Chapter 10
Frankie's words had stopped my heart and relieved it at the same time. Grace would never have been that way to me. She would've never laid a hand on me, she would've never treated Nightmare with such indifference, she would've never brought a human into our house. Maybe the thought sounded as racist as the werewolves, but that was the least of my problems. Frankie pulled me along to get the others before the little assembly in the courtyard. I saw Romulus outside the cafeteria and nearly stopped to grab hold of him, but we hardly had time. The more people that knew, the easier we could understand. Had he hypnotized her? Was it a shapeshifter? Magic? A demon?
We met them by the main entrance and my heart was slamming against my ribcage. Frankie pulled Lagoona, Draculaura, Cleo and Clawdeen into a tight circle and whispered to them, "There is something very wrong here."
"Frankie, we've been listening to your conspiracy theories all day," Cleo said nonchalantly. "Grace" brushed past me, making my spine go rigid with cold. My eyes flicked back to Van Helscream. I resisted every urge to slick the stairs and demand he tell me what was going on. Firsts balled, I looked back to Frankie. She whispered with them until they grew distracted. I stared at her face, watching her desperation build until she grabbed onto my wrist again, "She drank with her finger!"
"What?" Clawdeen asked, clearly not having been paying attention. Neither had I, honestly. I was more aware that there was a being in my house that didn't belong there. But Lagoona reaffirmed her claim and I took a step back, breaking Frankie's hold. My back collided with someone solid and my head snapped around just as Romulus's hand settled on my back. His dark brows knitted, "Are you okay?"
I shook my head, but before I could explain, Van Helscream began speaking.
"In efforts to congratulate her efforts on monster unity and equality, we hereby present Headmistress Bloodgood with this statue."
I was so glad he got to the point, because I didn't think I could stand a speech. If my blood had been running like ice, it had stopped entirely when I saw the stone figure of Grace, obviously attempting to shield herself. Frankie caught on before the thought actively pierced my mind. Romulus noticed something was wrong instantly, his hold tracing up to my biceps and squeezing firmly, "Abbey. Abbey. What's wrong?"
"She is stone," I whispered, staring at the statue. It slammed into my chest. I grabbed his jacket in return and words rushed free like he'd broken a dam, "Mama is stone. That thing there is not Mama. Is not Grace. Thing you saw today, not Grace. Swear to you. Frankie know, Blue know-"
His eyes darkened. He glanced over his shoulder to the other werewolves; they were occupied with further hostility toward the vampires. His eyes flicked back to me, "I'm staying with you again. We're getting her keys and we're keeping the place locked, got it?"
His mind must've made the same jump as mine, but he wasn't comprehending what I was. I gaze desperately into his eyes, "Grace is stone, Romulus. The statue!"
"I know," he nearly growled, "And we'll fix this. We'll find something. But right now, you and Frankie and Blue are the only ones that know about it. So we should really keep it a priority to keep you safe."
He spoke the logic that just wasn't coming to mind. I nodded, allowing him to drag me along. I was allowing a lot of that today, but my mind just wasn't catching up with the rest of me. Instead of the quick pace Frankie had kept, he walked rather calmly down the hall with my fingers locked in his. His grip was so tight it might've been painful if he squeezed, but it felt nice. He was strong. My gaze fell to his arm, taking in the sight of his tense forearm. He was powerful, so powerful that he might've been able to rip someone apart with his bare hands. His biceps were even bigger, even stronger. He never looked that strong when he was relaxed. Romulus was quietly powerful, persuasive and easier in speaking than acting.
His eyes flicked to me restlessly, "What?" His tone somehow remained light and almost teasing. I could've kissed him right there for trying to make me feel normal, but instead I tugged him toward the office. I pushed open the door and released his hand to dash inside and take a few things off the desk. Firstly, the roster. I would find out what was going on and why she was looking at the files. Secondly, her keys; I did not need her coming home to find out what we were doing. Thirdly, and possibly the most importantly, I began ransacking the rest of the files. They were mostly student records, unimportant things about grades, behavior and attendance, and I grabbed all of the new ones and shoved them in the back. Quickly, I locked that drawer and felt around for the hidden compartment, popping it open and gathering all of her things. I shoved them in my bag before turning my gaze onto Van Helscream's trinkets. I couldn't take it all. I probably didn't have room for anything of it, but I did grab a pair of bolt-cutters and free Nightmare from her chains. She looked at me in relief. Romulus's gaze flickered back. A mirror clattered to the floor from the desk and I picked it up hastily, forgetting how cold my crystal had amped up to be. It was coated in seconds, cracking from the temperature change the moment it touched the desk's surface. I removed my crystal in a rush, dropping it into my bag with the rest and rubbing my hands on my fur trim to warm myself enough to touch Nightmare. "Come with, horse."
Relieved, Nightmare trotted off with us. Romulus glanced down either hall before shutting the door in our wake, leaving no evidence of our presence but a missing horse, a locked drawer and a broken mirror.
...
After locking up Nightmare and allowing Romulus to run across the street for his much-needed supplies, we locked up and he went to unpack. I took the opportunity to photograph my evidence and email my father. Even if there weren't many instances when he checked his computer, I knew he would eventually. If something happened...he needed to know. That was the least I could provide.
Papa,
Are you well? How is the village? I miss you. I miss you more than you'll probably get to see. Some things have gone down here, Papa. Bad blood has risen between the werewolves and the vampires. Grace is trapped in a stone prison and someone is taking her place. I have a suspicion it has to do with a human man by the title Van Helscream who has come to us under false pretense. Attached is just one of the things that I've seen of his- on further examination, it looks like a fire dagger from another yeti tribe. Also attached is picture of boy...
I quickly backspaced and sighed, continuing on.
boyfriend, Romulus. He is taking good care of me, Papa. If anything happens, I will try to make sure he's safe. He has siblings and a family that needs him. And I'll make sure he'll tell you what happened. As long as he's still here, you'll get your answers. I won't let Van Helscream win. Even if it's just me and it takes the last of my strength, I'm not going to let him. I love you, Papa. It's going to be okay. I'll make you proud.
xoxo Abbey
I hit send and leaned back in my chair, sighing to myself. My palms seemed attracted to my eyes. Even with my cryptic, honor-bound message, I was still comforted by the knowledge that I wasn't alone in the house. I clicked on the music website and rose, tucking things safely away beside my diary. I left my crystal hanging off a card-holder that Grace had bought for me. The only thing I didn't put away was the fire dagger. I unsheathed it instead and ran my fingers over the smooth metal. It was warm to the touch and if it sliced my skin, it would burn with the heat of a thousand suns. It was a weapon of war.
I felt his presence in the doorway before I acknowledged it, sighing softly before re-sheathing it and placing it behind a stack of DVDs in the shelf above my desk.
"What is it?" he finally asked.
"Fire dagger. Used in yeti warfare, long time ago. People did not use for very long time." I closed out the music and powered down the computer restlessly. He edged into my room with the sleeves of his button down pushed to his elbows again. He had no idea how attractive he looked that way. A curl of chocolate brown hair draped over his forehead as he perched on the edge of the bed. I leaned back in the chair to brush it away. My lips pressed together when he looked at me. It was a different kind of look than the usual affection, there was a longing in his eyes that I understood too well. He caught my hand before I could draw all the way back. I rose on instinct, crossing the small space between us. His lips pressed gently against my hand, his running softly up my arm. It was a wordless begging for permission, a promise that he seemed to understand a bit better than I did. I cupped his face, his lips brushing the inside of my arm before none too gently pushing him onto his back. The animal flashed in his eyes.
"You tell me I am not different," I murmured, crawling over him and resting a knee on either side of his waist, "Did you tell me truth?"
Forest green was darkening. His claws wrapped in the lace at the edge of my cami, edging it up just slightly before forcing himself to stop. Instinct was battling with logic. I rested my hands on his shoulders, weighing him down until he answered me. "Yes," he half-growled. His voice was husky, raspy and more intimate than I'd ever expected to hear. "You're a white wolf t' me. Mysterious...unknown...beautiful and rare." His voice was growing more animalistic. I felt his claws against my skin and burning warmth from the both of us. He forced himself to let go, "Put on the crystal."
I climbed off, grabbing it and clasping it around my neck. I had only just turned back when he took a firm hold on my waist, pulling our chests together. Animalistic lust took his eyes. He lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me with the kind of desperation that I could expect a man willing to go to war for someone he loved to have. It must've weighed a hundred times more on him than it did on me. I had Grace to fight for, he had his pack. His family. His honor, his status, me. I was breathless quickly and it shouldn't have been possible for anyone to know how to kiss as well as he did. My thoughts scattered. I didn't need words to urge him on, my claws digging into his shoulders and his into my hips. He physically lifted me and dropped me back on my bed, landing on top of me with such force I thought it might crack. The impact of his body against mine, a clash of cool and warm- not hot and cold- was pleasing. It felt right to be locked in his arms with his hands grasping feverishly at fabric, hesitating to release the animal that had already become undone. My fingers locked in his hair, barely giving us the distance to breathe.
Romulus pulled away suddenly, growling and gripping the edge of my bed. Flushed and gasping for air, my unfocused eyes remained on him and finally saw all of the glory of the alpha male the other werewolves saw. He shook his head. I touched my lower lip, surprised at the wetness, and found my fingers tinted red.
"You asked me if I loved you," he snarled quietly, "If I didn't love you, would I be here? If I didn't love you, would I stop myself before I hurt you?"
"I trust you," I whispered, my face flushing a little more.
"The full moon is coming, Abbey. I'm getting stronger than I know what to do with. If I hurt you..." His eyes spoke all the words he couldn't get out. We left each other so flustered and speechless that words became optional. I sat up and pulled him closer by his collar. He may not have wanted to move, but he did at my will, eyes flickering down before returning to my face.
"Is just risk you have to take, isn't it?"
He let out a soft exhale, "You'll regret it."
I shook my head, "Have never been so sure."
Frankie told me that love happened when you were ready to jump off a building to save someone. I had told my father not twenty minutes ago that I intended to keep Romulus safe, whether he had the chivalrous idea of the exact opposite or not. Keeping him safe meant that I would make the jump from a building if it was required of me. I may have had an advantage with the crystal, but the thought was still there with or without it. I knew I was in love with Romulus. For a few heartbeats, we looked at each other and came to our own realizations. Then, very gently, he leaned forward and took my face in his hands again.