As if on cue, the after-lunch chimes start to play the chorus of the old song, “I Put a Spell on You.” Apparently, Billie Eilish’s day at Katmere is done—at least for now.

I squeeze Hudson’s hand, then head to class after stopping by the dining hall to grab an apple, but I can’t concentrate the rest of the day—especially when neither Jaxon nor Hudson returns my texts. I know Hudson was already grounded or on probation or whatever you call it, but Uncle Finn can’t actually kick him out for this, right? He was just defending himself.

Sure, yeah, he egged the wolves on, but it was obvious to anyone with eyes that they were going to attack him first. The fact that he didn’t cower in a corner isn’t his fault. From the moment I got to Katmere, the wolves have been horrible. If I knew then what I know now, there’s no way I would have let Marc and Quinn get away with what they did to me my first night. No way I would have just let it go in the hopes that things wouldn’t get worse.

But I did, and now Hudson may get kicked out because of me.

My breath catches. If Hudson gets kicked out of school, he’ll not be under Katmere’s protection anymore, which means he would be arrested and sent to that horrific prison.

By the time I run into Macy and Gwen later, I’ve gotten myself totally freaked out. It’s been hours, and I haven’t heard from either brother—which isn’t unusual under normal circumstances these days. But I’ve texted them both several times that I’m worried and I want to make sure they’re okay. And still nothing.

“They’re fine,” Macy tells me as we walk to our room, but she sounds strange, like something isn’t quite right. “They’re probably still in my dad’s office, along with a bunch of other students. He’ll spring them eventually.”

“Why are there other students there? You mean the wolves?” I know I sound confused, but that’s because I am. I have no idea what’s happening here.

Gwen and Macy exchange a long look. “You didn’t hear?”

“Hear about what?”

“During lunch. There was an incident before the whole Hudson/werewolf thing happened. In the dining hall.”

My blood runs cold. “What kind of incident?”

“The vamps and the witches full-on got into it at the beginning of lunch.”

“Vamps? You mean the Order?” I ask, trying to sort things in my mind. “But that doesn’t make sense. I saw Luca and Mekhi during the fight Hudson had with the wolves. They didn’t look like they’d been in any kind of fight.”

“It wasn’t the Order. It was a bunch of sophomore and junior vampires—I don’t think you know most of them.” Macy sounds more freaked out than I’ve ever heard her. “One grabbed Simone and just started drinking from her, right there in the middle of the dining hall. I think she wanted to kill her.”

“Oh my God.” My whole body recoils in horror. “Oh my God. Is Simone all right?” No wonder Uncle Finn was so furious over what had happened between Hudson and the wolves.

“She’s fine,” Gwen says, but there’s something in her voice that has me leaning in, double-checking.

“Are you sure?”

“One of the other vamps grabbed Gwen,” Macy says quietly. “She almost didn’t get away before he could bite her.”

“But I did get away,” Gwen says forcefully. “Macy and Eden kicked his ass and then took on about six or seven other vampires.”

“With help from several other witches and dragons.”

“Oh my God,” I say again, even though I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record. “What is happening? Is it a full moon or something?”

I glance outside to where the sun is starting to set, but it’s only a quarter moon. So the excuse the wolves use for everything just went out the window.

“It was the weirdest thing,” Macy says as we drop Gwen at her door and then continue down the hall to ours. “Everything was fine and then bam, they just started attacking us. And not, like, one of us, like they did with Hudson. They went after, like, seven or eight witches. We couldn’t fight them all off—that’s how Simone got bit. And Cam.”

“Cam? Your old boyfriend?” I ask, incredulous.

“Yeah. And after everything that happened during the challenge, I want to say what goes around comes around. But the vamps can’t just do whatever they want to us.”

“And neither can the wolves,” I add, thinking back on the three who went after Hudson. And what might have happened if they’d gone after someone else.

“Do you think the wolves heard about what happened in the cafeteria and decided to just see what they could get away with while my dad was distracted?” Macy asks as we reach our room.

“That’s as good a theory as any, I guess. They’ve been pretty freaking obnoxious to both Hudson and me since the Ludares challenge.” Actually, I’m surprised it’s taken Cole’s former pack this long to start shit.

“Since you kicked their alpha’s ass, you mean?” Macy drops her backpack next to her bed and goes straight for the fridge—and the Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough.

“I wasn’t going to put it like that, but yeah.”

“Why wouldn’t you say it like that?” she asks as she opens the bag and holds it out to me. “It’s exactly what happened.”

“I got my ass kicked on that field, too,” I tell her. “A couple of times.”

“You were on your own. It’s a miracle you aren’t dead, and we all know it.” She sinks down onto her favorite spot at the end of my bed.

“Yeah, well, I may not be dead, but I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t hear from Hudson or Jaxon soon.” I pull out my phone and check it for the thousandth time in the last half hour. There are a couple of new messages from Mekhi and Flint, both of whom are checking on me and fishing for information at the same time. There’s also a message from Eden telling me to watch my back.

I fire a commiserating text back at her, then tell the guys that I don’t know anything more than they do—which is incredibly frustrating, since I’m eating chocolate chip cookie dough with the headmaster’s daughter as he holds my current mate and my ex-mate hostage in his office.

Considering what happened to Cole the last time Uncle Finn was this furious, there’s no way I’ll be able to rest until I’m sure Hudson and Jaxon aren’t currently falling through some portal to Texas to join him.

41

C’est La Vamp

My phone finally buzzes at three a.m. after a long, nerve-racking night. Normally, I wouldn’t hear it, but it’s not like I’m getting much sleep anyway.

Hudson: Sorry

Hudson: Foster had our phones

I sit up in bed, heart pounding and phone clutched in my hands. For a second, I can’t breathe as relief swamps me, and I have to ask myself what’s going on. I managed to stave off a panic attack all night, so why am I having one now that I know he’s actually all right?

Tension release? Relief? Fear that there’s something bigger going on here than anyone wants to think about, let alone acknowledge?

I sit up so that I can feel the cool wood floors beneath my feet. It’s not grass, but here in Alaska, it will do. I take a few breaths, count backward from twenty, focus on the cold seeping through my arches and the balls of my feet.

And nearly cry with relief when the panic subsides almost as easily as it came. Either this wasn’t a bad one or I’m finally getting the hang of these things. Either way, I’ll take it.

Picking my phone up again, I text Hudson back.

Me: What happened?

Me: Are you all right?

Me: Did you just get out?

I can’t believe Foster had students in his office until three in the morning. Surely that’s not okay, even with paranormals?

Hudson: Jaxon and I got our arses chewed out.

Hudson: I’m fine. Got stuck on belfry duty, but I’m good.

Hudson: Yeah. Your uncle was on a roll tonight

I switch over to Google just to make sure my definition of belfry is the right one. Turns out it is.

Me: Belfry? Like bats in the belfry?

Hudson: More like vamps in the belfry

It’s not the answer I’m expecting, and I can’t help staring at my phone, wondering if warlocks are capable of performing lobotomies with their wands—and if that’s what took him so long in my uncle Finn’s office.

Me: Did you just make a corny joke?

Three dots appear.

Hudson: Maybe

Me: Stop before you hurt yourself

Hudson: You’ve got a real mean streak in you

Hudson: You know that, right?

Me: Know it? I cultivate it

Hudson: No you don’t

Hudson: You’re just pouting because I stole your belfry joke

Me: I don’t pout

Hudson: Oh, right. Sorry

Hudson: You’re deflecting

Hudson: Grumpily

Me: How do you know that?

Hudson: Because I know you

His words give me pause, have me staring at my phone for several seconds as I take in the simplicity and the assurance in those four words. As well as that after living in my head for four months, he does know me—better than almost anyone. Maybe even better than I know myself.