“Shall we go?”
“Are you ok to?” Tatum asks her, placing a protective hand on her upper arm.
“Yeah, I feel ok enough. I just need to get a good night’s sleep,” she whispers, her heart rate picking up.
Fuck.
I stay a few steps behind them, trying not to enjoy the view of that sexy ass, especially now that I know what those thighs feel like wrapped around me.
“I heard Professor Magdalia say they used an old student who has defected to their side to help with the teleportation spell…” I hear a witch whisper as we step into the hall.
“I heard that after the spells were broken, they found a way in,” another whispers.
I glance at Sienna just as she looks at me, panic in her eyes.
I shake my head slowly, hoping she understands that it’s fine.
Sensing the magic in the air and the way our Schattensichts are glowing, I know someone is doing a count of everyone present.
No one needs to be told to settle down. The tension and the hushed whispers keep everyone occupied. I see Alessandra and Heaven rush over to Sienna, and Tatum and my own brothers approach me.
No one will admit it, but the fear that someone could have died tonight is real.
Sensing a few powerful auras, I turn just in time to see the Headmaster, Alpha Aaron, enter with Leo, Raihana and to my surprise, Ahren alongside him.
Silence falls across the entire hall at the sight of the Headof the Coven of England and the King himself. Leo’s sharp eyes sweep through the room. The only sound that breaks the silence is the flick of his lighter as he lights his cigarette, raising it to his lips and inhaling slowly.
“Evenin’.”
The King’s Questions
Sienna
My heart skips a beat seeing my family. Ahren! Aunty! I almost move, but force myself to stay in my spot as I smile at Ahren. It’s good to see him.
He winks at me, giving me the hint of a mischievous smile before we turn our attention back to the King.
But I can’t even focus. I am a mess. What happened with Jayce is replaying in my mind on repeat.
My cheeks heat up; the way he touched me, the way he held me close, intimately. Even the most delusional person would not be able to write that off. It was so obvious there was something there. The way his hands felt, the way he looked at me… He wanted me, and just knowing that made my head feel all light and giddy.
I know we have a huge problem at hand, something to worry about, including the fact that Jayce’s book is gone, but all I can keep thinking of is the way he lifted me and held me against him with ease. The way he protected me, the way he refused to let me walk.
The way his lips brushed the side of my head, the way his gaze trailed over me… the worry, the-
Suddenly, I sense his burning gaze on me, igniting the flames that heat my skin, sending my heart ricocheting once more, and I dare a glance at him. He simply looks away, the cold demeanour back, but I know there’s more to him than the front he puts on.
I take a steadying breath as I watch Uncle Leo step further into the hall, glancing over at Alpha Aaron - our Headmaster. Alpha Aaron was the previous alpha of a pack not far from Cardiff, where his son is now Alpha. Alpha Aaron, as if understanding what the glance means, takes a deep breath, looking across the room at all of us.
“As you all know, tonight we had a break-in, a breach in our security,” Alpha Aaron begins. With a wave of her wrist and a single word spoken from Aunty Ri, his voice projects around the room. I frown as I spot some of the older boys checking her out, but they’re smart enough to be discreet about it. I turn my attention back to our Headmaster as he carries on. “This was a failure on behalf of myself and my team for not noticing anything out of the norm, and I admit we cannot afford any failures.”
He looks down, and I feel guilt rip at me. No, this was my fault, not his.
“Mistakes happen.” This time, it is Uncle Leo who speaks. His piercing eyes flick across the room. I feel as if they linger a moment longer on mine, as if trying to see the inside of my soul. “But we all need to do better. One of the things I’m noticing while looking around at the lot of you is that there are barely a dozen people in here who are in their armour. Those suits are not just for training; you’re meant to live and breathe in them.They give a basic level of protection, which the majority of you are currently lacking.”
Allie, Heaven and me all glance at one another. The only one of us who had kitted up is Heaven, although the gown she’s wearing on top is proof she had most likely snapped her belt on as she rushed to leave her room.
“This is a War Training Academy. Treat it as such. I don’t give a fuck what you wear out of hours, but this belt should be an accessory with every single outfit, so you are ready when needed,” Uncle Leo continues. “We don’t know when the next attack will happen or when they’ll come here with a target in mind. So always be prepared. This time, it was an item. Next time, it might be a person. There will be some changes implemented going forward. No matter how strong we build our defences, the chance they can get through is always there. We need to be prepared. Every student will be given weapons to keep by their side at all times.”
