His Miracle Mate

Chapter 41

Ezra's POV

"You don't have to go."

Orla looked up, her dark eye swallowed the flicker of sunlight that peeked through the clouds, while her blue eye seemed to almost glow. "I should, though. I already feel horrible for basically running away from her. I don't want to keep hiding."

She had one class this afternoon, and no matter how much I argued, she insisted on attending. The bond felt sore from her earlier hurt. I wished I had ripped Joanna's head off.

A while after Orla had left the cabin this morning, her feelings of embarrassment from my teasing had turned into something else, something I didn't like one bit. Surprise, panic, hurt, guilt, worry... I tried to link her, but the bond was closed off. She had blocked me. Just as I was about to leave the cabin, Jason linked me, saying that Orla and Joanna were surrounded by a crowd of students.

I knew something very wrong was happening.

I reached the crowd to find Haley about to pull Joanna's hair out. Blake was holding Haley back, a worried expression on his face. His panicked eyes flickered between Haley and the woods.

"What the hell is going on?" I said. The crowd parted for me, their voices dying into whispers. Haley's eyes were bright ambers under the overcast sky.

"You bitch!" Haley screamed, not minding me at all. "You know nothing about her or her life! Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Joanna's smug eyes turned wide with panic when they landed on me. She tried for a flirtatious smile.

I think I threw up a little.

"Everyone to class," I said, looking around at the gathered students. "Now."

There were a couple of humans on the edge of the crowd, looking lost. But they went away when the crowd dispersed.

"Now, what the hell is going on? Where is she?" I said, my voice deceptively calm. The power in my veins almost crackled.

"This bitch just told everyone that Orla is a murderer!" Haley said, shaking Balke's arms off, he went to hold her again but she shook her head at him. "Don't worry, I won't rip her head out. Yet."

Ashley, Sam and Zach broke through the line of trees and made their way toward us. My glare was already fixed on Joanna.

"What did you say?" I said, enunciating every word slowly. My wolf pushed to the surface, eager to rip apart the reason for our mate's pain.

"I-" Joanna stammered, taking a small step back. She raised her chin, but her false bravado couldn't hide her dread. "I-I only said the truth. They deserve to know who she is! You simply can't make a murderer into a queen! She doesn't deserve -"

Her nonsense faded into the background. Fur pricked my arms and the back of my neck, and my vision turned red. I lunged forward, but four strong arms held me back from tearing into her. I could almost taste her blood on my tongue.

"Calm the hell down!" Sam said. I didn't even look at him. I was a beast that had his eyes trained on his prey, and our prey was cowering as Ashley dragged her away.

I blinked hard. Having her out of sight helped cool me down. I shook Sam and Zach's arms off.

"Where is she?" I asked, looking at Haley and Blake. Blake looked from me to the woods, shifting on his feet.

"You should give her some time," Haley said. "She wouldn't want to see you right now."

"And why the hell not?" I growled out.