Chapter 14
Tori's POV:
I blinked several times, trying to clear the fog of the nightmare from my mind.
The metallic scent of blood from my dream still seemed to linger in my nostrils, though I knew it was just my imagination.
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a small smile as I pushed myself up to a sitting position. "Just a bad dream."
Morgan's worried face hovered inches from mine, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Are you sure? You were thrashing around and... and making these awful sounds." She hesitated. "Like you were in pain."
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, trying to appear more composed than I felt. "Really, it's nothing. Just stress probably."
"Maybe we should go to the medical center? Dr. Howard could take a look at you." Morgan persisted.
My body tensed involuntarily at the word "medical center." Images from my nightmare flashed through my mind—sterile white walls, masked doctors, the monotone voice announcing time of death.
A cold shudder ran through me.
"No hospitals," I replied firmly, perhaps too sharply. "I just need to wash my face and I'll be fine. Really."
Morgan finally nodded. "Okay, if you're sure."
As I splashed cold water on my face in the small dormitory bathroom, my mind drifted to Morgan's story from the night before.
The way she'd described Ethan's heartbreak over his ex-girlfriend – over me – without having any idea she was telling the story to the very girl who had supposedly broken his heart.
If she knew the truth... if she knew I was the girl who'd been imprisoned for killing... would she still sit next to me in class? Would she still defend me against the whispers and stares? Or would she recoil in fear like everyone else?
I dried my face and stared at my reflection.
The silver-gray eyes that stared back at me seemed bottomless, like deep wells that had collected too many memories, too many sorrows.
"Ready?" Morgan called from the other side of the door.
"Coming," I responded, tucking the memories away where they belonged – buried deep.
We walked across campus together, Morgan chattering about how Mrs. Blake had been worried when I didn't show up and how she'd volunteered to check on me.
I nodded and made appropriate noises at the right moments, but my mind was elsewhere.
The classroom fell quiet as we entered, several heads turning in our direction.
I kept my eyes forward, ignoring the stares as I took my seat beside Morgan.
"Tori," Mrs. Blake said, approaching my desk. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better. Morgan explained you weren't feeling well this morning."
"Yes, I'm fine now. Thank you," I tried to force a smile toward her.
Mrs. Blake smiled warmly, the tension in her shoulders visibly relaxing. "That's good to hear."
She continued. "And I wanted to let you know that the diagnostic test has been moved up to this afternoon. The administration made the change this morning. I know it's short notice, but I wanted to make sure you're prepared."
I nodded calmly. "I'll be ready."
Beside me, Morgan groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. "Are you kidding me? This afternoon? I was planning to study tonight!"
She clutched her notebook to her chest. "My lunar calculations are still a disaster. I was counting on those extra days!"
Mrs. Blake gave Morgan a sympathetic smile.
"I understand it's frustrating, Morgan, but I've seen your progress this semester. I believe in you."
The rest of the class passed in a blur of lectures and notes.
---
When the afternoon assessment came, I slid into my seat only to see Mrs. Catherine White at the front of the classroom.
Of all the people in this school, we get HER? Tracy growled within me. Enemies at every turn, just our luck.
I silently agreed with my wolf.
"You have exactly forty-five minutes," Catherine announced, her eyes settling on me for a beat longer than necessary. "Begin."
I bent my head over my paper and focused entirely on the lunar calculations.
Then I heard it—the rhythmic click of heels, circling closer and closer to my desk.
Catherine's presence loomed over my desk, her shadow falling across my paper. She circled my desk slowly, her heels tapping rhythmically against the floor.
I could feel her eyes boring into the top of my head, watching every move of my pencil as if expecting to catch me cheating.
I forced myself to breathe evenly, but my usual speed faltered.
All night's nightmare made it difficult to focus, and Catherine's deliberate interference only made it worse.
"Fifteen minutes left," she announced to the class, but her eyes were fixed on me, a subtle curl of disdain at the corner of her mouth.
She lingered a moment longer, as if expecting me to crumble under the pressure, before finally walking back to the front desk with a satisfied smirk.
Catherine went away, and I worked through the remaining problems with renewed concentration, completing the final question just as she began to announce the exam was over.
I approached her desk to turn in my paper. She took it with a cursory glance, lips curling into a sneer.
"Just barely finished, I see. Is this all you've got, Tori?" she said, voice pitched to carry to nearby students. "You'd better consider dropping out sooner rather than later, so as not to affect your class's performance."
A few students paused to watch the exchange, some with awkward discomfort, others with poorly concealed amusement.
"I appreciate your concern for my academic welfare, Mrs. White," I replied evenly, "But your concern is completely unnecessary."
Her eyes narrowed. "Pride comes before the fall, Omega."
I simply nodded, already turning away. "I'll keep that in mind."
It was getting late. I had no time to waste on Catherine White's pettiness. Hannah had made it crystal clear what would happen if I was late for the ceremony.
I rushed back to my dorm room, quickly exchanging my school uniform for the simple black dress that Hanna had prepared for me.
Grabbing my phone and wallet, I hurried outside and hailed a taxi. "Moonlight Restaurant, please," I told the driver as I slid into the backseat.