Chapter 160
Heather
All the kids at school were on edge. Classes were canceled, but everyone was running the Cazadores’ obstacle course and training like they knew what was coming. The Cazadores patrolled at night, but walked through campus like God’s gift during the day. The alphas that had gathered—some of the ruling Seven alphas were here with other key alphas from around the world—spent their days arguing in the conference room, accomplishing absolutely nothing.
Fights broke out every few hours as the tension brought out wolves in all of us.
In other words, the pack was a hot mess, and it didn’t look like anything was going to change any time soon. Not unless I changed it.
"If I could figure out what I was seeing, then maybe we could actually start doing something." I threw the pillow across the room in frustration. Maybe lack of sleep was making everything worse, but I couldn’t shake the sense of danger. "Are the Cazadores still watching my parents and brother?"
Brent grunted. "Of course. They’re protected around the clock. Just like you wanted."
"And Tia Rosa—"
"Left yesterday for her family’s estate in Mexico. Remember?"
"Right." My great aunt had wanted to get far away from Luciana. At least that worry was gone. My family was safe. Whatever the vision was—it was about me.
"I know this isn’t ideal, but the Seven say we wait, so we wait," Brent said.
"Donovan doesn’t agree with that, does he?" I asked Serena. She was True Mates with Donovan, one of the Council of Seven alphas that ruled over all packs. I wished he were here, but tonight was his turn for the wee-hours patrol.
"No." She drew out the word. "But apparently he doesn’t always agree with them. And since you and I are friends, they think Donovan isn’t a fair judge of the situation."
"That’s stupid."
"Right?" Serena shouted the word. "That’s exactly what I said."
"I have to figure out what I’m dreaming." If it was the past tormenting me, then I could deal with it. And if it was something that was going to happen, at least we could prepare.
"How?" Brent asked.
That was the question. "I don’t know."
"We could try yoga." Serena led the afternoon yoga sessions. I’d gone to a few when I first got to St. Francis’s, but hadn’t had time in a while. "It’s very centering."
She might be right. At this point, I’d juggle oranges while hopping on one foot and singing the ABC’s if it’d fix me. "Okay."
"And if that doesn’t work, maybe tiring your body out while you’re awake will give your mind a chance to relax," Brent said. "Either way, you need more sparring practice."
I rolled my eyes. This had become a thing with him. All the Weres had been training to fight their whole lives and Brent was one of the best Cazadores—the Were fighters who hunted everything that went bump in the night.
I’d say it pained him that I was so bad at fighting, but I knew the only reason it bothered him was because he wanted me to be able to defend myself. Which was probably a good thing, considering.
"Fine. A little gym time won’t kill me. I’ve been spending too much time digging through old books anyhow." I drummed my fingers against my leg. The only productive thing I’d been able to do was cook up potions. I had a whole pile of vials on my desk, just waiting for the next attack. "And if that doesn’t work?"
"We’ll go for a run. Shift." Serena sat on the edge of my bed. "We keep trying stuff until something works. You have to get out of your own way. Just break free from your thoughts and relax, and I’m sure your visions will come back."
Just relax. Easier said than done these days.
As soon as I thought I had a grip on my powers, they changed again. Even if they were working normally—whatever that meant—Tia Rosa had made it clear that visions of the future couldn’t be controlled. They’d come or they wouldn’t.
She said I had to have faith.
Well, I had plenty of faith, but in myself?
Not so much. Not anymore.
I did an hour of yoga with Serena, but all I felt was exhausted. She wanted to do a long meditation after, but there was no way I wanted to fall asleep and go straight into another nightmare. So, Brent got his way.
After two hours of martial arts training and zero visions, people started filtering into the gym. That was my cue to get the hell out. I was used to being watched—stared at—but ever since Luciana had stripped me, the attention made me anxious... Which in turn made me feel weak. It was dumb.
There was no reason to feel this way, but I couldn’t control it. Brent said that I hadn’t had time to deal with my emotions, but the problem was that I wouldn’t have time anytime soon.
Eventually I’d find a way to process all of it. I might even make some therapist rich with how much help I needed. For now, I needed to focus on digging out whatever vision was taking up all the room in my subconscious.
After yet another shower—this one much warmer than the last—I decided food was very much a necessity. Brent had stayed behind to train with Cazadores, but I figured he’d end up at the cafeteria before too long. If I was hungry, he had to be, too.
In case no one else was eating, I grabbed a book on magic and headed across the well-manicured quad to the squat brick building that held the cafeteria. I passed two sophomore Weres. I wasn’t paying attention to them until one shoved the other. They shredded their clothes as they shifted to their wolf forms—snarling and swiping claws at each other.
One of them let out a yelp of pain, and I froze.
I had two choices. Keep walking and let them work it out, or step in and stop the fight.
Screw it. I’d had enough of the constant fighting. "Knock it off." I yelled the command at them, backed with a healthy dose of alpha power. The wolves froze. "Jesus. No more fighting. You’re like a bunch of cranky toddlers." They rolled over, showing me their soft underbellies. I took that as agreement the fight would end there. "Have a nice day boys," I said as I started back across the quad.
But still, this was getting ridiculous. If the alphas didn’t come to some sort of agreement soon, I was worried what would happen to the pack. These little fights among the students were yet another glaring example of their division rippling through the pack bonds.
Someone had to step in and make some real decisions soon or there’d be no pack left to fight Luciana.
I braced myself as I opened the door to the cafeteria, hoping that Serena or Donovan would be inside. Xander was definitely still in the gym. He’d come in as I was leaving. But I hadn’t seen Serena, and she wasn’t in our suite. Adrian was probably out running the Cazadores course yet again. That thing was a beast of obstacles, but he was determined to beat the challenge time. To become some ultimate fighter.
The scent of waffles, omelets, bacon, fruit, and some sort of sweet pastry filled the air. I’d definitely need to hunt one of those pastries down. They weren’t an everyday thing, but man, when the chef made them, they were to die for.
As I moved through the room, conversations went silent. Of the thirty or so round tables, only one was completely full. Joseph’s little clique. His dad was the Alpha of the Canadian pack, and he thought that made him God’s gift to the world.
Ever since Mr. Hoel died, they’d separated themselves. I hadn’t noticed until I literally bumped into one of them, and couldn’t feel their connection to the pack. I’d brought it up to Mr. Langdon and the rest of the group, but no one was doing anything about it. No one seemed the least bit concerned.
But I knew in my bones that they were going to be trouble. If not now, then soon.