Delta [Epsilon #2]

Chapter Twelve

Raina

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About a week has passed since our arrival, and I was starting to settle into the routine of things.

Routine was nice. It provided me a distraction; a distraction from everything that had gone wrong in the Southern Court, of Kyra's poor treatment. The latter was easier to forget about when I couldn't see Kyra directly -- which was why I selfishly avoided her -- but it even then it chipped away at my conscience, testing my sanity.

Even now, as I made my way towards the politely surprised Azure and Kyra, I couldn't seem to look my slate-eyed friend in the eyes. This was the first time I'd be joining them for breakfast in days, and part of me felt guilty for hiding away in the shadows. Azure's stare told me enough of what she thought, and I could almost feel her dismissing me again.

Weak, she seemed to say, even though her eyes were on the halls ahead. Coward.

And, truth be told, she was right. It was cowardly of me to hide away from Kyra, from what she represented, at a time she perhaps needed me the most. But as I risked a look into her dark eyes, eyes so dull and impassive, I had to look away again. I couldn't handle it. Azriel had ruined that beautiful soul, and I would be reminded of it every time I looked into her dead eyes.

Slowly, we made our way down the halls. No one said a word, and everyone kept their gazes to themselves. I was thankful, though part of me suspected this spike in tension was due to my scarce presence. The one time I dared to look up, I was met by Azure's icy glare. I looked away.

Before long we made it to the hall, and I was more than eager to take my seat. Kyra walked ahead, Azure at our rear, battling off the glares that came our way with her own. My eyes were on the floor when a movement in my peripheral snared my attention.

I slowed, blinking. A cluster of young males standing across the hall, looking around my age, were gazing towards me. But that wasn't what struck me as odd. They were... smiling. Friendly, almost.

Their smiles alone bought me a kind of peace I'd been lacking these past few days. I had been aching to see another smile, one specifically aimed for me. I was sick of the mean stares and vile words. It was second-nature to smile back.

Azure's head snapped to mine, and I could feel the words on her tongue. Even so, she kept silent, looking back and forth between the boys and me.

My blush deepened when one of them -- a bronze-skinned boy -- winked, and that had Azure bristling. I was tempted to send one back when I caught Azure' stare, her eyes promising death if I so much as considered it.

Anger flared through me. Who was she to intimidate me out of this? First with Luc, who had been nothing but hospitable to us, and now these guys who, might I add, were quite cute. What did she have against these people, particularly boys?

I couldn't contain my smug smile as I winked before briskly turning to walk away. Azure, surprisingly, said nothing, but I could see the stiffness of her gait as she trailed me. Once we sat, she whispered in a tone so low that no one else would hear. "You're so damn gullible, Raina."

I didn't speak to her for the rest of the breakfast. I was more than ready to leave when the Alpha gave us a final blessing, and before anyone could stop me, I was up and filtering out the hall with the masses.