Page 40 of Her Rabid Beasts

On one hand, he’s an arrogant bastard who practically served me up for execution on a silver platter. On the other hand, memories from the cavern come back to me in flashes. Moments of a gentle hand and a deep, murmuring voice. It had calmed myanima. It had comforted us. And then there was that moment in the dining hall…

Theresa knows something is up by the way she avoids my gaze.

“Can’tyoucounsel me?” I ask desperately.

“The deputy headmaster treats the ex-rabid students himself.”

I grumble under my breath.

“And Lia?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad you’re here. Glad you’re still with us.”

My head almost snaps up to stare at her in shock. She smiles at me with all of her teeth. “I’m growing pretty fond of you.”

I only just manage to stop the gaping. After everything, my vision goes blurry as I register her words. What had been about to happen if I hadn’t acted. Henry nuzzles into my shoulder, detecting that I’m about to lose it.

“Thank you,” I say softly. “I… I haven’t felt welcome in any place in a very long time.”

“I know. It’s the same for a lot of the students here, you know. The ones who come from crime families. Maybe not the wolves so much, but a lot of the felines and raptors have this in common. Rough parents. Rough lives.”

I nod in agreement. Sabrina and Stacey certainly have similar such stories. Sabrina was locked in a cupboard for hours by her father. And Stacey only just revealed to us that she was forced to go hungry as punishment for not getting good marks at school.

“But Theresa, my sentence has only been postponed. It’s not like it’s all gone away.”

“Speak to Lyle tomorrow, love. We’ll get through this.”

My friends come and go during the afternoon, but Minnie is not one of them. Sabrina mentioned that she saw her with Titus and some other felines over at the animus dorm. None of us like this, but Minnie is an intelligent girl who knows her own mind. As soon as classes come around tomorrow, I’ll be able to get some one-on-one time with her to ask her what the fuck Titus is about. So it’s just Me, Eugene and Henry in the room as I wearily climb into bed, my bones feeling like they’re made of lead. My skin feels tight over my muscles and no matter how much water I drink, I feel like it’s never enough.

I’m heaving myself up from bed and reaching for my water bottle when a prickle of awareness tickles the back of my neck.

I go on high alert.

I check my shields for their integrity. Once, and then twice for good measure, but they’re all fully functional, protecting me and my friends from the external forces that might hurt us.

So then… what is it?

A small scuffling sound comes from outside, followed by a loud grunt. The handles of the balcony door angle downward and I stare as the shadow of a tall male straightens on the other side. I shrink into my covers as the doors silently sweep open.

Eugene clucks a soft greeting from where he’s roosting on the new purple armchair Minnie brought up from the cavern.

“Princess?” Savage whispers.

“Fucking hell,” I mutter, pushing myself forward and taking a swig from my water bottle.

“You didn’t think I’d let you hide from me, did you?”

I allow my eagle eyes to take over so I can see better through the dark.

He closes the balcony doors, the security lights from outside casting his bare torso in silver. He’s showered since his messy attack at the trial, leaving his hair damp. A lick of a dark curl flops onto his forehead as he grins down at me.

“Hello, regina.”

His voice is a caress up my spine. I set my water bottle down and self-consciously pull up the bedsheet to my chin. “Hi.”

Savage’s grin is ridiculous, and he has the audacity to close his eyes and tilt his head back as if savouring my presence. “Oh, my heart, regina. I’ve missed your voice.”

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