His words sent a cold shiver down my backbone, and I froze right where I stood. My name-how did it know my name? I got out of bed, reaching for the lamp on my nightstand, the only possible weapon I would have, but when I turned back toward the window, there was no one there, and I was alone with the memory of a haunting echo of his voice.
I had not slept a wink that night, keeping vigil, holding onto the lamp to make the shades dance their gypsy dance in my room.
By morning, exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me, but I couldn't spend all day in my room either. I had to at least sort of be normal, or at least I had to seem that way. Lila would know if I didn't show up for breakfast, and that would just about be the last thing I needed-more questions I could never answer.
The cafeteria buzzed louder than usual, like a swarm of bees in my ears, but I couldn't focus on the sounds. My gaze jumped from place to place unable to settle. I kept glancing at the windows half-expecting to spot that figure standing there.
Lila dropped into the seat across from me. "You look terrible," she said.
"Thanks," I replied playing with my food.
"What's the matter?" she asked again, her voice gentler this time.
"Is it because of Selene? Did she do something?"
I shook my head. "No, not Selene."
"Then what?"
I looked around, my voice barely above a whisper, someone was lurking nearby. "I think someone's following me."
Lila's eyes went wide. "What? Who?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. But they were outside my window last night. And they knew my name, Lila."
She stared at me, her face frozen in shock and concern. "You have to tell somebody. The headmaster, maybe?"
What am I going to say? That some weird shadow dude shows up in my window? They'll think I'm insane.
"Not if it's real," she returned, her tone brutally frank. "Orion Blackwood can be a purist, but he takes matters such as these very seriously, believe you me. He will help you.".
I wasn't convinced, but before I could reply, a shadow loomed over our table.
Damon was standing there, his face expressionless. "Ava. We need to talk."
Lila frowned, her gaze darting between him and me. "What's this about?"
"Private matter," Damon said-a tone in which one did not argue.
I blew out a sigh, shoving my chair back. "Catch you later, Lila.
She looked less than thrilled with the whole situation; however, she nodded her head. Her gaze was glued to Damon, who helped me out of the cafeteria.
He said nothing as we just walked into the empty classroom.
"Alright," I said, crossing my arms. "What's this?"
"You saw it, didn't you?" he said, his voice dropping.
I blinked. "Saw what?"
"The figure," he said, the glint in his eyes. "Outside your window"
My stomach fell. "How do you know about that?
"Because it isn't the first time it's happened," he said. "And it's not going to be the last."
"What do you mean?" I demanded.
He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "There are things you don't understand, Ava. Things about this school, about the packs. You're in danger."
""Then you will explain it to me," I told him, itching with all the irritation I could muster. "Because, quite frankly, I feel like I am alone in not completely knowing what is happening among all of us right now."
He stared at me In silence for a long moment, his mind working as he calculated exactly how much he would tell me. Finally, he spoke.
There's a prophecy," he said. "One that's been passed down through the packs for generations. It speaks of one that will unite us or destroy us. And I think it's about you."
I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "That's ridiculous. I'm nobody. I'm just a babysitter's daughter.
"Are you?" he asked, his eyes boring into me. "Or is there more to your story than you know?
I opened my mouth to fight back, words stalled in my throat. There was something in his question that nudged a note in me, one that I ignored.
"Why would it be about me? I demanded instead.
"Because you're different. "He Said" you don't belong here—Ava, not how you think anyway."
His words confirmed what the stranger was saying leaving an ice drop slide through my vein. "So what will I do?.
"Stick close to me, he instructed. And if at all just remember one rule, DONT TRUST NO ONE Else.
By night time I was randomly pushing library chairs with troubled mind filled with questions– if what Damon had told were to be accurate, everything I thought I knew about myself was a total LIE.
I didn't realize how much I was lost in thought until I heard Lucas voice.
" You act as though you saw a GHOST, He said as he leaned against the bookshelf.
I rose up, my glare back at him "Do you always sneak around always?
"no, only if the 'people' are lost in thought." What are you thinking about?
'' Nothing,'' I responded immediately and turned to leave.
"Liar," he said, the space between us swallowed in an instant. "Let me guess-Damon said something all cryptic and now you're doubting everything you know."
I froze, my heart rushing in my chest. "How do you know that?"
"Because it's what he does," Lucas said. "He's in a big hurry to play the hero, but he's not telling you everything."
"And you are?" I asked with narrowed eyes.
Maybe," he said, his smirk faltering. "But if you want answers, you're looking in the wrong place."
"Then where should I be looking?
He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Start with the headmaster. Orion Blackwood knows more than he lets on.
That night, sleep failed me again. Of course, there was Damon's warning, and then Lucas's cryptic advice, and finally how the figure's words were etched in my mind like a broken record.
I waited for the last hour, maybe until the midnight hour itself, crawling at my wits' end. I needed the answers, but they would not come while holed up in my room.
I got up, threw on a jacket, and quietly started walking down the darkened hall toward the headmaster's office, It was dead silent; even the slightest creak of the floorboards was enough to make my pulse quicken.
I reached the office and paused. What the heck was I going to say? But before I could knock, I heard voices inside.
"You can't keep this from her forever," the woman said.
"I'll tell her when the time is right," Orion replied.
"She deserves to know the truth," the woman insisted.
I pressed my ear closer, angling for more, but the voices abruptly ceased.
And then the door opened.
Orion
stood there, his expression unreadable. "Ava. What are you doing here?"