Page 65 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

She takes a step back. And another. Then another. I watch her body start to fade, her soul finally leaving this realm and going where it belongs. Just before she fully disappears, she says, “Tell Lou I’m sorry.”

Staring at the space where she once stood, I blink rapidly, stubbornly refusing to cry any more. I hate feeling so much. It’s part of why I started drinking, but I don’t have that option anymore. My legs start to ache from standing for so long, so I shake off the sadness and the strange goodbye. I ignore the vile voice in the back of my mind whispering that I’m no better than Jinx for killing Morg. I pretend not to notice my trembling hands or the way ichor sludges through my veins, almost like it’s a part of me now.

“Bea?” I ask the wind. “Bea, it’s okay. You can come out now.” No amount of spinning or looking reveals her to me. She’s not here.

She’s not here.

Bea is gone.

Gone like Morg.

Gone like Mom.

Simply gone.

I finally relent and let everything slam into me, curling into a ball on the ground and crying like a child until the wind shifts and I’m dragged back to Earth.

* * *

EVERETT

I’m in the middle of writing down the list of building materials when a zap shoots through the bond. The guys are going through different parts of the academy and making their own notes, so I can’t check and see if they feel it too. Frowning, I start to write again when the zap turns into an electric current, making me grunt with how much it hurts.

“What the fuck?”

Shoving away from my desk, I rush out of my room and head off in search of Raven, knowing she’s no doubt gotten herself into some sort of trouble. My chest tightens when the discomfort grows, and I start into a light jog when I pick up her scent.

“Guys!” I shout, hoping it’s loud enough for them to hear me. They have to feel the same sensations I do, so I know they’ll show up soon enough.

I reach the second floor and hop over the ropes, sprinting down the hallway toward the ballroom. Raven’s lying on the stage, completely still except for the rapid rise and fall of her chest. I drop to my knees next to her and put my hand on her shoulder and gently shake her.

If she’s working with her power, I don’t know if I can wake her up, but I have to try. Whatever’s happening isn’t good. The bond wouldn’t be filled with this much pain if everything were okay.

Dammit this is what we talked about the other day. We can’t help her when she goes to the Other World, and now she’s in pain, and I can’t do a damn thing to fix it.

“Raven? Hey, Raven. Wake up.” I shake her again, a little harder this time. Her head rolls to the side, and she mumbles something, but her eyes stay firmly shut and her breathing kicks up a notch as her face contorts.

“Guys!” I shout over my shoulder. Where the fuck are they?

Since shaking her isn’t working, I put my hands on her face and rub her cheeks with my thumbs. “Come on, baby girl. Wake up.”

“She’ll be back soon.”

“Mother fuck—” I jerk away from Raven and spin around, staring at Bea’s serene face.

She’s looking at Raven like a teenage girl would look at her favorite musician. Like Raven is her idol.

“What happened? Is Raven okay?” I ask, squinting at her and trying to figure out if she’s really here or if I’m imagining things.

“I think she’s okay. She drained herself bringing me back, but she’s strong.”

“Drained herself?” I ask, voice rising. “What the hell happened, Bea?” The question comes out as a growl, and she flinches. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you, I’m only worried about Raven.”

“She killed Morg.”

Whoa. Not what I was expecting. I glance around the ballroom, wrinkling my nose at the amount of dust I see floating around. Jinx’s decorations are still in here, so I make a mental note to burn them. Bea is still looking at me with wide eyes, like she expects me to hurt her, so I try to soften my features.

“Did she get into a fight with her?” I ask gently.

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