chapter 4

Liora’s POV

I stood there, frozen. My heart raced as the figures emerged. My mother’s face came into focus.

“What are you discussing with her?”

Oh no! Liam mustn’t say a word.

Liam's eyes bulged as he glared at me. His chest heaved. My face twitched with fear as I saw my mum.

“Um, I … I was just angry that he had spit so much nonsense about me.”

"You will regret this," he growled and darted away from me.

I pressed my hand to my face and sighed. What a prick? Who the hell did he think he was to talk to me like that?!

“What’s going on between you and Liam?”

I forced a smile. My tongue was cleft. Before Mom said another word, I stepped away from her. “Don’t worry about us, Mom. Bye for now.”

Well, I had to move. I stumbled out of the hallway with my chest tight. I needed fresh air after Liam’s venomous words. I still couldn't believe my ears. How dare he call me a prostitute, a manipulator? I had no idea who he was before we had sex.

My palm still stung from the slap I had landed, but it didn’t feel like a victory. That shocked look on his face when I hit him didn't even make me feel good. Nothing could lift my mood after discovering that the man I thought I had a great time with believed I was a whore.

My wolf growled inside, but I ignored it. My day was ruined, and now, I couldn't go back to the hall. There was no way Liam and I could sit in the same space. Maybe he would report me to his father. Then he would have to explain what happened between us. Goodluck with that.

I walked out of Thornwell Estate and took a cab straight to the motel. I slammed the guest room door behind me and locked it with shaky hands. My body trembled with rage and fear. What if he actually told Alpha Garran and he believed Mom was also a gold-digging whore? Would he call off their marriage?

Damn it! They hadn't even been married for a day yet, and my actions were about to cause trouble between them.

I paced, replaying Liam’s words in my mind. Gold-digging whore. Really? That was a horrible thing to say to anyone. I knew now that he was a terrible person.

Somehow, the things he said to me hurt worse than Calyx’s betrayal, worse than Veyra’s taunts. Because I thought that night was special. I had been looking forward to seeing him again. Now, he turned out to be a spoilt brat and an absolute prick.

Why couldn't I have anything good in my life?!

My wolf clawed at my control, desperate to break out, but I ignored her again.

I peered at my reflection in the stained closet mirror and my dull blue eyes stared back at me. My life was a mess and I needed a change, a spark.

An idea dropped in my head in that moment. There was a letter in my bag, offering me admission to Saint Howl's Academy after I passed their entrance assessment. I had ignored it for weeks because I wasn't sure if that was what I wanted. I had taken their assessment along with others for fun.

I sank onto the bed and opened my bag. The Saint Howl’s letter was intact. My ticket to freedom. A shot at a fresh start. Sign here and upload to accept your admission to Saint Howl’s Academy.

I read those words again and again. They were a lifeline, a perfect escape from Hollowshade and from my family.

"Yes, I'll give this a shot," I muttered as I picked up a pen from my bag and scribbled my signature on the page. Then I picked up my phone, scanned the signed admission offer and uploaded it on the portal.

Now, I could forget about Veyra and Calyx and Liam and everything in my life right now. I had no idea what Saint Howl's Academy had in store for me, and that was the exciting thing. I couldn't wait to resume.

__

The taxi screeched to a halt. I clutched my bag and stared out the grimy window. Saint Howl’s Academy loomed ahead. Finally, I was here. This was my escape to bury Hollowshade, Liam, and everything else forever and have a new life.

I paid my fare, got off the taxi and stepped onto the cobblestone floor. The campus buzzed with new arrivals just like me. Everyone seemed to be starting on the same foot and that suited me.

Magical runes glowed on stone walls like they were alive. As I walked deeper into the campus, I noticed students moving in groups and packs. I started hearing whispers about power and bloodlines and hot dudes.

A sigh escaped my lips. I hoped classes would start soon so we could talk about the things that mattered.

I pulled my hood up, determined to pass as wolfless. I wanted to be invisible, alone in my world.

First, I had to find my dorm. Room 213. It took a while to the labyrinth of polished wood and flickering torches. When I finally found the door with 213 on it, I was exhausted.

I pushed it open and saw three girls sitting and chatting on the lower bunk. One of them immediately caught my attention. She held a spell book in her hand and her white-blonde hair was tied into a ponytail.

"This is your room?" She asked, peering at me.

"Yeah, I'm Liora of Hollowshade."

"Elyra of Korrvale. These are my friends, Lila and Mira."

"Hello" the girls chorused. But their voices were cold. I saw it in their eyes that they didn't like me.

"Hey," I faked a smile as I approached the bunk.

Elyra's violet eyes flicked over me and then she turned to her friends. “Girls, any idea when we get to change our roommates? This one looks boring."

"You'll have to wait till the second year," Lila answered.

"Damn it, I should have lobbied a better room."

I stiffened as I climbed the bunk. They were talking about me like I wasn't even there.

"She looks wolfless," Mira looked up at me.

"She's wolfless. No title, no strong pack. I don't think she'll survive this academy."

"You realize I can hear what you're saying?" I growled as I placed my bag on the bunk.

Elyra shrugged. "Of course, we know. Do you want to do something about it, Little Miss Wolfless?"

Her friends cackled like she had said the funniest thing in the world.

My fingers curled into a fist. I couldn't believe I was stuck with this girl for a year.

"I came here to find peace," I told Elyra. "I won't allow anyone frustrate me here. I won't take bullshit from anyone."

"Is that supposed to be a threat? You sound like a whiny little kid," Elyra rolled her eyes and her friends laughed harder.

I got down from the bunk and marched out of the room, slamming the door hard behind me. Saint Howl's wasn't the perfect getaway I thought it would be. I already had an asshole for a roommate.

I walked down the administrative hall. The walls were made of stone and stained glass. Almost everyone seemed to move in twos and threes. I felt like the odd one out around here and it hurt my soul.

"Is that who I think it is?" A familiar voice boomed behind me.

I froze as I heard that voice. No, it couldn't be. I turned around just to be sure. And then I saw them. Veyra and Calyx, holding hands, peering at me. There were so many academies they could have joined. They just had to come to Saint Howl's, too. Fucking hell!

Liam popped out too. That instant, my blood dried up in my veins.