Page 74 of Angel Lost

I let him lead me away from the common room, ignoring the knowing glances coming our way.

“Uh, Thorne. You’re an alpha, right?”

He rattles his key impatiently in his door. “Sure am. I’ll show you.”

“So, where’s your pack?”

He freezes just as the lock clicks open.

“I mean…at Fates Academy…all the shifters have a pack. Why do you come here if you can’t have any pack with you?”

Thorne yanks me inside and slams the door behind us. He pins me against the wall, breathing heavily.

“You know nothing about me. But let me make you my pack, for tonight.”

His breath is hot on my neck.

“Don’t you miss them? Is…is the dean threatening them somehow?”

With a snarl he pulls away, staring down at me.

“Get out,” he says. When I don’t move, he unceremoniously throws me out of his dorm room, sending me sprawling into the corridor and slamming the door.

I’m still on my hands and knees when his key turns, locking me out. Fuck. A pair of sandalled feet march into view.

“Aether Lorelei.” The voice is icy.

I look up, taking in the gray of the professor’s robes as I stand slowly, dusting myself down. He raises an eyebrow.

“Lover’s tiff?” I offer.

“I’ve been watching you, Aether Lorelei,” the professor says. “You don’t have the right to disrupt my students just because you don’t like us creating stronger aethers. And yet, here you are, stirring up trouble, again.”

I gulp, registering the cut on his forehead, the scuff on his chin. This is one of the professors I attacked. He grips my arm so tightly there’s no way it won’t leave abruise.

“You have forced me to appeal to the dean for your expulsion.” The asshat draws himself up tall, peering down his aquiline nose.

“Sorry, sir,” I mutter.

Holy Hecate. I’m supposed to be looking out for me. For number one. Past Lorelei would be appalled.

I’m deposited in the plain meeting room again and through the glass door I can see the professor and the dean talking. The professor gestures angrily in my direction. He’s so enraged he’s glowing. I pick at a loose thread on my uniform.

This time, when Dean Davina storms into the meeting room, robe billowing and eyes alight with anger, she doesn’t offer me coffee or fae wine. She towers over me, leaning down to speak very, very quietly into my face.

“I strongly suggest if you wish to remain here that you stay in your own lane.”

I start to protest, but she holds up a single finger and suddenly I can’t move my tongue.

“You are far behind, and not so special that I won’t kick you out if you are a disruption to my other students. This is a small community. We support one another and our decisions, not pick at self-confidence, nor make others question their choices. Do you understand me, aether?”

I nod dumbly.

“Goodness, even Kai makes this choice every month. He’s so comfortable in that choice he didn’t tell you. Not everything revolves around your sheltered idea of right and wrong, Lorelei Bal.”

So Kai does go through that? My mind races. She snaps her fingers and my tongue loosens, instantly too big for my mouth. I clasp my hands over the drool on my lap, angry.

I wasn’t trying to make those students doubt themselves. I was trying to find out if they were being forced into their decisions. Given their reactions, I’m far more sure of the answer. They were scared. Those kidswere scared of my questions. This woman in front of me might be an angel, but she is far from good.

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