Page 30 of Shattered Illusion

“I’m trying,” I mumble, my cheeks heating from the force of the entire class’ awareness of my shortcomings.

“Hudson!” Marion calls. “Back off. She’s new.”

“Mind your own business, Mari. You’re supposed to be shifting.” He brings his focus back to me. “Try fucking harder, little girl. Prove you’re supposed to be here and not just stalking me.”

“What? Why the hell would I want to stalk you, of all freaking people? You’re nothing but an asshole.” Ahh, shit. There goesmy big mouth again, running away without thinking my words through.

If I thought Professor Asshole was huge before, it has nothing on him now as his body starts to stretch, his entire form shifting into something new. Something absolutely terrifying. Dark, coarse hair sprouts across his skin, his face elongating as his ears shift from the side of his head to the top, ending in points far larger than Thaddeus’ pointed ears. Claws erupt from his meaty paws, razor-sharp black monstrosities that would shred me in a heartbeat. And his once golden eyes bleed away to reveal a shining silver.

Oh, fuckity fuck sticks. He’s a damn lycan.

I’m well and truly fucked.

“Stop wasting mine and the class’s time and fucking shift or get the fuck out of here.” His words come out as a guttural growl, spiking my instincts to flee. But I don’t. I want nothing more than to prove to this fucker that I’m the biggest and baddest here despite my size.

Here’s hoping I don’t shift into a tiny kitten or something equally embarrassing.

My eyes close once more, but this time, I push harder, deeper, finally grasping it in my fingers without letting it go. It writhes in my hand, but I refuse to force it to do my bidding like I did before. That could only end in another disaster. One that won’t have the magical containment room to keep it locked in

“Wow,” I murmur in awe, completely amazed by how it seems to perk up, ready to do my will this time since I’m not actively trying to force it.

“Wow, is right. You’ve done nothing but waste our time. You can’t do shit. Let’s go.” Rough pads like that of a dog’s paw wrap around my wrist, making me lose sight of the magic I just found.

“No. Wait. I was almost there.” Sharp nails dig into my hand. “No. No. What are you doing?”

A hard tug on my arm makes me stumble and almost hit the ground, but I catch my footing as Professor Asshole starts dragging me across the field toward the castle. A cacophony of laughter follows us as I continually trip over my feet, my short legs unable to keep up with his long stride.

“You’re hurting me. Stop!”

“Hudson! Hud!” Marion throws herself in front of Hudson, her arms out, trying to halt his movements. “Let her go, brother. You don’t want to hurt her.”

The professor shoves Marion to the side and continues on like she never spoke. But one thing she said caught my attention. Brother. They’re freaking related. How is someone so sweet like Marion related to this asshole? A few yells follow in our wake, and I look back in time to see the group of guys from before help Marion to her feet.

She tries storming after us, but they stop her before she can get too far out of reach.

Hudson yanks me up the main stairs, rips open the front entrance and continues to drag me through. The door closes before I completely clear the threshold, slamming into my back and knocking me off my feet completely. But that doesn’t deter him from hauling my body across the foyer and over to the stairs.

My magic rages from the confines of the hold I have on it to keep from going supernova—as Axel put it. It wants to jump out and protect me, but I’m not a killer, and that’s exactly what I think would happen if I actually let it go.

Tears gather in my eyes and break free from Hudson’s rough treatment. And no matter how hard I fight, I can’t get myself out of his grip. A grip that gets tighter every time I try. Blood slowly trickles down my arm, toward my shoulder from the tips of his claws breaking my skin.

“Please,” I sob, trying yet again to get him to let me go. But just as before, he ignores my pleas.

Didn’t Thaddeus mention something yesterday about his treatment toward others? Hell, didn’t Thaddeus say he and Jasper were here to protect me? Where’s this protection they boasted about? I can’t do this. Coming here was a huge mistake. I need to leave before this asshole or one of the other students kills me.

Each step thumps painfully into my hips and lower back as he ascends the staircase. I know I’ll be bruised black and blue tomorrow. Maybe even a broken bone at this rate.

I never stop fighting, though. Not that it does much.

Every part of me hurts by the time I recognize the hall leading toward Jasper’s office. My arm feels like it’s ready to be ripped from my socket, which I’m surprised it hasn’t yet.

Not stopping to knock, the professor throws open Jasper’s door and tosses me unceremoniously into the room with more force than my body can handle. A loud crack rents the air as I slam into the unforgiving floor of the room, a scream lodged in my throat as pain radiates from the tips of my fingers to my elbow.

Uncontrollable sobs pour from my parted lips as I curl into a ball on the floor, trying to shield myself from any more of his pain. I bet the asshole is getting off on it.

“What the fuck, Hudson!” Jasper’s bellow of rage strikes terror in my heart. “Bailey? Fuck.” A whimper tears from my throat as hands descend on my body. “What did you do, Hudson?”

“What did I do?” Hudson laughs mirthlessly, his voice sounding downright dangerous. “This little stalker showed up in my fucking transmutation class claiming she was one my students. But we both know there’s no fucking way that’s true. She needs to be expelled before I put her in the fucking ground.”Every word he utters causes me to curl even tighter to myself. I cry out as I jar my hurt wrist, clutching it tighter to my body to avoid further injury.

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