9

Chapter 9.

"Talia! Wake up!" Titi screamed in Talia's head, but she was too weak to even lift a muscle. 

Another boy knelt next to Talia while Derek fanned her face with trembling hands. 

"I don't know what to do, Talia! They'll take off your shirt!" Titi screamed again as the boy held on to Talia's shirt, and began pulling it up. 

“Wait-- did he just howl?” Derek asked, grabbing the boy’s hand before it could lift the shirt.

But it was Titi, she was howling out loud even though Talia was unconscious. 

"Is that even possible?" Felix asked as Derek and the boy pulled away from Talia while the soft howl was still coming from Titi.

Damon, finally catching his breath, watched Talia with a frown etched across his face.

"Is he... shifting?" Another boy asked. 

"No...I think... It's a Hollow Shift" Derek mumbled under his breath and pulled backward when Damon pushed through the boys and went to kneel in front of Talia. 

Placing both hands on her chest, he paused and stared at Talia's face. The soft low howl stopped, then he began pressing on her chest at intervals, counting under his breath. 

He continued with the CPR until Talia gasped out for breath, then he stopped and watched as her chest rose and fell slowly. 

"Come on, help me!" Damon blurted out, as he turned his back and some boys carried Talia and placed her on his back. 

Damon began sprinting as Felix trailed behind, trying to keep up; while Talia mumbled softly under her breath, with her eyes shut. 

The boy began walking down the woods, following Damon, while Derek stayed back, alone in the woods. 

His face was tightened into a deep frown as he clenched his fists behind his sides, while staring at the path Damon had taken, as if he could still see Talia on his back. 

“Isn’t the Hollow Shift... a curse?” Derek murmured, eyes narrowing like he was trying to convince himself he had not just seen what he saw.

***

Damon ran the five miles with Talia on his back, and he finally got her to the infirmary. 

He raced down the hallway, heaving heavily while some students stopped and watched. 

"Mr. Creed" Dr. Lanxy nodded and directed him as Damon walked into the ward. 

Gently, he placed Talia on the bed and stepped aside, his gaze fixed on her face. 

"What happened to him?" Dr. Lanxy questioned as she brought out a jar.

"He... he fainted in the 5 miles race" Damon stuttered within gasps, fighting for his breath. 

"But... he's breathing now" he added. 

"Oh, that's good. What's his name?" Dr. Lanxy asked and moved to Talia on the bed. 

She took out a tiny torch from her pocket and raised the lids of Talia's eyes one by one, pointing the torchlight into it. 

"Sage... Sage Storm" Damon said, his breathing now calm.

Dr. Lanxy's hands froze midway as if the name hit a nerve, then she continued as if she hadn't heard the name. 

"Now, you have done a great job, Mr. Creed. Why don't you go take your bath and freshen up?" Dr. Lanxy stood erect and turn to face him, a smug smile tucked at the corner of her lips. 

Damon nodded, then took one last glance at Talia before he walked out of the ward.

Dr. Lanxy returned her gaze to Talia, watching as her chest rose and fell, with trails of sweat on her forehead. 

"You're sweating too much" Lanxy sighed, reaching for Talia’s shirt. “Let’s get you some air.”

But Talia grabbed her wrist instantly, and then opened her eyes. Lanxy's gaze met with Talia's, who slowly rolled her eyes around, scanning the room to figure out where she was. 

Then her gaze returned to Lanxy, then she let go of Lanxy's arm. Lanxy stepped back as Talia sat up. She winced as she reached for her back. 

It was the bite from the band, but she quickly cleared her throat and looked up at Lanxy. 

"Thank you, Dr. Lanxy. I'm fine now" Talia stood from the bed and began heading to the door while Lanxy watched her. 

"Have you visited the Scent Anomalies Department yet, Mr. Storm?" Lanxy blurted out of the blue, making Talia stop right in her tracks. 

Talia's hand was already touching the doorknob as she could hear her heartbeat pound, hammering hard. 

"I don't have a reason to visit them, Dr. Lanxy." Talia said without turning back to spare her a look. 

"Thanks for your concern anyway" she turned the doorknob, pushed the door open and stepped out of the ward. 

She finally exhaled the breath she did not realize she had been holding, as she walked past the hallway. 

Derek, who had been watching from the window rested his gaze on her, while his brows remained creased until she walked out of sight. 

*.*

Later that day, the students freshened up and were seated in the classroom, waiting for the History Teacher. 

The classroom was filled with murmuring as the students gossiped and Sage's name was mentioned at intervals. 

Just then, Talia dragged her feet into the classroom with her bag hanging across her shoulders. 

Her feet were still sore from the morning's race and the sharp bite on her chest was still stinging through her ribs. 

And just as she stepped in, the murmuring in the class died down and as if on cue, everyone turned their gazes at her. 

Ignoring them, she moved slowly to her seat next to Damon and sat down. On her desk, there was a cup of coffee and an aspirin. 

She shifted her gaze to Damon, who didn't look at her, but was just scribbling down something on the book in front of him. 

"Thank you" she mumbled and grabbed the cup of coffee and took a sip. 

Derek, sitting across from her studied her, the way her hand trembled as she held the cup while unanswered questions flooded his mind. 

The History Teacher, Miss Milly, finally stepped into the classroom and the students began taking out their books, with the murmuring dying down. 

"Sage Storm?" Miss Milly called and Talia jerked her head up at her, dropping the cup on the desk. 

"Yes, Ma'am?"

“Headmistress wants to see you,” Milly announced, making Talia clench her jaw.

With a sigh, she stood up and started walking to the door while Damon stared at her back until she walked out of sight. 

Selene was busy observing as Damon was watching Talia while Milly walked to the board. 

Talia got to the Headmistress' office and knocked twice, then she opened the door and stepped in.

"Mrs. Doris? I heard you wanted to see me" Talia said, still standing by the door. 

The woman lifted her head and stared at Talia through her glasses before returning her eyes to what she was scribbling down on the document in front of her. 

"Oh yes, Mr. Storm. Please have a seat" she beckoned and Talia moved slowly, then took the empty seat opposite her. 

"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Mr. Storm?" Mrs. Doris asked, pushing the document aside, while Talia squeezed her brows, giving her questioning looks. 

"I don't understand, Mrs. Doris" Talia rested her back on the chair. 

"Well, Mr. Storm. We received some reports about you" Mrs. Doris said and grabbed a letter in front of her, and started reading through. 

"You passed out during the 5 miles wrap. You were severely injured during the last tournamen--" She had not finished when Talia cut in.

"Isn’t that... normal? I mean, injuries happen, right?” She forced a shaky smile, trying to act calm even as panic crawled under her skin.

"In Alpha Crest Academy, it's quite unusual" Mrs. Doris pulled out a letter from a file and began stamping it.

"That's why I'm sending a letter to your father--"

“My father?” Talia’s pulse jumped, panic flickering in her eyes as she leaned forward. 

"Yes, Mr. Storm. He nee

ds to explain why his son is exhibiting omega traits at Alpha Crest Academy" Mrs. Doris said with finality, as she signed on the letter.