The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



"Tony!" I sigh, slipping out from beneath his arm and swatting him in turn. "I already feel horrible about that, you can't -" "What the hell are you doing here?" Tony snaps, interrupting me and frowning over my shoulder towards the entrance.

I turn suddenly, surprised, and blink in the sunlight coming through the tent flap, silhouetting a figure standing there.

When he drops the flap my mouth falls open in surprise to see Perry Gibson standing there, his mouth drawn into a straight, determined line. He doesn't say anything.

Tony goes rigid, stepping slightly in front of me. "Don't come another step closer, Gibson."

"I have work to do," Gibson growls. My eyes go wide when he speaks and I see his extended canines flash.

"Here to finish Wright's job?" Tony snarls. "Always the fucking lackey, Gibson -"

My heart starts to pound even as Tony steps fully in front of me, as my eyes dart between them. No - there's no way - Gibson always tried to calm Wright down - always the voice of reason -

"No," Gibson snarls, his eyes shifting to me. "This isn't for Wright. This is for Atalaxia."

Then he moves.

Gibson darts fast towards us as a panicked shout breaks from my lips, knives slipping from his sleeves and into his hand. Faster than should be possible, he's across the tent to me, dodging around Tony, slashing.

My hands are up, blocking the blow, and I scream as I feel the knife rip across my palms. Instantly flames erupt somewhere in front of me - but I'm too panicked to aim - don't know what they're catching on -

There's a guttural yell and suddenly Tony is knocking me backwards, knives in his own hands as Gibson comes again. They move too fast to see, grappling wildly, until there's a shout of pain and a groan as Tony's body comes flying back, slamming into mine, taking me to the ground.

I scream as my back hits hard, Tony's body sprawled over mine. Tony gasps, thick and wet, reaching for his throat -

But the flash of steel above me draws my attention upwards as it arcs down towards my face.

I scream again, shoving hard at Tony on top of me, trying to get away, feeling something wet seep all over me -noveldrama

A sudden roar distracts from all other sounds, all other motion, and the steel flashes to the side before a wild brown blur flashes before my vision snarling and hurling itself into Gibson, knocking him down to the ground.

"Tony!" I scream, doing my best to sit up, baffled by all the wet - all the warm, wet... "Luca!"

Tony goes still, his hands falling to his side, and finally manage to shove him enough to sit up, panting, my eyes flashing around the tent as the woman working the counter screams too - but it's all happening so fast, too fast to process it all -

MS

My hands grapple for Tony, trying to see if he's okay - but my eyes move instinctually to Luca's wolf form as he stands panting and snarling with small flames flickering behind him, his face and jaws covered in blood, his body heaving over Gibson's limp form, a ragged hole where his neck used to be.

But Tony -

Tony still doesn't move, doesn't get up, doesn't look - doesn't see what I'm seeing.

"Tony!" I whisper, sitting up further, grabbing for him, finally looking down.

But I still when I look down at the boy who stepped in front of me, who saved my life. Because all I see is red.

Red, just...everywhere.

Red all over my hands, my clothes - red all over him, his face, his pale skin -

Red, where Gibson slashed him across the neck.

Red smeared across his face, his cheeks - his eyelids, which have fallen shut.

"Tony," I whisper, my whole body starting to tremble as I stare down at his empty face, at the wound across his throat still pulsing blood.

And then I gasp and grab for my friend as Luca transforms again and falls to his knees before us, reaching out a hand for Tony's throat, clasping his palm against it like he can do something to stop the flow.

"Medic!" Luca screams, panicked, his eyes flashing up to the woman behind us. "Get a fucking medic! Now!"