Chapter 55: Frozen Company
Chapter 55: Frozen Company
"A leader who fears making enemies will never protect those who need him most."
~ Rebel Beast
—----------
"You can’t do this to me!" Karen said hysterically, close to losing her mind. "I dare you!"
She wasn’t so daft as to miss what was happening. They were leaving her to her death. She would be all alone in the house, left at the mercy of whatever beast came for her. He was practically signing her death sentence.
How could he do that? Wasn’t he supposed to be a teacher? How could a teacher behave this way?
But her protest might as well have been music to Maverick’s ears. He told the other girls, "What exactly are you waiting for? Go pack your things!"
That was all the permission they needed. The girls immediately sprang into action, excitement replacing the earlier tension as they hurried toward the staircase.
Even Charlotte made to leave, completely forgetting the thin sheet of ice still sealing her mouth. After all, there was no way she was passing up an opportunity to live alongside the beasts.
Granted, House Therion wasn’t exactly her first choice. If she had it her way, she’d be sharing a roof with the dragons, preferably one particular dragon.
Still, a girl had to start somewhere. Who knew? Perhaps getting close to the land beasts would eventually bring her closer to Prince Rhydian Drakhar.
Aim for the sky. Literally.
Before Charlotte could take more than two steps, Karen snapped.
"You wretch!"
She lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Charlotte’s hair before violently yanking her backward. Charlotte cried out in pain, stumbling off balance as Karen continued pulling.
"You’re really turning your back on me now?" Karen shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "After everything I did for you back in the Capital? After agreeing to stick to my side?"
Charlotte struggled against her grip.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
The ice around her mouth reduced every protest to muffled noises. She clawed desperately at Karen’s wrist, trying to pry the girl’s fingers from her hair, but Karen held on with surprising strength.
Seeing Charlotte’s obvious distress, Maverick and Dimitri exchanged a brief glance. Maverick tilted his head toward the girls, and his Beta understood immediately.
Dimitri strode between the two girls, caught Karen by the wrist and Charlotte by the shoulder, effortlessly pulling them apart as though he were separating two quarrelling children.
Karen struggled against his grip, but he was like a boulder she couldn’t shake. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Charlotte scrambled behind Dimitri, rubbing her aching scalp while glaring daggers at Karen.
Karen, meanwhile, had completely abandoned whatever dignity she had left.
"I should’ve known you’d be unreliable, you whore!" she screamed.
Charlotte’s eyes blazed with fury. Had her mouth not still been sealed shut, she would’ve undoubtedly returned the favor tenfold.
Unknown to her, Maverick caught that thought and the corners of his lips curled into a fiendish smile. He lazily flicked a finger, and the layer of ice cracked before melting away from her mouth.
Charlotte sucked in a deep breath.
"Oh, thank God!"
Maverick said almost delightfully, "You seemed rather eager to speak."
It dawned on Charlotte that Maverick had done it on purpose and certainly not out of the goodness of his heart. Unfortunately, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
She was fucking furious.
"Oh, shut up already!" Charlotte lost it. She jabbed an accusing finger at Karen. "What exactly did you do for me that was so great besides paying for the mini vacation you invited me on and the meager hand me downs?"
Charlotte’s eyes flashed with anger.
"So don’t stand there acting betrayed after you’re the one who messed everything up this time." She added, "And for the record, everything Aria said was true!"
Although Maverick had instructed the girls to pack their things, they had all lingered on the staircase to watch the drama unfold.
While the mind reading professor had practically revealed the truth already, hearing it confirmed by Charlotte still sent shockwaves through them.
Charlotte looked Karen dead in the eye.
"You did use Philippa as a shield. Yes, I saw it happen with my own eyes," she spat.
The two girls glared at one another. Karen’s glare, however, lacked the fury it had moments ago. In its place was something far more exhausting.
Defeat.
For the first time, it truly dawned on her. She had been alone all along.
"So..." Maverick chimed in. "You did lie after all."
Fresh panic spread across Charlotte’s face. She’d only wanted to hurt Karen by exposing her for the horrible person she was. Except she realized lying to protect Karen made her an accomplice.
Maverick really shouldn’t have been enjoying this.Yet he had to admit this was surprisingly entertaining.
"Well then," Maverick announced. "Since you were kind enough to participate in the cover-up, you’ll be participating in the punishment as well."
Charlotte’s face turned ghostly white.
"You’ll be staying behind with Karen Donovan."
"Nooooo!"
Charlotte’s scream was so high-pitched several girls instinctively covered their ears.
"Damn," Brittney breathed. "You sure she’s not a banshee in disguise?"
Aria let out an unexpected snort before quickly covering her mouth.
Charlotte looked absolutely devastated.
Why wouldn’t she? The girl had been convinced fate had finally smiled upon her. Living under the same roof as the beasts meant endless opportunities to run into Prince Rhydian Drakhar.
Perhaps she’d even get lucky enough for him to notice her.
Now that dream had been ripped away before it had even begun. The injustice of it all completely shattered whatever pride she had left. Charlotte collapsed onto her knees and rubbed her palms together frantically.
"Professor, please!" she cried. "Don’t leave me here! I’ll do anything! Please let me come with everyone else!"
Maverick’s expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Unfortunately, his lack of sympathy only made Charlotte more desperate. Without thinking, she lunged forward and grabbed hold of his leg.
Every girl in the room froze.
Aria’s heart nearly stopped.
Even Dimitri slowly closed his eyes. That stupid girl had just made the worst mistake imaginable.
Disgust flashed across Maverick’s face. He stepped backward almost immediately, but the damage had already been done. His features darkened with fury.
Cold mist gathered around Charlotte’s knees. Then the ice spread rapidly over her legs before climbing higher and higher with frightening speed.
Charlotte tried to move but couldn’t. Panic flooded her face as the frost crawled over her waist, her chest and finally toward her neck. Her breathing became ragged. The ice had already reached her jaw when another voice shattered the moment.
"Don’t!"
Maverick stopped instantly and the frost ceased spreading as though time itself had been interrupted. He slowly lifted his head towards Aria with questioning fury.
"Please," she whispered, her eyes locked onto his.
For one long, tense moment, nobody breathed. The girls looked from Aria to Maverick and back again, silently wondering whether the Professor would indulge her.
His gray eyes lingered on hers for several seconds, then the killing intent quietly disappeared. Maverick withdrew his hand.
Aria finally released the breath she’d unknowingly been holding.
Ironically, she hadn’t spoken because of Charlotte, but him. Something told her that if he allowed his anger to go any further, Professor Maverick Nightshade would regret it afterward.
Charlotte remained frozen from the neck down, trembling violently, but at least her head remained free. Once the ice melted, she’d recover.
Eventually.
"Get your things," Maverick said quietly.
For a second, none of the girls knew whether he was speaking to Aria or to the rest of them. In the end, nobody questioned him and simply obeyed.
Across the room, Karen quietly lowered herself onto one of the sofas. A slow smile spread across her face. Perhaps this punishment wasn’t so terrible after all. At least, she wasn’t going to be suffering alone.
Guess who had a frozen roommate for company?