"I was…..lost," Aileen said, staring at Roy, who had flashed in front of her. He was carrying a blade in his left hand, and Aileen told herself to not get on his nerve. "Are you prepared?" he asked, leaning against the railing, tucking the blade in his belt, and folding his arms. "Yes." She replied confidently. She was prepared, but what will she do about her mother? "But?" he must have caught the worry on her face. Should I tell him? Aileen thought. But this isn't a therapy session. He will just report it to the Beta, and that would be the end of everything. The voice in her head replied. "Just nervous about not knowing the task." She lied, and then it clicked her, "Do you know where I can find the rule handbook?" "Downstairs, take the first right. It's in the library." He said and walked away before Aileen could say thank you. "It would be difficult not to run into him," Aileen told herself and was a little happy with the thought. After all, he was the only person she knew here.
The library was built with modern equipment, unlike the whole mansion where the architecture and furniture were all wood. Aileen noticed that there was no helpdesk and no librarian. So she walked around, hoping to stumble into the handbook magically.
The library was half empty, with chairs occupied by students engrossed in unique books about weapons, war, and history. And magically she stumbled upon the section of a helpdesk. It had many questions and answers books about how to figure out your calling to maps of the mansion. Aileen took out the rule handbook, which was small and thin. A little unexpected, she thought and opened it, flipping to the heading of PARENTAL ROLE. She confirmed the part where the parent's word was the final agreement in getting the student out of here.
It took a while for Aileen to find the loophole in the paragraph, but she wasn't happy about it. It was extreme, and it would scar her mother forever. But what can I do? Aileen thought, closing the handbook and leaning against the shelf. I can't go back to my life. I can't graduate and expect myself to live with my mom until I drop dead? I can't get married or have a life of my own there. "I have to do this," I said out loud and walked out of the library, ready to face my mother.
They had called everyone in the hall once again, and I spotted Christian talking with another boy. He waved at me excitedly, and I waved back. Henry was standing on the stage, a microphone in his left hand, and he was talking in hushed whispers with the woman. Once everyone was queued up in five rows, Henry began.
"Welcome officially into the Spirit bones, your home for the next two weeks, in which we will determine who will stay and who will leave." He fell silent, taking in the anxious faces. "Miss Lane will show you your rooms and will give you instructions about the first task. You will leave row by row in silence." Completing his speech, Henry got offstage, and Miss Lane asked the first row to follow her out of the hall. Aileen was standing in the fifth row, in the last. It would take time for her to leave. She was worried about the consequences coming towards her, the new beginning, and the risk she was taking. What if I don't get selected? What will I do? The thought ran in a circle, refusing to stop.
Everything happened so fast. By the time it was her turn to walk out, the doors burst open and Aileen saw a haggard-looking transformed wolf. She would've run away from the sudden action if it weren't for the scar across the tail. The wolf growled at everyone, and she watched as guards made a protective circle around Henry, who had glowing orange eyes and claws ready to fight. Aileen knew if she didn't intervene, they would kill the wolf, so she took a risk of putting her life on track. Aileen jumped in front of the wolf, facing her back to it and spreading her arms protecting it. "STOP!" she said.
The guard standing in the middle yelled back. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Aileen couldn't let them hurt the wolf, and she couldn't let the wolf hurt them. She watched as Henry relaxed, his eyes turning normal and his claws retracting. He folded his arms and watched the scene unfold before him. "I can't," Aileen told the guard. The guard put up his hand, motioning everyone to hold the fire. She had to tell them, she had to tell them, to save everyone. Betting her life, Aileen revealed the truth. "Don't fire, she's my mother."