An original and empowering shapeshifter/werewolf mystery.
Lily's abusive life with her childhood pack is about to change forever when she's assigned to attend Rochester Academy; A boarding school rumored to be for unmated shifters.
What does this...
"It's all your fault," Irene shouted towards Lily in the open entry of the dining room. The few students who had only just gotten food stood with their trays looking in the direction of the commotion.
"What is it this time," said Lily.. mostly to herself.
"As if you don't know," said Irene. She narrowed her eyes with menacing dislike.
Lily wondered what Irene's problem was with her. She'd hardly even interacted with her at all all year. And yet she was so fixated...
"You're mad because I laughed yesterday?" Lily guessed.
Irene laughed as if that suggestion was pathetic. "Not very smart are you?"
"Maybe you could just tell me what your problem is, and we can settle this like adults," said Lily.
"You don't have to pretend to be noble," said Irene. "I know the truth and no amount of words would be able to resolve the issue."
"I think I'm still not sure what the issue is," said Lily. She was starting to get irritated now. Some part of her kind of wanted to shift and rip Irene's throat out just to stop the annoyance. Only... no, that's not who I am, she thought.
She wasn't sure what bothered her more. Being harassed, her harasser not telling her why, or why it had to be done in the crowded dining area. She thought about the other students who should have the opportunity to enjoy their meals in peace.
"Catfight," said a boy at the nearest table.
"Lunch and a show," replied his friend.
'Then again.. to each, their own,' thought Lily. She laughed. She couldn't help it. The whole situation seemed so ...bizarre. She realized too late that laughing wasn't helpful to the situation.
Irene walked towards her in a predatory way.
"Don't do it, Irene," said Anne, who had approached from behind Irene from her table. "You know she doesn't know yet. You know it's not her or anyone's fault."
Lily was puzzled over this. What was Anne talking about? If Anne knew something she didn't... why wouldn't she have told her?
"Either way, there's only one option left," said Irene.
"What? To fight?" said Anne. "Are you mad?"
But Irene didn't seem to hear her words because she'd already lunged towards Lily. Lily saw sharp metal spikes between the fingers of her fisted hands.
Lily blocked the first attack out of instinct. Her months of practice in the fighting class coming in handy. But Irene was quick and skilled. She seemed to expect to be blocked at her first attack and was quick to spin and lunge at Lily's lower back, which was left unprotected from her recent block.
There was a kind of commotion in the dining room.
"Go get help," she heard an older boy shout.
Irene's attacks wouldn't let up and Lily was starting to feel fatigued. She'd run that morning in her second form, and classes had been strenuous, and it didn't help that she hadn't eaten for sixteen hours.
No. A voice seemed to say in the back of her mind. Just no. She wouldn't stand for this. Irene needed to be stopped. Adrenaline spiked through her veins and her sense of smell was enhanced again.
But it wasn't just that. Her eyesight became sharper. And it seemed as if all the movement around her was slowing down.
She saw Irene shifting her weight from her left leg, preparing to kick with her right. Her stronger leg.. Lily seemed to know instinctively.
There was almost a bubble of light also. One around Irene, and another around her. Other students also.. like an aura.. only it wasn't something she saw, but rather ...something she seemed to feel through her mind.
She blocked Irene in a rather effortless way then. As if able to predict the moves she would make before Irene knew herself.
It wasn't long before Lily saw an opening. Irene had the habit of dropping her hands when she kicked with her left leg leaving the right side of her face exposed.
When the opportunity came again, Lily was quick to press her advantage. The sound of her fist landing on Irene's cheek echoed through the hall just as the running footsteps of school officials arrived at the scene. Lily couldn't help but feel some instinctive dislike towards them. She wasn't sure why. Maybe because they hadn't arrived sooner.
Irene crumpled onto the cold floor. Lily worried for a moment that she'd somehow killed her with one punch. But no, she could hear her heartbeat. Knocked out.
The school officials, including Mrs. Bernette, the Energy Control teacher, hovered over Irene. They didn't seem to want to look at Lily. But she couldn't be sure why.
"There's a stretcher in the bag," the dark-haired man said to two tall boys he'd picked out of the crowd of students who now stood around the room with their meals forgotten. "You'll take her to the infirmary."
The second man who had arrived had turned to face Lily. He held something that looked like a stun gun in his hand. Lily felt a new wave of irritation burn through her.
"It wasn't her fault," said Anne, stepping in and taking hold of one of that man's hands. "It was self-defense. Nothing else."
Lily couldn't stand still anymore. Thoughts seemed to race through her head, and the adrenaline made her want to fight. It was such an unnerving feeling because she'd never had that inclination before. She felt like things were changing for her too fast, and she couldn't be sure who exactly she was anymore. She felt nostalgia for the girl she'd been less than a year ago... in an abusive situation sure, but in a situation where things stayed the same.
She turned to run. She felt the need to shift. That would help.
"Either way, it's a serious transgression. The committee will need to discuss the situation," the official said.
"Not if it wasn't her fault," Anne said when Lily was almost to the door.
"That may be Miss Thomson, but the rules for..." The man said, but his words faded away as Lily got out of hearing range.
Lily shifted in the corridor just outside of the dining hall. Safe from the prying eyes of her classmates. There weren't many students in the hall, but those that were, stood aside as she moved past focused on reaching the freedom of the courtyard.
She stayed there until well after the darkest part of the night. She didn't know what class she'd missed, and she couldn't find the will to care.
She vaguely wondered what Irene was so mad about, and what Anne had been keeping from her.. and yet, those were mysteries for another day. Because for right now, there was only the cool night air and the protection and solitude in the depths of her trees.
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