Chapter 28

Dylan

I t was difficult to keep something from her mates, but Dylan knew it was best for her to do so. She needed to come up with a plan quickly to sneak back into the school to meet Cole in the library. After talking with Lupe and getting a good work out session in with the sparring, her head was clear enough to decide about the meeting. As much as she wanted to say she didn't want to go because Cole and his friends freaked her out a bit, she needed every chance she could to get her wolf in check so she could go home at the end of the semester. That was the goal she had, and she was determined to get there.

Jackson and Hunter didn't need to worry about completing the classes. Jackson did not need to return to his pack now that his bond was completely severed to his ex. It made Dylan's wolf happy knowing that he chose her over the other female. It shouldn't have brought her that much happiness, but it did. Hunter only had to return to the Enforcers. Now that he was mated, he wasn't allowed back. Something about the rules needing to be mateless to be an Enforcer. He showed damn near no interest in going back. The only thing he said he'd miss was traveling around to the different packs. That was something they could fix and do some traveling themselves before Dylan took over the pack, so that may not be an issue for him.

So, Dylan just needed to continue to ace her classes and learn how to control her wolf. Lupe was teaching her techniques in knowing how to make that happen. She tasked Dylan with meditating daily before bed and hoped to connect with her wolf on a more spiritual level so they would sync more. She said that it was a possibility of why she wasn't holding her astral form. Dylan didn't really understand that concept, but she wasn't in a position to really argue. She shut up and took some notes on how to meditate correctly so this goal could be achieved.

The only option Dylan knew that could get her back in the school without her mates hovering over her was to just sneak out. They wouldn't ask too many questions if she said she planned to meet with Serafine and ask her more about her small interrogation. When she brought it up to the boys, they shrugged and said they would go hang out with the rest of the students behind the dorm for another fire then. They figured the two of them could venture their way down to the fire after they talked.

Hunter kissed her and held her tight against him. "You'll let us know when you are on your way down, right?"

"My Gods, yes. It's not like I have much choice, do I?" Dylan shook her head at how possessive Hunter was being.

"There is a killer on the loose around the school. If you expected me to just roll over and show you my belly when you say you are going places without me, you missed the memo that I am an Alpha wolf. Especially now that I am mated to you."

Dylan rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I get it. Doesn't mean I am going to just roll over and show you my belly because you growl."

Hunter growled at her, making her smile. "Have fun with Serafine. Hopefully you can make her feel better about being questioned."

He let her go only for her to be pushed into the arms of Jackson. His coffee and whiskey scent made her hum with content. She really enjoyed that scent.

"If you want to show us your belly later, we will be happy to turn your limbs to jelly so you don't need to move."

Dylan buried her face in his neck and nipped at his neck. "Will you ever be satiated?"

"Gods I hope not."

They laughed, Dylan knowing damn well that he was telling her the truth. Jackson kissed her and caught her lip at the end. Both of the men sent her images of the last few days through the bond. She groaned as it made her feel like it was a mistake to go anywhere now. But it was important. She needed to see what this was all about. Dylan closed the bond in a way that the boys wouldn't notice. She put a lock around her thoughts of where she was going and then quickly ran out the door. They didn't seem to question the tiny wall she built, so she continued to hastily make her way back to the school.

Off to find this society!

When she found herself in the library, Dylan wasn't sure where exactly she needed to go to find Cole. Since he didn't tell her the exact spot, she decided to explore until she found him. Imagine stepping into this grand library. The first thing Dylan noticed was the sense of openness. The library had such high ceilings that it looked as though the building was gigantic. Possibly bigger than the school itself.

Displays break up the monotony of the shelves, showcasing featured books or themes. These curated exhibits draw curious eyes and encourage exploration. Gone are the days of rigid wooden tables and chairs. Instead, Dylan found a mix of flexible seating options: bean bags, cushioned benches, and even standing desks. Students can choose their preferred spot—whether it's by the window, near the cozy fireplace, or at a communal table. The library has transformed into a learning center to a multipurpose space where students collaborate, study, and unwind. It's not just about books; it's about fostering connections and sparking ideas. There were charging stations for laptops and devices, interactive screens for research, and even a 3D printer tucked away in a corner. Dylan wasn't sure why a 3D printer was needed at a school like this, but she didn't question it.

While walking around, Dylan noticed there was a corner that was completely tucked away from everywhere else. If she wasn't searching for someone, she probably would have missed it. There was a book on a shelf that was on its binding instead of standing like normal, and part of the wall was cracked open. Dylan's eyes widened at the possibility that the secret society was actually holding its meetings in a secret part of the school. If she had known that sooner, she may have joined just to find out about the secret room.

She walked over to it, smelling the combination of scents of Cole and his friends inside of the door. Chills broke out across her skin as she found a small staircase leading down to yet another room. Dylan practically bounced with joy knowing that she was about to uncover a secret room after walking through a secret passageway. Things like this seemed to only be in the books she read growing up. Her old school did not have something like this. Dylan knew. She looked. She remembered knocking over every single book in the library trying to find a hidden room. When she didn't find one there, she tried inside the pack house. Her parents were not too thrilled to find their rooms disheveled just because she wanted to find a secret passageway so bad.

As she walked down the stairs, Dylan overheard someone starting to speak, just as she heard a guy starting to scream.

"You must connect to your wolf! The only way to do that is to meld the mind of your human with the mind of your wolf. Break down the mental walls that are standing between you and your wolf. Join together to create new possibilities!"

Dylan had no idea what that meant and she found herself frozen on the stairs. There were sounds of drills filling the air, and the guy who the person had been talking to continued to scream. Dylan's muscles tensed up at hearing the wailing of the person again. When she tried to move, it felt like her limbs were wading through something so impossibly thick that she could only move millimeters at a minute's pace. Her shoes felt like they were filled with lead, unable to be picked up so she could run back upstairs to alert a teacher of what was happening.

Wait. What if this is just a movie they are watching or something? This could be their hangout spot and I am just overhearing them have a movie night. Right?

That idea made her muscles loosen enough for her to continue down the stairs. The door at the end had an orange light glowing, this one too being cracked open enough for her to peek inside. Dylan licked her lips and sucked in a breath before she moved into place to look inside of the crack. What she saw was not a group of kids watching a movie on a projector or even on a TV screen. Inside the room was Cole, with his hands on another student's head, with a smile that was so evil she felt her stomach roll from the fear that ran through her. Her blood ran cold as she saw his hands illuminate in a purple glow. A glow that was much like her astral form.

It was as if she couldn't look away even if everything inside of her was screaming RUN. She needed to know what was happening. Was this a misunderstanding? Was this a form of meditation that they knew about and she didn't? Lupe knew about this society. She had told Dylan to come here and meet them. She wanted her to be a part of this society because it could help her. Surely, if Lupe knew about this, it couldn't be as bad as what was simmering inside of Dylan's thoughts.

Cole started chanting in a language that Dylan didn't understand. The only language she knew that would be used in this situation would be the one witches knew for their spells. If Cole was using magic, how was he a werewolf? There was no interspecies mixing that she knew about. Even so, a werewolf wouldn't be able to wield magic, right? That was what she was taught. But this school held the magic of many creatures inside of it. All the lore, and maybe even spell books, were at everyone's disposal in this library. If anyone wanted, they could go through all the information the school held, and anything could be possible.

Dylan felt her heart beating against her ribcage as she watched in horror. There was blood rolling down the student's neck as Cole continued to chant in the unknown language. It didn't appear to be as big as the one mentioned in Hazel, so this could be a coincidence. These were thoughts she was telling herself as she tried to keep calm enough, so she didn't pass out from fright. Her mind was still screaming at her to run, but her feet were stuck in place. She thought about closing her eyes, but her eyelids felt like they were wired to remain open.

The chanting was done. Cole's hands illuminated to the point of blinding the entire room. Dylan was able to close her eyes long enough for the magic to fade. When she opened them again, the student had slumped in the chair. Cole frowned and leaned over to his side. He picked up the drill, walked to where his face faced her, and then the sound of the machine started. The room filled with the student's screams once again. Dylan pressed her lips together as the scent of blood hit her nose, ensuring she wouldn't scream along with the poor male. Cole turned off the machine, walked back to where he was before, put his hands on the student's head, and then started chanting again. The student's screams were cut off once the magic filled the room once more.

Dylan finally felt as if her limbs were not made of stone. She quickly ran up the stairs and out of the library. The sounds of the librarians shouting at her to stop running was barely heard as she sprinted out of the room. She needed to put as much distance between her and that room as possible. There was no logical explanation for what Cole was doing, but it was clear he was the one behind the murders.

When she reached her dorm, Dylan continued to run until she reached the toilet. The entire contents of her stomach spilled into the bowl as Dylan replayed what she had witnessed. When she thought she couldn't throw up anymore, the image of the student screaming as the drill's sound echoed along with the screams made her stomach roll and more went into the bowl. Dylan's sobs filled the room in between her retching. She needed to tell someone about what she had seen.

But who the hell can I tell?

Jackson and Hunter's footsteps filled the room, and they were at her side. Tears spilled down her face as she realized she had to tell them the truth. First that she lied to them and then what she saw. They were not going to be happy with her. She wasn't even happy with herself for deceiving them and then putting herself in danger. Would they even forgive her?

"Forgive you for what? What happened?" Jackson asked as he ran his hand along her back.

Dylan's head was still in the toilet, but the feeling of her mate's touch calmed her stomach down.

"I'm sorry," Dylan sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry."

Hunter growled. "What could you possibly be sorry for?"

Dylan didn't want to talk about it. Instead, she opened the bond to them as she realized that she still had the block up so they wouldn't find out. Once the wall was down, Jackson and Hunter both snarled. Dylan's stomach clenched as she recognized the level of anger in their bonds. Then there was some fear for her life, and then some feelings of wanting answers. Dylan wasn't sure if she would even be able to tell them anything. Her tongue now felt like it was made of lead.

"As much as I want to be angry about this, Lupe did tell you that this would be a good thing for you." Hunter told her and put his hand on her back like Jackson.

"We just want to know if this was a prank or if this is really what is going on in this school."

Hunter held out a small hand towel to her. Dylan used it to wipe off her face. When she looked up at her mates, she could see the lines of stress and concern in their faces. She was thankful to see there was no hatred toward her for keeping something from them. That would have made this all so much worse.

"I don't know. I am leaning more towards the idea that this is what's happening inside the school. It looks like Cole is behind the killings. I don't even know what he was doing. How was he performing magic?"

Hunter looked away from her and tightened his lips. He sighed heavily before he looked at her again. "This is why Shadowborns are looked at as something to fear. Shadowborns hold more magic than normal werewolves because of their abilities with their wolf. Because of that, it has been rumored that they can perform magic."

"How?"

"I wish I knew. It is why I was often tasked with killing Shadowborns."

Jackson growled. "If Cole is a Shadowborn, he is the kind that gives them a bad name. Not Dylan."

"I agree. But what was he doing?"

There was no clear way to answer that. Dylan had no idea what Cole was doing to the poor student. She didn't see much of anything to be able to know what he was doing either. He did say something, but even that information didn't give her much to go on.

"He yelled something about a way to connect with your wolf. I don't know what he meant by that though. I don't know of any way that involves drilling into someone's neck to connect with someone's wolf."

Hunter held out his hands for her to grab. When she did, he pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her. Her nose was filled with his citrus scent and the warmth of his touch made her relax into him. Through the bonds, she felt their concern for her, but felt more of their love and needing her to be safe. That was going to be the last time she went anywhere alone while in school.

"I'm glad to hear that. But we need to find someone to share this information with."

Dylan just wanted to get under the covers and forget the rest of the world existed right now. She didn't want to figure anything else out. The rest of the school could continue with their investigation and find Cole the normal way.

Jackson moved in on the hug and held her from behind. She needed his added strength so she wouldn't start sobbing again.

"We need to tell Lupe."

"Then we are going to her room right now."