Page 5 of Dead Wolf Falling (Bad Moon Academy 2)

Chapter 2

RAVEN

A frigid breeze sweeps around me as the cackle floats through the air. A trickle of fear spreads through my body as a shiver races down my spine. Four wolves howl from inside the academy. I recognize three of them. Draco, Carter, and Everett. The other one is unfamiliar, but something in me stirs when the howl brushes over my skin.

“No! Raven? Raven! Where is she?” Aunt Lou’s voice rises with every word she utters, and her panic steals my breath.

Spinning on my heel, I race toward the gate, forgetting all about the wolves. I grip the bars and try to yank the gate open. The lock doesn’t move. A sharp sting zaps my palm, but I grit my teeth and tug on the iron, not caring that the pain intensifies the longer I hang on or that my hand is growing slick with blood.

“Aunt Lou! I’m here.” I groan and pull on the gate again. It doesn’t budge. Why can’t Aunt Lou see me? I don’t understand. Maybe the pack magic makes it hard for her to see through?

Adler’s strong hand grips my wrist and peels it off of the bar, saving me from further injury.

“I can see you, little wolf.” Adler’s fae friend stares at me, making me feel less crazy.

“She’s there? Where is she? Get her out of there!” Aunt Lou pulls a pistol from underneath her shirt and points it at the fae.

“Aunt Lou, no.” I glance at Adler’s friend. “She won’t shoot you. She’s scared.”

At least, I hope she won’t shoot him.

Maybe she should, Joan says.

He’s not the one who put us in here,I remind her.

She harrumphs and quiets, so I return my attention to the gun Aunt Lou is holding.

“Tell her. . . tell her I kept my promise.”

He murmurs the words to her, and her eyes widen and search the space where I’m standing, but she still can’t see me. The pistol wobbles as her hand begins to shake, and the fae spins, snatching the gun from her hand and hurling it into the forest.

Aunt Lou gasps. “Why can’t I see her?”

“I don’t know,” the fae says. “Adler is with her, can you see Adler?”

“Lou,” Adler says, arm brushing against mine as he steps in front of me.

She furrows her brow. “No.”

Adler waves his hands around. “Lou!”

A heavy stone drops to the pit of my stomach.Oh no. I swing my gaze to Adler’s. Is he stuck in here because of me?

“Can you shift and fly out?” I ask, reaching for his forearm and giving it a quick squeeze. “Try.”

Heavy lines crease his forehead, but he dips his head and shifts, taking to the sky and flapping toward the gate. When he reaches the top, he screeches, his eagle form seizing and plummeting toward the ground. Moving with supe speed, I reach both of my hands out and catch the bird. His eyes are closed, but his body expands when he breathes in. He’s okay. Knocked out, but alive.

Adler’s friend is cursing in a foreign language, and Aunt Lou keeps asking what’s happening.

“Raaaveeennn,” the voice says again, taunting me. “You can’t leave this time. You’re meant to be part of the academy.”

Like fuck I am.

When we find this chick, I’m going to rip her fucking throat out,Joan says on a growl.

At least we’re on the same page.

But first, I have to do something I don’t want to do. Even though I know sending Aunt Lou home, where she’s safe, is the right thing to do, part of me wants her here with me. Swallowing all my selfish desires, I swing my gaze to Adler’s friend.

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