Page 58 of Her Feral Beasts

I quickly unzip my bag and realise I have no pants left because I tore through my only pair of jeans when I shifted to save Minnie. Sighing, I grab the musty orange jumpsuit and yank it on while Minnie shifts back into human form and does the same.

The students are all sent back to the dining hall with curious, backwards glances at us and it’s only then that I see Lyle is standing there, glaring at Minnie and I. Well, he reserves the glaring part just for me.

“You,”he hisses, his amber eyes blown out into their lion form. I’m taken aback by his anger, by the rare loss of control of his animus.

But I’m also wired and still trembling with adrenaline, my own growls echoing in my head. So I snap back a feral, “You!” I hate this man so much.

He blinks. In shock, I think, because I have some audacity right now.

Between one blink and the next, his eyes return to human and he glances at Theresa. “I want bars on her door and their guard doubled.”

Lyle bends down, scoops up the unconscious nimpins, turns on his heel and storms after the guards. Shit, I hope Henry and Gertie are okay.

Minnie casts me a disturbed look. “What’s going on, Lia?” she asks. “None of this is normal. I heard everything they said. Why can you turn into a—”

I clap a hand over her mouth. “Later.”

Theresa silently leads us away and Minnie frowns but remains silent.

“They tried to kidnap me, Min,” I mutter, shaking my head, rage bubbling at the memory of my father’s mark on Savage’s finger. “They were going to fucking take me back to my father!”

Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t look at me. My anger and anxiety are a horde of angry bees in my chest. I don’t want to lose the first friend I’ve made. But I’ve put her in danger. Perhaps it’s best if she doesn’t want to be friendly with me anymore.

“I understand,” I say darkly, “if you don’t want anything to do with me after this.” Minnie folds her arms around her body like she’s hugging herself for comfort, and proceeds to chew on her lip. Fuck. I’ve really done it. Because of me, she’s traumatised. “AndI’m going to murder those bastards for it,” I mutter.

“I’m going to pretend,” Theresa says loudly in front of us. “That I didn’t hear you say that, Lia. Especially considering your situation.”

Oh right, because I’m already accused of murder. Threatening others isn’t a great look.

By the time we reach our dorm room, I’m a tangled raging mess of heat and electric energy. I angrily pace the room, my fists clenched, fury roaring in my ears. I need to do something. I need to hurt them for what they did. For thinking they could hunt me down, chase me, throw themselves on me, and tear my shields apart like they were nothing. I want to tear apart my father for thinking he has a right to doanyof this.

And to think he knew!Knewthese three were my mates. He probably blackmailed that lady phoenix back when I was thirteen and then lied to me about it. I just can’t believe he would send me to Halfeather’s mansion, knowing they were in that dungeon. What is he playing at?

“Aurelia.” Theresa’s voice seems far away as I pace the length of our dorm room.

“She’s losing it.” Minnie’s voice sounds muffled as the vision of Scythe and Savage bearing over me flicks through my mind like an aggressive slideshow.

“I’m not losing it,” I snarl, not caring that my voice is all gravelly. “I’m fuckingangry!” I clench my fists so hard, sharp pain bursts across my knuckles, but I relish it. “I want to fucking tear their heads off for what they tried to do.”

Theresa moves behind me and I’m so wired that I whirl around, ready for it. But she’s not trying to attack me. She’s holding one of Minnie’s massive European pillows.

Chapter26

Aurelia

“Punch it,” Theresa commands.

I frown at her serious face. “What?”

“You want to hit someone, Lia? You want to hurt them for what they did? Well, you need to learn healthy outlets for your anger. Take it out on this.”

I stare at her for a moment longer until Minnie groans, “Do it, Lia.”

There’s so much energy vibrating through me that I don’t question it further. I launch myself at the unicorn printed pillow, pummelling it with my fists in rapid succession. But I’ve never been the most physical person, so I’m red, sweaty and gasping for air within seconds. “Fuck!” I bellow, blowing a strand of hair off my face. My knuckles and biceps burn and I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. “Fuck!” I cry again.

“Let it out, Lia,” Theresa says, calmly. “You’re doing good.”

“Please don’t tell the deputy headmaster,” I groan. “He’s going to think I’m feral.”

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