55. Hayden
I slid my books into my backpack as Cáel and Easton hovered nearby. It felt like this day had actually lasted a month. And to top it all off, I was worried about Wren. She had missed English. And as far as I knew, she’d never missed class a day in her life.
I wanted to text her, but I realized I didn’t have her phone number. Some friend I was. I’d been so caught up in the craziness of the last couple of months that I hadn’t even bothered to get it. I’d send her an email as soon as we got home.
The moment I zipped up my backpack, Cáel picked it up.
“You don’t have to?—”
He cut me off with a droll look.
“Alrighty then,” I mumbled.
“Let him do it. Makes him feel useful when everything is literal chaos around us,” Easton said.
He was right. We all needed to hold tight to anything that would give us some semblance of control.
I moved into Cáel’s space, stretching up and pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Thank you.”
Cáel just grunted, but it made me smile.
“Let’s get out of here,” Easton muttered. “I need a stiff drink and ten hours in the hot tub.”
I chuckled. “I wouldn’t be against that. Where’s Maddox?”
“He’s waiting at the car,” Easton explained.
Cillian and Knox were already home, crafting a plan of attack with the lawyer for our meeting tomorrow. Suddenly, going home seemed more exhausting than staying put.
Easton wrapped an arm around me. “It won’t be too bad. Promise.”
I just hoped he was right.
We headed through the maze of hallways toward the back door. As we turned a corner, we nearly collided with Delaney, Bella, and Maggie.
Delaney sneered at me. “If it isn’t the slutty murderer. Did you slice and dice Brent yourself, or did you offer one of these two a blow job to do it?”
A snarl left Cáel’s lips, making all three girls stumble back a few steps. Bella and Maggie kept retreating, but Delaney stood her ground.
“What? Are you going to kill me, too? There are witnesses, you know,” she snapped.
“Delaney,” Bella hissed.
Maggie just shook her head. “This is too much for me. I am so out.”
Delaney whirled on them. “Shut up. I will ruin both of you.”
Maggie’s cheeks went pink. “You’re obsessed with Hayden, and it’s getting really fucking weird. So, she snagged the guy you’re interested in. It’s not like there aren’t hundreds more on campus to choose from. Get over it already.”
Redness crept up Delaney’s throat. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Bella gaped at her. “It’s all you talk about now. You pick apart everything about Hayden, practically accuse her of wanting to wear your skin.”
I wrinkled my nose at that. No, thank you.
Delaney fisted her hands. “Excuse me for not wanting a murderer at our school.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “You don’t care about that. All you care about is Knox. Or maybe it’s Cillian. It’s hard to keep up with you.”
“You’re both done,” Delaney snarled.
Bella held up a hand. “Please, everyone knows you’re the one who’s losing it. Good luck starting more rumors.”
Bella motioned to Maggie, and they took off back down the hall.
Easton cleared his throat. “You going to be done with this weird-ass war against Hayden now?”
Delaney turned back around slowly, her teeth gritted. But she didn’t look at Easton. Her hate-filled eyes were only locked on me. “You are going to pay for this.”
She strode forward, shoulder-checking me as she passed.
I sighed. “I don’t think the loss of friends got through to her.”
Cáel grunted. “She needs some serious help.”
“Not going to argue with you there,” I muttered.
Easton wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get home.”
If there wasn’t a lawyer waiting for us there, that would’ve sounded perfect.
As we stepped outside, Maddox pushed off the SUV. “Where have you been? I was about to come looking for you.”
“Little mean-girl run-in,” Easton answered.
Maddox’s gaze flicked to me. “Delaney?”
I nodded. “Not my biggest fan.”
He groaned. “Maybe I need to get the dean involved.”
I shook my head. “It’ll just make things worse. I can deal with her insults. At some point, it just becomes background noise.”
Maddox held my gaze for a moment, as if trying to read the truth behind my words. “You’ll tell me if it gets to be too much?”
“I promise.” But given everything else we were facing, I could deal with Delaney.
“All right. Let’s get home. Cillian’s getting antsy,” Maddox said, beeping the locks on the SUV.
He and Easton climbed into the front while Cáel and I got into the back. We were all mostly quiet as Maddox drove. There were a million worries to dominate our thoughts, and no one was in the mood for music.
Maddox turned onto the two-lane road that led toward horde territory. At least there I wouldn’t be quite so on edge. Until the lawyer started peppering me with questions that was.
I needed ice cream. A vat of it. With chocolate syrup and whipped cream. And sprinkles. All the rainbow sprinkles.
The sound of an engine was the only warning. It was a puzzling noise because there were no other vehicles in sight. By the time I was looking around to find the source, it was too late.
Something slammed into our SUV, sending it flipping over and off the road. It tumbled several times before stopping upside down.
Everything and nothing hurt all at the same time. My ears rang as a warm liquid dripped down the side of my face. Blood, some part of my brain registered.
Someone groaned from the front seat as voices shouted from outside the vehicle.
What the hell happened?
“Cut her down. The alpha’s gonna be pissed if she’s dead,” a man yelled.
“Hayden?” Easton croaked from the front seat, his voice barely audible.
Hands reached in through the smashed-out window, and a knife glinted.
Panic set in, and I kicked out.
The man cursed, grabbing me by the hair. “Don’t make me gut you.”
“Hayden!” Easton yelled, trying to get out of his seat belt. I saw a flash of claws, and he cut himself free. But just as quickly, a pop sounded, making Easton’s body jerk.
“Hayden…” he choked, slumping against the SUV’s roof.
The hand tightened in my hair as I thrashed. I screamed for Maddox and Cáel, but they didn’t wake up. Or they were already dead. No. They weren’t. I’d have felt it.
I fought harder, kicking out and screaming. The man cursed again, and then there was a sharp pinch in my neck. Just as quickly as I’d felt the bite of pain, it was fading. And with it, the world around me.
The End for now…Hayden’s story continues in Dawn of Flames. Available for purchase by tapping HERE.