Page 31 of Plug and Claim

“Nothing you want to see,” Susie said, blocking her way. “Trust me.”

Now I definitely want to see it.

Kira was torn between the mysterious door and Susie’s look of genuine concern. She was still trying to wheedle the answers out of her when the school bell rang, signalling the end of lunch.

Out in the corridor, the wolves were gone.

“Good,” said Susie. “Let’s go, before he catches us.”

“Before who catches us?” Kira asked.

Susie wouldn’t say. “I don’t want you getting hurt. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Chapter 12

The Invitation

Kira

Kira’s other classes were not nearly as interesting as potions had been. She’d had Literature and Maths in the morning, and after lunch, she endured a double period of music, which she enjoyed but wasn’t any good at. The final hour of the day was Physical Education, and she relished the chance to run outside on the field, even if she’d had to borrow a sports uniform several sizes too large. After all the attention she’d drawn, it was a relief to wear something that wasn’t form-hugging.

When the final bell rang, Kira waited for Susie on the front steps of the school. She was eager to see what was outside the academy. It would also be a relief to get away from the male wolves, who still hovered around her, extending invites to join their packs. She might have been flattered had she not been overwhelmed by their obvious erections.

“You won’t regret joining our pack,” a beta said, his eyes hopeful.

Kira offered him a strained smile. “I’ll think about it.”

She did not want to burn her bridges, but she was holding out for the only invite that mattered. To her disappointment, Mark was not amongst the admirers. The only time she’d seen him was when she glimpsed him in the cafeteria eating lunch with his pack.

As she waited outside the school entrance, she noticed a long, steel pike mounted vertically at the top of the steps. Despite the throng of students descending the steps and spilling out onto the lawns, she noticed that the crowd gave the weapon a wide berth. Kira soon discovered that the male wolves wouldn’t go near it either, and that by standing beside it, she was granted a small reprieve from their attentions.

Her skin prickled, and she could have sworn she heard a low raspy whisper near her ear. She heard it again, and this time she was certain the haunted whisper had emanated from the pike. She backed away hastily, and soon lost sight of the weapon altogether as the male wolves huddled around her.

She was beginning to lose hope of hearing from the Poplarins when the crowd suddenly parted and Chelsea Poplarin appeared, wrinkling her pointed nose as she scanned the male wolves disdainfully. She rolled her eyes as she approached Kira, and said in a snide voice, “Enjoying yourself, I see?”

“I’d happily trade places.”

“I’m sure you would,” Chelsea said, stroking her sleek plaits. “But we can’t all be me.”

No argument here.

“What can I do for you?” Kira asked.

Chelsea sighed and handed her a crisp envelope. “Congratulations,” she began in a flat, unhappy tone, “you have received an offer to join the Poplarin Pack.”

Kira’s face lit up. “What? Really? I—”

“In order to confirm your membership,” Chelsea continued, talking over her, “you are required to attend an initiation ceremony after school tomorrow in the gym.”

“Initiation?”

“A secret initiation. Tell no one. Attendance is compulsory if you wish to join our ranks. Non-attendance will result in your invitation being withdrawn. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” Kira said, eagerly opening the letter and scanning the beautiful calligraphy. The invitation had been signed by Mark himself. “I’ll be there.”

“Fine.” Chelsea hesitated, scowling to herself as if she’d just remembered something. “And one more thing. To prove your loyalty to the pack, you must bring a physical item from the vampire hunter’s room to the initiation.”

“A physical item?” Kira asked, frowning down at the letter. “Where does it say—”