Chapter 7 7
RANDOM FACT: The runes carved into Kael Veyne’s skin are called Dáinnskrift—"Death-Script." Ancient lore claims they are not ink, but frozen echoes of spells used to bind primordial beings at the end of the Myrkr Stríð.
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Rowan drives Claire back to her mate… a lovely woman by the name of Ariadne who I could never seem to get along with and hates the shit out of me even though we both pretend to be cordial about it because we love the same female.
When he returns, I’m standing on the porch, but I don’t bother to stay too long because the second I see his car pulling up in the driveway, I head back up, running into my room and slamming the door.
And now…
“Are you alright?” Claire signs this with clear panic in her eyes. She had not wanted to leave yesterday but we had school… and I was genuinely worried she had seen something she was not supposed to… even though thank god, she did not.
According to her, I just kept turning in her bed like I had a nightmare.
I agree. That was what it was.
Because all I know is, the fever is gone. The delusion is gone as well. I don’t… I don’t feel completely better but there’s nothing a little makeup and clothes can’t fix.
“Do you need water or space or food—?”
“Yes. No. No. No,” I cut in, opening my locker to take out school books before slamming them back. “I genuinely feel alright, okay, sweetheart? Now, do I look cute with this skirt when I bend over and can you see the jockstrap I have on?”
Thank the heavens for clothes by the way, like the one I’m wearing.
A blackish slightly green punk oversized T shirt over my tiny little frame that covers my entire body perfectly, a black plaid skirt, black tights and worn down combat. Of course I have my silver jewelry on— because the other wolves can’t wear it. But I can.
And I enjoy seeing them froth at the mouth because of it. How fun.
“I can. It looks good,” Claire signs, but she’s not smiling.
I pinch both of her cheeks and tilt her head, watching her face puff up as I say, “No, you don’t get to look so worried. You know I care about my reputation, and if it looks like you’re going to disrupt my pretty little perfect morning, oh, you have another thing coming young lady—”
“Riven.”
That voice…
I look up, my eyes falling on my dear boyfriend— who I’d almost forgotten existed.
He towers over Claire’s small frame so easily… but my boyfriend usually is smiling at me and not—
I don’t even get to finish my thoughts before I feel Aaron’s hand reaching out for my neck—
And slams me on one of the lockers.
I can already see the terror in Claire’s face, the eyes of everyone who was already watching me worsen.
I will not be catching a break anytime soon I see.
My eyes turn back to my boyfriend— or ex, which I assume it is after what happened yesterday.
I don’t let him see how badly I’m panicking inwardly as I place my hand around his wrist, my eyes staying on him as I say softly, “We get it, you’re the Alpha here and you need to punish me for what happened—”
His hand on my neck tightens, alarm bells ringing in my head as I hold back a sound of pain, my head tilting upwards so I can stare into his usually calm but now angry blue eyes, “Do you have any idea the horror you put me through? Me? Feral? They kept saying I was on drugs. You know I don’t mess with that shit. What did you give to me?”
“An orgasm?” Because what else can I fucking say in this position?! “You’re welcome.”
His grip worsens. “Everyone warned me about you. A scentless omega. They told me to stay away from you, but I didn’t fucking listen and you did some… some evil spell—”
My eyes harden there. “Stop it.”
He doesn’t stop. It’s like he’s fucking possessed by something as he jerks rambling, his eyes wide with… fear? “You appear… here with your old man years ago. No one knows how you crossed the fucking walls. No one knows how you bypassed the security and you’ve lived here, flaunting your difference and acting like you’re better than everyone without your pheromones.”
“I am better!” I snap back. I shouldn’t be snapping. I shouldn’t even be talking.
He has every right to be angry because he did something he wouldn’t normally do, but I don’t know what the fuck happened and I sure as hell don’t plan on admitting that. “And you know how I know? You on my phone constantly behging me to make you cum because you know I’m the last person to judge you. Sure you’re an alpha, but you like that thing I do with your balls, don’t you? That pain of me slightly twisting it while I pull your hair back as I ride your dick!”
I’m yelling, and I know Aaron could hit me. He could slam my head even harder, and maybe I’ll pass out again.
Claire keeps shaking her head, because even if she can’t hear, she can read my lips. And she knows I’m crazy.
Aaron looks appalled… but he doesn’t do anything further.
And I know he wouldn’t.
He’s that kind of man that likes to push people into submission by showing off his ability— and maybe by now, he’s letting out a whole string of pheromones to make the person cower in fear.
But I can’t smell anything. I can’t smell his pheromones or anyone else’s, thank god.
Or that’s what I thought until that familiar scent hit me.
It seizes whatever emotions I have left, my eyes turning to the side as I notice the dark skinned man walking towards us from the end of the hallway.
Aaron is looking at him too, his eyes widened slightly.
The face shouldn’t be here, in this place. In this safe place for me. But it is.
The second Karl is close enough, he looks down at Aaron through the glasses he has on with that Greek like sculpted face, that stupidly sharp jawline and long black hair…
No. No. I’m imagining this. It’s not… it can’t really be happening…
“Mr Voss,” That voice. I can hear the collective gasp of the students in the hallway at how low it sounds but Kael Veyne doesn’t bother to take his eyes off Aaron as he says, “You are late for class,”
Class? What does that even mean?
Am I dreaming? Yes. That is it.
My eyes turn forward as Aaron suddenly lets me go and I fall— almost, but Claire holds me upwards.
She’s looking at me, her eyes scanning my face as I try to make my legs work again… but I’m not looking at her.
Aaron looks like he’s been possessed as he takes a step back, his head bowed instantly.
That behavior…
I’ve only heard about it but here, in school, no alpha challenges another alpha because there’s no point to it.
Alphas usually stay on their own which… which means…
He’s subdued him.
In seconds.
Without a single word.
Kael’s eyes turn to me, and they’re not gold anymore.
They’re green, and I can see the runes poking around his neck though they aren’t glowing gold this time, same with one on the back of his hands as he says, “Head to class, Mr Draken. Preferably before me. I do not like lateness,”
Then he looks up at everyone else, his voice sharp and stoic. “All of you. Leave,”
Everyone scrambles in seconds.
Aaron follows next, and I?
I find whatever strength I have left to grab Claire’s hand and drag her away before he can set those evil eyes of his on her.
But I can’t help the thought flashing through my head.
What the fuck is he doing here?