Chapter 2 Two

Chapter

Two

SUNDAY

One Week Earlier

My grandfather only ever summoned me for two things. To ask me if I'd shifted yet, or to berate me for being an absolute failure of a Fallon. Which, to be fair, was really the same thing.

If the granddaughter of the head of North America's largest wolf pack couldn't shift, what good was she?

So when our pack's beta found me in the library and said the Alpha- not my grandfather, the Alpha-wanted to see me, I knew I'd gone and fucked up. The problem was I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I'd done this time. Other than the obvious, of course. And the sick, oily feeling in my stomach told me I wasn't going to enjoy finding out.

I jogged up the steps to the pack house, stopping just before going inside to shake out my nerves and put on my 'Fallon' face. Because a Fallon never shows fear. A Fallon would never dare to arrive at a meeting with her Alpha with fear spiking her pulse, slightly out of breath, limbs trembling. A real Fallon would never embarrass her family by showing any weakness at all.

Pushing open the door, I crossed the threshold and turned right, heading straight for my grandfather's office. Before walking in, I knocked twice- anything less was rude, and anything more was annoying.

He didn't bother looking up from his work before snapping, "You're late."

I gritted my teeth, knowing better than to try to defend myself, even though the words of protest were already attempting to crawl up my throat. I'd been trained long ago that there was only one acceptable answer. Staring straight at his forehead, I forced myself to say, "Sorry for wasting your time, Grandfather. It won't happen again."

"I very much doubt that," he said cooly, finally looking up from the stack of papers in his hand before giving me a once-over tinged with disgust. Tossing the papers onto the open file folder on his desk, he leaned forward, adding, "At least you won't be my problem much longer."

"W-what?"

"I've enrolled you at Ravenscroft University. You leave tomorrow."

His answer, while a surprise, was not an unwelcome one. It had always been a foregone conclusion I'd end up at Ravenscroft. The equivalent of graduate school for the supernatural elite, Ravenscroft was where the Families' future leaders learned how to navigate the complex political waters between species.

Seated as it was in a remote part of the English countryside, there would be thousands of miles between me and this place. Not to mention between me and the series of never-ending failures I seemed to rain down upon my family. But most importantly, I'd be free of him.

Instead of the punishment he seemed to think it was, this was a gift. I knew better than to let him realize it, though.

"But Grandfather-"

My protest seemed to enrage him, his hazel eyes turning the brilliant gold of the beast hidden beneath his skin. A warning snarl slipped into his

voice as he cut me off. "I don't care what you want, Sunday. You either pack your bags and be waiting outside for the car when it arrives to take you to the airport tomorrow, or I drag you through our land kicking and screaming with nothing more than the clothes on your back. The choice is yours."

"You misunderstood. I only wondered how I was granted admission without my shifter abilities."

Ravenscroft was no mortal school. It was the training ground of the world's most deadly and powerful supernatural up and comers. One of the only places on earth where shifters, vampires, and all other supernatural kinds were forced to set aside their centuries-long blood feuds and play nice. It was where diplomacy was supposed to be cultivated, potential alliances forged, and vendettas both strengthened and born.

My grandfather never wanted to risk showing any weakness to his many enemies knowing their spies closely watched the school, including the other packs itching to take him out and claim his territory for their own. It was growing harder to hide my shortcomings, though. At twenty-three, I was well past shifting age, and people were starting to sniff around, asking questions about why my wolf hadn't presented. Shipping me off must be one of the only ways for him to save face. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't risk it otherwise.

Just when I was sure he wasn't going to answer my question, he surprised me. "You may be useless, Sunday, but you're still a Fallon. That name means something, so don't go getting any ideas about dragging it through the mud while you're there. You have one job, and one job only. Find. Your. Wolf. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Grandfather. I won't let you down. What time do I leave?"

"THIS PLACE COULDN'T GET MORE Gothic if it tried," I grumbled as my driver pulled up to the gates of Ravenscroft.

"Miss, would you like me to pull 'round front or take this to the rear for a more discreet entrance?" the driver asked, his posh British accent reminding me we were, in fact, in the middle of the English countryside.

Not that I could forget. I was on my way to freedom. There was nothing forgettable about that.

"The rear, please. I'm already showing up here two weeks after the year started. I don't need to draw more attention to myself than necessary."

"Very good, Miss."

He drove past the tall wrought iron gates and followed the ivy-covered stone wall that spanned the entire edge of the school's property. Although the walls were high, the building was higher. Spires soared toward the sky, reminiscent of the stereotypical Dracula's castle Hollywood always got wrong. Maybe they used this place as inspiration? It had been here for over a century. Nestled in the heart of England, where the humans were none the wiser regarding the creatures that roamed the halls. If only they knew.

I shook my head and chuckled. If they'd known, it would have been burned to the ground, salted, and consecrated until the earth wept the blood of the covenant. Which was why the Families had one common goal-play nice and stay in the shadows. So far, so good . . . except for a few incidents here and there.

The car pulled to a stop outside of a huge set of carriage doors where a tall, severe-looking woman with skin so pale it glowed was waiting. Her long blonde fell to her waist and was shot through with gold highlights. Every time she moved, the gold glinted in the light. Her expression wasn't friendly. She looked like I'd seriously inconvenienced her by being here.

Excellent. Seems we're already off to a great start.

Without a word, my driver exited the car and came around to my side, holding open my door for me as I climbed out. While he took my

belongings out of the boot of the car, I approached the walkway to my left, where the fair-haired woman stared at me. The pressure from her gaze nearly pinned me to the pavement. What kind of creature was she? I reached out with my senses to get a feel for exactly what she was. Not a human, not a vampire. The tinge of darkness surrounding her sent a chill through me as the word deity flashed in my mind. What the hell was a deity doing here?

"Mademoiselle Fallon, I'm glad you had the good sense to use the private entrance rather than make a spectacle of yourself." Her velvety voice, with its French accent, mesmerized me. "I'm Antoinette le Blanc, the Headmistress of Students."

I opened my mouth to speak, but she simply turned on her heels and headed for the doors, which opened on their own. "My things-" I protested.

"Are already in your chamber."

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the pile of suitcases and bags I'd brought with me were gone, along with the sleek black car. "Eat your heart out, Dumbledore."

"We are not some made-up school from children's books, Mademoiselle Fallon. Ravenscroft University is a prestigious institution where the future leaders of our world learn to work together. You'll find no trolls in our dungeon. You should count yourself among the lucky to even have a place here. Especially"-she looked me over-"considering you have yet to manifest." She leaned in and took a long moment to assess me. "Not a whiff of wolf on you. There's something . . . dark about you, but I can't place it."

I bristled. How had she known? Does this mean everyone knew? "I have a wolf. She's just not ready to come out to play."

Antoinette smirked. "We shall see. Now, come along. Moira will be waiting for you."

"Moira?"

"Your flatmate."

"I'm sharing a room with someone?"

She snorted. "Would you rather sleep outside? That can be arranged." "No. It's fine. I just . . . I've never had a roommate."

"This is your first year at Ravenscroft. I assure you, having someone to show you the ropes, as it were, is going to be to your benefit."

She escorted me through winding hallways, the click of her heels on the stone floor echoing in the cavernous space. It was like being trapped in a labyrinth of never-ending halls until she stopped at a tall door and opened it, revealing another building across a courtyard. People milled around the open air space, some reading, others laughing together, and one staring straight at me.

My blood ran cold as my gaze connected with the one man I never wanted to see again in my life. Kingston Farrell. Son of the Farrell pack Alpha and future leader of their Family. And, according to my grandfather, my destined mate.