Page 83 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

Brayden, my control freak, refused his brother’s help. None of the other guys want to attempt to enter his domain, so that leaves me and Aunt Lou to help. Bea will be there too, but I suspect she’ll be sneaking bites more than anything.

“We’re still doing movie night?”

“Just about to start.” Adler leans against the rail of the second floor and tips his head to the side. “Hey, Lou. Scary, romantic comedy, or suspense?”

“Suspense,” Aunt Lou and I say at the same time, making him smile.

“Anything for my girls.” He dips his head and heads off to the theater.

“His girls?” Aunt Lou nudges me. “Jealous?”

I roll my eyes. “Hardly. Come on.” I drag her upstairs, and we settle into our seats.

Some of the more seasoned students wave at her when they see her, but the newest one eyes my aunt like she might bite.

Skylar is only two weeks changed, and she’s still pretty mad. Her life before the academy was rough as far as I know. Her parents were drug addicts, and she ran away from home. Unfortunately for her, she took a wrong turn and ended up in a dark alley with a feral wolf.

Becoming a shifter is probably not how she imagined celebrating her newfound freedom, but I think the academy is one of the safest places she could have ended up, which is saying a lot considering what happened not so long ago.

* * *

A shoutof annoyance pulls my attention from the movie about an hour into it. I scowl and look over at Skylar who is gesturing wildly and laying into Nick, another student. Carter looks to me first, and I hold my hand out to him to let him know I’ll handle it.

“—so fucking perfect all the time you stupid, smelly mutt!”

“Skylar.” I don’t yell, but I push some of my luna power into my voice.

Her spine stiffens, and the look she shoots at me over her shoulder would burn lesser wolves. I grimace and stay where I’m at, everyone in the theater is watching me, waiting to see how I’ll react.

I rarely use this power on them, and I think they’re a little scared of what will happen when I do.

“Come with me.” I spin on my heel and don’t wait for her to follow.

She’ll have to. Her wolf is only a delta, and she can’t resist the pull of a luna.

I’m always here to bite some ass if you need! It worked so well the last time.

Joan, I don’t want to hurt her, but thanks for offering.

She chuffs, and I can picture her rolling her eyes at me.Fiiiiiiiine.

I bite my cheek to keep from laughing at her, because I’m supposed to be a serious headmistress right now. As soon as we’re out of the theater, I cross my arms and pin Skylar with a severe look.

“Care to explain what happened?”

“No.”

Dammit. That was a stupid question.

Yeah, you kind of walked into that one, Joan stage whispers inside my head.

I narrow my eyes. “Explain. Now.” My voice crashes over her with visible force; her shoulders bow, and she drops her gaze to the floor.

“Nick is such a kiss ass. He’s always so freaking perfect, you know? We’re watching the movie and he wants to refill my drink and get me more popcorn. Like, I don’t need him to fucking take care of me, you know?” Skylar’s words come out fast and mumbled, but her frustration is crystal clear.

“Let me get this straight. He offered to get you more to drink and eat, and you got mad?”

She scrunches her face. “Well, when you say it like that it sounds dramatic.”

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