Chapter 113

Chapter 113
Elly's POV

“Back off! I yelled, my voice a scowl.

But the big black wolves didn't seem threatened by me. Or us. Their eyes said it all; they were all dead, and all they moved and lived for was a single command from the puppeteer.

“I don't want to hurt you.” I said firmly, stretching my hand out like a sword.

“They don't want to hurt you either.” Principal Legrange mumbled in response, unmoved by the fact that we were outnumbered.

She was only interested in dragging us back into the academy. This scenario brought back memories. I recalled the first day I stepped into the academy, and the night I tried to escape. It was principal Legrange who'd found me, and whisked me back. She did find pleasure in ruining people's goals.

“Principal Legrange, why are you doing this?” Professor Rockwell asked, not frightened by the Werewolves. Even Ryan didn't look scared, was it just me?

“I'm only trying to protect my students.” She answered shrugging.

“And you think I don't want the same, or more?” Rockwell asked, frowning, but not in anger.

“You give me reasons to doubt your motives, Rockwell.”

“What?” Air slipped out of his mouth, weak and shocked.

Now I could feel anger rising from his chest like smoke.

Legrange posed forward, taking powerful strides like she could defeat a city with a smirk. “I know about Aidan. How that he's plagued with a curse. The Lycan's curse.”

Right there, I decided you leverage on the opportunity. “How did you find out about that?”

She made a face, paused and began strolling in my direction. Now, we were scattered. Me to the right, Rockwell in the middle and Ryan on the the left.

“I always thought you were smart, Elly, but you disappointed me. Well, not that Mira was any good. I had to piece two and two together. Such a simpleton.”

“Mira? The new good girl?” I asked, astonished.

Rockwell turned his head to me. He must've known because he didn't seem surprised by the revelation.

“Yes, my love.” Legrange replied, with a satisfacted smile on her face. “Rest assured, you won't be able to get back into the academy once you step out.”

“You think I wish to come right back?” I croaked, pained by the manipulation.

“You won't be able to live anywhere else.” She continued, as if advising me to weigh my options, but I already did.

“We'll find a way.” Ryan hissed for the first time.

“You'll live in hiding for the rest of your life.”

“Let me worry about that.” Rockwell chirped in, his face darkened. What was he thinking?

Legrange scoffed, a manipulative smirk on her face. I thought about what Rockwell said earlier. The only person who could hide from him was a master manipulator, and I wondered Legrange could be that person.

As if he'd read my mind, he twisted his head in my direction and I knew that he'd heard me.

“To what end?” Rockwell asked, as curious as we were to know what her plan was.

Alias, she was truly a manipulator. She didn't give a direct answer, “You'll find out soon.” She hissed, snapped her fingers together and ordered, “Minions, attack!”

Her minions lunged into the air and came right at us. The one with grime mottled to his fur like he’d ran a marathon through the city attacked me. Thanks to the combat I fought in the past, I'd accumulated experience for battle.

Behind them, the school was dark and I wondered if the kids were aware of the face-off. For a moment I thought about what was happening between us. Was this a ploy from the beginning or was this a fight between the forces of good and evil? Were we the force of evil, if not us, then who?

A scar‑riddled beast with a gnarled horn jutting from its brow, let out a low, guttural howl that seemed to vibrate the very ground.

Ryan's lips curled into a thin smile. He enjoyed challenges. “This isn't your territory, mutts,” he hissed, his voice a whisper of cold wind.

The air around me whipped violently as Ryan did the blur and crashed into the werewolf. It felt sick fighting one of my own but at this juncture, I knew that fighting was all that was left.

Beside me, Rockwell pulled out a dagger from his bag, and slashed the air with it. “You’ll wish you’d stayed in the shadows,” he snarled, as a mutt jumped at him.

All the time we fought, the sun had slowly gone down and dark clouds had gathered like vultures but no side was winning. The men looked like they came to us prepared.

What exactly was principal Legrange aiming at, and who was with her? What did she do to Aidan, and where was he? I needed ask these questions. Something about her non-chalant attitude made me believe that she had an inkling were Aidan was. She was the last person who saw him before and after the ritual I guess.

Rockwell raised his hands, and concretes rose from the walls and were about to crash into two werewolves when he stopped. Why was he hesitant?

"Why? You can't hurt them?" Principal Legrange asked, smiling vaingloriously. "Does it remind you of something in the past?"

"Not the past, but the present." Professor Rockwell answered, gazing down at his fingers. The stones had dropped to the ground by his command but he seemed lost in thought.
"I think of these men as brothers, so why should I hurt them?" Rockwell added and I frowned.

Well, if you can't hurt them, they'll harm you, I thought, clenching my teeth and going for the first wolf that attacked. I was hoping Rockwell could watch and learn.

"Indeed, you're a virtuous man, just as I'd predicted." She went on, with a manipulative smile on her face.

While she distracted him, a guy flagged forward, claws out and fangs bared, ready to devour. It didn't look like Rockwell would be fast enough to avert the blow.

I was overpowered by the two circling around me, and so was Ryan. This was Legrange's tactics from the beginning - to distract him so the bastards could suffocate us and take us back to prison. I wondered she wasn't doing the hypnotic shit.

Just as the moron neared Rockwell, his claws aimed at his heart, help came.
...but I was that help.

The guy who'd lunged hung in the air and time froze. I guess I kept forgetting that I could freeze time, I thought.

The more reason I entered your mind. That was Rockwell's voice, and turned my face to him. In that short instance, I unintentionally unfroze time but Rockwell had dodged before the guy regained his speed.

“What did you just do?” Legrange asked, stunned by the phenomenon.

I chuckled softly. “I guess you had no idea that I could do that.”

“Or that I could do this.” Adina’s voice echoed behind her. She lifted her hands to the heavens, recited some chants that caused the heavens to darken even more and thunder strike.

Immediately, the Werewolves gathered around us turned to puppies and laid on the stomach before the thunder strike ceased.

“Who's she?” Legrange asked in shock, watching the newcomer like she was a heap of poop.

“Adina, High Priestess of Liz pack.” Rockwell introduced and Adina bowed her head.

The older woman smiled. “I see, the distant relation you went away to meet.” I give it to her, she was a smart woman. “I'll have you punished for leaving school without consent.”

“That'll be after you serve your years in prison for manipulation.” Jimmy attacked and Legrange laughed heartily.

“You think there's anything you can do?” She asked Jimmy, then turning to Rockwell, she asked, “I thought you could see past the outer facade, how was I able to deceive you?”

The man thought for a second and said, “Let's say I saw the signs, but choose to believe you.” Then, clapped his hands and yelled, “Play time's over. We'll talk when I return.”

“That is, if you return alive.” Legrange scoffed.