The voice immobilized me. Fearful, I grasped the lamp hard, spinning back to my vacant room. I stuttered, 'Who's there?', managing, finally, to shut up. Usually, my heart is racing, and I'm starting my pace toward the door. The voice, whatever its source, was silent: The sour echo of what was said remained. Ava, you're not safe here. The following day, I barely functioned as usual, not on my classes, neither Lila's chattering nor even the budding friction between Damon and Lucas. My head still replayed last night's happenings, trying to find a rational explanation.
"Ava, are you even listening?" Lila elbowed me, gesturing as we headed toward the cafeteria.
"Sorry," I lied, shaking my head. "What were you saying?"
"I was saying you should watch yourself," she said, her voice low. "Selene's been asking questions about you."
"Let her ask," I muttered, though the idea made my gut twist
Lila sighed. "Just don't give her a reason to come after you, okay? She's not the type to let things go."
I agree, but I wasn't there in spirit. Someone, or something, was following me, and the thought wouldn't leave me.
At lunchtime, kids were pouring into the cafeteria, and there were even more stories flying around. Pack leaders were in an uproar because a rogue had been spotted in the vicinity of the academy territory.
"Do you think it's true?" I asked Lila after I sat down with my tray.
She shrugged. "Could be. Rogues have been more active lately. But the academy is supposed to be safe."
Safe. The word felt hollow after what I'd experienced last night.
Damon sat across the room with his usual group, his gaze flicking towards me so often.
Disappearing suddenly wasn't a Lucas thing, and this time it happened.
"Seems like there is an admirer somewhere," Lila joked, throwing a glance at Damon.
"Enough," I said as my cheeks flamed with heat.
"Hey, all I am saying, he doesn't look at anyone else in this way."
I rolled my eyes, but the thing was that Damon's attention bothered me. There was just something about him – something that I couldn't touch.
I wanted to return to the library after lunch, to sit there for some time. I really was looking forward to finding my peaceful "ME" time over there. But instead, I saw Lucas.
He sat at a table somewhere in the back and looked through the book. Now, when he noticed me, he smiled even wider.
" Didn't expect to see you here," he repeated, closing the book.
"Not really," he said, straightening up. "But I'm glad you're here. I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About last night," he said, his tone turning serious.
My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"
"I saw you," he said, taking a step closer. "In your room. Something or someone was watching you."
I stared at him, my mind racing. "How do you know that?"
"Because I was watching, too," he said, his voice low.
Anger flared in me. "You were spying on me?"
"Relax," he said, holding up his hands. "I wasn't the only one. There was someone else out there. I saw them before they disappeared into the woods."
"Why didn't you say anything?" I demanded.
"Because I didn't want to scare you," he said. "But now … I think you need to know. Whoever it was, they weren't just passing by. They were there for you."
That night, I didn't sleep. Lucas's words had echoed through my head, and I fed the paranoia.
I sat by the window looking out into the dark. The courtyard wasn't noisy. Trees folded their leaves in a gentle breeze—each shade moved, each flute of the leaves sounded like feet.
Then, midnight, I saw it again. It was a figure that had stood at the edge of the woods.
I gasped as it stepped into the moonlight, a tall, cloaked figure.
I didn't waste any more time this time. I retrieved my camera and snapped off a shot of whatever it was, but when I looked at the screen afterward, the figure was gone.
Furious, I flung open the window, shouting, "Who are you? What do you want?"
The only response was the whisper of the wind.
But then, a voice spoke behind her.
"Close the window, Ava."
I spun around, my heart leaping to my throat. Damon was standing in my room, his face unreadable.
"How did you-?
"Shut the window," he repeated, firm.
I obeyed, the trembles in my fingers amplified in doing so. "What are you doing here?"
"I might ask you the same question," he said, advancing a little. "Why are you drawing attention to yourself?"
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are," he cut me off. "And it's dangerous."
"Dangerous how?" I asked, frustration boiling over. "What's going on, Damon? Who was out there?"
He paused, his jaw working. "You need to trust me, Ava. Stay out of the woods, and don't go looking for answers you're not ready for."
"Why should I trust you?" I asked, my voice quavering.
"I'm the only one capable of protecting you," he said, staring deep into my eyes.
And with that, before I could utter another word, he had turned his back on me and then was gone as fast as he had appeared.
The next morning, my mind was elsewhere. Damon's words were bloody terrifying, but that only made me more determined to find out what really happened.
After class that day, I headed to the library in search of answers for the strange things going on around me. But instead of the answers, the first person I came across was Cassandra Draven.
She sat at the back table and glanced around the room with her expressive eyes. When she saw me, Cassandra smiled and waved me over. Ava, excuse me for disturbing you. "I have been longing to talk to you," she said with a honey-soaked voice that raised the hair on my back.
I stood there, screaming silently, "You are the reason for all my missed classes."
"About what?"
"About who you are," she said, her smile widening
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You're not just a babysitter's daughter," she said, her voice mysterious. "You're something much more… interesting."
My heart was racing. "What are you talking about?"
She leaned in closer, her eyes shining. "You'll find out soon enough. But be careful, Ava. The truth can be dangerous."
That night, I couldn't get Cassandra's words out of my head. Who was I? What did she mean by "interesting"?
Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, I heard a noise outside my window.
I sat up, my heart racing. The figure was back, this time standing closer.
Before I could even react, it raised a hand and pointed right at me.
And then, it spoke.
"Ava Montclair," it said, its voice low and menacing. "You don't belong here."