Page 48 of Dead Wolf Falling (Bad Moon Academy 2)

Chapter 11

RAVEN

By the time everyone wakes up, I’m already tired again but there’s no time for rest. In order to keep the deal with Jinx, I have to be in class by ten. Howard and Draco make sure everyone has a buddy while they go about the day as though nothing is wrong. There’s no real food for breakfast, so we decide to skip the meal and wait until Brayden and Draco get another kill. I’ll take a growling stomach over the possibility of Jinx’s poisoned food.

“I want to come to class with you,” Bea half-whines, stomping her feet.

Problem is, she’s already taken my class. She’s taken all the classes the academy has to offer except what’s on her current schedule.

“If you could come with me, I’d let you, but you know Jinx won’t allow it. You have to go with Howard; he’ll keep you safe.”

After seeing the way he worked to make sure everyone was taken care of and swallowed his pride to take Draco’s orders, I have no doubt about his commitment to keeping everyone alive. I don’t like the idea of her going off to class without me, but this isn’t about us. It’s about everyone.

Blowing out a hard breath that ruffles some of her mousy brown hair, she groans. “Why do we have to pretend anyway? It’s stupid.”

“Blame the demon spirit. We’ll see each other at lunch?” I nudge her with my elbow.

“Whatever.” She huffs and walks to where Howard is waiting to take her to class.

I fight off a smile. She’s absolutely right, but it wasn’t my idea. Getting a glimpse of her attitude makes me feel a twinge of guilt for Aunt Lou. Bea isn’t even a fraction as rebellious as I was. Next time I see my aunt, I owe her a big hug. She’s been nothing but good to me, and all I’ve done is throw it in her face by breaking rules, staying out late and getting trashed, and needing to go to rehab to get my shit together.

“She has spunk.” Carter appears at my side, his assessing gaze locked on Bea’s back. “Kind of like you.”

“Thanks?” I ask with a chuckle. “Ready?” Glancing around the library one last time, I check for anyone who decided to take their chances and stay behind.

Everyone has left except for Layla, who is sitting on her cot, head in her hands. Now that they’re gone, she’s stopped pretending like she’s okay. Her face is heavy with sorrow and my heart pangs in sympathy. I remember my first death. After experiencing several, I’ve found it gets easier to ignore the grief threatening to drown me. It never gets easier to lose someone, but it does get easier to hide the true extent of the impact death has on you.

“Give me a minute,” I tell Carter.

His eyes track to Layla, and he presses his lips together, nodding and going to wait by the door.

She doesn’t look up when I approach, merely takes in a sharp breath. “Whatever you’re going to say, I don’t want to hear it.”

“Okay.” I sit next to her. “It’s time for class.”

A derisive laugh escapes her. “Yes, let’s all play pretend so the bitch can kill us all on Friday. Sounds like a great plan.”

“We have five days to come up with a way to stop her.” I frown. “I’m going to try to figure out how to send her back to her realm. I’ve never done much necromantic work, but there are plenty of texts about magic. Surely one of them has information we can use.”

Before she even says it, I know she’s about to be rude. There’s a glint of something dark in her gaze, like she wants to hurt me just so I can join her in misery.

“Give it a rest, Raven. You keep acting like you’re the chosen one. News flash, this isn’t a movie. You can’t save anyone. Not Morris. Not Jackson or Lincoln. The only person you’re good at getting out of trouble is yourself.”

“I know you’re hurting, but I’m your friend. Not the enemy.” With that, I stand and head toward Carter. “Come to class or don’t, but I can promise you, you don’t want to face Jinx alone,” I say, glancing over my shoulder.

Her face crumples, and her chin trembles. I almost think my reaction made it worse. She wanted me to get mad, to lash out at her. The only reason I understand what she’s doing and why is because I used to do the same thing. Especially right after Dad died.

“Everything all right?” Carter’s hands are in his pockets, and he rocks back on his heels when I stop in front of him. “That seemed tense.”

I lift a shoulder. “Pain is ugly.”

“You’re a lot kinder than I would be.” He moves his gaze over my head, taking in a sobbing Layla. “She’s wrong. You can save people, especially with the five of us here to help.”

“I hope you’re right.”

His face softens, and he clears his throat. “Let’s go, we don’t want to be late.”

The clock on the wall reads nine-fifty-three. We have seven minutes before History of Shifters is scheduled to start. I resist the urge to check on Layla again. She’ll either pull herself together or fall apart. Either way, she doesn’t want me there to witness it.

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