07: The princess is here

DARYL

“Who are rogues?”

I puffed out a breath of frustration. I was not listening to the teacher at all. My concentration was on a certain hazel-eyed witch who was going about her day like nothing had happened. Her whole presence in Fenrir Academy was a lie.

If I could just block out the feelings she stirred in me, then maybe I would be able to focus and find out who she was and why she was here in Fenrir. It was interesting at first, but now it was downright distracting.

The attack. I could bet on the full moon that nobody was going to investigate the attack — not the school, not even Fenrir Pack’s Alpha. It was all left to me to figure out who was trying to kill me and why. In this kind of time, I suddenly wished I had Ilana with me. My sister always found answers even to the most difficult puzzles.

“Are you worried? About who tried to kill you?” Axel must have noticed my absentmindedness, which was why he asked that question. Dolly looked sideways, her ears piquing in interest.

“Do you have any idea of who could have instigated the attempted murder?” she asked.

I shook my head. “There is no clue whatsoever. The assailant himself is a nameless werewolf. I do not think he is of Fenrir.”

“Is it even possible for a non-Fenrir pack member to gain access to the school grounds?”

“It is, if I could have been attacked by one.” If Soraya was not the one who sent the assailant, then it had to be someone from the Fenrir Pack, because no stranger could come into Fenrir Pack without help from inside. But I was not going to tell Axel and Dolly that.

“So what will you do now?” Dolly pressed on.

I shrugged. “I’ll find out.”

The class was over, and soon students were filing out of the classroom for lunch. I could hear their whispers about my attack and what my hands had done. I had killed a man unconsciously. The gravity of what had happened seemed to weigh down on me, and my breath came out in short gasps. The damned curse.

I was a monster. A killer.

I needed a break. An out from this suffocation. I walked faster, almost stumbling across the truckload of students.

“Daryl, are you okay?” Dolly’s voice seemed distant, even when she was close to me.

“I am fine,” I gritted out. My claws threatened to extract.

“Daryl?”

“Fuck it!” I snapped, making both Axel and Dolly flinch. “Go on ahead without me. I will meet you shortly,” I added, softening my voice.

Dolly was unsure, but she was dragged away by Axel.

A run.

A run would clear my mind.

I barely made it to the deeper sides when I let my Wolf out. My paws slapped against the dried leaves, and a rush of adrenaline and calmness sated through me. The wind brushed against my gold furs, and the scent of pine trees filled my nostrils and brought me peace once again.

When I had finished running and transformed back to my human form, I sank against the tree, panting slightly, and then slowly began making my way back to the campus grounds.

I barely made it to the cafeteria when Elle Farrow stepped up next to me.

“Prince Daryl,” she gushed. “Are you okay? Are you still in shock from the attack this morning?”

At first, I intended to ignore the lass, but on second thought, I prepped on a diplomatic smile and faced her. “Elle.”

The girl beamed, her eyes twinkling. Irritation tore at my guts.

“I just wanted to make sure you are okay. Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, following me further into the full cafeteria.

“A thorough investigation would do,” I answered, knowing that there was no such luck. Alpha Talon Farrow would never investigate on my account.

“I tried to tell Dad about it, but he won’t budge.”

I came to a stop and regarded the Alpha’s daughter with a lazy expression. “Which is exactly why I will not need your help at all, Elle Farrow,” I said calmly. “You know just how much your father dislikes my family. You should not betray him now by thinking you have a chance with me.”

It was the most words I had said to her since my arrival at Fenrir. I blocked out her short gasps that soon turned into hysterical cries as I approached Dolly and Axel’s table.

“You just broke the girl’s heart,” Axel commented.

“Someone needed to tell her the truth,” Dolly scoffed.

“But not in that manner. She looks like she is going to pass out,” Axel answered, glancing at the wailing Elle with a look that was more than pity. Her friends held on to her and helped her out of the cafeteria.

“She is a spoilt brat. She deserved it.”

“She is your Alpha’s daughter. You should not speak like that about her.”

Dolly scrunched her nose up at Axel. “Do you like the girl or something? Because I see no reason why you should be on her side.”

“What the heck! I do not like her, are you insane?” Axel stuttered out, his cheeks turning beet red. He was lying.

“Oh shut up. You do like her!” Dolly argued with a snort.

“Seems like it,” I laughed.

Axel glared at both of us. “Do not even start,” he grunted.

I raised my hands in mock surrender while Dolly kept laughing. Axel looked like he was going to sink into the chair.

“Where did you go, Daryl? You just left without telling us anything,” Dolly asked once she stopped laughing. Axel too looked at me curiously.

I picked up a slice of pizza from my plate and took a bite. “Do I have to report all of my movements to you?” I retorted sharply.

Both my friends were taken aback; never had I used such a tone on them. Before they could say something again, there was a commotion at the doorstep. All three of us turned to look, and she walked in.

I gasped as she made her way directly to my table. Of course, she should cause a commotion — after all, she was the Princess of Nevanda, my sister.

“Brother!” she beamed.

“What the heck are you doing here, Ilana!” I exclaimed just as my vision caught Soraya, who was making her way to another table that was beside us.

I glanced back at Ilana with wide eyes. If my sister saw Soraya, she would remember her as a human, not a witch, and I could not afford that. Not yet.

With a panicked gasp, I swung my arms around Ilana and began to lead her out of the cafeteria, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed us.

“Hey, stop pressing on me too hard!” Ilana complained with a loud squeak as she squirmed under my grip.

Once outside, and hopefully out of earshot, I released my hold on her hand and turned towards her with wide eyes.

“Ilana! What are you doing here?!” I whispered harshly as I stared at her with a mixture of shock and concern.

“I came here for you,” she replied simply, as if she did not notice the dangerous glint in my eyes.

“For me?”

She looked around and lowered her voice. “Father heard about the attack, and because he does not want to interfere in the matters of Fenrir Pack, he sent me here to shadow you.”

News sure does travel fast.

“Shadow me? Are you insane? What the heck can you do?”

Ilana glared at my statement. “Do not insult me, brother.”

“I am not insulting you. I am just being reasonable here, Ilana.”

Ilana frowned and folded her arms. “There is nothing you can do now. I am already here and I start my classes tomorrow.”

I hoped my sister did not remember Soraya, because I wanted to keep that information only to myself until I found out why she was there.

“Is there a reason why you do not want me here, Daryl?” Ilana questioned.

“No, there isn’t,” I bit out.

“I will be gone soon, don’t worry. I am not cut out for school, you know,” Ilana said.