a perfect ponytail down his back, but despite his clean look, anyone can see the rabid beast that prowls beneath his skin. It's in his posture, the set of his jaw, and the gleam in his amber eyes. It makes the anima in me flutter her wings, and I try not to blush when his gaze catches mine.

Savage, on the other hand, wears his black shirt and suit pants like it irritates him and he tugs at his collar before scowling and undoing his tie, throwing it to the ground as I watch. His hair is freshly washed and styled, but I know he's run his hands through it a few times by now, and those hazel eyes promise murder to anyone who looks at him askance. When they finally land on me, he perks up and his scowl smooths over. I can't help but flutter my lashes under their attention as they both immediately stalk over, Savage brutally shoving at a feline in his way.

Minnie giggles as Marduk, in a new tuxedo, dramatically falls to his knees, clutching at his heart and professing his undying love. It's hard not to love the guy, even if he is completely nuts and more than a bit strange. Yeti flicks at Minnie's gold dangly earring, earning him a gut punch, which he ends up blushing at for some reason.

Savage gets his arms ready to sweep me up, but Lyle puts out a hand to stop him.

" If, " Connor says loudly from behind me, "a beast wishes to kiss his regina before an event and is gentleman enough to not ruin her makeup, he may kiss her on the neck."

"Quite right, Connor," I say before stepping up to my mates and turning my head to the side.

Lyle can't help but growl a little at me presenting myself to him, but he gives me a soft kiss right over our mating mark. Savage sighs dramatically, but leans forward to drag his tongue up my neck in a way that makes Stacey gasp out loud.

"You are perfection in a human body," Savage whispers. "After dinner, I'm going to pull up your skirts and Lyle and I will take you behind the hall so hard you'll forget your own name."

Connor chokes on his own spit, making Raquel thump him on the back.

Savage pulls back, straightening his shirtsleeves, acting as if he has no idea why everyone is staring.

Wild Mother help me.

Because only prayers can help me now.

When the dining hall doors finally open, we all step in to find the tables have been pushed back and decorated with white tablecloths, lit candles, and place settings, leaving a dance space in the middle. Where our buffet used to be, now there's two wolves ready with their DJ laptop and speakers.

"You are being graded tonight," Theresa reminds us, looking spectacular in a deep cassowary blue pantsuit. Her words stop a pair of hyenas from shoving at each other as we head to our tables in the most cordial manner possible. Minnie's pack and mine find ourselves seated at one table, next to the rest of our anima friends and their dates for the night. Since Animus Academy has a male to female ratio of four to one, most of the tables have just one anima being fought over by males at the table. It's hilarious to watch these delinquents on their best manners, but the more feral students have been practising with forks and knives for a while now. Hopefully, the grading will be done earlier in the night before it gets crazy later.

"If I see you waving that knife again ," Lyle snaps at someone at the table next to us, "you'll end up serving the food instead of eating it."

"Oh, that's right," Minnie says excitedly as a number of unhappy students in starched white waitstaff uniforms file out of the side door, carrying full plates.

A number of students jeer at them, and Theresa and the other teachers mark those students down on their clipboards.

"Best manners," I remind Savage, who's scratching at his collar again. "You don't want to get bad marks. This isn't The Jewel. You can't drink lying down on the bar."

"Boring," Savage mutters, resting his chin on his hand.

We eat a pumpkin soup entree and roast dinner before the music turns on and we realise it's classical music.

"Oh poo," Savage grumbles. Lyle gets to his feet, offering me his hand, just as Marduk rises, offering Minnie his.

I gulp as I nervously take Lyle's large, warm hand and he leads me to the dance floor. Minnie casts me a troubled look, and it takes me a moment to realise why.

The last time us two got on a dance floor, it was in Scythe's club. My shark had danced with me. Had he planned his abandonment all the way back then? Had he chosen to dance with me because he knew he'd never get the chance ever again?

"Angel." Lyle has to nudge me into position because I'm so distracted.

I glance at the clock again. "Sorry."

"It's alright," he says quietly, his thumb caressing my shoulder blade. "Remember your steps?"

Luckily, Theresa has had us rehearsing the last few months, and a simple four-step waltz is easy enough with my lion leading. Still, my eyes remain on my feet the entire dance.

"Move along, Mr Pardalia," comes Savage's voice. "Make way for the civilised beast."

Lyle glowers at my wolf, before kissing my hand and making his way over to the other teachers and counsellors. Savage places his hand on the cleft of my ass and snaps me into his body like a tango dancer. We dance pelvis to pelvis for a bit before he cackles and takes my hand, spinning me around three times and catching me back close to him. I toss my head back and laugh breathlessly at the exhilaration.

"Baby, why have we never danced before?" He grins down at me, his handsome face breaking into the first genuine smile in weeks. "You look…"

"Look what?" I say, finding a rhythm again.

He struggles to find the words as he leads us around the room in a passable waltz. "Like you love life. With us. With me."

I blink at him as my throat tightens against the onslaught of pain. I squeeze the muscled shoulder my hand is braced on and clear my throat, attempting to hide the fact that I want to burst into tears. "I do love being with you, Savage."

He studies my face. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like it."

My heart breaks in two at the anguish in his face. "You know how it's been. You know how much we've all suffered." How much we still have to suffer yet.

Savage peers at me in earnest. "I want you to know that I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for—" He swallows. "For?—"

"I know," I say, pulling us to a stop at the edge of the dance floor, going up on my tiptoes and wrapping my arms around his neck. "You make me so happy. I… I didn't know love like this was real before."

Savage's eyes glisten and he buries his face in my neck, holding me close. My own vision turns blurry. I have to say it into his mind because I've seen the clock above the DJ and my voice will give me away. "I'll love you until the end of time, Savage Fengari."

"Savage Boneweaver, " he replies. "I want your pack name. I'm yours."

"Why did you make her cry, wolf?" Lyle's voice is furious as he comes up to us, blocking the view of the people staring with his big body.

"It's not his fault," I say quickly, trying to ease off Savage, whose arms remain fixed around me, his face still buried in my neck. I turn to cup a hand on Lyle's stern face. "My pretty lion."

"No, I'm the pretty one," Savage complains, finally looking at Lyle, though his face is all splotchy. "He's the mean one."

"No, you're the crazy one," Lyle says roughly, "I'm the…" He frowns in thought.

I caress his freshly shaven cheek with my thumb. "You're mine," I say firmly. "And you'll always be mine." Lyle searches my eyes as if he can find something important there and I glance at the clock again, my stomach twisting. "But this pain," I say, touching my chest. "It's never going to go away. Not until I've done what I promised to my mother."

"I know," Savage says.

My keen ears pick up the expected sounds. Multiple car doors slam shut outside. I think I'm going to vomit as I cast my power around my two mates.

"Because of that," I whisper. "I am so sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Lyle's gaze sharpens as all his senses go on alert. "What for?"

On telepathic wings, I send a message across the Coral Sea. A missive of vengeance.

From a regina to her mate.

The doors to the hall slam open, and no less than ten armed serpents, all dressed in tactical gear, run inside, automatic weapons pointed.

That's when the chaos starts.