Page 21 of Renegade

I snorted. “You’re welcome.”

I wasn’t among friends. Maybe comrades with some things in common, but no one other than June had even attempted to reach out and befriend me, which was fine—I was used to having no friends other than my keepers and some of the guards who would nod and say hello.

Not really pals, but it was the closest I had to them at thetime.

“All right. That’s it. Go to the gym. No dawdling or taking the long route, either. Straight to the gym. I wouldn’t put it past the headmistress to take roll call of the whole damned school. Go on.”

I shut my laptop and put it into my bag, along with my notebook. Some students preferred taking notes on the computer, but I still opted for handwritten.

Once I was in the gym, June stood up in the bleachers and waved her arms. I made my way to her and sat down. “What’s going on?” I asked, wondering if it had something to do with the lights the other night or maybe students traipsing around at all hours. Meaning me. And June. And the Three Kings. Gods, even I was calling them that now.

“No idea. Someone said it’s the headmistress cracking down. There she is.”

All headmistresses must’ve shopped at the same damned place. This one was taller than almost everyone at the school, and she had a softness about her that the one at the Urban Academy did not even though she ruled over the rejects. I would’ve thought she would be the opposite. Jagged edges and hard corners like the stone walls outside. Instead, she wore a soft pink skirt suit that fit her well, and she smiled at each of the other professors and staff, even going over to the janitors and shaking hands.

I wonder what kept her soft in this place.

“At least we get a break from class,” I answered.

Some girls around us were laughing, giggling more than anything. Most of them had a blush gracing their cheeks. June and I shared a look, but she laughed. “It’s funny that they think it’s them.”

“What?” I asked, watching the administrators. They were whispering to each other. If the assembly was about rules anddiscipline, surely they wouldn’t have to whisper so we couldn’t hear. There was also a lot of shrugging, bouncing knees, and flexing fingers. Something else was happening. I was only half paying attention to the other girls, but Night wasn’t pleased about their loudness. I began to pay attention more and realized it wasn’t just the females who sat below us. It was the ones behind us and to each side. We were fucking surrounded by giggling blushers. “What?” I elbowed June since she hadn’t answered.

“You’ve got some admirers. It’s so entertaining that they think they’re looking at them.”

“Huh?” I asked. I didn’t understand who the admirers were.

Instead of responding, June took my chin in her hands and faced the right. I only had to scan a short second before my gaze landed on them. Oh, them. The Three Kings were all sitting together and they were staring in my direction. “Oh.”

June cracked up while I flicked my gaze toward the front of the gym. The headmistress was standing up now and approaching the podium.

“Blaze is the cutest. Gods, I love a bad boy,” one of the girls said. They didn’t give two shits that the headmistress was about to speak.

“I wonder if I should go talk to him,” the one beside her whispered. I turned to see June red-faced, barely containing her laughter.

“They don’t really talk to anyone, but they are all looking at you. Maybe they want to be in your reverse harem.” The entire group was now making plans for the girl right in front of me.

I groaned out loud. The sound made some of them turn and roll their eyes. “You understand they are looking at you, right?” June nudged me. We had talked more than studied last night. She’d spilled all the piping-hot tea about the three guys. They didn’t date. They didn’t even flirt with girls. They were bestfriends and had been since they came to the school years ago. While we were freshmen, they were almost done with school. I seriously doubted they were interested in a freshman.

Anyway, I was out of the question. I didn’t get mates.

Didn’t stop my legs from twitching, ready to heed the call of their magnetism.

“Maybe not. There are a lot of females around us.” I squared my shoulders as the headmistress cleared her throat and began.

“As some of you may know, there has been a tragedy at the academy. The shifter council has been notified, and they are considering measures but, in the meantime, we are cracking down. In your student emails, everyone has been given a new set of rules, standards, and schedules. Curfew time is earlier and no more passes for student activities at night. All field trips and outings are canceled, and the only place you will go after the day ends is to the dining room and then to your dorms unless you have a pass for the library. We have brought in extra security guards, and they aren’t as nice as Ms. Hollis.”

Several students gasped. Ms. Hollis was civil at best.

Nice wasn’t a word I would’ve used to describe her.

“What happened?” one student yelled, standing up.

The headmistress tugged on her collar and then patted her well-brushed hair. “There was a murder on the grounds. And we don’t know who the culprit is. That’s why no one leaves this campus until we find out. No one.”

My blood chilled in my veins. I came to this place to be safe, and now I was right back in danger’s grasp. A different variety, but danger all the same.

While she paused, waiting for the chattering to die down, I chanced a look at the boys. I couldn’t help myself. They sang to me without words or music, and I found myself swaying toward them. They were talking amongst themselves, but I swore I heard my name come from one of their mouths. As though theyknew, they all turned around and looked at me. Adan waved a little, but I turned, not returning the gesture.

---