Chapter 42
Chapter 42 -Dorothy.
My new college was bigger than my old one back on Khall territory. Stepping through the large front doors my breath caught in my throat as I gazed in horror and the number of bustling students moving about the hallways.
Fae put a hand on my elbow and guided me along through the crowd. So far, nob*dy seemed to notice or recognize me which was a plus.
They knew Angie though. A few people approached us to greet her and the others. It was only after we moved along that they looked over their shoulders at me like they're just realized who I was. I hoped that word didn't spread fast here.
I managed to get through most of the day without any hiccups. Either Angie, Fae, or Gideon were in at least one of my classes so I was never truly alone. The problem arose, however, when it came to my final period for the day.
Up until that point. I hadn't been called up to the front nor introduced to the class by any of my lecturers which had been a relief. But in my final lecture period, the professor, a wizened old man took roll call and belted my name out loudly in front
of the class.
"Dorothy-ch, there's no surname here. Do we have a Dorothy in this class?"
All eyes turned to gaze at me and I sheepishly raised my hand. Im Dorothy" I squeaked, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me whole. "Tm here
The old man adjusted his spectacles to peer over at me. I shrank in my seat, mortified at all of the attention.
"Ah." he said finally. "You're new here. From the Khall Pack. I hear: Welcome. Dorothy. It's good to have you here."
I nodded my thanks and stared at the desk in front of me when a chorus of whispers arose from around the lecture hall.
If they didn't recognize me before, they knew who I was now. None of my new friends were in this class either. I was alone and I had the entire room gawking at me like I was a specimen in a 200 Finally, the lecture continued and people eventually went back to focusing on the professor drone on about something could barely understand.
As soon as the class ended, I gathered my things and booked it to the exit before anyone could stop me and talk. I made it out of the room but I was stopped by someone tapping on my shoulder as I was hurrying away.
I turned to face a girl 1 had never seen before. But looking at her, I got the same feeling I had when I laid eyes on Mavis for the first time; snake.
She crossed her arms and looked me up and down while I stood with my shoulders haunched and my books to my chest.
"So you're Dorothy!" she said. Her voice dripped with disgust and 1 wished any one of my friends would turn up and diffuse the situation. Two more girls came to stand at her side and I took a step back "Yeah, I'm Dorothy. I've got to go though.." I turned around to leave but she gripped my forearm tightly, her sharp nails dug deep into my skin.
"You're the reason the Tally are attacking us now," she hissed. "My brother was one of their victims. What kind of future Luna endangers her people?"
I was mute. I stared at her in shock. "I didn't I didn't know that this would happen. I didn't mean for any of it to happen."
This only seemed to infuriate her more and she leered at me, her teeth sharpening as she pushed her face close to mine. "Your blathering doesn't help anything. And your useless apologies won't bring him back.
She pushed me and I stumbled backward, barely managing to maintain my balance at the force of it. "Go back to where you came from mutt. We don't need s cu m like you around here."
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10:48 Fri, Jan 26 G Chapter 42
Students were starting to gather around as the girl and her friends stepped forwards again. I was trapped by the crowd, people circled me and others looked on with blank faces. It seemed a lot of people blamed me for the recent attacks. And they weren't entirely wrong about it.
I lifted my hands, palms up in surrender. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to disrupt your lives. I can't change what has happened and I can't bring back what you've lost but I can help, I can-" The p girl didn't let me finish and I was pushed again, this time, someone behind me pushed back, and then more people joined in.
I struggled to stay on my feet, trying to remember everything Angie had taught m over the past week. We had only ever practiced one on one combat and I was facing dozens of people I also didn't want to hurt anyone, they were my people after all. I was supposed to be one of them, even though it seemed they clearly didn't want me there.
The noise volume rose as people grew more excited, egged on by others as the crowd grew, and more people gathered to watch. A few were yelling, shouting insults to be heard over the growing outcry. "Khall sc um,"
"Ginger b itch
Panic rose in my chest and threatened to burst forth in a scream as I was pushed and pulled and mocked. I wanted them to stop, I was overwhelmed and terrified all over again.
"Stop, I whispered. Please stop." But my voice was lost to the masses.
Without thinking. I reached my hand forwards, to the girl in front of me who had started it all. Her eyes were angry and her fangs protruded from her mouth. I pressed my palm directly against her chest. "Stop," I said, my voice suddenly even and calm.
I felt a strange peace settle over me. Renee was growling in my chest, I knew she was trying to speak to me but I felt far away from my own b*dy-separated from myself and my wolf. The same white glow grew at my palm but this time it wasn't coming from me.
It was flowing from the girl in front of me into the hand I had placed on her chest. Her expression was a puzzling one. She was staring at me with wide eyes, her open mouth frozen in a scream but no sound came out. The crowd around me had stopped their harassment and drew back. Someone cried out in alarm.
I didn't understand what was happening but I felt like I was in a trance. I gazed at her in a daze. I felt energy racing up my arm and into my own b*dy, filling me with a strength I had never felt before. I didn't realize where it was coming from or why. I didn't realize that I was killing her draining the life from her b*dy through the palm of my hand. Suddenly, my arm was wrenched away from the girl by someone much taller than me. "Stop it. Dorothy! She'll diet"
Angie's voice made me blink and the world came back into focus. I looked around me. Students were staring at me in horror. The girl had fallen to the floor at my feet and Fae was checking her pulse. Angie had her arms around my shoulders, holding me back. But I didn't fight her. I hung limp in front of her, mortified at what I had just done. I felt the newly stolen energy coursing through my b*dy. I felt stronger than ever. I felt like a monster.
Far looked up in relief. "She's alive. But she needs to get to the hospital"
Everything was still for a moment before one student whispered, “Witch”
A new label to add to my reputation. Angie noticed the crowd threatening to close in once again and growled at the people surrounding us. "Don't even think about it. I'll kill every last one of you." Whether it was their newfound lear of me or Angie's dominating presence I'll never know, but the crowds of students slowly parted to let us through Angie walked me past all of them and I couldn't bring my eyes to meet the gazes of the scared people around me. Far carried the girl behind us and Gideon showed up to lead us to the van.
Chapter 42
We drove to the hospital in stony silence for a while.
I looked over at the unconscious girl in Far's arms. "I can give it back. The life I took," I said quietly, "I can feel it inside of me. I can give it back."
Angie shook her head. "We can't know for sure if you'll be able to stop from draining yourself in the process. She's going to be okay. And the last thing we need is you landing up in the hospital all over again." I leaned against the window, tears pric king at my eyes. "They hate me. They already hated me and now they're going to hate
me even thore
"They come around, Fae reassured me. "If anything, this move will probably have gained you some respect among them. At the end of the day, you were defending yourself. And you did it in the Bielke way. When pushed, push back harder.
"That's a flawed way of life," I said blankly: "I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm supposed to be protecting these people, not sapping the life out of them.
I looked down at the girl. "She was angry because her brother had died in a Tally attack. She has every right to hate me. I brought this invasion down on everyone."
"Dorothy, shut up." Angie said sharply. "This is not your fault. The Tally have been waiting to take us down long before you showed up. This isn't on you
Her face softened slightly and she took my hand. "Don't blame yourself okay. They shouldn't have cornered you Im sorry we left you alone for a while. Next time, I promise to have your back no matter what" like that.
Her gentleness came as a surprise to me. I wasn't sure what to say. I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. I longed for my mate who suddenly felt so far away.
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