Chapter 109

Chapter 109
Elly's POV

Professor Rockwell returned to school the following day with a beautiful black woman. She had an aura around her that got her in my alpha woman label and I was right. When he introduced her to us, I knew I was right.

“This is Adina, Priestess of Liz pack.” Rockwell said, stretching his hand in her direction.

The lady smiled, and made a light bow. I looked at the faces of the boys and saw something that looked like surprise on two boys except Ryan. He lacked the facial expression for surprise or had no emotions but I know he did.

“Wait a minute, there's a werewolf pack for real? Wow, I thought this was a world of humans.” Jimmy said, his voice echoing his surprise.

“Surprise, surprise.” Adina said, smiling broadly.

“This is Adrian, Jimmy, Ryan and Elly.” Rockwell introduced us to her, and I felt my toes curl.

“Ryan?” Adina repeated, looking at Rockwell. “I smell blood.”

“He's a…vampire.” Rockwell said, barely enunciating the last word loudly.

“I can tell,” Adina said to our teacher, then turning to Ryan, she asked, “How do you put up with being friends with a werewolf?”

“We even stay in the same room.” Jimmy chuckled, steadying his glasses on his nose.

Adina gasped in surprise. “Whoa, that's the first, you must have some crazy bond to do that.”

“What bond? Is there a special bond that makes it possible?” Jimmy quizzed, looking from Adina to Rockwell.

I thought that Ryan would've been in the best place to answer that, but no one did.

“Next time, Jimmy, okay?” Rockwell interjected with a serious face. “Where's Aidan?”

The group went quiet for a while, each of us hoping the other could answer.

“No one's talking.” Professor Rockwell said, acting in confusion.

I forget that he can echo out thoughts each time he does that. Those moments made me wish he could just listen to our thoughts than force the words out of our mouths.

“He's been missing for the past two days.” Adrian answered slowly.

Rockwell frowned. “Missing? Why? Ryan, did you try to find him?”

Ryan shook his head, looking all small like a teenager for the first time. “I can't pick up his scent, it's like he doesn't want to be found.”

Rockwell released a deep breath, and planted his hands on the table in front of him. “That explains why he's been off the radar,” he said, then looking up at us, he asked, “When was the last time you saw him?”

“Before Principal Legrange ordered him to her office.” Jimmy answered, looking at the others for signs of disapproval but none came. Not even from me.

Again, Rockwell made a face. “The principal ordered him to her office? Why?”

“Can't tell.” Adrian replied quietly.

Rockwell crashed his fist into the table at the reply. Then gritting his teeth, he croaked, “We need to find him. Did you notice anything different about him after I left?”

The others shook their heads, but not me because I did.

“Although,” I started, recollecting his expression from that evening. “I thought there was something different about him when I saw him yesterday.”

“You saw him yesterday? Where?” Ryan answered, shifting closer.

Wait, was I the only one who saw him then? Didn't he meet them in their room? He must've known the boys would be worried about him, where did he go afterwards?

“At the alley.” I said, pointing in the direction of the alley. “He mentioned something about Principal Legrange making him undergo some ritual.”

It was Professor Rockwell's turn to shift closer to me. “Ritual? What ritual? And why am I just hearing about this now?” He asked, and I could hear the anger rising from his chest.

“Where'd he go?” Adina, who had been listening to our conversation the whole time finally asked.

I looked up at her face. She was a beautiful woman in the category of Viola Davis. She could be a TV broadcaster or even a performer.

“I don't know, he just walked out of me saying I betrayed him.” I answered, wondering why it suddenly felt like I'd killed Aidan.

This was probably because Professor Rockwell snapped. He never loses his temper.

“Betrayed him? How?” Ryan asked, the hardness back in his tone.

“What did he mean?” Jimmy asked, obviously trying to sound logical and pacify the others in case I was to blame.

“We should find him first, Teach.” Adrian cut in too, obviously wanting to save me.

“Hold on, how did you betray him?” Rockwell insisted.

I swallowed, thinking of the most polite way to narrate the story. “Apparently, Principal Legrange got to find out about the Lycan's curse. But not from me.”

The group fell silent again. Rockwell raised his head, his eyes darting everywhere but nowhere in particular. He ran his tongue over his lips before returning his gaze to us.

“Does anyone other than the six of us know about it?”

“No,” The boys chorused in unison. I should've joined in, but I couldn't. It felt wrong to shut away from what was my fault.

“Elly?” Rockwell called, and everyone's eyes dropped on me.

I felt the pressure, and my toes curled. It felt like that day all over again. That day at Principal Legrange's office where we all learned that unleashing my powers had caused a disruption in time.

“I mentioned it to Ophelia, but not directly.” I said slowly, only fixing my eyes on my shoes.

I wasn't sure I could take the sting in their eyes. Coward, that is what I am.

“What the fuck?” Jimmy murmured, Ryan scoffed and Adrian took a step backwards.

“I didn't say he was plagued with the Lycan's curse, I only said he was sick.” I quickly added, but what good could that do?

“Ophelia wouldn't know what it actually was, it could be anything.” Jimmy said thoughtfully, but I can't say if it was in my defense, I did deserve it.

“Then if Ophelia didn't tell on you, someone else did, but who?” Adina thought out loud too.

Rockwell, who had paced to the window, returned to the assembly. “Do you have a new student in your room?” He asked, like he'd made some genius discovery.

“Yes, how..? How did you know?”

Rockwell thought for a second. “I kept wondering why she was the only one accepted at this time. And why was it your room?”

“Is anything wrong, Teach?” Adrian asked.

Professor Rockwell was staring at something, but nothing in particular. He seemed to be seeing something none of us could see.

“Yes, but not anything, everything.” He answered, still gazing at a spot on the table, and flicking his fingers together.

“When did principal Legrange become aware of the curse? Was it before or after I left in search of a cure?” he soliloquized, frowning at something.

“If it was before, that could only mean you missed something. Something vital.” Adina stepped in, her eyes darkening. “If you can read minds, how come you didn't spot anything in the Principal's mind? She asked, shifting quietly beside Rockwell.

Rockwell turned his head to her, studied her expression for a minute, and stood erect.

“No one can hide their thoughts from me except a shape shifter.” he finally said, holding Adina’s eyes.

For a second I thought we should expect a face-off.

“What? Werewolves? Goblins?” Jimmy quizzed, still his usual chatty self.

“Nah, I can still read their minds.” Rockwell replied, licking his lips like a nutrient from it was all he needed. “A master manipulator, but Legrange isn't any of that.” He added.

“Are you sure about that?” Adina asked with doubt in her voice.

I thought she sounded like an instigator. She'd never even seen Legrange before.

“I can stake my life on it.” Professor Rockwell answered, and I knew he could.