23. Chapter 23
Lennox
T he digital clock flashed in the corner of her desk in big numbers, two am. Lennox had just gotten back to her room from the party and she could feel the sleepiness start to overtake the spinning room. She pulled off her jacket but decided that the effort of changing clothes was too much effort, at this point. She climbed into bed for the night and let out a deep breath as she pulled the sheets up and closed her eyes. Just as she did, her phone rang demandingly from her bedside table.
Lennox shot upright, and fear gripped her chest as she threw the covers aside. There’s no reason for anyone to be calling. Every muscle tensed as she rushed to her phone as she forced herself to sober up. She saw Aron’s name and photo across her screen which sent a new wave of fear through her. Without hesitation, she answered and put the phone to her ear. Aron didn’t wait for her to say anything before he started to talk worry plain in his voice.
“Len, it’s Octavius. He isn’t anywhere inside Kappa. Did you see him there when you did your headcount?”
“No, Rosalyn had asked if I’d seen him but we figured he had passed out somewhere upstairs.” She started to throw on her jacket while she held the phone on her shoulder.
“Call the security team- Now. I’m on my way.” The call ended.
Exhausted and still intoxicated she pulled her jacket on and speed dialed Coyote. With her fears confirmed she pushed her panic aside only to be replaced with a strong rage. I will not lose anyone else. Not tonight. As the phone rang, Lennox quickly made her way down the stairs and to the front entrance. She peered around the darkness to make sure there was no movement around her before she opened the door. As she stepped through the door frame, the vines used to lock the house down moved aside for her.
She stepped down the front three steps and turned back to the front door, her irises glowed a dull green. As adrenaline coursed through her, she pulled at the vine to her magic and sent more vines over the front door and windows of the Omega Alpha. The magic didn’t stop until the barrier was so thick, no one could cut through.
Once she was satisfied she turned toward the main building. Vines started to grow from the freshly healed scratch marks over the large burn scars on her back. The ivy weaved into their familiar wing shape in seconds. The sigils along her chains sprang to life through the small holes she had cut into her shirts and jackets for cases like this. It was just then a deep groggy voice answered the phone. “Lennox, what’s going on?” Coyote asked.
“Octavius is missing. Aron is on his way over to start looking for him.”
“Don’t leave Omega when he gets there, either of you. This could be a trap to lure you both out. I’m on my way. ” He instructed as she heard a loud clatter in the background.
“It worked. I’m not burying anyone else… Trap or not, they are going to wish they hadn’t come here.”
The sound of footsteps behind her made her turn around, ready to fight if she had to. Aron was already halfway between the houses before he stopped and looked her up and down, surprise written all over his face. Lennox waited for him to make some comment and lifted her head a little as if in a challenge for him to. Instead, a smile drifted across his face as they looked at each other. His own eyes shifted pure black, the veins in his hand and up his arms now alight with something kin to lava. The energy shifted around them as both pulled at their reserves. With no questions asked, they were a team.
Lennox remembered Coyote was still on the other end when she heard his door shut through the phone. The sounds of him on his walkie talkie to inform the other members of the security team drifted through the speaker as well.
“Aron just got here, I’ll share our location with you.” She told him as her feet started to move toward the path to the main building.
“We aren’t waiting for Coyote and the others?” Aron asked her and fell into step just behind her.
“No, every second counts… I learned that the hard way. You’re welcome to stay here and wait, but I’m going to find him.” She told him, her voice monotone as her eyes went midnight behind the dull green glow. She glanced around the dark grounds and listened to the sounds around them. The area was quiet as the cold hung in the air.
Coyote protested on the other end of the phone. “Don’t do anything irrational Miss. Cade. We will be there in five minutes.”
“I’m not waiting for anyone. ” She hit the end button and slipped her phone into her pocket. He could still track them and this way was much quieter.
Lennox stopped in her tracks and peered into the treeline of the woodland. Her intuition pulled her toward the shadows and her feet followed. Behind her, Aron followed her into the forest without a single further question. This time he moved to walk beside her as they entered the treeline, he lifted his hand and small flames sparked to life from his fingertips. The light from the fire was enough to illuminate about five feet in front of them. As she peered over to him, Lennox saw the determination in his eyes. The orange glow played across his face and the flames danced in his eyes as he looked back at her. It was all the confirmation she needed to continue forward.
They walked for how long she didn’t know, mostly in silence. Neither dared to call out, cautious since they didn’t know what lingered just past the light. Their breath could be seen in the air as she moved more branches aside until suddenly, a whisper caught her attention. It was distant, almost like the whispers she heard when someone started to summon her. Not now. Lennox waited for the summoning to get stronger. However, the whispers grew as she turned to the right.
She motioned her head to the right and followed them as they grew louder. Slowly, they filled her mind so loudly that they consumed her thoughts entirely. After less than a minute or two, Aron’s light illuminated someone’s foot. The two stopped at the same time, their eyes fell on an unconscious Octavius. The twisted wings wound their way into her back once more. She trusted Aron to handle anything that could appear behind them. Her eyes went wide as she quickly bent down to him and put her hands on his shoulders. Lennox gently shook him in an attempt to wake him.
She frowned when she felt how cold he was. He must have been out here for hours. Her heart sank and her hands went to the zipper of her jacket as she peered at Aron. She was about to tell him to get the chain off of Octavius however he was already set to work as they melted away. Lennox turned back to their friend and took off her jacket, left in nothing but a tank top and jeans. As the ice-like chains melted away at Aron’s touch he glanced over to Lennox. She placed her jacket around Octavius’s shoulders and shivered slightly.
“It’s okay, we’ve got you now.” She told him, her eyes scanning for blood.
“Lennox, let me warm him up, you’ll fr-” Aron walked toward them as he spoke and she felt his hand on her back. Right over the burn scars lined with fresh cuts as he bent down to them.
His words stopped and so did he, knelt down and motionless beside her. She looked back at him, worried and bent her head to him in an attempt to catch his attention. However, he didn’t flinch. A statue.
“Aron? Hey, are you okay? Do I have to find a way to carry you both out of here?” She asked quietly and put a hand on his arm.
At the contact, he jumped and blinked back at her. His eyes were wide as if he saw her for the first time. “What? Ca- Lennox- I.”
“Are you okay?”
The sound of heavy footsteps came from behind them. The two Heads of House snapped toward the sound ready to fight. From the shadows came two very tall men with disapproving looks. Coyote and Bloodfang peered down at them before they moved past them to Octavius. Bloodfang easily scooped up the man and started to wordlessly carry him away for medical attention. As he passed Lennox and Aron she noticed his face finally show his emotions. He had his hands balled into fists and his eyes dropped to the ground.
“I’ll kill who did this to you…”
Coyote turned to the students in front of him and motioned for them to follow him out. Even in Aron’s orange light, she could see the red in the man’s face coupled with annoyed understanding. Lennox knew they were surely in trouble for not listening and she would take the brunt of that. Besides- They know I wouldn’t have done anything less.
It was five in the morning by the time Coyote finished chewing them out for not waiting on them. Lennox knew that if there had been a hunter who set a trap for them they could have both been killed. However, Aron made it clear if he didn’t think he could hold his own, he wouldn’t have followed her. She insisted it was all due to her and she had no regrets, which made Coyote sigh in defeat. He released them to their houses for the night and instructed them to try and get some rest for the day before they would have a meeting with Principal Moon, the Security Team, and Cleo. As Aron had waited for her to leave with him, Lennox had turned to Coyote and met his gaze one last time.
“I’m not worried for myself, I’m on borrowed time anyways if they are trying to get me.”
Lennox stepped from the room with Aron beside her as they left the lower level of the school. The morning light streamed through the hall windows when they went up the stairs to the main entrance. Neither demon spoke as they went through the doors into the courtyard. Lennox looked up at the sun which peaked over the horizon and let out a sigh.
“Borrowed time, huh?” The man broke the quiet.
A knot formed in her throat as she hoped he wouldn’t ask. “I would have died around the same time I made my deal so yes, these last twenty two years have been borrowed.”
“You’re usually pretty optimistic Lenny.”
“I just can’t lose anyone else.” She shook her head as she glanced at the two chapter houses. “I’d do anything to make sure everyone here was safe.”
“I know you would… But the world needs people like you. So for us, don’t do anything that could jeopardize that. Besides, I’m pretty sure Wyatt would take my ass down if I came back without you.”
She smiled lightly and met his forest green eyes. “I won’t make promises. Not this time.”
“I knew you wouldn’t. Just call me so we can assemble the team. We take on dildos together, agreed?”
“Agreed.” She couldn’t help the smile that drifted to her face as he held out his pinky which she twisted hers around.
Lennox had returned to her room to attempt to get a semblance of sleep. She lay there for hours, stared at the ceiling, and went over the last few hours in her mind. Aron’s pause came to mind as she remembered the way he froze when he touched her scar. Maybe he just thought I’d get upset if he touched it? She attempted to explain the strange event away.
Around eight she sat up in bed, unable to lay there anymore. She looked over to her phone for any messages but found nothing. She knew she had to tell Rosalyn what had happened last night and quickly texted to meet in an hour in her room. Lennox decided she had to check on Aron first and left the house once more and completely abandoned the walk in two’s rule. She went directly to the front stairs, opened the door and made her way inside. She walked through the halls and went into the common room to text Aron she was downstairs.
When she looked up from her phone, she saw someone sat on the black leather couch by the fire. The very person she was here for was in front of her with a first aid kit in his lap. He was focused on his hand as he rolled gauze around it with his non-dominant side and seemed to struggle slightly. A pile of small shards of mirror sat in a bowl mixed with red. Blood dripped from cuts all over the top of his hand and knuckles onto his jeans. Lennox rushed forward and fear gripped at her chest.
“Aron? What happened?” She asked which caused him to jump.
“I- errr... Nothing, absolutely nothing!” He lied as she frowned at him.
“That isn’t nothing. Did you punch a mirror or something?”
“I-” He stopped himself and turned away from her as she approached.
“I’m not judging you. Just let me help, okay? I won’t ask any more questions.” She told him and paused beside the couch.
He was quiet for a second before he nodded and let his injured hand drift toward her. Lennox’s face softened as she sat beside him and hovered her hands over the bandages. He flinched a little as she picked up the gauze and watched her carefully as if she could break at any moment. Does he think I’m not okay after what happened with Octavius? What is this about? It’s like he thinks I’ll shatter. For a moment, she questioned whether or not his opinions of her had shifted since last night but she kept it to herself for now.
She made quick work of removing the bandages and sprayed the cleaning solution from inside the kit which caused him to grimace and draw in a sharp breath. As she worked in silence, the questions she dared not ask flew around her mind. Carefully She wrapped the bandages around the cuts and secured it with a careful tuck. As she worked, his eyes were trained on their hands and didn’t move until she was done.
“There, I think I saved your hand. You can keep it for now.” She teased lightly and started to put everything away.
“Thanks, doc.” A small smile drifted to his face as his eyes met hers again as they both stood. “Would you mind if we kept this between us?”
“Of course, doctor patient confidentiality and all.”
“I appreciate it, I guess you’re cooler than I thought you were.” He forced a smile.
“I am, you’ve just never noticed.” She teased. “Well, if that’s the only thing, I can let you get back to your day. I have to meet with Rosalyn soon, I don’t want her to find out about what happened with Octavius from anyone else.” She told him as he shifted side to side at Rosalyn’s name.
“Actually, I was hoping you’d come over later to talk with Wyatt and Nick. Something happened last night at the party between Nick and Eden, Wyatt was a witness and will tell Eden’s side. Can you come back over this afternoon around four?” He asked and seemed to slide back into his usual demeanor.
“Of course, I’ll be there.”