Chapter 118

KATHERINE

My nose hurt and so did my jaw, and I was going to get into a lot of trouble for beating the hell out of that bitch, but it was so worth it. The only things I was worried about right now was how much this was going to stress my family out when they found out, and the kind of trouble I’d gotten myself into. I really hoped it wasn't an expulsion.

“You don’t have to wait here with me, Hunter,” I said while glaring at Poppy and her friend who were sitting on the chairs opposite mine on the other side of the room. Poppy was acting like she was on the verge of death. It had been at least thirty minutes since Hunter pulled me off her and my wounds had already healed, so hers definitely had too, but she committed to acting like it hadn’t, so my punishment would be ‘bad’.

“I know,” Hunter said and when I glanced at him, he gave me a warm smile which I returned, grateful that he hadn’t let me commit murder. I then remembered that I had suspected him, not once but twice, for what I’d have done today if he hadn’t stepped in, and since Theo had said he was innocent, guilt pricked at me as I stared at him.

I heaved a sigh and rested my head against the wall behind me. “I’m sorry,” I muttered and he raised a brow, still smiling.

“I wasn’t the one who got beat up,” he replied, drawing a snort from me before Poppy groaned loudly and I rolled my eyes.

“Sorry I haven’t dropped by the art studio in a while.”

“Why are you apologizing? Besides, I haven’t been there in a while either,” he said and it was my turn to raise a brow at him.

“Really? Isn’t that like your second home?” I asked and he chuckled before Poppy groaned even louder. Ugh. The door to the dean’s office opened and I immediately sat upright just before Hunter’s mother walked out and my brows lifted a bit. ‘Oh.’ No wonder he came here with me and Poppy. The woman paused when she saw me next to Hunter before her gaze slid to Poppy and her nose wrinkled, probably at our appearance. Dean Bryman was behind her and she did ‘not’ look pleased too, but she still kept a pleasant smile on her face for the sake of Blue Blood’s beta.

“I’ll be at the art studio if you need me,” Hunter muttered after his mother called his name and he got to his feet, following her out of the room.

The moment the door shut, the smile slipped off Dean Bryman’s face and she scowled at us. “Both of you come into my office, now!” she stated before marching back into her office and I sucked in a breath, getting to my feet as Poppy did the same. Then we followed her into the office and she didn’t even bother to sit before she began to yell at us. "I am extremely disappointed in both of you! You two are lucky that nobody got seriously injured, but that doesn't mean that I'm not taking this incident very seriously. Fighting is not acceptable behavior at this school, and I will not tolerate it! As a result of your actions, Roxley, you will be suspended for two weeks.”

I winced at that, but remained quiet while shock washed over Poppy’s face. She obviously wanted me to get expelled.

“You can stay on school grounds or go back to your pack. It’s your choice, but you won’t be attending any classes or causing trouble,” she added before facing Poppy and a muscle in her jaw twitched. Dawson, you will be placed on probation for the remainder of the school year.”

“What?!” Poppy burst out, moving closer to the dean’s desk. “But, I didn’t–”

“I don’t want to hear it! If you choose to continue this sort of behavior, you’ll be expelled from the school. Both of you! Am I making myself clear?” she asked and I immediately nodded because she seemed to be getting angrier with every passing moment and I didn’t want her to turn that on me. "I expect nothing but exemplary behavior from both of you moving forward. Do. You. Understand?"

“Yes, Dean Bryman,” Poppy and I said in unison before she pointed at the door and I didn’t hesitate to leave the office.

The moment I got out of the building, I finally sighed in relief, grateful that I hadn’t been expelled before I realized that I had nothing to do now. I had planned to go to class after breakfast, but I couldn’t attend classes now. I glanced sideways, wondering if I should go back to my dorm before I remembered Hunter saying he’d be at the art studio and I decided to go there instead. Five minutes later, I got to the Art Faculty and Hunter was in the studio just like he said he would be. I rapped my knuckle on the open door, drawing his attention away from the painting he was working on, and he grinned at me before dropping his paintbrush.

“You’re here,” he said as he wiped his hands with a cloth that was hanging on the easel. “So what’s the verdict?” he asked and I pressed my lips together while walking further into the room.

“Suspension. Two weeks.”

He drew his brows together. “That’s not good. Exams are in four.”

“Better than being expelled. I’ll survive,” I replied as I sat on a stool at one of the tables and he walked over to me.

“That you will.” He gave me a sympathetic look. “I heard her pack attacked yours,” he said and I tipped my head to the side, wondering how he found out. We hadn’t reported it to the Administration yet and Silver Bow wouldn’t be going around broadcasting it – Poppy hadn’t done that in the dining hall, she’d tried her best to be as vague as possible. Also, I was the only student from River Ash in Blackwood, so how did he hear about it?

Hunter must have figured out what I was thinking because the next moment, he said, “I have eyes everywhere.”

“Creepy,” I muttered, playfully narrowing my eyes at him, before glancing at the table on which dozens of his random stroke drawings lay, and I picked one of them up, remembering that I’d seen them in his sketchbook while searching his things. I winced at the thought before realizing that Hunter had never mentioned it – me snooping in his and Theo’s room – so I began to wonder if Theo didn’t tell him or if he did and Hunter just didn’t care. The same way he didn’t care that I’d been eavesdropping on him and his uncle. “Creepier. Why do you draw these? What do they mean?” I turned the drawing in my hand so he could look at it.

“I have no clue,” he replied and my brow raised. “That answer is for both questions. I just started drawing them out of the blue last session.”

“Out of the blue?” I asked and he nodded. “And you can’t stop?” He nodded again. “That’s weird.”