Page 4 of Midnight Hunt

"Firstly, Ms. Contempt, I whole heartedly apologize for the rollercoaster night. I do regret to inform you, that your roommate, Teddy Wither, was murdered last night."

I turned into a pile of goo, falling back against the couch, "Teddy?"

That's why they accused me.Teddy Wither and I were roommates for the last two years. We came in as pledges together. Bunked together. Stayed together. Survived together. Teddy was in her second year of grad school, going for cleric. She wanted to be a High Priestess of the Temple of Light. My heart sank.

No wonder, because who else would murder a saint but a hag?Teddy and I got along because we understood each other. We were both too busy with studies to bother with parties or much of anything outside of the half-hearted fling. But we couldn't be any more different. An elf from a "good" family, born to be a cleric, raised to be number one, and sent to school to become a priestess. And I was the literal embodiment of evil magic, sleeping ten feet from her every night.

"I promise, sir, I wasn't…" my voice tightened. I couldn't claim innocence if I wanted to, my insides were too tight.

"I know, I know, we're still investigating but we have evidence of you leaving the campus to the eastern woods entrance at nine pm. Teddy was murdered in her room—"

"Our room." Why the fuck did I correct him? I gritted my teeth, punching myself mentally as I forced myself to watch him.

"Yes," he sighed, hanging his head. "Your room. The room is still an active crime scene, but we've had one of the professors pack your bags for you."

"Wait, what?" I blurted, stumbling to your feet.

"Ms. Contempt," Lochlain exhaled stepping toward me. I side stepped him to stand in front of Dean Bandur.

"It is in everyone's best interest if you did not return to Alma Psi. Your leader has requested your immediate removal, and I think that is fair."

"Oh! So, they get to just harass me, attack me in the woods, threaten my life! And I'm the one forced to leave?" I shrieked, throwing my arms out to my side.

"Thank you, Dean Bandur, I'll take it from here." Lochlainn put an arm in front of me like I was a lioness about to launch at the dean's head.He's probably right.I snarled, but was unable to say anything as the human admin turned away from me. He left without another word. I turned my attention on Lochlainn.

"What do you mean ‘I'll take it from here’? You'll take me where? I didn't kill anyone! I don't know why I'm being treated like the bad guy!"

"Ms. Contempt—"

"Valerie," I spat.

He arched a singular brow but I didn't back down. Lochlain exhaled heavily, "Valerie, your sorority is demanding your head. Even when administration cleared your name, they didn't want to hear it. It's safest for you if you leave, rather than risk anattack. So, I've already pushed through and gotten permission from administration to bring you on here…to The Grove."

"Here?" I stumbled back a step. I glanced around his place.

Lochlainn chuckled, "Well, nothere-here; these are my quarters. But you'd be a part of the fraternity I oversee and live here in this facility. Welcome to The Grove."

I was speechless as I stared up at him.My sorority wants me dead? Why the fuck were they so set on making me the bad guy? Was there any way to change their minds?I knew likely the answer was no. Maybe they always thought of me as a villain and this just gave them the best opportunity to label meofficially.Either way, and as much as I hated to admit it, Lochlainn was right. I wasn't safe back at my sorority, even if I wasn't a suspect. They blamed me. Did I really want to risk my life to prove a point when I was so close to my dream?

"Where do I stay?" I huffed, tossing my arms out.

"That's the spirit!" He beamed that giant, goofy grin of his that seemed to make everything okay. He motioned with a grand swoop of his arm to the hallway. "I had them drop off your bags so once you're feeling up to it, you can unpack…oh."

"Oh?" I blinked.

"Sorry, I wasn't—you're wearing my…because of course, none of my pants would fit." His ears tinted a little red. For the first time in a long time, I was able to stare at my professor. For an elf, he was tall and built like a brick wall. Broad shouldered, massive arms, light brown hair. He had this sweet look about his face. Maybe it was the bushy brows or the slight break in his nose that clearly happened when he was young. Despite the scars on his exposed arms or along his cheek, he was genuinely handsome. Lovely tattoos like ivy crawled down his left arm and along his throat. I'd love to trace them, see where they led.

I smirked as I shrugged nonchalantly. "Sorry, left my undies out in the woods, so I needed something to cover up my nether region. But your trunk is much thicker than mine."

I meant it to lighten to mood, to make him chuckle. I even slapped my sides heartily to add to the emphasis. Only, as I studied his face, my own throat threatened to close. A hungry look filled his features as his honey gaze traveled down my face, across my torso, and over my bare legs. It broke, and the charming, carefree professor returned.

Lochlainn chuckled, "It's the thick bear hide."

"Yeah," I struggled the breath as hot pink crawled over my face and chest. "Yeah, uh, I know. I kinda hit it going max velocity."

"My apologies."

"Not your fault. I mean, who puts a bear trap out in these woods? Plus, one that's got a magic lock on it!" I babbled a bit, trying to cover up the fact my professordefinitelychecked me out. Definitely looked at me in his shirt, in his boxers, and thought about it. It's one thing for me, a silly little grad student to have fantasies about my hot, kind, built like an ox and hung like a horse, professor. It was a another for him to look like he mightrip meout of his clothes.

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