Crescent Wolves - G. Bailey Page 0,17

seen. After eighteen years of bouncing from one public school to the next, passed from one disinterested foster family to another, I’m overwhelmed by the newness of it all. Briefly, and not for the first time, I wonder about Mollie--what ever happened to her? Is she safe? Will she ever find out what became of me?

I’m jostled away from this train of thought when the witches come to an abrupt stop in front of an office door marked “Registrar”. Not bothering to knock, Samantha pulls it open and waves us through to an enormous wooden desk. Behind it is an ancient woman with a pair of enormous glasses balanced on the end of her nose.

She looks up when we enter. “Ms. Goldstein, Ms. Everhart,” she says, pushing aside the stack of files in front of her. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Her eyes settle on me. “A new student?”

“Yes, Mrs. Fairbanks,” Josie says, taking a seat on the other side of the desk. I follow suit, finding myself between the two witches. “We were alerted to her early last night, and we tracked her down in an abandoned warehouse.”

“I see,” says Mrs. Fairbanks, scrutinizing me. “A runaway?” I stare at her, feeling like she’s looking right through me. “It’s all right, my dear,” she adds. “You’re not the first. Do you have a family that needs to be notified?”

“I…” I begin, and the truth of my situation falls on me again. “No. No family. My foster dad was trying to hurt me, so I… I ran away from home. That’s when they found me.” I don’t know what’s compelling me to tell her all this, but I can’t help it. It’s like she’s opening me up just by looking at me.

“Ah,” Mrs. Fairbanks says, nodding. “Well, it’s a good thing we found you, then. Now, tell me, Miss…”

“Brix,” I reply. “Millie Brix.”

“Ms. Brix,” she continues, “what kind of shifter are you, exactly?”

I stare at her, wondering what on earth I’m supposed to say. A hybrid? Some kind of freakish combination? Again, my mind flashes back to the hideous monster I saw in the reflection of the warehouse window, and I suddenly feel like I want to cry. I can feel that old, familiar worry welling up inside me as I look at this kindly woman with her wrinkled face, that fear that I’ll never properly belong anywhere. It looks a little different now, but at the end of the day, it’s the same old anxiety.

“I don’t know,” I breathe. “What’s wrong with me?” I’m not sure who the question is directed toward, but it’s out before I can stop it.

Mrs. Fairbanks’ brow furrows, and the others exchange a look.

I turn to Samantha. “You said you couldn’t figure out what kind of shifter I am. Does that mean there’s some kind of problem?” A horrible possibility comes to me then, and I touch her arm. “Can you even teach me here?”

Josie puts a gentle hand on my shoulder. “It’s all right, Millie. It’s all right.” She looks up to address Mrs. Fairbanks. “Her shifter signature was all over the place, and her aura back at the warehouse was… Well, like a rainbow. She showed signs of all five clans.”

“Really?” Mrs. Fairbanks’ brow furrows, and she leans forward, examining me with her large, inquisitive eyes. “That’s unusual.” She reaches out for me and then hesitates. “May I?” Hesitatingly, I nod, and her eyes suddenly go black, the same way the other witches’ did back at the warehouse.

I guess we know what kind of shifter she is, I think dryly.

Taking my chin in her hand, the old woman stares at me, turning my face this way and that. “Mm,” she says, nodding. “Mm-hmm. Very unusual.” She lets me go, and her eyes go back to the watery blue that they were moments before. “You’re certainly right, Ms. Everhart. I have to admit, I've never seen anything like this before, and I've been working at the Academy for fifty years." Seeing the dismayed look on my face, she rushes to add, "But that's no reason to worry! We'll find a place for you here, Ms. Brix." She turns to the others. "I think it might be a good idea to bring President Hawthorne here and get his opinion."

Samantha nods. "I think you're right."

"Who's President Hawthorne?" I ask, feeling stupid.

"He's the headmaster of this Shifter Academy," Samantha replies. "Since you've shown signs of multiple shifting abilities, he'll be the best one to decide