Page 7 of Ava: Part Three

She didn't think she could eat right, but she had to follow her dad's lead. She took his hand and let him lead her towards the dining hall.

"This is so fucked up," Myles mumbled.

"Hmm," her dad agreed.

She could feel the tension in his body. Things were not going to go according to plan.

They slowed down when they reached the dining hall. There were guards even there. And like the last ones, they all turned their heads to look at them as they approached. Like machines. Like soulless humans.

Was this what the Council wanted her to be? Or they had something much worse in store for her.

"I'll get you some food," she said to her father when they walked in.

A few parents were still around, but there seemed to have been a mass exodus in the middle of the night. She'd been told even Zeke's father and his entourage were gone.

Zeke, Derek and Myles came with her to the queue for the buffet, but she didn't feel awkward about it like the other times, even with the looks they were getting. It was pointless to pretend she wasn't with them, especially with the mark on her neck.

She had tied her hair back so it wouldn't get in the way if they met any trouble. Though it had healed, Zeke's teeth had left a raised pattern that still looked like a bruise. She'd never seen mating marks like that before, but she guessed it was because of her unique situation with her psychopathic wolf.

But everyone could see that mark. She saw their eyes on it as she waited to fill her tray with food.

She might have been more self-conscious before, but now she was more worried about the guards standing along the walls. That was overkill.

There was no talking. She could feel the tension in the room as everyone ate silently.

She chose food randomly before she walked to the table where her father sat and put his plate in front of him. When the boys joined them, they all ate silently, too.

Why was the Council doing this? Had they somehow known they were going to try to escape? But they weren't even supposed to know that the Head of Council was coming, so what had triggered them? The 'eyes' that Mr Patrick had talked about? Who were these spies?

She was no closer to answers when they finally left the dining hall and went on a walk around the school.

Outside, her father kept a steady stream of irrelevant conversation. When they reached the turn to the main gates, all the wolves looked over. She couldn't make out many details, but she could see a lot of activity there.

"Looks like they're searching all the parents' vehicles as they leave," her dad said.

Stuck. She was stuck on the campus.

"We should go home," Zeke said.

They walked silently back. She had made her decision, and it would break her father's heart. But she didn't want him there. He had to go home and protect her brothers—his real children with the woman he had loved beyond all others.

She didn't realise she was crying until Zeke pulled her to his side and let her hold onto him.

Once they reached the house, Derek moved the broken door out of the way and let them all in before he leaned it back on the broken frame.

"I'll have to get this fixed," Derek mumbled.

Would it even matter? They were not safe anywhere.

Zeke walked straight down the hall and opened the door under the stairs. She followed her father down and walked to the furthest wall. Once she heard the lock sliding into place, she let all her emotions out.

She bent over, unable to hold back her sobs, unable to breathe.

This was it. This was where it ended. She had no more choices.

Zeke came to put his hand on her back, but she straightened and pushed it off. She didn't want him to touch her; she didn't deserve it. They were in this mess because of her. She walked to another end of the room, practising her breathing techniques.

It took a while, but she eventually caught her breath and lowered herself to the cold floor. She could feel Zeke's worry, but he didn't approach her again.

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