Page 20 of Ava: Part Three

"I've been removed from my duties as your Omega. I'm not allowed to see you or your pack anymore."

She'd kept her gaze down so she saw how his fists clenched and unclenched. And she felt it. That intense pain that threatened to unravel her. Pain so deep and dark that she didn't know how he was still on his feet.

Was that what it meant to bond with someone? How much more of this would she feel if she found her wolf?

"I'll still collect my things after detention," she told him.

Maybe they would get a chance to speak then, and she would tell him what she had decided.

"Ava..."

The pain slashed through her this time, and she had to close her eyes. This was worse than Isolation. That was probably the dean's intention all along.

"I'm late for my duty in the training rooms. I'll see you later," she whispered.

And then she turned and walked away from him.

The guards weren't following her this time, but she could feel their scrutiny. She pushed her emotions down again. She was on her own now; she had to take care of herself as she used to do in the beginning.

She was almost at the Training Centre when she heard footsteps behind her.

Claire? She couldn't sense that darkness around, but... Would she try to finish the job she had started? Would these guards stop her if she tried? Or it would be the monster inside her that would rip her apart. Again.

She quickened her steps, but the pace of the footsteps increased, too.

Would Claire really attack her like this? In broad daylight with other students and the guards walking around?

When the footsteps came even closer, she clenched her fists. She would have been safer in Isolation, but if Claire attacked, she would have to defend herself. It was the only way. And maybe the Council had already won, but she would go down fighting. She would never allow them to use the thing inside her to hurt other people.

With that thought, she turned around quickly and dropped into a fighting stance.

And the wolf now in front of her fell back with a little scream.

"What the hell are you doing, Emily?" she hissed.

The wolf stood and lowered her gaze as she came closer.

"Stop doing that," she hissed again. "You can't just follow me like that."

"I was looking out for you. Just in case Claire attacks," Emily said quietly. "She's not anywhere near here."

She shook her head and continued to the entrance of the Training Centre. Emily continued following her like a lost little lamb. What the hell would she do if Claire attacked, anyway? Run and hide? She was being ridiculous.

As she was late, no one else was in the changing rooms when she entered. She paused and tried to listen. Her wolf was useless, but she wouldn't need Emily to tell her if Claire was nearby. That darkness inside her was like a beacon.

She changed quickly and then looked at Emily as she did the same.

"If you are serious about this, you have to come to my dorm tonight. You need to tell me everything that happened."

Emily stopped changing to look at her with a frown.

"You... You don't remember?"

"Just come tonight."

She left Emily to check her duty on the notice board. The beginner training room again. At least she wouldn't bump into Claire since the wolf had been on the Intermediate level when she disappeared.

The room quietened down when she entered. It was hard to tell what her fellow Omegas were thinking as they continued to set up the room. Did they know she was the cause of the tighter security?

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