Chapter 23

Dylan

T he following day, there was a deafening hush among the werewolf students. There were so many looks thrown in Dylan's way that it made her uncomfortable walking through the halls. She wanted to go to Lupe, but the professor wasn't in her office for Dylan to talk to her. No one knew where Lupe had gone either for Dylan to track her down, so she had to go through her classes instead.

No one would talk to her outside of Jackson, Hunter, and Serafine that morning. She used to at least get a "hi" or something from passing students when they were in their seats at breakfast. Now they weren't, and Dylan realized Jackson was right. People looked up to her, so they talked to her. The news of Camilla spread through the werewolf students quickly, and now she was suffering at the hands of fate. She was being looked at as a murderer.

Serafine sat closer than she normally did and put her hand on top of Dylan's. She could barely look in her friend's eye, but Serafine wouldn't allow Dylan to suffer in silence.

"You did what you had to do, Dylan. I don't care what anyone has to say about it. Camilla put this on herself. I'm sure it's because of those girls who were her friends spreading lies around the school. That is why people are looking at you like this was just you killed her for no reason."

Dylan growled at the mention of those two girls. They had to be behind this since people seemed to avoid her instead of giving her any kind of sympathy like they were before.

"That's exactly what happened." Hunter snarled. "I talked to Lupe myself last night and told her what happened. The girls didn't get to her before I did. I made sure of it. Lupe is currently making the arrangements for Camilla's family to receive her body."

Serafine looked at Hunter curiously. "You were there?"

Hunter looked at Dylan first to confirm that Serafine didn't have all the details. She nodded. Dylan hadn't got the chance to fill Serafine in on everything yet.

"I was. I witnessed it all and had to help Dylan through the whole thing by keeping those two off her so she could fight fairly."

Serafine looked back at Dylan. "That's why those two spread such lies! They tried to make you lose by making it a three-on-one? Where was that going to get them?"

"Dead." Hunter growled.

Dylan noticed Serafine lifting an eyebrow at Hunter, and she laughed. This is what she got for not updating her best friend with everything when it happened. Now, Serafine was questioning her other mate about why he was being protective.

"Sera, I have some news."

"You're pregnant?!" Serafine said with a smirk.

Dylan smacked her playfully on the arm. "NO! Why would you go right to that?"

"I can see how Hunter is acting around you. This is on you for thinking I wasn't going to catch on to what is happening here. Such typical male behavior. Jackson isn't just growling at the poor man for being close to you anymore. I assume the mate bond opened, and Hunter is your mate."

Dylan smiled and hugged her friend. It was so easy being around Serafine, and she did not make Dylan feel horrible for not updating her on anything. Instead, she just paid attention and could read Dylan's mind by figuring out the facts around her.

"Yeah. Now I have two of them."

"Praise the Great Moon that you don't end up burying one of these poor fools before the end of the semester."

Dylan smiled wickedly at her mates. The two men looked at each other and then her. Jackson spoke first.

"What? We know how to play nicely when we want to. We aren't feral, you know."

Hunter nodded, agreeing. "It's not like we get a choice in who your other mates are. That is up to the Great Moon for that."

"Yes, but that hasn't stopped either of you from practically beating your chests to demand that only one of you is my fated mate."

Jackson smiled at her. "Maybe you should have touched him to open the bond sooner. Then I wouldn't have been so growly."

Dylan picked up a piece of bacon and threw it at Jackson. It smacked him in the face, and he raised his eyebrows at her before leaning closer to her. "You know I will punish you for that later, right?"

"Sure, you will."

"I can hold her down." Hunter flashed her a grin.

"Wait a minute! How did you two go from enemies to planning devilish things for me together in the bedroom!? Why is this happening? Why is this my damn life?!"

Serafine fanned herself with her hand. "I don't know why you are complaining. That was hot as hell."

"You are no help."

"Well, my friend, you have two hot as fuck men pining after you and planning on thoroughly satisfying you together. I don't see how I could help in this situation unless we both played for both teams, which I do not. However, I can say I wish I were you right now. I'd love to have this happen."

Dylan frowned at her friend. "I wish one of them could be your mate, so I wasn't stuck with two right now"

Serafine laughed. "Wait, you found out last night that you were mates. Did you do the bonding already?"

Hunter growled. "No. Dylan ran from me."

"I WAS UNDER A LOT OF STRESS, OKAY!? I am still under a lot of stress. Why do you think I ran?"

"Rejection," Hunter said, his eyes now glowing.

Dylan growled back. "I haven't rejected you, doofus. I don't plan to either. I couldn't do that to someone even if I wanted to since I experienced it for myself."

"Then bond with me tonight."

This time, Dylan snarled. "NO! Give me some damn time, you Neanderthal! I just found out you were my damn mate. I don't know you and I need to get to know you. After you told me you wanted to kill me and all."

"WHAT!?" Serafine screamed and snarled at the same time.

Serafine stared at Hunter, and Dylan could see her canines elongating. Dylan laughed and put her arm around her friend. Hunter stared at Serafine as if he was waiting for her to do something. He didn't know Serafine enough to know she was just protective of her friends.

"Calm down. I'll need to fill you in on so much."

"APPARENTLY! Was no one going to tell me that tidbit?"

"It didn't seem imperative at the moment."

Dylan saw some people looking at her. She flashed the crowd a grin and then went back to her friends.

"Hunter is an Enforcer. Looks like the Great Moon has decided that he wasn't allowed to fulfill his latest contract."

"Silas?" Serafine growled.

"Yeah."

"I swear to the Great Moon right here and now that I will put that guy through so much damn misery since he thinks he can put you through so damn much."

Hunter smiled. "I assure you, little wolf. I will not allow anything to happen to Dylan on my watch. If Silas comes here and demands I fulfill the contract, then I will make him regret the day he put one on Dylan."

"Good. If you don't let me help, we might have a problem."

Hunter and Jackson chuckled while Dylan looked at her friend with disbelief. This was the girl who usually had such an easy-going demeanor. That meant something if she was willing to kill Silas regardless of her healing nature.

"Aww, you mean to tell me that you will defend my honor even though you usually choose the lighter path?"

Serafine growled at Dylan, and it only made her smile grow bigger. "I will do anything for you, Dylan. You are my best friend. If anyone tries to hurt you, they must answer me."

"Right back at ya, bestie."

The bell rang, and Dylan groaned. She wished it had been the weekend so she could spend her time in the suite instead of amongst all these people who were choosing to judge her without knowing her side. They all gathered their things and threw their garbage out. Throughout the halls, Dylan continued to receive looks. Jackson put his arm around her, and Hunter stayed close behind them since Serafine was on her other side.

Dylan decides to open the bond with Hunter. She is hit with his need to protect her and his concern that so many students are looking at her. She pushes her own feelings at him and hopes that it calms him. She isn't too worried about the students. If anything, she is worried about how Lupe will clear this all up.

You okay, Hunter?

She could feel him tense behind her. He hadn't expected her to open the bond.

I don't like how anyone is looking at you. It's making my wolf go crazy thinking they are plotting to attack you like that girl did.

I don't think that will happen. Jackson said they looked at me like a leader after that combat class. They are confused right now. I'm sure things will settle down once Lupe tells everyone the truth.

What if she doesn't?

She is the seated council of memory for werewolves at this school. It is her duty to illuminate situations like this.

That doesn't mean she will.

Hunter was right. More often than not, teachers did nothing to assist students in school. She had run into that in her high school when people tried to bully her. But the difference right now was Dylan would take matters into her own hands if it came down to it. Werewolves could smell the truth in words as long as they paid attention.

She noticed Cole walk into the room and the other four followed. Dylan thought more about what they offered last night. If they weren't lying, and they could assist her with getting control of her wolf, they would be able to return home and leave the madness of this school behind. That was the most alluring thing about this. Dylan didn't want to come to this school in the first place. The only benefit had been her being able to learn so much more about becoming a Luna than her mother ever could teach her in this amount of time. Here she was forced to sit down and learn the material instead of shadowing her mother doing her Luna duties. Once these classes were over, she could return home and wouldn't need to learn much else outside of the daily routine her mother had to do for their pack.

I understand you want to go home, but I do not trust those students. Hunter's deep voice slipped into her mind.

I was thinking to myself, Hunter. I didn't ask you to join.

I can understand that, but you are the one who opened up the bond. If you wouldn't think so loudly, then I would not need to feel the urge to listen in. Your voice is quite sexy, especially when you are plotting out our future.

I agree with Hunter on this one. Jackson chimed in.

UGH! You two were supposed to hate each other. Don't team up against me.

Jackson chucked. We are here for you. That means to take care of you in any way, shape, or form. That includes working together to complete those tasks.

Hunter ran his finger down her spine before passing her to go to the seat behind her. Jackson speaks the truth about that. Mates are here to take care of all of your needs. Including keeping you from unsavory people.

How are Cole and his friends unsavory people? They are just students like us. They attend class just like we do. They just might have the information I need so we can go home faster.

Jackson growled I don't know about that. I especially don't like how Cole is looking at you.

Dylan turned around to find Cole looking at her from the back of the room. He had that same smile that made Dylan feel creeped out on his face, but Dylan still gave him a smile back and waved with her fingers. If the students were watching her every move, Dylan wanted to show them that it would always look better to treat everyone the same than to treat them like crap. Cole and his friends were still people and deserved to be treated as such. She turned to face the front of the room and to answer her mates.

That's just how he smiles. I think he has never really smiled much, so he doesn't actually know how.

You say that as if it is supposed to make me feel better. Hunter told her.

Dylan smiled. She knew it wouldn't really make either of them feel better, but it was what she thought when she looked at him.

It's all of them, not just Cole. Those five never smiled before, and now I wish they had continued that streak.

Again, they could be people who don't know how to smile because they didn't have a reason to before.

Jackson turned to look in her direction. Do you think we like that you seem to be why they are smiling now?

I don't think I am the reason why they are smiling. Even if I am, it's probably because I am the first person to treat them like actual people and not freaks.

There was some movement out in the halls. Dylan leaned forward in hopes of seeing what the commotion was for. She couldn't tell what it was for, so she went back to arguing with her mates.

Dylan. I know you don't like being told what to do, but I really want you to listen to me. Cole and his friends are considered weird for a reason. They have spouted nonsense about how we are living a lie by allowing our wolves to be separate entities. They have tried telling people that the real life of a werewolf should be at one with the man. That there is a way to break those walls so we can live in peace... as one.

I told you they were dangerous.

Hunter chiming in only made Dylan angrier. It was so much easier when she only had one mate to argue with. Now, both of them are deciding things for her by teaming up. She would always be outvoted if these two continued to team up, and it almost made her want to tell Hunter she would never complete the bond with him. When he snarled and threw a pen at her, she at least knew she had gotten under his skin.

"Hey! That's not fair! I'm not part of the conversation now! Damn it. I wish I were bi just so the Great Moon would see we are soul mates so that I can be added in that group chat in y'all's heads!" Serafine had her arms folded across her chest and was pouting at them.

"I wish you could join this argument because then I would at least have someone on my side! It's annoying that these two are all buddy-buddy now!"

Serafine smiled. "It's because they know if they take you one-on-one, they will lose."

Dylan laughed out loud and looked at her mates. Jackson narrowed his eyes at Serafine, which only made her smile grow bigger. Hunter looked confused, which only made Dylan laugh harder.

The teacher still hadn't come into the room. Dylan looked up at the clock above the board, and it was seven minutes into the lesson. The professors here were never late. They were supposed to be proof that they could, in fact, be reformed from the rowdy teenagers that most of them still were. A few were in their mid-twenties or even older but in their long lives. That was still considered in their teen years.

"Where do you think our professor is?" Someone asked at the back of the room.

There was no telling where their professor was right now. Dylan felt the need to step outside and take a look around. There had to be a reason why they hadn't started class yet. She looked around the room and noticed there were two vacant seats in the room instead of one. Camilla's seat had been empty, and several students looked at it. Their faces fell from the realization that Camilla wouldn't be in class today, and then they glared at Dylan. She growled at them, and they immediately dropped their eyes. The other empty seat was a student she didn't know very well. A quiet one that kept to herself. Not like Cole and his friends, but just someone who wasn't exactly outgoing.

Finally, Lunapei walked into the room. Her face was sullen, and she looked as if she was going to cry. Dylan sat straight in her chair and waited for their teacher to announce whatever was plaguing her. Inside of an academy, if a teacher looked like this, another teacher or a student died. If it had been about Camilla, Dylan's day was just about to get much worse.

"Students, a tragedy has occurred inside the walls of our school. I'm sure you are aware of Camilla Adler's death, which we will be discussing today. This is not what I am speaking of. Another death has happened. This morning, Tiffany Clark was found."

The class erupted into screams and growls. Dylan wasn't aware that Tiffany had this many friends inside the school. She knew the poor girl was introverted and sat alone more often than not. Some people would go over to her and ask her questions about the homework they had because the girl was a genius and could remember everything, but it didn't look as though she had actual friends.

"It was Dylan Pierce!" Someone shouted.

Others jumped in and accused Dylan of being behind the girl's death. Jackson and Hunter jumped from their seats to rush to Dylan's side as many of the students jumped out of their chairs to run toward Dylan. Power swept through the room, and everyone dropped to the ground outside of her and her men.

Great. That's exactly what I needed. I have a mob mentality happening, thinking I was behind another murder because I defended myself.