Hekate’s Bride

” Oh, for the love of the Goddess, wipe your mouth,” Chancellor Vesper says, tossing a handkerchief on the table in front of me.

I don’t take it. I merely stare at him with a dead-eyed expression that usually makes even my mother squirm.

“You do realize what you have done is unacceptable and deserves an expulsion,” he says.

I say nothing still, feeling the thickness of Ginevra’s blood dry up on my chin. He’s been staring me down for about thirty minutes, demanding that I explain myself.

But I don’t. I did nothing wrong. I merely defended myself and he’s seen that in his cameras–though, I think it’s pretty strange that there are cameras in the restroom.

I wonder if the cameras captured last night with Rune, and the moment before that as well.

“Does Ginevra get punished for this?” I ask, raising my hand and the shard that’s still sticking out my hand. “If she does, then I’ll accept whatever punishment you give me.”

He pushes his glasses back and observes me through the lens. “She will apologize to you.”

I push up from the seat, ignoring the bites of pain I feel everywhere. “Good. I suppose we’re done here.”

“Sit, Blackwood. I’m not done talking to you,” he says sternly and I spare him a sidelong glance, letting him see how little I care about how serious he might sound.

“She attacked me. I did nothing wrong. You can’t punish me for defending myself against her. If all she gets is to deliver an apology, then I’ll start constructing my letter of apology as well.”

His eyes flick over me and his lips tug down in a frown. I see him thinking it through and I also notice when he lets it go, deeming it unnecessary. “Your behaviour, it was absolutely rabid. I will overlook this once,” he pauses before adding, “Ginevra comes from a powerful family of royals. I’d advice you not to have a repeat today’s event.”

I scoff. “Here’s to saying hierarchical levels do not matter within the school’s walls,” I turn slightly, peering down at him from my nose. “If she touches me again, I will do worse. Tell her that. Then tell her parents to take it up with the Alpha King. If they dare.”

I don’t wait for his reply. I limp out of the office, sagging against the door when it closes.

“Astrid,” Maya says, running up to me with books and her tab in her hand. She cups my cheek with her free hand, eyes filled with worry. “Are you alright? You look…”

I swat her hand off my face, feeling weird. Yeah, we’re close, but… not that close. She is pretty nice and caring, but as you must already know, it takes a horribly long time before I let people in.

“Dead,” I finish and her hand slips around my torso as she pulls me forward, helping me walk. I let her do it. I’m too tired to put up a fight right now.

I’m still receiving stares from every direction. It is expected. I’m covered in blood and torn skin. They give myself and Maya a wide berth and their gaze follows us all the way to the staircases.

“Infirmary? You’re bleeding.”

I shake my head. Ginevra’s in the infirmary. I don’t trust myself enough to be in the same place with her and Rune. I might just finish the job I started. “I’m fine. The blood is mostly Ginevra’s.”

Maya’s lips purse. “Videos are circulating. Dar’s given an order for them to be taken down but… they’re saying things.”

People are always saying things about me, so I normally would not be worried. But the tightness in her features has me asking, “What is it?”

“It’s really stupid. I feel ridiculous even mentioning it.” She grimaces painfully and bites nervously on her lower lip. The lines around her eyes and the dip in her lips suggest that she truly is worried about me, but I really can’t fathom what can be worse than being called a cunt everyday and waking up to new photos of myself sent to my phone with the most outrageous remarks and edits.

“Spill it, Maya. You’re making me nervous…” My voice trails off when I notice the name tag on my door upturned and the door slightly ajar. I… I’m pretty sure I had it locked before I left this morning.

Cold sweat break on my forehead and I disengage from Maya, pushing at the door.

The sight I am met with leaves me frozen with horror. I walk past the door way and stepped into what had become my cozy space in the past week.

It is as though a storm swept through and left only destruction in its wake. Every piece of furniture is either overturned or shattered, and my clothes are ripped and strewn across the floor. Nothing is spared.

Not even the flower vase I’d kept and the fresh flowers I’d placed in them.

Shattered. Everything.

And the walls… They are painted in black, the dark colour seeming to seep into every nook and cranny.

But it is the words scrawled across the wall in black paint that has my blood run cold and my heart plummeting.

In jagged letters that look like they have been carved into the wall with a knife, two words are written.

Hekate’s Bride.

I stumble back as my legs refuse to hold me. I stumble another step back. And another.

I shut the door.

“Astrid!” Maya calls out but I’m already racing down the hall in a murderous dash. Hekate’s Bride? It has to be Ginevra. It just has to be. No one else would dare do this.

I pass by Darian who looks at me with confusion. I don’t stop to look at him as I storm to the infirmary. Storm. Limp. Same difference.

But… the lycans… they laugh at me as I walk past them. Phones in hands, fingers pointing at me, cameras flashing, they laugh at me–and I… I’ve never felt so small in my entire life. So insignificant. So worthless.

My steps falter and I want to hide. I want to go somewhere no one’s going to find me. I want to bawl, scream.

The door of the infirmary is only a few steps away but moving has become a problem. I swallow and pant, chest incredibly heavy.

As the taunting and laughter of the students echo in my ears, my chest tightens and my breath quickens. Panic sets in, consuming my body and mind.

I can’t breathe. My injured hand rises to my neck, ripping the button of my shirt… and the shirt itself. The shard in my hand tears through my skin as I claw at my throat, but the pain barely registers. I need air…

My vision blurs as tears start to cloud my eyes. My legs heavy and uncooperative. I stumble forward, hitting the door with my heart racing and hands shaking uncontrollably.

The sound of my racing heartbeat fills my ears, drowning out the cruel words of my tormentors, but not before I hear them speak those words again, laughing hysterically. Hekate’s Bride.

The lights in the hall start to flicker, matching my sharp rapid breaths, and my world spins, spiralling out of control. My fingers grasp the door knob and reaching the infirmary is no longer about finding Ginevra.

It’s about surviving this…

I fall, gasping for air. Tears slip from my eyes as I hit my chest over and over again. It burns. It fucking burns!

Darkness creeps in from the corner of my eyes, but I see Darian hovering above me. His hands are on my cheek and my shoulders. He is saying something but I can’t hear him.

My eyelids droop shut as blackness engulfs me.

But I am awake for a few seconds after that. For long enough to feel arms lift me and the scent of wind and vetiver… and man envelope me.

Rune, I think as I drift under.