25. Adrianna

25

ADRIANNA

T he world stops. The intoxicating weight of my worries depletes to nothing more than a distant memory as my wolf finally calms.

Blood stains my paws as I slowly inch away from Vallie's lifeless body and the truth of what I've just done threatens to take over, but my subconscious keeps it at bay. For now, at least.

"Addi." I blink up at Cassian as he calls out my name, but I continue to retreat. "It's okay," he promises, dropping to his knees, and the movement makes me pause. My wolf senses are in overdrive. The noise is too much, but all I can focus on is the smell of blood in the air. "Let me help you, Addi," he encourages, inching toward me.

He doesn't stop until his hand reaches for my fur, running his fingers through the blood-splattered matting at the side of my face. Not that he seems to care. If anything, he digs his fingers in deeper.

His touch releases something inside me, and I lean into him, finally seeing through the fog that's clouding my vision. Two deep breaths and the familiar pain that comes with shifting spirals through my body as I transition back into myself.

My clothes are in place, but blood tinges my skin and stains my hair as a reminder of my actions.

"There's my alpha," he murmurs, pulling me against his chest in the most heartwarming move I've ever felt.

I melt in his hold, taking strength from him as my mind continues to spiral with the world around me. "Cass," I breathe, unable to complete his name, let alone express what's happening inside me. His hold only grows tighter as I sense a shadow cast over us.

Tilting my face, I look up to find Brody, Kryll, and Raiden hovering above us protectively.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've killed before. I killed her fucking father, but this… this feels different, and I don't think it's the good kind of change.

"Over there, Professor. Hurry!" The cry rings through the dining hall. The voice is unfamiliar as I lean back out of Cassian's hold to find the entire student body gathered around the carnage splayed across the floor.

Horror dances in some of their eyes, fear in others, but what startles me the most is the respect that vibrates through the air.

It can't be for me.

That's not possible.

Before I can think any more about it, Professor Fairbourne appears. He looks down at Vallie on the floor before his gaze travels to me. I'm only now aware of the fact that I've just confirmed I am half-breed to the entire audience hovering around me, but the worry I expect to come with it doesn't register in my mind due to everything else going on.

"Adrianna, what is this?" Fairbourne tries to keep his voice even, but the surprise is evident.

"Just do your job and clean the mess up," Raiden snarls, stepping around to block me from Fairbourne's direct view.

Fairbourne is my origin leader. He's not a danger to me.

Or he wasn't.

Who is the origin leader of half-breeds?

"Mr. Holloway, stand down. Miss Reagan, come with me," Fairbourne demands, his tone leaving no room to question him as my body stiffens.

"She's not going anywhere," Cassian bites, his fingers curling around my arm to keep me at his side for good measure.

"He's right." I frown at the voice, the girl unfamiliar to me as she steps from the crowd. I stare at her in confusion. Her eyes are locked on mine as she approaches, expressing something, but I'm unsure what. All I see is her jaw tightening before she spins to face Fairbourne, a step off from Raiden and her shoulders roll back. "There's no way in Hell you're taking a wolf without our leader present."

A wolf? Does she mean me?

Before I can formulate a single word to start the question, another girl steps forward, followed by another and another. Guys join the mix, creating an entire shield around me in defiance, each one draped in a green cloak.

"Stand down, wolves. This is above me. I'll only be the messenger. Bozzelli is going to want to see her," Fairbourne explains, sending a shiver down my spine as I process his words.

My father told me he was trustworthy, but I've yet to see that for myself since I arrived on campus. I can't remember a moment from my childhood with him in it, but I honestly can't think of anything right now. Maybe later, I might come up with something.

"I said you're not taking her anywhere. You can try, but you're going to have a lot of fun getting through all of us first," she promises, folding her arms over her chest.

Her sass is impressive. Her swagger is something else entirely.

"It's—"

"Face it, Fairbourne," Raiden interjects, pointing at the girl beside him. "She's not messing around. Neither am I, or anyone else. You're not taking Adrianna anywhere. Do you need me to spell that out for you?"

I don't need them to fight this for me, but I'm frozen in awe at the fact that they're willing to stand by my side.

"What are these screams I'm hearing? Who is… dead? My… who did this?" Bozzelli's voice carries through the air, stilling me as I brace for the onslaught of anger.

Refusing to hide, I finally stand, straightening my spine as my eyes latch onto Bozzelli's. "It was me."

She rakes her gaze over my face, acknowledging the blood that is drying onto my skin, and sighs. "I won't be able to get you out of this. Someone already called?—"

"At ease, civilians."

All eyes spin to the double doors as rows and rows of men filter into the room, each one dressed in black cloaks with gun-metal gray armor fitted beneath them.

They're not just men… they're soldiers.

"Who the fuck called in the military?" Cassian snarls, tucking me behind him as they swarm the room.

The military? The fucking military? Where the hell have they been since the academy opened? There's been more trouble than this, but now they show up? What about the frenzied vamps? Where are they when we need them to handle that shitstorm?

Now?

Why?

"Make way. We're here for a Miss Adrianna Reagan, but we're more than happy to take the rest of you if necessary," the leader calls out as he inches closer. I try to take a step, not wanting to cause any more of a scene than there already is, but I don't move a single inch before the students are causing a stir.

Everyone is frantically trying to move, pushing me farther into Cassian's side as I feel Brody step to my left and Kryll crowd me from behind.

"Look," Brody whispers, linking his fingers with mine. I frown at him, barely able to see a damn thing with Raiden standing right in front of me, but when I realize what he means, I don't have to.

It's not something specific he wants me to see. It's everywhere.

The sea of green cloaks is suddenly mingled amongst various grays and blues.

Faes and shifters.

Holy shit.

"You can't just take her. An explanation is going to be needed, and even then, the Princess of Dragons isn't to be manhandled." The statement comes from a guy in a blue cloak. I can practically feel Kryll beam from behind me, but something twists in my gut.

I want people to trust in me, believe in me, but not like this. Not when I literally killed someone for… mentioning my sister's name?

Shit.

The reminder flares my anger to life again, my wolf ready to burst free once more, but another part of me is disappointed. Everything my father taught me… it wasn't for this.

I could blame my wolf, but shifting or not, I would have used my fae magic to slaughter her otherwise.

I don't regret my actions, not when it comes to Nora, but deep down, I know they're not the actions of the next heir, the future leader of the Floodborn Kingdom.

It's not me.

I can't be it.

I want to feel worthy of these people standing beside me, but instead, I only feel deserving of the fact that the soldiers are here to take me away. I can't see past that fact, and before I realize it, I'm slipping from the safety blanket of my men. Squeezing through the crowd is just as easy until I'm standing face to face with Bozzelli, who now has the soldiers beside her.

"Is this her?" the leader asks, glancing at Bozzelli. She stands speechless, her jaw slack as her fingers grip the hem of her bright orange blazer. I save her the hassle.

"I'm Adrianna Reagan," I confirm, taking the final step toward him as protests begin to ring out from behind me.

I can hear the anger in Cassian's shouts, Raiden's growls, Brody's snarls, and Kryll's bark. I understand their concern, but it's futile at this stage. There's just one lingering thought that I can't seem to shake.

"I'll come with you, no fight necessary. But what confuses me is the fact that I killed her father on property in front of The Council. Why weren't you called then? Why wasn't I detained then?"

The leader steps toward me, a crook to his smile as he shakes his head. "Unfortunately for you, I don't give a shit what confuses you. All I care about is my job, which is to detain you until The Council is ready to see you."

"No way! No fucking way," Raiden snarls from behind me, but the slap of magic curls around my wrists, stiffening my body from head to toe.

I can't turn, I can't blink, I can't breathe.

Magical bindings secure my hands together and render me helpless.

It's too late to step back and undo everything unfolding here. I'm at their mercy.