An original and empowering shapeshifter/werewolf mystery.
Lily's abusive life with her childhood pack is about to change forever when she's assigned to attend Rochester Academy; A boarding school rumored to be for unmated shifters.
What does this...
The Alpha's office was a round space nearly three times the size of Lily's room. It was furnished with dark leather chairs and a massive ebony desk. The space was made to feel warm with deep red walls.
And yet, it didn't feel warm to her. It felt lavish and foreign.
"Thank you, Jeffry," said the Alpha, which was a dismissal because, in what seemed like a second later, Jeffry was out the door.
The phone rang a moment later. He glanced at Lily before, perhaps reluctantly, answering.
She looked at the door Jeffry left through and was tempted to follow him. It was strange because she'd always been such a rule follower.
'It'd only get me into worse trouble, I suspect,' she thought to herself.
'Not if they're planning to burn you at the stake,' said a quiet voice in her head.
She suppressed a laugh. It was true, really.
"I am abiding by the new law," said the Alpha to whomever he was talking to.
The voice on the other end of the call was too quiet for her to pick up.
"I know," said the Alpha, sounding a bit exasperated. "Just three more days and it'll be sorted."
"Great, thank you," he said, ending the call.
There was a moment of him shuffling papers. Lily stood away a bit, her back to him, examining his water dispenser. The bottom of the jug was filled with fruit. Two bubbles lazily floated towards the top.
"Lily," said the Alpha. "It is Lily, right?"
"Hello, sir," she said before sitting opposite him at the desk.
"I'm very busy, so I'm just going to get to the point," he said briskly. "You've been assigned to attend Rochester Academy this year. You will be leaving tomorrow. Your things have been relocated to a guest room in the center wing of the sixth. You have today off to pack, rest, and prepare for your trip."
He paused for a moment as if expecting Lily to object or interrupt with something, but this was all so sudden that she couldn't seem to process it.
"With this new assignment, you're no longer an orphan rank," he continued. "As such, you're expected to take your meals with the rest of the pack. Have you got any questions?"
'Any questions? Besides what the f*ck?' she thought silently.
"Um," she said instead. But she couldn't seem to figure out what else to say beyond that.
"I know it's a lot to take in," he said. "It was all very last minute. It couldn't be avoided."
"Is this because I punched Jessica?" she asked, but the Alpha just laughed.
"No! Of course not," he said.
"Then why?" she said. "Why now?"
"You're over the age of 15," said the Alpha, taking a sip from his cup of fruit water on his desk. The whole thing seemed surreal. "It's required that any mateless shifter that's 15 years of age or older attend the school, in hopes of them finding their match."
"But I was 15 two years ago," Lily said.
"Yes, it's been brought to my attention quite recently, actually. The details for this kind of thing can often get overlooked, you see."
"And Jessica? She's going too then? I mean she'll be 16 in the fall," she said.
"She's been assigned here, actually," he said. "It's all very complicated. You ought to be relieved she isn't going."
"But it's you that assign these—" she started to say, but he cut her off.
"Look, Lily, I try to be nice. I feel for you. Unfortunately, this had to happen so suddenly. But it's done now. You leave tomorrow. And questioning the assignment or why it was given isn't going to change the reality that you need to go pack, and I need to get back to work."
She recognized it as a dismissal, but felt reluctant to leave.
"Thank you for your understanding," said the Alpha. "And congratulations on your new rank."
Lily looked at him for a moment before slowly turning away. She caught sight of the water dispenser and methodically turned towards it.
There was an alluring 'shish' sound as she took a cup from the stack. The water flowed happily into the cup. She could smell the strawberries and oranges. There was a 'glug glug' as several more bubbles swam to the top of the water tank.
She almost laughed. She could practically feel the Alpha's stare burning into her back as she finally turned to the door.
"Thank you, Alpha," she said and took a leisurely sip of her water before opening the door.
"Goodbye, Lily."
She couldn't be sure what had gotten into her. But she had to admit, it was amusing. After so many years of abuse and not having control of her own life, she supposed she had finally snapped.
'About time too.'
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