บททั้งหมดของ Bite: บทที่ 161 - บทที่ 170

I nearly piss myself. The lights from the stage are too bright. I try to peer into the crowd to see my boys, but I can’t spot them because the students look like a sea of ants. Millions and millions of ants just staring at me. The faux confidence I had when I stepped on stage melts immediately. I crouch back, overwhelmed by the attention surrounding me. Principal Watson doesn’t miss a beat. “Of course, this is all from the police report. Olivia has been a stellar student so far. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” At those last words, he looks to me, shadows swirling in his eyes. My Nester Rist bite throbs. I know what this is, know what’s happening, and still I’m trying hard to believe that it isn’t true. The hall becomes too rowdy, students throwing questions at Principal Watson. Eventually, he raises a hand to shut them all up, then informs, “The assembly is over. Everyone can leave single file.” I don’t miss the chance to try and jump off stage, but Principa

I'm a hybrid. Or… I'm becoming one. I look down at myself as Principal Watson/Nester continues to hover over me. I feel the bite Ricklan left when he thought I had died, throbbing like a ticking bomb about to burst under my skin. He bit me and left me. And now, I'm a hybrid. I stare up at Principal Watson and into his shadowed eyes, the threat he poses feeling almost non-existent with this new revelation. I knew, didn't I? The doctors in the hospital alluded to it. Me growling at Talon’s parents confirmed it. The new emotions exploding in me that I’ve had to feel back for weeks showed it. I’ve known, but I kept refusing to believe it. And now my bite is refusing to be ignored. I try to reorient myself, remind myself where I am and why I should be fucking terrified of the man in front of me, but the only words that come out of my mouth are, “Why haven't I turned?” “Odd, isn't it?” he answers smoothly. “The truth, Olivia, is I have no idea. Sometimes transformations

I make my way to the lunch hall as if nothing happened. But inside, my heart is pounding a million miles per second Nester has a way of getting in my head, that much is clear, but I know escaping him wouldn’t be as easy this time as it was before. Students dodge me as I pass by. Clearly, the idea that I murdered my dad is enough to make me public enemy number 1. Anger I’ve been struggling to keep down urges me to lunge at them and really give one of them something to be fucking afraid of. But I shake it off, walking faster. Something in me pulls me to that lunch room, and I just know when I get there I’ll find the four people left on earth capable of making me feel normal. Sure enough, as I burst through the lunch hall doors, the chatter stops, all eyes turn to me, but I immediately lock on my CrestRidge boys. My heart calms a little. They look at me with the same worry I feel, and I have no doubt that Nester has gotten to them as well. Ignoring the rest of the student bo

I explode. Magic flows out of my fingers, my eyes, my hair, my mouth as I scream. Everywhere is gold. I am gold. I don’t know how to stop or if I even can; all I know is that I’m magic and magic is me. “Olivia!” A warbled yell tries to break through to me, but as much as I try to reach it, I can’t. People around me fall to their knees, not speaking or moving. I can’t raise my head to stare at them because of the force of magic that’s weighing me down. I think I’m going to be crushed by my own power. “Olivia!” A voice calls again; deeper this time, more commanding. Axel. With all my might, I snap my head up and watch him blaze a path toward me. He’s lit up like a torch. His usually silver eyes bore into mine with as much gold as there is in the cafeteria. He falls to his knees in front of me, shouting, “Olivia, let go!” I can’t. Even if I wanted to, I can’t. Is this what I really am? What Nester wants to snatch and take as his own? Suddenly, my hand sears

The drive is long, but the silence is longer. I spend the first half of the way there darting my eyes out of the windows, afraid Nester would be running behind us with gleaming, angry eyes. But an hour in, with no sign of any other life except the five of us, I realize Nester/Principal Watson isn’t anywhere on our trail. I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse. What I do know is that once the anxiety of that wears down, a completely different, overtaking stress hits me as I glance at my boys. By taking me away, they are taking away their opportunity to graduate. “We have to go back,” I state plainly. Axel barks a harsh laugh from the driver seat. “Good to see you’re no longer in pain.” “Axel, I’m serious.” He slows down for a second so he can stare at me. “So are we.” I let out an anxious huff, turning to Hunter in the passenger seat, “Get him to turn the car around.” “Not doing that,” Hunter says. It’s so simple, as if he isn’t leaving his parents behind. Ryker