Page 77 of Moon Kissed

Edric blew my windows out every night and shattered any hope of sleep under howling, freezing winds. The first four nights I tried boarding the windows closed, propping furniture against them, sleeping with earplugs, sleeping in the windowless bathroom—everything. None of it worked, and in the end, I was forced to carry my bedding out, and sleep in the woods.

That is what the bastard reduced me to. Waking up under a tree on dew-soaked sheets with the squirrel who decided to share my pillow. Then I got to trudge inside wearing the same clothes I did the day before, because I had to wear my moon clothes at all times, and get the pleasure of the servers refusing to feed me while everyone shouted every disgusting insult that came into their heads.

After, I’d head to class with an empty belly where Orion and Edric would tear away, burn, and destroy all of my homework and assignments. Complaining to the teachers did nothing since all they’d do is shrug and say either prove it was them, or shut up and take the detention.

And then to cap off a perfect day of stumbling around as a failing, starving, sleep-deprived zombie, I got to head out to the field and get attacked, burned, and beat to shit under the guise of playing wolfball.

I’d never admit it was getting to me. My fates would never have the satisfaction but... they were.

I was exhausted, hungry, and watched twenty-four seven. Dagem still made Nia follow me around to subdue my wolf, but the day after Holly died, she introduced me to two new six-foot-tall, buff, thirty-something-year-old shadows.

She announced they were to follow me at all times, and if they witnessed a single infraction, she’d punish me to the limits of her ability. What was considered an infraction?

Phasing when I was being pelted with food, books, hot liquids, and one time, rocks.That was a month’s detention each time.

Leaving my room after curfew to sleep in the woods.Weekends spent doing manual labor around the castle.

Not turning in my assignments.Barred from all school events, especially and including the big dance the academy was throwing for the alphas in two weeks.

Yes, Tweedledouche and Tweedledumbass stalked me everywhere I went, snitching on everything I did to defend myself. But they didn’t once try to intervene or help.

“Hey!” Tweedledouche shouted, whipping around. “Where did she go!”

I walked out of the mess hall, leaving their noise and frenzy behind. Never had I been so glad that night was a new moon. Only on a new moon could I phase so completely, I became invisible.

Class started in ten minutes, but I didn’t care. I went straight to the alpha dorm wing, hiked the stairs, and stumbled to my room—straining to keep my eyes open. Only my wolf could get a good night’s sleep outside in the cold and dirt. I slept terribly, and not just because I was too creeped out being alone in the woods with staring, silent Tweedles to fall into a deep sleep.

Falling on my doorknob, I half tripped into my room.

Paxton looked from his hammer. “Oh, hey. You’re back early.”

I might’ve summoned shock and outrage if hunger hadn’t devoured those emotions long ago. “What is this?” I rasped. “What are you doing here?”

He pointed. “I noticed your windows were broken, so I’m boarding them over until maintenance can fix them.”

The man was no liar. Plywood, nails, and a hammer got to work covering up Edric’s handiwork.

“Might as well not bother. Edric will just blow those off tonight, and maintenance is never coming to fix it.”

“Well, if he blows them off tonight, I’ll just put them back up tomorrow— Oh, wait.” Paxton jumped off my armchair and crossed to the desk. He picked up the plate I hadn’t noticed and handed it to me. “Ham sandwich, chips, and beer. It’s not as good as what they serve the alphas, but at least it’s—”

I pounced on him, nearly eating his hand whole in my haste to devour everything on that plate. Fuck the flouncy shit they serve the alphas, right then, that ham sandwich was the best thing I ever tasted.

“Paxton, what is all this?” I asked after I polished off the last chip. There wasn’t room for talking until then. “Why are you boarding up my windows and bringing me food? And while you’re answering questions, where have you been the last week?”

Sighing, he plopped down in my armchair. “I’ve been with the omegas in the omega wing, yummy. The guys got me kicked out for standing up for you.”

My lips parted, but nothing came out. I did wonder if the guys did something to him after the guy up and disappeared, but that was not the answer I was expecting. “Oh.”

He shrugged. “I did tell you. No such thing as an alpha and an omega having a difference of opinion and letting bygones be bygones. In the end, we’re always punished for saying no when they demand yes.”

“That’s awful,” I replied, and meant it. “But why haven’t I seen you in the mess hall? Mealtimes are mixed now.”

“For everyone but me. I now sit alone in the hall during the omega mealtime,” he said. “The guys told Dagem I needed to be kept away from you, and she agreed.”

“Gods, they’re a bunch of shit-brained assholes. They didn’t have to take their crap with me out on you.”

He shook his head. “I knew what I was doing when I stood up for you. Badr doesn’t let anyone live who doesn’t hate you as all-consumingly as he does.”

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