Everyone except for Shannon, Imogene, and their round-table of sucky people. I couldn’t feel anything from them.
Dastien. I called to him through our bond.
As soon as I focused on him, I could feel his rapid breath as he backed away from whoever he was sparring. Are you okay?
Yeah. But that group is at the table again and I still can’t feel their bond. And now Imogene and Shannon are with them…
We already told Michael. He said they’re cleared.
Maybe they shouldn’t be. It wasn’t like Mr. Dawson was totally infallible.
I’ll tell Michael about Imogene and Meredith, but there’s nothing we can do until they act out against the pack. Just keep an eye on them.
Will do. I didn’t like it, but if the pack alphas wanted to hide in a room and argue all day pretending the pack was fine, then it wasn’t my place to question.
Pushing my frustration aside, I ordered my usual bacon, cheddar, and avocado omelet. The more calories packed in there, the better. I had some serious studying to do and I needed to focus until lunch. I had a few witchcraft books I’d dug up at the back of the library, and I planned to keep working through them. The more I knew about magic, the better.
As I moved past their table, the hair rose on my arms. The group stayed quiet, and I purposely knocked my elbow into one of the guys.
“Watch it,” he said.
“Sorry,” I mumbled the word as I hurried past, but I’d already gotten what I needed.
There was no connection when we touched. It didn’t make sense.
Unless they were working with another alpha who didn’t answer to the Seven. But that was impossible. Mr. Hoel was dead. I knew it for a fact. I was the one who’d killed him. And the wolves loyal to him had left or been driven out.
So, maybe magic had made their bonds disappear. But they couldn’t be working for Luciana… Could they?
No. And they weren’t what I needed to be focusing on. Finding the magic to defeat Luciana and her demons was priority number one. I couldn’t let whatever pranks they were pulling divide my attention. Especially when Mr. Dawson said not to worry about it.
I settled at a table by myself and flipped open my book—Crystals: The Art of Harnessing Magic Through the Elements—while I ate.
I was halfway through my second plate when Meredith finally showed. She saw me wave and headed my way.
“Hey.” She looked flawless in her cut-off shorts and tank. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, showing off one big streak of hot pink down the side of her head. “I missed you in the dorms.”
“I know. Where were you?”
A slow grin spread across her face. “On a run.”
“Should’ve guessed.” Now that she could shift, she was making up for lost time, going on forest runs with Donovan at every chance.
She pulled out a chair and settled down. “How was training after I left?”
I played with my half-eaten plate of hash browns. “It was fine. Ate more mat than I wanted to.”
“That sounds awesome.” Like every other Were, Meredith was an amazing fighter. Watching her and Shannon sparing during my first martial arts class had been insane. Not to mention intimidating.
“Yep. It was super awesome.” Sarcasm dripped from the words.
“Did you make any progress with your visions?”
I flipped the book shut and leaned back in my chair. “No. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I feel like there’s something on the tip of my tongue. Something big that I’m forgetting. And it’s driving me mad…” I trailed off when I noticed Meredith staring hard at something behind me. I quickly glanced over my shoulder. “What?”
“What’s Shannon doing with that group?” Her lips pressed into a tight, thin line. “And is that Imogene?” Meredith and I might be split on how we felt about Shannon, but we totally agreed on Imogene.
I turned back to my now-cold omelet and took a bite. “I know,” I said after a second. “Looks like they’re BFFs now.”