"Lochlainn, am I still going to class?" I grimaced.
"No, I made a plea on your behalf for you to go completely online. You are free to finish up your classes here at The Grove but…Valerie, I can't stress this enough, you are not safe outside of here. I cannot guarantee your safety on campus unless you are at my side."
"Yeah," I squeaked, placing the last few bites of my breakfast back down onto the tray. "Yeah, of course, I mean, what did I expect."
"I don't say this to hurt you," He shifted so that he was straddling the bench we both sat on.
"But my sorority has put a price on my head and it doesn't matter what I do, they're out for my blood." I pushed my plate away from me.
"Valerie," his soft, sympathetic voice carrying my name almost sent me over the edge. I laughed, swallowing hard over my tongue. His warm hand cupped my shoulder, eliciting a gaspfrom me.Right, you're the enemy, they're making you the enemy.
Then big arms as warm as the sun wrapped around me. I sank into his chest, clawing against his back for purchase. His palms rubbed against my back. I sucked in air.Don't cry. Don't give in. You're fine.If I told myself I didn't care, that I didn't need their approval, then it didn't matter. Their hate only fueled me.
But fucking dragon’s balls does it suck to be enemy number one.
Chapter Five
~Lochlainn O'Hare~
Isat back in my office seat, staring at the email that did not find me well. It found me frustrated and angry. For three days, Valerie woke up at the break of dawn and ate breakfast with either myself, Randolph, my RA, or Kahrina, my TA, out on the patio. She would put up a good front, but then while the rest of my students would filter out, going to class or going to their jobs, she would stay back. The first day she did all her classes in her room, barely leaving it. I only knew when I spoke with the wildlife that lived in The Grove. Yesterday she'd brought her work out into the gardens, and it felt like progress.
However, the email in front of me would destroy that progress. I tapped my fingers against my desk. A massive post on the school’s discussion board had Valerie's face posted to it, calling the administrator foolish for not expelling the hag amongst them. I snarled as I closed down my laptop. The post would be removed within the next few hours, but the damage was done.
I needed to get back to The Grove before I broke out into fur and claw. Pushing all my equipment into my bag, I slipped out of my office. The druid classroom was more or less a greenhouse with garden boxes as desks. My desk grew out of a massive willow tree, its branches shrouding the office space. I pulled the curtain of vines apart and left them swinging in my wake. While I was teaching, the curtains were carefully tucked away from my desk, and when I was in office hours, I dropped them down like a wall for privacy. It was efficient.
I went through the motions of closing any windows left open, tucking in chairs, and headed out after I locked the door behind me. Not that anyone might break into my classroom; there was nothing to steal but seeds and watering cans.
The walk back to The Grove was excruciating as a feeling of dread grew. Even when I passed the thick scent of fresh pumpkins, damp herbs from an earlier rain shower, and the sweet smell of autumn in the air, I couldn't shake it. Something was wrong. Someone was pushing this 'villain' image too hard. Likely someone who would benefit from Valerie being removed at the least.Who? And why?
Maybe I didn't know my student like I thought I did because I couldn't imagine any reason someone would paint her as a villain. She was a quiet, head down, get her work done and get out kind of person. While around me she was rather animated, and I knew she hadsomewhatof a social life…how had she wronged someone so egregiously to warrant this? The longer I thought about it, the more my head spun.
I didn't realize I'd already arrived at The Grove, until I heard Kahrina's worried call. I straightened, pivoting to see her. "Kahrina?"
"Professor! Good, you're here…Valerie's gone."
"What!" I barked, dropping my bag onto the nearest surface. "Where? When?"
"Not that long ago. I went to go fetch her for dinner as we'd planned to go over her project for your class…and her room was abandoned. Bed a mess, door open, and I can't find her. No one remembers seeing her bolt so I…I mean…you don't think?" Kahrina's face was pinched in worry. All her hay blond hair was in a frenzied, frizzy state like she'd been tugging at it while pacing a hole in the floor.
"Whoa, wait, are we talking about Valerie?" Randolph perked up as he entered shortly after me. Both my TA and I whipped to face the dark skinned elf who put up his hands like a white flag. He laughed nervously, "I, uh, bumped into her on the way in. She was in a rush, said she needed to get into the woods."
"The woods?" Kahrina blurted out in bafflement.
"Of course!" I exhaled heavily. "She's a witch; she feels safest in the woods where she was conceived."
"What?" both Randolph, an elven druid from a family of wood elves from the other side of the forest, and Kahrina, a human druid from a family that never left this town, eyed me with confusion.
"I will teach you both a lesson about witch lineage another day," I laughed sheepishly. "She is a Contempt witch, she was born and raised in these woods…and I think I know where to find her."
"Shall I join you?" Kahrina softened her stance.
"No," I bowed my head slightly to my students, "Thank you both, and I appreciate your concern for her, Kahrina. I'll go see to her myself. You two hold down the fort, so to speak."
Randolph and Kahrina bowed their heads to me as I zipped around them and headed for the woods. I barely cleared the tree line before I burst. First come the paws, then the fur, then the snout. Inhaling deep through my nose, I caught her scent quickly. Randolph was accurate, she ran through here not longago. The stench of sweat, panic was mixed with the sweet spark of desire and need. Her breeding season was still in effect.
No-no, we're here to make sure she's okay.I barreled through the trees, following her once frantic trail. As it turned into a steady direction, the panic fell out of her scent and it turned into only need.Desire, desperation, breed me, breed me now,it screamed.I tried to shake it off but the further into the trees I traveled, the harder it was to resist.Breed me, Professor.That dark, hungry beast in my chest engulfed me as I let out a mighty roar. The trees around me shook. My paws thundered against the ground.
Birds fled the orange painted leaves, the sun setting on the trees. Deep in the forest, I bound over underbrush and squished moss. It wasn't till I could hear her heartbeat did I realize I was close. It was spiked in ecstasy that only drove me more feral. I roared once more and I heard a scream of terror. If I were a more sensible man, I might have slowed down, explained it was me. But Valerie jumped to her feet, naked under the amber glow of sunset, panting for air and hands clenched over her breasts. I stepped into the clearing where I found her boots. Her scent led me straight to her.