Crescent Wolves - G. Bailey Page 0,43

and we expect you all to do the same. Now,” he says, putting his hands behind his back, “I’m going to give the mic over to our head of security and co-chair of the board, Ms. Evelyn Rose. She will answer any questions you may have, and then you all will be able to resume your day. Thank you for your time and attention. Ms. Rose…”

He steps away from the microphone to allow a gorgeous, dark-haired woman to take his place. “Hello, everyone,” she says. “Some of you may know me. My name is Evelyn Rose, and I’m in charge of campus security here at Shifter Academy. I wanted to take this time to address any concerns you might have before we continue…”

What feels like every student in the lecture hall raises their hand at once, but I’m already tuning the discussion out, my gaze instead lingering on Hawthorne. He has moved off to the side again, but his eyes are sweeping the room once more, and I can’t shake the sneaking feeling that he’s looking at me.

“Well,” says Landon as we slowly file out of the auditorium ten minutes later, “that was… a lot.”

The hallway is choked with students, all looking bewildered as they make their way back in the direction of the cafeteria. All in all, the meeting took about half an hour which at least gives us enough time to get some food before we head off to class, but I can’t fight the growing sense of unease that I’m feeling in the aftermath of Hawthorne’s announcements.

“That’s putting it mildly,” Shade mutters. “It’s always overkill with them, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” Hunter asks.

“Calm down, daddy’s boy,” Shade says. “I’m talking about the school in general. This is total overkill, and I’m willing to bet most of the other people here agree with me.”

“You think this is overkill?” Hunter asks. “Someone’s gone missing!”

“Yeah, and he’ll probably be back by the end of the day,” Shade replies dismissively. “If you ask me, the guy just got lost. They’ll find him cowering under a tree somewhere, and then we’ll all be wondering why the hell any of this was necessary.”

“You’re not at all worried something might have happened to him?” Hazel asks incredulously.

“No,” Shade replies. “Like what? Eaten by a monster? There’s no one on this island except for the people at this academy.”

“Exactly,” Hazel points out. “That’s what makes me nervous. If it was foul play, how do we know someone at the school wasn’t responsible?”

“Great,” says Landon. “Now I can add ‘trapped on campus with a serial killer’ to my growing list of phobias.”

“You really think a student would have done something to that guy?” I ask, frowning.

“Maybe not a student,” Landon replies. “Maybe a faculty member.”

I shiver, muttering, “Glad I asked.”

Landon laughs, slinging an arm around my shoulders. His body feels warm and sturdy against mine. “Don’t worry, Boots. I’ll protect you.”

Hunter snorts and rolls his eyes, while Shade raises an eyebrow. We come to a stop outside the cafeteria, each of us still processing everything that was said.

“Silas?” I say, turning to the dragon shifter. He’s been strangely quiet this whole time, his head low and his shoulders hunched. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Silas replies. “It’s just… something the president said is bothering me a little, that’s all.”

“Which part?” I ask.

He looks up at me with thinly veiled worry, and something in his expression makes a fresh surge of fear rush through me. “The part about nothing like this ever happening here before,” he replies in a low voice. “That was a lie.”

Chapter 18

"Hey, bestie. I love your hair today," Hazel comments, sitting next to me in the cafeteria and flipping my braid on my shoulder. The sun is just coming up outside, marking a new day. "Can you show me how to do that kind of braid."

"It's called a waterfall braid and sure," I reply. "Did you get the message that we have siren studies all day for a special class?"

"Yup," she replies, before taking a bite of her toast. "That's why I'm here early. I wonder what it's about."

"Same," I say, just as Silas and Landon sit down opposite us.

"Morning, Boots. Hazel," Silas grumbles, never the morning person until he has had a few cups of coffee.

Landon grins and winks at me as Silas drinks his first cup of coffee and then picks up his second. "You look lovely today girls."

Hazel just rolls her eyes as I focus on Silas. "How come