Oracle Days

Chapter Two

A sharp pain pulses through my abdomen as I squint my eyes open. Disoriented, I realise I'm back in my dorm room. Aurora is nowhere to be seen. She must be out. Groggily, I fumble for my phone and check the time—it's past 5 PM. It's still the same day as that dreadful gym class. I sigh, feeling the weight of the day's events settles over me.

My eyes drift down, and I notice the soft pink fabric I'm wearing. Aurora's pyjamas? Did she change me into her clothes after the incident? Why would she do that? My mind spirals with questions, each one piling on top of the last. The only person who can answer them is Aurora. She must be downstairs, having dinner with the rest of the pack. Determined to find out what happened, I push myself up, wincing at the lingering pain.

Each step down feels like a stab to my already bruised body, and reaching the last step is like crossing a milestone. I need to grab some ice while I'm down here. I head to the kitchen and open one of the freezers of the two massive fridges. Feeding a whole pack takes a lot of food, especially the perpetually hungry males.

I roll my eyes, thinking about how idiotic every male in this pack can be. While walking with the ice pack pressed against my stomach, I realise an unusual silence from the dining area. To my surprise, the only person I see in the dining room is the last person I want to see.

"Didn't think you'd be walking this soon," Xavier says, winking at me, clearly relishing the sight of me in the state he put me in.

"Go shit out a brick, Xavier. Fuck you," I snap back, the sharpest comeback I can muster.

My mind is still racing, puzzled as to why he's the only one here when the dining room is usually crowded. "Where is everyone?" I asked, voicing my confusion.

"Did I hit you that hard? Damn, I'm sorry, pup." Xavier says, his tone mocking and insufferable. He's pushing my buttons today. I sigh, knowing I won't get a straight answer from him. I turn to walk away with my ice pack in hand.

"Shit, now I'm worried. Did you forget the Celestial Mating Hunt is tonight?" he lowers his voice for the last part as if he despises the ceremony himself.

I had completely forgotten about the event, not that I had planned to attend anyway. Deciding to get some answers, I sit down across from the man who knocked me out just hours ago.

Maybe getting to know my enemies will pay off. Perhaps I can get a confession and hold it over his head forever. I like to think ahead—what can I say?

"How come you're not there? You've shifted. What's your problem with not attending the run?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Fuck off, pup. Of course, you'd be curious, you lead a pathetic life after all," He mutters, lowering his head and avoiding eye contact. Seeing this side of Xavier is jarring. Usually, he exudes swagger and arrogance, his head held high.

"Well, sorry if the ceremony meant that much to you, I wouldn't have mentioned it," I say, raising my hands in a mock gesture of surrender. A smirk tugs at my lips, relishing the satisfaction of riling up Xavier.

"It doesn't mean shit to me, a bunch of horny teens running into the woods. You do know that most of them lose control over their instincts," he says, staring out the expansive glass windows that stretch up to the towering ceilings.

"Sounds like you know the feeling?" I ask, watching him closely for any sign of reaction.

To my surprise, Xavier bursts into laughter, a deep and unexpectedly sexy sound that reverberates through the room. "What is this? Duskwane? You're funny, pup," he chuckles, flashing a smile that reveals his perfectly straight, pearly white teeth.

I joined him, chuckling softly at the mention of the infamous Duskwane movie.
"I hate to admit it, but it's one of my guilty pleasures," I confess, hoping this would encourage him to open up more so I could gather some dirt on him.