FootPrints

FootPrints
Lilith POV

"Good night," I said to Ava when we returned to the dormitory. We encountered no dangers on our way back. I couldn't shake off what Riley had told me. I was right. Beauty was manipulating Daniel with magic to make him hate me. I sighed as I locked the door before undressing.

I stepped into the shower, feeling the water cascade over me. It was both cool and calming, exactly what I needed.

Afterward, I put on my pajamas and headed to bed. Lying on my back, I stared at the ceiling, determined to make Beauty pay for what she had done to Daniel.

The next morning, Ava and I went to class together. Lately, Ava seemed more fascinated by the supernatural than I was. Daniel had saved a seat for me beside him, while Ava sat in front of us with Jackson. I still had an uneasy feeling about him, but I remained composed when our eyes met.

I knew I wouldn't be able to confront Beauty this time; I simply didn't want to ruin my dress. I was a Queen, and she was just a witch I could eliminate in seconds, but I wouldn't because I considered myself a good person.

Throughout the lecture, my mind wandered. I was preoccupied with thoughts like why Theo was being kind to me and what we might face if we all went to the cave tonight. I couldn't comprehend it. I also wondered what Ava would be doing in my absence. I didn't want her to feel lonely or bored.

I had invited her to come with us, but she preferred to stay in the community, reading books while we ventured into the cave to investigate.

She agreed, which was better than staying alone in the dorm. In the community, she would receive free food and drinks, essentially getting the princess treatment without having to worry about cooking at the dormitory.

After classes, I saw Beauty and Olivia talking again. I tried to eavesdrop, but they were using magic to block me so effectively that my ears started to bleed.

Ava was the first to notice and wanted to confront Beauty, but I stopped her. I couldn't protect Daniel due to my mission, and the hunters wouldn't be able to either.

I said goodbye to Daniel, hugging him before I left.

Ava and I walked back through the woods. She hadn't driven her car to class earlier. We talked the whole way until we reached the dorm. I followed my usual routine: bathing and drinking blood before setting off for my mission. Ava wasn't overly dressed this time, as she would only be staying in the community.

When I arrived at the community, I saw Riley talking to a boy I hadn't seen before. He might have been there all along without me noticing. I winked at her as the boy left, teasing her. She said it was nothing serious. She explained that the boy had always been around but didn't socialize much. He was part of the tech team, monitoring the building with cameras for non-humans in the community.

I asked her about her brother and why he had changed so suddenly. Riley told me that Theo had developed feelings for me. It was quite a shock because Theo didn't seem like the type of guy who would fall for someone like me. He appeared to prefer strong girls, not goofy ones like me. He saw me as unserious.

"I can't believe this," I said. "I mean, of all people, it had to be me?" I asked.

She nodded. "Let's go inside," Riley said, and we all headed in. Ava went to Riley's room to read the book Theo had lent her. She seemed to be enjoying it, showing more interest in the supernatural world than I did.

I said goodbye to Ava and went to the training room with Riley. Theo and Ethan were already there, selecting their weapons. I picked mine too.

Riley was surprised to see me choose a weapon, suggesting I could just use my claws. However, Theo didn't want that. He wanted me to fight like a human, not a monster. I agreed with him on that point.

The three of us were ready. Flashlights and other necessary items for the mission were packed into a bag. Ethan carried it, and we set out into the woods.

I shone my light into the darkness, showing Theo where the wolf had attacked me. He was still amazed by the story because there were no bites or evidence of the attack; I had already healed. He searched everywhere for any sign. Placing his hands on his hips, he said, "If you're right, it knows how to cover its tracks. It's very smart." We were about to head to the cave when Ethan's voice called out to us.

"What is this? It looks like an animal's footprint." We all went to examine what Ethan had found.

Theo knelt down and traced it with his finger. "Antelope," he said.

"Yes. They ran towards me that night," I confirmed, and Ethan continued to shine his flashlight on the ground.

"This is interesting," he finally said.

"What is?" Riley asked. Ethan motioned for us to come and look at what he saw.

"Wolf?" Theo asked.

"I don't know, but it looks different from the one we saw a minute ago," Ethan said, and Theo nodded in agreement; Ethan was making sense.

Riley took out her phone and captured the footprint. "I'll check this out in the lab." 

Theo scanned the surroundings with his eyes. He sighed. "This place is getting wilder. I have a bad feeling about what's coming next." 

"I think the warlock is definitely planning something bad, but why would he do all this? For what?" I asked.

"He might be against the council. Who knows? The council might have done something to him, and he wants revenge," Riley suggested.

"I don't know, guys. I mean, Lydia is a very nice person, and I don't think she knows her husband is doing things behind their backs. I just don't know," I said.

"Come on, guys, we have to go to the cave to check things out first," Theo said. The three of us took a shortcut that would lead us to the cave easily.