"Ms. Adams," the Head Mistress of the Greymoor Academy folded her fingers over a stack of files seated on her desk of rich mahogany. "There have been… concerning reports from your peers. As you understand, it is important you remain a model student throughout your stay in Greymoor to keep your scholarship."
I knew there was a problem the second I stepped into the classroom and got summoned by the Head.
She settled a tablet screen in front of me. "Can you identify the female in these videos?"
The world tilted on its axis as I watched what could only be a sex tape. A groupee, really, with at least seven males I don't recognize and a single brown haired girl in the center.
The brown haired girl had my face plastered on hers so seamlessly, it looked exactly like me.
My eyes shot up to meet Head Mistress Atlas's in wild panic. "That isn't me. I swear it."
Her lips pulled thin. "That was only a fraction of the disturbing materials that were sent to the Academy's site, Ms. Adams. It took a rather troubling effort to have it all taken down." Her eyes were a hard grey. "I understand that you are an adult now and your intimate life hardly concerns anyone but yourself. But you are Greymoor's scholarship student. And as such, you must hold Greymoor's image in the highest esteem. Your conduct must speak the same and this has put a stain onto the Academy's reputation."
Tears filled my eyes. "That isn't me, Head Mistress."
She merely stared. "But it looks exactly like you, Ms. Adams. The disciplinary committee is currently in decision on what to do with your case, and unless you can provide irrefutable proof that the female in the pictures and videos is not you, you will be expelled, and in the event that you did find a way to clear your name, your scholarship status will be suspended until the board wishes to revisit it."
My eyes flew wide. Oh goddess. Oh god.
I stood abruptly, ignoring the fact that the rest of the school board was in the office. As well as a few men. Including Mr. Halven.
I pulled up my shirt, revealing the network bruises all over my torso that had formed over the last couple of weeks from bearing all the pain from Cole's escapades. "I was rejected on the first day of school. I've had these ever since then. This is my proof that I am not the girl in the videos."
Everyone in the room stirred uncomfortably, varying expressions of horror lighting up their gazes.
Head Mistress Atlas's expression, however, did not shift. "And if the materials were taken before then?"
I stared at the board, watching my life unravel right in front of me. "It isn't me. That isn't me. It's been fabricated. The least you could do before deciding to throw me out is investigate it. Please."
The Head merely said in response, "That is insufficient. We've wasted enough resources on you already, Ms. Adams, and have gotten nothing but a smear in Greymoor's stellar reputation. Short of the Queen's intervention, nothing can help you. You will return later today for your expulsion letter and you will hand in your badge. As well as everything you've been given by Greymoor."
My legs shook.
Everything was over. My life was over. Even if I found proof and cleared my name, this would stick to me like glue. I would never be able to pay for Greymoor's fees. I would never be able to go to school anywhere else.
I began to hyperventilate.
I couldn't remember leaving the office. All I could think of was the diner last night. The vengeful look in Lana's eyes.
It was her. She did this.
My vision hazed red, my fingers trembling with violence. Murder.
I slammed into something hard in the hallway, but I barely felt it. There were hands on my shoulders, shaking me hard with the most marvelous voice I'd ever heard.
A part of me acknowledged that it was a Lycan. But it didn't break through the haze of blood lust that came over me.
I shoved him with shocking strength and ran down the hallway filled with students who pointed upon sighting me and whispered. Slut. Whore. Loose. At me. Me, who had worked hard for every single thing in her life, just to watch it all wash down the drain.
I found Lana in the Cafeteria.
"Maisie," I heard Regina say as she blocked my path. And then there was Jenny. And then there was Nick.
My brain took note of them, but their faces, their voices, their pleas to take a breath… none of it sank in. My vision had tunneled into the object of my bloodlust and my entire being itched to… hurt. To make her bleed. To… to kill.
I shoved at the protective wall my friends formed around me, knocking Jenny aside into the bench. She yelped, but I didn't hear her pain. I shouldn't have been able to do that, but that didn't register either.
All I could hear were the words, Hurt her. Break her. Kill her.
Lana glanced over from where she had been sucking Cole's face. The pain I felt from that was now a slight buzz compared to the pounding of my enraged pulse.
My twin sister grinned evilly. "Ah, the star of the show finally showed up. Oh should I say, shows?"
"I got expelled," I said. My voice didn't sound like mine. It sounded detached, almost as lovely as the Lycans. My fingers twitched. "Because of you."
Lana's gaze widened. And if I were in my right mind, I might have said there was a tinge of guilt there. And I would've deducted that she didn't think her silly joke would ruin my chances at ever graduating.
But I wasn't in my right mind.
Her lips quirked up in a smile and the hall fell silent as she said, "Because of me? My Maisie, it's not my fault you took up adult movies as a side job. Or that you enjoyed it too well."
I blinked slowly, and my voice came out in that strange sing-song tone again. "I'm going to kill you."
I don't remember moving. All I knew was that I was faster than a blur. Faster than humanly possible. Faster than any werewolf, than any Alpha should have been.
I was across the table in seconds, grabbing my sister by the neck and lifting her out of her seat without any effort.
She kicked, slapping at my hands, wheezing. "Maisie," she cried, face going red. "You're hurting me."
I smiled. "I want to hurt you."
I slammed her into the table and it splintered upon impact, cracking the wood in half.
There was screaming around me. Someone grabbed my shoulder. It might have been Cole. What had meant to be a slight shove sent him flying across the mess hall and crashing into the wall.
Then I faced my sister once more.
There was blood dripping from her temple. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Maisie, your eyes." She scrambled back across the floors, the reek of her fear fueling the need inside me, and I caught her foot before she could run.
I tossed her aside like a ragged doll.
Before she could land, I was there to catch her. It was exhilarating. Exciting. I'd never felt anything as intoxicating as the strength coursing through my veins.
More, it said. More. More. More.
My fist slammed into Lana's perfect nose and the sound of it cracking delighted me beyond measure.
"Maisie! Stop!" Regina screamed from somewhere. "You'll kill her!"
Regina didn't understand. I wanted to kill Lana. I was going to kill her.
"Maisie, this isn't you! Snap out of it!" Jenny yelled as I punched Lana again, her blood splattering across my cheek.
"Maisie, please," Lana was crying.
Suddenly, something careened into me, shoving me off her before I could crush her windpipe for good. I thrashed against it and pushed with all of that glorious strength I felt.
But the body didn't budge. It was made of the same immoveable, unbreakable thing that I was. It didn't matter how savagely I fought against the male. He just wouldn't budge.
Ice blue eyes pierced through mine like lasers through a rock. They blinked with surprise. "Interesting."
I was snarling. Thrashing. Fighting to get back to Lana. To make her pay.
But the beautiful Lycan male leaned into me and spoke into my ear in a rich whisper that made my body go limp.
"Sleep."
The last thing I recalled was being lifted off the ground and being hurled over a broad shoulder like a weightless sack.