\[Elise’s POV\]
I don’t speak as Serenity drags me through the school and into her dorm, where she whirls on me with a look that screams panic.
“What’s going on?” She demands, unable to hold back her worry. “Why were your parents, no, Eleanor’s parents, trying to take you away?”
Smirking, I show her the bite mark on my arm. With each passing day, it was slowly expanding, covering more and more of my skin, and looking like absolute shit.
“Someone blabbed.” I huff. “And word got to my parents.”
“Who do you think it was?” Serenity asks, eyeing me. “And why would they…”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I ask. “It was that bitch hanging around William.’
“You mean Lydia?”
“Who else.”
Since meeting that bitch, I got the feeling that she wasn’t fond of me, which was pretty damn crazy given the fact that I was no one to be concerned about. Maybe if I was still in my original body, it would be different.
Huffing in annoyance I try not to think about that smug bitch and how I missed the opportunity to beat the shit out of her.
“Anyway, why did you interfere?”
Sure, I understood that Serenity thought she was doing what was best for me, but in the end, it would only complicate things further. My parents were pretty stubborn people who lived by the rules, and disobedience was not accepted. Even if I got to stay here for now, I was certain that my ass would be punished when I returned to Blue Moon.
“Fuck,” I sigh, flopping down on the couch and throwing an arm over my eyes. “This is so damn annoying.”
Being a child again and having to deal with family dynamics was a pain in the ass, and I truly missed the day of having absolutely no rules.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Serenity’s voice is quiet as she speaks, drawing my attention to her as she continues to watch me from her place in the middle of the room.
“You should be here with us.”
Her words are like a knife stabbing into my chest, and I immediately regret my words. Of course, she thought she was doing what was best for everyone involved. She clearly wore her heart on her sleeve, just like her mother.
“You’re just like her.” I smirk, sitting up and taking Serenity in. “You’re mother also interfered like this.”
“I get that a lot.” Serenity smiles.
Smiling back, I open my mouth to speak, but stop as the door to the dorm opens and William strolls in with the big lug and Denali.
Instantly, all eyes come to rest on me, and I can’t help but feel like I’m under extreme observation.
“You,” Rosco growls, speaking first but stopping as Denali touches his arm.
“Are you okay?” She asks, moving forward and taking a seat beside me. “How’s your cheek?”
As she speaks, she begins to fuss about me, irritating me more and making me feel like my skin is crawling, but I try my best not to show that. I knew she was just worried about me, but it was still something I wasn’t used to.
“I’m fine.” I respond, shifting my gaze from hers so that I can take in the two men who stand in the middle of the room. “It was just a slap.”
Right. Just a slap. I endured so much worse growing up, and I was certain that I would eventually encounter much worse as I grew older in this body.
“I’m fine.” I repeat, hating all the attention that was on me. “Thank you for your concern.”
Nodding, Denali sits back, but she keeps her hand on mine. Where we touch, I can feel tendrils of warmth and comfort. And although I enjoy the feeling, I can’t quite enjoy it as I meet William’s gaze and find many unspoken questions in them that make my heart stir and my stomach churn.
“Eleanor,” he says slowly, causing my heart to skip. “You do know that your actions today won’t be taken lightly by Blue Moon.”
Frowning, I don’t speak, as I find myself wondering what the hell it was that he was trying to get at. Of course, I knew that what happened today wouldn’t be taken seriously.
“That’s why I must ask you,” he continues, moving forward until he is towering over me. “Are you prepared for whatever consequences come your way?”
Was I prepared? Of course, I was. I was prepared from the moment I defied my parents.
“Is that a trick question?” I counter.
“It is a serious question.” William responds. “You know as well as I do that Blue Moon doesn’t take well to defiance, and when someone in their upper ranks shows that they aren’t willing to back down to authority, it makes them a liability and a threat.”
“I’m aware.” I snap, my annoyance spiking.
“Are you also aware that what you did today could be grounds for you to not only be exiled from Blue Moon but also for Blue Moon to retaliate against Emerald Moon for their interference in your familial matter?”
“Yes, I am.”
What the hell was William trying to hint at here? Was he trying to point out that I could be kicked out of my pack and start a war with Emerald Moon? If he was that worried, then he should have done a better job of making me go along with my parents.
“What are you trying to get at, William?” Denali asks, frowning.
“I’m just making sure that the child is aware that there are consequences to her actions.” He shrugs. “You know as well as I do that some people don’t consider others when they do things. They just rush off as they please, throwing themselves and others into danger, and then they get themselves hurt or, worse, killed, leaving suffering in their paths.”
Eyes widening, I take in William’s words. Was he… No… There was no fucking way, but from the depth of emotion in his eyes, maybe he was.
“Professor Torres,” I say, getting up. “Can I speak to you alone?”
“Of course.” William responds, turning and making his way out of the dorm.
Getting up, I give Denali a glance and find that she may also be catching onto what I was. Smiling, I give her a wink before heading in the direction where William disappeared. When I reach him, he immediately whirls on me, towering over me once more and trapping me between himself and the wall so that I can’t escape, even though I had no intentions of doing so.
“So,” he says, his voice dripping with anger. “What is it that you needed to speak with me about?”
For a moment, I don’t speak as I continue to examine the man in front of me while my certainty that he has realized who I am peaks.
“You know,” I say quietly, hating that it already came to this since I knew we could never be. “How did you find out?”
“A little birdy told me.” He responds. “But I would have preferred to hear it from the source.”
“Sorry, the source was under strict restrictions.” I sigh, wanting to hug and kiss him but knowing I couldn’t. “And since you know, I think it’s the best thing that you forget entirely.”