Page 112 of Ava: Part Three

Derek and Myles snorted. He would have to start teaching his mate how to keep their conversations private. They had time now.

When they reached the Infirmary, everyone at the academy had already lined up on both sides of the road and formed a path through the car park. They moved to give them room to join them, and they all silently waited. The mood was sombre. Though the sun still shone, it felt like a dark cloud had settled over the academy.

The Council soldiers had left when they realised their leader was dead, so there were none of them anywhere.

Moments later, he saw the procession coming from the bottom of the road. Everyone stood in silence and lowered their heads in respect as it passed. Twenty. They had lost twenty people, including the kid Hansson had thrown into the forest. He and Ava had gone in to retrieve his body. Everyone was still a little scared of the forest even though it had been purged of all the evil.

When the last body was carried in, he kissed the top of Ava’s head. Her guilt was killing him. They would have lost more than that if they hadn't killed Hansson. Hansson had been a madman who’d let power get to his head; he would never have stopped.

He wiped her tears and then took her hand to lead her away.

“We’ll find a way to honour those we’ve lost. And then we’ll make sure their deaths won’t be in vain,” he promised her.

“You’ll make a good Alpha,” Alpha Roland said to him.

It didn’t matter to him anymore. What he wanted to be was a good mate.

They walked quietly to the assembly hall, and instead of sitting in the Alpha section, Ava led him to the Omegas. Samantha and Julie looked thrilled, and the rest of their entourage followed. Alpha Roland sat next to Ava as if he was never going to let her out of his sight again, and no surprise there, the three councillors sat in front of them.

Andrei turned and smiled at Ava before returning his attention to his mates—or his boyfriend and girlfriend—whatever the hell their relationship was.

When the dean walked onto the stage, he looked like he had lost fifty pounds in a day. He’d never seen the dean look so lost.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he started. “I never thought I would ever have to make a speech like this, but... Today, we lost twenty of our Phoenix Academy family. They were our friends and colleagues and gave their lives fighting to save everyone else. I give you my word that they will be given the respect they deserve for fighting so bravely, whether they were Omega or Alpha, witch or vampire.”

The dean looked at the councillors as if unsure how much he could say. Everything was still uncertain, but Iulia, Diego and Andrei were still very much a part of the system that had tried to kill them in the first place.

“Tonight, I will write a statement to explain what happened to your parents and guardians, but I have decided that we will end the semester here. I’ve already arranged transport to leave in the morning, and your phones will be returned tonight. We all need to go home and grieve. Process. And perhaps when we return next semester, we can all adapt to a new way of doing things.”

He said this last part while looking directly at Ava.

“I’m truly sorry for what happened today,” the dean continued. “But I’m also proud of all of you because you came together and worked together as a family. There will be someone to talk to in the administration block to help you come to terms with today’s events, and I hope you’ll be able to speak to someone when you go home, too. And when we return, I hope our minds will be refreshed and ready to continue our studies.”

The dean nodded and then walked off the stage, but the students remained quiet in their seats a while longer. Zeke knew a little about how the Council worked because of his training as an Alpha, but he was willing to bet most of these students had never seen its brutal side until this semester.

“Come on, let’s go home. I haven’t slept properly for days,” Alpha Roland said as he stood.

And then the whole entourage stood.

Zeke sighed and stood to follow them as they all started to head back to his house.

Mr Patrick appeared in front of them as they were turning into his driveway.

“For fuck’s sake, what is it now? Are you coming for a sleepover, too?” he asked.

Mr Patrick laughed.

“No. I’ve come to say goodbye,” he answered. “I’ve tidied up what I can, but I’m ready to leave this place.”

“Will you come back next semester?” Ava asked.

“I don’t know. Probably not.”

Ava released him to hug the Fae.

“Thank you,” he said over Ava’s head. “Both of you.”

When he released her, he shook Roland’s hand and then looked at the councillors.

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