ChapterThirty-Seven
SUNDAY
The headmistress’s office was bright and airy as I stepped inside. The light breeze that flowed through the space took me off guard. Where was it coming from? There were no windows, and the door was already closed behind me. Where I’d expected a stone floor, I found mossy earth and walls covered in flowering vines. The scent of jasmine and rain was all at once soothing and strange. This was like something out of a fairy tale. A stark contrast to the Gothic design of the rest of the university, which was better suited to a classic horror novel.
The headmistress walked around the flat-topped boulder that served as her desk and took a seat behind it. She gestured to the two small mounds of moss-covered ground in front of me. “Please, take a seat.”
“On the ground?” I asked, confusion swirling through me as I assessed the space and searched for a chair.
“Do you have a problem with my office, Mademoiselle Fallon?”
“Nope,” I said, falling into the same self-preservation mode I would turn to when summoned to my grandfather’s office back home. Then I plopped myself on top of one of the mounds as gracefully as I could, which wasn’t very considering how low to the floor they were.
I had to admit, this seat was comfier than I’d expected. I bounced a little, letting myself settle.
“Are you done?” Her gaze was sharp and unamused.
“Yes?” I wasn’t sure what it was about this woman, but she terrified me.
“You know why I called you in here, I presume?”
I sighed, anger swirling up inside me, though it was far more muted now that the object of said anger wasn’t smirking at me while running her filthy fucking hands all over my man. “Callie.”
“That’s only a small part of the reason. The girl is insufferable, I know, but you have to control yourself around her. She’s picking at you on purpose, and you can’t help but rise to take the bait. Father Gallagher said you’ve been working with Alek Nordson and Kingston Farrell to tame your temper. How is that going?”
“Well, this time I actually intended to draw blood whereas last time I didn’t. So I think that shows significant progress.” I sighed. “Also, she’s still alive. That’s a win.”
This time, amusement twinkled in her eyes. “Yes. I’d say when a mate bond is threatened, it usually ends in death or severe injury, so she’s quite lucky a few scratches were all she endured.”
I hadn’t realized it until she gave a name to it, but that’s exactly how I’d felt. Threatened. Well, not me specifically, but Noah. Seeing Callie stare at him with unabashed hunger, touching and caressing what was mine. I couldn’t stop the red-haze as it clouded my gaze or my claws as they snapped free. She really was lucky I hadn’t killed her. My wolf certainly wanted far more in payment for her transgression.
“Miss Fallon, do control yourself.” Madame Moody stared down at my hands, which had turned to claws with just the memory of Callie touching Noah.
“Sorry,” I said, focusing hard to resheath them. “This is still pretty new to me. I’ve never felt this way before.”
“It’s understandable. Mate bonds can be tricky to navigate at first.”
“But we aren’t mated. At least, I don’t think we are,” I said, my brows furrowing. “I mean, Noah said I was his mate, but there was no blood exchange or biting or anything. Isn’t that sort of a requirement?”
“I’m certain you will get there. The mating process for vampires differs greatly from that of wolves. Your bond has been growing since the first moment he saw you. Poor soul thought he was hunting you.”
“How do you know that?”
She smirked. “I know everything.”
Gulping, I thought ofeverythingCaleb had done to me in his office. “Everything?”
“Most things.”
Somehow that didn’t make me feel any better. Not wanting to dwell on it, in case she could pick up on the direction of my thoughts, I changed the subject. “Okay, our Callie talk is out of the way. What else am I in trouble for?”
She quirked a brow. “Why would you assume you’re in trouble?”
I winced. I could give her a list a mile long. “Because I’m in your office. That means trouble.”
“While discipline is certainly the most common reason students find themselves here, your situation is more unique than most. I’m not usually one to get in the way of a woman and her harem, but unfortunately, the situation is out of even my hands. Twice now, you’ve injured another student. Our masquerade is the opportunity for our students to mingle and prove themselves. If I do not intervene, I fear that is a test you will fail, Mademoiselle Fallon. And so...” She clasped her hands, the pause nearly killing me. “You will attend with Mr. Farrell.”
“Kingston? No. I can go with Alek. He’s already asked me.”