Page 64 of Her Feral Beasts

“One day…” Her voice sounds like she’s swallowed sandpaper and rubbed it against her throat. It makes my skin go all bumpy. “One day, your regina will make you weep, little wolf.”

Chapter29

Aurelia

The next morning, Minnie and I are let out of our jail cell. Neither of us slept very well, and I had a strange dream about Savage and Scythe. The wolf was fighting in a ring and both of them looked young enough to be children. It was so vivid and the fact that I remember every detail shakes me more than I like to admit.

Worse, I didn’t even have Henry to cuddle to my cheek when I woke up covered in sweat with my heart pounding. My little nimpin had really helped me this past week, and I didn’t quite realise how much. He was an assistance animal in the whole meaning of the phrase.

As soon as our cell door disarms, Minnie and I immediately go to the veterinary clinic to pick him and Gertie up.

The poor nimpins squeak and throw themselves at us when we reunite, their huge black eyes telling us they were super worried, and I feel awful. The nurse reports that they were hysterical when they woke up, but calmed right down once the situation was explained. They’ve been given a bath and berries to eat, but were otherwise occupied with watching the goldfish in the tank set into the clinic wall.

With them cuddled to our chests, we head to the dining hall to join Raquel, Sabrina, Connor and Stacey. The entire hall goes quiet for a moment as we enter, before the noise kicks right back up again. Henry vibrates against me in reassurance, and I kiss him on his clean, fluffy head. I glance at the end of the hall and findthatback table has been left empty.

It’s really strange not to see any of the three monsters holding court and knowing they’re not going to be sitting there.

But my anima gives a woeful cry that sets me trembling.

Stop that. They tried to kidnap me, dammit!

I don’t even know what Iwoulddo if I saw them again. I’m still angry. I’m still hurt and betrayed. Just pretending they don’t exist seems safest and is now going to be my signature mental gymnastic move.

The animas of our little group try not to ask us too many questions, though I know they’re bursting with them. The entire academy knows that the three psychos tried to kidnap me and that Lyle Pardalia saved Minnie and me. Once again, he is the hero of the school and I’m the butt of the joke. This academy is not short on drama, but a kidnap attempt is still out of the ordinary. I avoid their questions with the grumpy, don’t-start-with-me look that’s now on my face at all times.

Resting bitch face?

Try resting don’t-fuck-with-me-or-I’ll-gouge-your-eyeballs-out face.

Besides, I’m nervous for my ‘therapy session’with the boss lion of this fine institution and it’s occupying my mind for the moment. I never thought I’d actually have to go to it, and it seems especially cruel of the universe to have the session on the very next day of my escape attempt. I’m not even sure how much he knows about exactly what happened, but he’s going to rub it in, I’m sure ofthat.And not rubbing in a good way, either.

And the look on his face yesterday told me everything I needed to know about how the appointment is going to go.

What does he expect me to say? “Oh, so sorry I ran, sir. Won’t happen again.” Are we going to talk about my deep, dark fears about being chained up? My twisted relationship with my dad? I would rather stick my drumsticks in hot oil.

I drag out breakfast as much as I can, but Minnie gives me a wide-eyed look as she points to the clock hanging above the buffet. “Wish I could be a fly on the wall for this therapy session,” she sighs. “It’s even hotter that he’s a psychologist. Swoon!”

The rest of the animas, including Connor, who catches up with us for breakfasts, giggle in agreement. Raquel even gives me a smirk.

I’m disgusted by their adulation of him and let my face tell them I’m very disappointed. “Yeah, well, you’ll get your chance, Min.”

This morning, Minnie got her notice for a session with Lyle for after lunch, and we guessed it was to debrief for her own part in her, as she’s dubbed it, ‘hostage situation’. “It’s going to be awful,” I mutter as I heave myself to my feet. “I’m telling you, I’m going to come out even more mentally unstable than I already am.”

Minnie chuckles as if that’s a cute joke, and I leave the six of them and their nimpins to their leisurely breakfast. After a longing look back at them, I walk up to one of the guards by the door and show him my appointment note.

He nods and two of them escort me deep into the central building where all the offices are supposed to be. Without Minnie or one of the girls by my side, I suddenly feel very alone.

My skin prickles as a few passing males look me up and down as they pass in the opposite direction. It’s not uncommon to see beasts being escorted around the school by two or more guards, but I’m one of the few with the warning sign on my lanyard, and the males get curious about it.

The fact that I come with this literal warning label around my neck is another sort of humiliation. The other beasts take it as a point of pride if they have one, but for me, it becomes a running joke.

“HeyFlight Risk,” jeers a passing lion.

“More like flight…failure!” says his friend. They both chortle at their great joke and I know at once that I’ll never live this down. Gods, I preferred ‘bun bun bunny’.

The guards say nothing to admonish them. Great lot of bastards, the lot of them. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about the fact that Savage outright told me that some of the guards are on their payroll. Like some mafia shit.

If itismafia shit, that makes Scythe a mafiadon.

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