Page 79 of Dead Wolf Walking (Bad Moon Academy 1)
Pizza, eh?Joan asks as I’m changing.
Is that all you heard? What about the crypt or secret library?
Meh. I’m sure it’s probably just a bunch of wood and dust.
I run the brush through my hair and do a simple bun to keep it from getting too dirty. If the crypt is anything like the west wing on the second floor, it’s going to be filthy. Not that the rest of the place is any better, but there’s a difference betweenin need of a good cleaningandno one’s been in here for at least thirty years.
By the time we make it down to the cafeteria, it’s seven thirty, but as usual there’s still plenty of food. There’s only a handful of people sprinkled about, and they ignore us. I’ve grown used to people pretending like I don’t exist. I spot a familiar face in the crowd and wave at Bea. She gives me a slight smile, but it falls when her eyes land on Morg. Color drains from her face, and she quickly gets up and leaves.
“Hey, Morg?” I grab a plate and three slices of pizza.
“Hey, Raven?” she imitates me and smirks. “Sorry, you were so serious. What’s up?”
“Why did Bea run out of here after she saw you?”
We head over to a table and Morg glances around, confusion wrinkling her forehead.
“Who?” She sits down, and I sit across from her.
“She was sitting there,” I say, pointing to the vacated seat. “Bea, she’s in the class with me that Everett teaches.”
Morg shrugs. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but some of the newer students are intimidated by me.”
Remembering how she brandished the gun my first day here and almost blew my head off, it’s not hard to figure out why someone might be a little scared of her.
“Maybe it’s the gun? Or the sign on your door?” I ask with a laugh. “I guess you are pretty intimidating.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m actually pretty nice, you know. If anyone took the time to get to know me instead of pretending like I don’t exist, they’d see that.”
I take a bite of pizza and close my eyes at the flavor bursting across my tongue. “God, this is good,” I say and take another.
“Down, girl.” Morg snickers.
“Why do they do that?” I ask once I eat a bit more.
Morg scrunches her nose to askwhatwhile she finishes her bite.
“Pretend like we don’t exist? Aside from class when they’re asked to interact with me, it sort of feels like they can’t see me.”
“Your guess is as good as mine. I ignore them right back because I don’t have time for assholes. I mean, we were all changed; why do they have to be so distant?”
I nod. “Right? So weird.”
Dropping her eyes to my empty tray, she smiles. “Ready?”
Part of me wonders if I should be worried by how excited she is, but the other half totally understands her enthusiasm. When you’re stuck inside a pack ward and can’t get out, you take your fun where you can get it.
We leave the cafeteria close to eight, and Morg leads me down the same wing where the headmaster’s office lies. She bypasses his door without so much as a second glance. The hall makes a sharp right turn and opens to a narrow staircase. Morg takes a step down and glances over her shoulder, eyes glinting with excitement.
“Down we go,” she says in a spooky voice.
“Ugh, don’t be a creep.”
She chuckles, waves her fingers around, and makes ghost noises. “Scared?”
I squint at her. “No, let’s go.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll save you from the monsters.” She bats her eyelashes at me and turns to head down.
