8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:

~Lochlainn O'Hare~

~ Lochlainn~

Oh, you're in for it now! I held her against my chest as I retraced our steps. With a calmer mind and her frenzy cleansed from my nose, I could finally focus on the task at hand. Getting her back to The Grove, eating dinner, and then sleep.

Thankfully, the weekend was upon us and neither of us had obligations for the next two days. If it wouldn't raise alarms, I'd spent them out here with her. I could hunt us some dinner, splash in the river that ran a little to the west, and sleep under the moon. Enjoy nature as it was intended! But, as my TA and RA both watched me rush out there to save her, if we didn't come back…I could only imagine the ruckus they would raise.

The leaves crunching under my feet mixed with the owls spaced out hooting made the woods feel more ethereal than real. Valerie stared up into the canopy, her gaze roaming all the shadows cast by the leaves.

"I saw what they posted on the discussion board," Valerie exhaled slowly, her ruby eyes finding mine. "You know, I wasn't bothered till I saw this kid from my Business Management 103 class. I've never talked to him, only knew his name because I remember first day he said he wanted to open a shop for his scrolls."

"Oh?" I encouraged her to keep talking while I focused on not punting hidden rocks with my toes or catching my ankle on roots. Thankfully, with all the noise we were making, I likely wouldn't get a fox by the tail or step on a snoozing skunk.

"Yeah, and this fucker had the nerve to post 'she gave hag energy in class', like mother fucker I have never talked to you! How are you going to say I give hag energy when we've never spoken! I didn't hex him, didn't curse his family, didn't eat him in his sleep, like I could absolutely have been more hag like if they want—welp, okay, I could , but I won't give them the satisfaction."

It took all of my strength not to laugh as she rambled with her fists shaking in front of her. Reputation aside, Valerie was a good girl. Great grades, minimal social life, was a part of the top sorority, very considerate and easy going in class, kept up conversation in study groups, didn't bite anyone's head off no matter how much she might have wanted to… I kept thinking back to last year in student group while they were discussing soil, a classmate said something so obtusely wrong even I took a double take. I saw my little witch's eye twitch as she controlled her mouth while explaining it.

"I think you believe your bite is worse than your bark."

"It is!" she huffed.

"Have you actually bit someone yet?" I teased.

"Well…no… But if I did! It would hurt!"

I tossed my head back and cackled, "It is truly amazing that they believe you some great evil villain when you are probably one of my best students—and no, stop it, don't give me that face, it is not because of your scent or my desire to breed you, little witch. You are very well mannered and a good girl overall."

She immediately scowled, crossing her arms over her pretty breasts and glared at the trees ahead of us. "I can be so much worse. So much meaner, and I don't think people give me enough credit for it."

"I would give you credit, little witch, but I think that might sour the classroom camaraderie." I mostly teased, as I would never give a student a grade just for fucking me. Granted, I hadn't fucked any of my students prior to this. But the point was still there.

Valerie snorted, "Yeah, they might not take to kindly to my special treatment."

We both chuckled softly into the night, the conversation flowing softly from one topic to the other. I kept her safe in my arms and it was like whatever walls she had came crashing down. Valerie, when she was open, was an absolute delight. I knew she was funny, but the woman dangling playfully in my arms as she teased me about my bear-necessities made my cheeks ache. A good ache…one I'd not had in a long time.

For a while, teaching was the most important thing. Giving back, helping students reach their potential; I hadn't let my heart stir. And yet, here it was, fluttering as she threw her arms around my shoulders and snuggled into my chest.

Unfortunately, the good times ended early as we rounded the bend to the patch of moss from earlier…and a person in a flowing cloak. They were crouched beside her clothing, rifling through her pockets.

"Hey!" she barked, flying out of my hands.

The person jerked, standing up suddenly. I stared into the same mask as the stranger who brought a knife to carve me up. A dark snarl broke out of my throat as I stormed forward. They pointed the dagger at me, legs stumbling backward. "Stop! Stop or I—"

Their voice cut off with a squeak as a massive branch snapped down from the trees around us, smacking the weapon from their hand. They cried out, clutching their hand to their chest.

"Who are you?" Valerie's magic filled the woods. The moon turned red, the color dripping down the stars. Blood painted the trees as shadows filled in the edges of my sight. Slithering darkness wrapped around her as she held a single hand aloft. The other, however, was wrapping around a vine. It twisted in her grasp, turning into an inky viper before my eyes. The cloaked figure froze, the beak of their mask pointed at Valerie.

"Did you know that, before they died, Teddy said you wouldn't hurt a fly. That no one would believe me…and yet, here you are, fucking a professor to keep yourself safe because everyone believes me."

"Wrong answer," Valerie's voice was as soft as a breeze as the shadows engulfed her completely. I stepped back, searching for her in the darkness. A single owl hooted in the distance, followed by the lonely howl of a wolf. The masked figure and I locked eyes.

"I wonder if they'll believe you when you tell them it was self-defense?" The figure hissed.

I lunged forward a step before the trees knocked me back. It took the air from my lungs as branches, spidery and jagged, jutted out of the ground. They stabbed through the cloak, took ahold of something within it, and tugged. The sound of fabric ripping bounced off the endless dark until there was nothing left. The person within the cloak was gone and their shroud was in tatters. I scanned the trees.

"Valerie?" I breathed.

"I know," she sighed from behind me. I whirled to face her, finding my little witch frowning hard, holding a clump of hair. She held it up to the moon as the red faded from the sky. "You think this is their real hair?"

"Why do you ask?" I furrowed my brow.

"Because that was an animated corpse, that wasn't a person." She nodded to the moss. I slowly pivoted to see the pile of bones and molded flesh. Pockets of mushrooms and rotten puss oozed out of the broken apart form.

"An insult to nature," I blurted out in a disappointed sigh.

"And a liar," Valerie scooped up her clothes and tugged on her pants.

"Liar?" I quirked a brow. "They didn't say much."

It was Valerie's turn to be quiet, eyes distant. She stared into the moss as it returned the corpse to the soil. Moss slowly devoured pieces of flesh, roots poking up through the earth to drag the bones below the surface. She glanced up at me with a guilty look, "Teddy would never say they wouldn't believe it, because Teddy was the only one who kept telling me to keep a good image…at the drop of the hat, they'll turn on you because that's what mob mentality gets you. She told me that once when I almost knocked a girl's teeth out for what she said at rush. Teddy knew better than most, that I was one scandal from becoming enemy number one. I just had higher hopes that she was wrong."

"Valerie," I breathed, reaching for her. She skirted my touch, pulling on her top and tucking her hair into a hair tie.

"It's alright," Valerie laughed it off but I could hear the pain. "Besides, it's not me you have to worry about. Our friend is the real problem here. You should probably go tell the Dean about them."

"Ah, well," I grimaced, studying the trees around us. "If I tell him about them, I'll have to confess why I was out here."

"Right, and even if we find out their identity, if we tell on them, they'll just tell everyone you're fucking a student." She made the same face as me as we watched for any sign our friend was nearby. The woods continued to breathe like nothing ever happened. I hated it, but there was little we could do until we figured out their identity.

And it wouldn't be something we could solve diplomatically. Thankfully, nature had no fondness for politics.

"Come—" before I could even finish my sentence, Valerie snorted. I glanced at her in disbelief as she tried to cover up her childish giggles. "Let's get back to The Grove."

"Yes, Professor."

"Sylvanus give me strength not to bruise your backside," I muttered under my breath as I descended back into my fur. Valerie stood, waiting patiently, before I cocked my large head to the side. She immediately squealed, rushing forward to ruffle my fur. A happy growl floated up through my body as she roughly scratched at the spot behind my ears. It was even better to see the look of pure joy on her face.

"I've always wanted to pet a bear," she sighed dreamily, smooshing her face to the top of mine. "Holy fuck you're so soft and warm."

I licked her across the face, reveling in her happy shriek. Then I nudged her on, knowing if she kept petting me, I'd get myself in trouble. In my wild shape, it was hard to ignore certain urges and I doubt she was wanting to be bred twice in one night.