Is there a problem?

As Julianne walked out the door, Velvet joined her and as they walked down the corridor, she asked, “What’s with your expression?”

“Huh?” Julianne asked, turning her head to her.

“What did the headmistress say?”

Julianne thought about the anonymous person who paid for her fees and she wondered who it may be. The only person she could think of was her father, but then, how would he have known she was here?

“Someone already paid my fees,” she answered her.

Velvet made a surprise expression and asked, “Do you have rich families?”

Families? Julianne thought. Even the family she thought she had turned out to be a lie.

“I have no one,” she responded and she could see Velvet looking at her strangely.

As they turned the classroom, about to part ways, a male student suddenly blocked her path and scowled down at her.

Fear gripped Julianne immediately when she saw him but she managed to form a frown at the same time. The boy continued staring her down without saying anything and ignoring him, she moved to the side and made to walk away from him, only to be blocked again.

Out of frustration, she told him, “Watch your way, will you?”

“Who are you to tell me that?” he asked with a deep frown and she glared back at him. “You are the one who is not wanted here. How did you even come here?”

Julianne clenched her hands into a fist and grit her teeth inside. “Hey, do you know me? Have we met before?” she asked.

“You are not someone worth meeting,” he said, his voice cold and harsh.

His words pricked Julianne like a needle and she was almost at the verge of tears, but she told him instead, “Then get out of my way and find someone else to talk trash with!”

Julianne felt herself burning inside and rage filling her. She thought her words were enough to dismiss him seeing that she was not interested in whatever he had in mind to do, but she didn’t know it would piss him off the more and cause him to grab her shoulder in a tight grip, almost sending her to her knees.

“Back off Jordan!”

It was a warning, but it sounded so threatening.

“What’s it to you, Velvet? This isn’t any of your business.”

“I’m her guide. It has everything to do with me. Now, move,” she hissed.

But Jordan stood there defiant, his grip still as tight as it was when he first placed it on her shoulder.

Julianne winced a little as the grip was too tight for her, almost crushing her fragile bones.

Velvet bared her teeth. “Back off, Jordan. Or do I need to remind you what happened to the last idiot who challenged me?”

There was a snicker and Julianne moved her concentration from Jordan, the wolf who had bind her hands and knocked her out in one blow, to now see the crowd of students who had started to gather. Among them were the other wolves who she had seen briefly that night. They stood together at the back, next to the wall, and others stood in groups also.

Julianne gulped instantly, tension rising within her. She always hated attention. It was one of the things she wanted to avoid here, but it seems to always crawl back to her. That aside, she looked at Velvet and could see her fuming at Jordan. She couldn’t understand a thing at the moment. Why was Velvet so angry at Jordan when it appeared they were together on whatever happened to her the other night?

As the tension rose further, a voice suddenly cut through the tension like ice.

“Is there a problem?”

The voice…Julianne looked sideway and saw Ryker standing with a poised expression. His gaze flicked to her and then locked onto Jordan. No snarl. No threat. Just quiet, lethal calm.

Julianne felt Jordan’s grip loosened from her shoulder and she saw him stiffen a bit.

“This doesn’t concern you, Wolfe,” he said.

“Do you need money so bad? Because as it is, nobody is paying to watch your show? It’s all being viewed for free, and some people don’t like that.”

The air thickened. Julianne’s skin prickled as Ryker stepped closer. Jordan’s jaw clenched, but he retreated, giving her one last glare before turning down the hall.

There was silence, and then everyone started to disperse from there.

Julianne was perplexed. Ryker, the one who said he wasn’t interested in meddling with her just today, is now the one saving her from his fellow wolf. Did something change? She thought.

Before she could get to thank him, he was already walking away. And just at the front, she could see Cassian leaning on the wall before pushing his body off and walking among the other students, disappearing from sight.

Had he been watching her all along?

“You should head back to class.”

Julianne realized Velvet was still there and she looked at her. “Thank you for helping me.”

“No, Jordan is an idiot. He gets on people’s nerves and he’s scary at times.”

Even as she spoke, Julianne could see the obvious anger in her expression.

“If you don’t see me after class ends, just head straight to the dorm. I’ll see you later,” she said and went her way.

Julianne stood there, wondering what made Velvet so angry. She didn’t stay there a second more, fearing that Jordan would come back and there won’t be anyone to save her this time. She left the place and head to class immediately, keeping her head down and concentrating only on what matters.

After class that day, Julianne saw Ryker leave through the back door without saying anything to her. Why did he help her? She wanted to know, but it seems she would have to find out herself. Ryker won’t just ask her to come out with him and tell her why he did what he did. She would have to approach him and ask. And what is it really about this school?

She got up immediately and grabbed her bag, pushing her books inside and zipping it. She made her way out of the classroom through the back door and looked straight ahead. No sign of him anywhere, not even among the ones who now walked in the hallway. She sucked in a breath and moved among them while being at alert. Every move and sound, she paid attention to until she was out of the place and she followed Velvet’s words to head back to the dorm.