Unstoppable (Their Shifter Academy #6) - May Dawson Page 0,94

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I stumbled out onto the green lawn of the academy with the wolves right on my heels. I didn’t dare look back, but I hoped that Penn’s alpha power had held over the pack. I didn’t want to see anyone I knew coming to kill Lex and all the other shifters here.

I felt sick that I hadn’t left earlier. That was part of why I was such an ass to Lex, and I wished I had a chance to tell him that I was sorry I hadn’t followed him out earlier. I should have. I should’ve come to this stupid academy; it seemed like a miserable place but it was better than waiting at home like a victim.

An awful lot can flash through a girl’s mind when she’s running for her life.

As we ran, I glimpsed Clearborn and Piper and the rest of those from the packs that had come to help us. They were spreading out to hold the line, waiting for us to come through the lines before they opened fire on the wolves.

But was there any hope when they couldn’t shift?

As soon as we stumbled behind a barricade, Lex grabbed my arm. “You can still shift, right?” he demanded. “You’re still Kierney pack.”

For some reason, that felt like an accusation. I didn’t want to be Kierney, not when they’d betrayed Lex personally, and all the rest of the wolves generally when they allied with the witches.

“Yeah,” I said. “I guess I still can.”

“Get to the infirmary and protect the medics and Skyla,” he told me. “We need you. We’re going to have a lot of wounded soon.”

Chase glanced his way, his face tight with worry.

“Take care of the little girl,” Lex told me, and I nodded. I was surprised he had any faith in me left at all.

“You’ve got this,” Lex said, squeezing my shoulder, his face full of warmth and pride. For no good reason. The world was falling apart around us, and I’d never done anything but let him down.

“I will,” I said. If he had that much faith in me, maybe I’d try to have some in myself.

I took off running for the academic building and the infirmary.

The sound of wolves snarling and bullets firing was loud behind me until I stumbled into the quiet hallway. I closed the doors behind me and debated sealing them, but Lex had said they’d be bringing their wounded this way.

So many wounded. The sight of all those wolves barreling toward the humans… I couldn’t think about it, not when my brother was out there. Instead, I turned and sprinted down the halls until I found the medic’s office. I headed past the doctor and the medics who were on call and burst into Skyla’s room. We had a few minutes and I wanted to try to tell her not to be afraid, even though my own fear had my chest tight.

Skyla turned from the window to look at me, her eyes wide. She was watching the battle rage on the lawn.

“It’s going to be all right,” I promised, even though that might very well be a lie. It looked desperate out there.

Then I added, “I’m here to protect you.”

If I can.

She nodded. “I’m Skyla.”

“Rosemary. Lex’s sister.”

Her eyes brightened. “Oh. It’s nice to meet you.”

She trusted Lex so much that I could see her transfer that trust to me, and it made a strange mix of emotions wash through me—fear that I’d let her down, even more potent than the fear of having to face down a fully-grown male wolf as it raced through the halls outside. And pride.

“Lex certainly seems to make an impression,” I said. “I’m going to have to change into a wolf, all right? I don’t want you to be scared.”

From what Lex had said, she’d been kidnapped by wolves, so the words seemed ridiculous. Of course she was going to be scared.

“Okay,” she said.

“You’re…not going to freak out?”

She shook her head. “I’m not afraid of wolves. I am a wolf. I’m afraid of bad people—whether they can turn into wolves or not.”

“I see,” I said. I wasn’t sure anyone had ever thought I was good before.

That wasn’t true. Lex did.

And maybe I could see why he’d chosen this miserable school, this life of protecting other people.

Because I knew then I’d protect Skyla until my last breath.

Chapter Forty-Five

Maddie

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Castle Eastbrick was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.

If I hadn’t been a criminal Otherworlder out to steal one of the