Odessa’s POV

*****

Bloodoak Academy, 9:11 PM

The moment the main gates opened and she parked her car inside the academy grounds... she let out a heavy breath. She sat in front of the steering wheel, her phone glued to her ear.

"So you don’t necessarily suspect the Dean even with everything our daughter told you?" Kaelos repeated from the other end of the phone. "I still can’t believe she had to go through all that. Within such little time."

She took out her car keys before opening the door beside her. "I know, I know... And yes. I don’t suspect Thorne." Her voice lowered into a whisper once she got out.

The night wind blew over her skin, reminding her of old times. When she was the newly crowned Luna Queen and had a dream of building a supernatural college. A system adopted by the rest of the world.

Now a place once meant to be a safe haven felt like the hunting grounds of someone twisted.

At this time, the academy was almost quiet. Almost. The distant chattering of a few students from all corners lingered in the air.

"And before you say anything," she continued as she shut the car door behind her, taking slow steps towards the administrative wing. "It’s not because I ’trust’ him or anything. You know how I am with trust."

"Mmhm..." Kaelos grunted softly. "So why then?"

She lifted her head, eyes pinned on the night sky. Dark clouds rolled almost unnaturally, blotting the moon and getting only thicker. Her hair stood on end as an eerie feeling hit her.

Its source? The direction of the old academy training grounds.

Her eyes squinted in that direction, fingers twitching lightly. That... feeling...

"Hello?" Kaelos called for what might’ve been the third time. "Earth to Luna Queen Odessa. Are you still there or should I grab the nearest witch and open a portal?"

She shook her head, continuing toward the administrative wing. "No... I’m fine. I thought I sensed something." A pause. "As for the Dean. One of Celeste’s mates—Atlas—made contact with the ghost of the dead cleaner."

"Isaiah’s gotta be really proud of that kid." Kaelos chimed. "So this ghost is the one who told him that the killer and possibly the main master mind... is a she?"

Odessa finally got in front of the Dean’s building. The one containing his office and living quarters.

"Yes," she answered. "And whoever this person is... she’s using the Vein’s power. For all I know she could be manipulating the Dean."

"Or he could be willingly working with her," Kaelos added. "Whatever the case... Please, be careful."

She smirked. "Oh, no worries, babe. I’ve got you as my trump card if shit hits the fan."

Kaelos laughed heartily. "You and I both know you’ve got way more trump cards than I. I was saying be careful—so you don’t flatten the academy if ’shit hits the fan’."

With one last heavy exhale, Odessa muttered. "I’m going in now. I’ll call you once I’m done."

"Alright, Mon amour. I love you."

"I love you too."

As she hung up, she took in the building in its totality. Before even stepping in, the wards already pulsed faintly. Recognising the magic that helped create them.

"Let’s get this over with..."

.

.

"Thorne," without knocking, she burst into the Dean’s office, every security ward shutting down the second she stepped in. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Her eyes immediately swept across the dimly lit room, landing on the man sitting behind the desk at the end. He froze, muscles relaxing when he saw who it was.

Beside him was Professor Amelia who seemed to be helping him sort out some documents on his desk. She paused as well, head rising as the Dean greeted:

"L–Luna Queen Odessa." He straightened his back with a smile, setting aside the remaining documents. "Good evening. This is an unexpected surprise."

"And this is my academy," Odessa didn’t care for pleasantries, inching forward a couple more steps. "I figured I could pop in unannounced. Observe how you run the place. And... if you’re overlooking any possible rats."

Her gaze flicked to Professor Amelia who immediately bowed. The woman didn’t need to be told a word to understand her presence wasn’t required.

"Welcome, Luna Queen." Then the wolf turned to Thorne. "I’ll be on my way, sir."

As she drifted past the Luna Queen, the latter’s chin rose. She narrowed her eyes on Thorne when the Professor shut the door behind them.

The Dean shifted uneasily on his seat, readjusting his robe. After a few seconds of unsettling silence too long, he breathed. "Luna Queen... If this is about the trial we tried giving your daughter this morning, please know that we meant no harm. We were only trying to—"

"Of course, you’d think it’s that," Odessa’s smile didn’t reach her violet orbs as she strode to the chair in front of him. But she didn’t sit.

She placed a hand on the chair, her eyes lingering on it. "Do you remember why I picked you as Dean of this academy, Thorne?"

The question shook the man. He blinked, clearing his throat. "You... you befriended me during our coven’s memorial rites for one of our Elders. Your aunt Althea."

"I didn’t ’befriend’ you," The room’s pressure thickened, her attention shifting back to him. "I watched you. Noticed how you carried yourself. Got impressed when I did a background check and realised that while most witches of your calibre bother themselves with petty political squabbles... You stayed seeking knowledge. Seeking power."

She paused, letting the silence settle. Watching his features intensely for any changes, no matter how minuscule.

None.

Either he was really good at masking himself or he truly was innocent. But there’s still only one way to find out.

"I’ve come to discover something disturbing, Thorne." Her voice remained calm. "My academy has been rotting these past few weeks. And apparently, Miss Benedicta’s death was only the tip of the iceberg. A cleaner died last night. My daughter has some kind of connection to the Vein. The academy wards have been failing randomly during critical moments..."

A cold light flared in her eyes as she moved to the desk. Resting her palms on the edge of the smooth oak surface, she pinned him with an icy look as the already dim lights flickered.

No spells. No gestures. No stir in her emotions. Just the room reacting to the tension in her words.

Thorne’s face finally paled. "I–I only hid all that because—"

"Careful what your next words are, Thorne," she warned. "Anything out of line. Anything that should make me suspect you more than I already do—and I’ll enact my version of a punishment long before any coven council."