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“Don’t be gauche.” He shook his head. “This is what comes of letting a female out on her own. You have become totally disrespectful and an embarrassment, but that can be fixed.” His nostrils flared. “What has changed? You smell different.”
“I am not sure about that. It’s been some time since I was last in your royal presence.” I tipped my chin up. “By choice.”
“As soon as we get you home, we’ll take care of that extra wolf. My queen doesn’t need such a thing to make people talk.” He turned away as if he expected me to follow him, which would not happen. I’d sooner die. A few steps off, he stopped. “Don’t keep your liege waiting.”
“You are not my liege. Not anymore. Just keep going and get out of my sight.”
My mates had remained quiet, but they stood close to me, and I could feel Casimir vibrating, ready to leap forward. With luck, they would be enough to make him leave. Any of them was bigger, but then a half dozen of his soldiers stepped out of the trees behind him. Big shock. He hadn’t killed the student. He would consider it gauche. No. He’d have someone else do his dirty work, although he’d have had to be there for the magic. What was it? Teleporting? Or just giving the impression he did. A glance at the ground at his feet showed no scorch mark. There hadn’t been one the last time, either. Maybe he was improving his technique?
But there was no time for discussion because the king held up a hand and his men sprang at us. Cas grabbed my arm and thrust me behind him. “Run.”
“Like hell I’ll run.” I shoved forward in between them. The Light Kingdom soldiers and their king shifted, shreds of fabric flying everywhere and fangs and claws out. And then it was all wolves no people. We faced off against them, and I cursed whatever god placed me in the Light Kingdom.
It was six to four because I didn’t expect the king to fight, and he didn’t. No, the cowardly ruler stepped aside where a careless fang wouldn’t nick his manicured hands. “You were supposed to disappear. Everyone would have thought it was one more attack by the light, and that would have been the end of it.” He stepped half behind a tree. “We need your courage, Karelis.”
Snarling, I spun on my haunches and leapt at him, determined to make sure we never had to fear him again. Claws extended, I was right over him when lights flashed, black soot covered the ground, and every one of the Light Kingdom people were gone. Except me, but I certainly didn’t consider myself one of theirs. Not anymore.
“Damn,” I swore. “Now what do we do?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Karelis
We had been beaten. Badly. All of our wolves were strong and capable, but teeth and claws were nothing compared to the powers of the Light Kingdom’s monarch.
I shuddered thinking about the things he’d said.
All this time, he’d convinced me that I had no mates—wasn’t worthy of a mate. The sicko was manipulating me to the end of becoming his mate.
Gross.
“We have to get to the headmistress. I already called her,” Casimir called out, taking my hand in his. We walked from the common area into the main office. I hadn’t been there since my first few days here and hadn’t planned on it. Heading there generally meant you were in trouble, and I had enough of that in my life.
When we got to the office, Casimir walked right in, me in tow and my mates right behind us.
“Take a seat,” she said. “I’m assuming this is some kind of emergency? It looks like you three have been to hell and back.”
We told her everything. She already knew about the assault on Daniel and the other murder but nothing about the battle that had ensued right here on the school ground, just beyond the borders.
“What do you need from me?” the headmistress asked, leaning back in her chair. “What can I do to help?”
Casimir sat up, perching on the edge of his chair. He hadn’t let go of my hand since we left the woods, and I suspected it would be a long time before he did. “We can’t protect our mate here, but we want to continue in school. She needs to complete her education as well. We need help. My brother is at the Urban Academy along with his two mates, and Valentina as well with hers. They are all friends. They will help us keep Karelis safe.”
“You’ve spoken to your brother?” she asked Blaze.
“I have. They all want us to get there. If there’s anything you can do, please do it. Please.” I had never begged for anything in my life but for my mate, I would get on my knees if I had to.
“Let me make a call. Stay right here.”
We waited while she got in contact with not only the headmistress from the Urban Academy but the Shifter Council. They all needed to know what was going on. The king of the Light Kingdom was clearly not only a threat to us but to any who got in his way. We all needed to be aware.
After a few phone calls and some heavy sighs, she sat back and hung up the phone. “The Shifter Council agrees with you, and so does the headmistress of the Urban Academy. I’m going to send all of your records over there and she’s going to try and find a suite for you four, but you’ll get a dorm room right away. Valentina was their first reverse harem in quite a while, so we aren’t up with the times on those things.”
“Are you serious?” Casimir’s voice was laced with both surprise and gratitude.
“I’m not just the hard-ass who enforces rules, Casimir. I also care very much about my students. We don’t want anything to happen to Karelis. She’s a special one. You have all been doing well in classes and other than the issues related to these attacks have been following the rules. Mostly. But you can thank her for this transfer happening before the end of the school year. Now. Go on and make your preparations. I have some things to do as well.”
We got up and stood there for a moment, in a stupor of disbelief.
