"What have you done!" Jude roared, his hands trembling with heat as he gripped Jason by the collar.
Jason didn't even flinch. He stared back with cold, empty eyes, his posture rigid. "Get off me, man. Stop acting like you actually want to protect her."
"And you think you do?" Jude's voice dropped to a dangerous, jagged whisper. "You bit her. You know a bite from your kind means three things, and you didn't even care how it would affect her. You were reckless."
"I know what I'm doing," Jason snapped, violently shoving Jude's hands away.
"Yeah, sure you do. Listen up, Jason you are never going to have her. Do us all a favor and stay away from her for good."
Jason let out a dark, mocking chuckle that didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, you have no idea." Without another word, he turned and stalked out of the nurse's office, his shadow lengthening against the sterile white tiles.
"Where are you going? Hey! Come back here!" Jude shouted, but the hallway only echoed back. He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his messy hair. Man, that dude is so irritating.
Outside, the school was in a total frenzy. Rumors were already flying, but nobody had the full story yet.
"Jude! Jude!!" Rouna's voice pierced through the chaos.
Jude groaned, rubbing his temples. "Huh? My head hurts... what is it, woman?"
"Watch your tone," Ray warned, stepping up firmly beside Rouna.
"Where is Elisabeth?" Rouna demanded, her eyes wide with panic. "Where is Elisa? Why are you not saying anything?" Her knees grew weak, and she fell into Ray's arms. She felt heartbroken; a deep, instinctual knot in her stomach told her something had gone horribly wrong.
Jude looked at them, his expression hardening as he tried to keep his cool. "You really want to know what happened to Elisabeth? Ask Jason."
"Stop playing around," Ray snapped, his grip tightening on Rouna to keep her steady. "Where is she?"
"You all are so dramatic," Jude lied, his voice smooth and forced. "Her dad took her home. That's all I know, okay?"
If they knew Jason bit her, the whole school would turn into an unfinished war. Plus, I need to deal with that asshole myself.
"Oh my gosh," Queen's voice drifted over as she sauntered by, looking bored. "Even when she's gone, you all talk about her. Ewwwww. I think I might just puke."
June stepped forward, her eyes narrowing into slits. "At least Elisabeth is a good person and a good friend. You're just a brat with probably daddy issues. You use bullying as a defense, but the only thing amusing is your stupidity. If you have nothing better to say, read the room and shut up."
Queen stood speechless, her mouth hanging open. "Whatever. I'm going home anyway. I've got better things to do, losers."
The school alarm suddenly blared through the halls, a harsh, mechanical ringing. School is closing in ten minutes. Everyone, please head home.
"We'd better head home too, Rouna," Ray said softly. He noticed she was on the verge of tears and pulled her into a gentle, protective embrace. "She is going to be fine."
"I really hope so," Rouna whispered, burying her face in his shoulder. I wish I knew what really happened.
In the darkness of her unconscious mind, Elisabeth wasn't in her bedroom. She was standing in a void of swirling embers.
A bird massive and made of living gold and crimson fire circled above her. Its cry sounded like ancient pain and glorious war at the same time. As it dove toward her, Elisabeth felt the mark on her neck burn like a branding iron.
She reached out, and as the firebird touched her hand, her skin didn't burn. It sparkled, reflecting the light of a thousand suns. She felt a power so immense it made the bite on her neck feel like a mere pinprick. She wasn't just Elisabeth anymore. She was something that had died and been reborn a thousand times.
She woke up with a scream, her heart hammering against her ribs. Elisabeth's world was a blur; the ceiling spun, and a wave of cold nausea rolled over her.
"You're okay?. I'm here," a voice said. Suddenly, her father, Manny, was there, pulling her into a tight, grounding hug. "Shhh, it was just a nightmare."
"Dad? What am I doing here?" she asked, her voice cracking and raw. "I remember being at school... why am I here?"
"I got a call from the academy that you passed out. They tried to wake you up, but nothing worked. They had to call your parents. Your mom didn't pick up, so I had to come get you."
"Typical of Mom," Elisabeth muttered tiredly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"What's going on, Melissa?" Manny asked, using the name he only reserved for when things were serious. "I heard some other things from your schoolmates and your teacher."
Elisabeth looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "Dad... I don't think I'm ready to talk about it. Can I stay home from school for a while?"
"Take as long as you need," Manny said, patting her hand gently. "I'll be in the kitchen. Get some rest."
Elisabeth nodded and waited for him to leave. Once the door clicked shut, she reached up, her fingers trembling as they brushed the side of her neck. She felt the raised, jagged skin. She jumped out of bed and rushed to the mirror, her breath hitching.
Every memory came flooding back the destructive look in Jason's eyes, the predatory heat of his skin, and the way his teeth had sunk into her. She let out a pained, groaning scream as the trauma hit her all at once. Her vision began to tunnel, and before she could call out for her father, the world blacked out again.
Jason reached his front door, his hand shaking so violently he could barely find the handle. A sudden, sharp pain flared in his chest a phantom echo of Elisabeth's scream followed by a throbbing ache in his head. He didn't understand this connection, and it terrified him.
As he closed the door, his little sister, Lily, approached him, her face pale. "You need to"
"Jason!" his father, Frank, barked from the living room.
Here we go, Jason thought, his wolf pacing inside him. More drama. Just what I needed. "I had a long day. I need to rest."
"Come back here! I'm talking to you, son!"
Jason turned, his jaw set in a hard line. "Oh, you want to talk? Let's talk."
"Who did you mark?" Frank demanded, his voice like a crack of thunder.
Jason froze. "How do you even know that?"
"Why wouldn't I know when my own son marks someone? You've grown so desperate for attention that you marked a stranger?"
"Daddy, what's a mark?" Lily asked, looking confused and frightened.
"Lily, go to your room. I'll be there in thirty minutes. Close the door," Frank commanded. Once she was gone, he turned back to Jason, his eyes flashing. "Well, congratulations. You wanted to be an adult? Well, you got it. You fated-mate someone at just seventeen. I hope it was a werewolf you marked. If not, you will bear the consequences."
"At least I did it for love!!" Jason roared, the glass in the nearby frames rattling. "Unlike you and Mom!"
"Not another word, young man"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The front door shook under a violent, unnatural force.
"What the hell?" Jason whispered, his instinctual hair standing on end.
"Daddy!" Lily screamed from her room.
"Lily, stay back!" Frank shouted, his voice full of a fear Jason had never heard before.
The door burst open, splintering off its hinges and crashing to the floor. Penny walked in, flanked by five others. She let out a chilling, high-pitched laugh. "Hahaha! Oh, Frank, how can your son be so dumb and handsome at the same time? It's not supposed to be like that."
"What do you want?" Frank growled, stepping in front of Jason.
"Oh, it's been four days," Penny smirked, checking her nails.
"You said ten days!"
"Oh, we know," a man named Aaron stepped forward, his eyes dark and hungry. "But your son did all the work for us. You know how the book goes. The prophecy is moving faster now."
"Dad, what are they talking about?" Jason asked, his heart racing against his ribs.
"Oh, poor little Jason," a man named Fred chuckled from the back. "You don't even know. You marked someone not of your own kind. You broke the bloodline."
Frank spun around, his face pale with horror as he looked at his son. "You did what?!"
"How does this have to do with anything that's happening right now?" Jason demanded, his claws beginning to itch under his skin.
"Oh, Frank," a woman named Pearl cooed, stepping toward the hallway. "You teach your children nothing, don't you?" She lunged toward Lily's room.
"Let my sister go!" Jason screamed, but Pearl was faster.
"Aww, pretty boy loves his little sister," Pearl mocked, her voice dripping with venom. "News flash: you can't demand anything now. Be a good boy and listen."
Penny stepped closer to Jason, her eyes glowing with a sickly light. "You werewolves have such hot tempers, don't you? You marked the Phoenix. Elisabeth."
"A Phoenix?!" Frank gasped, stumbling back into a chair. "Jason, have you lost it? That is the most forbidden rule in ancient history! They are our natural opposites!"
"Hahaha!" Penny laughed, the sound echoing through the house like a death knell. "This keeps getting funnier. There are consequences to every action. You were untamed... let's see which of them actually lives. Will she reject the mark? I hope she does. If she doesn't, chaos won't be the only thing you worry about. History is about to repeat itself, and this time, the fire will consume us all."
Aaron grinned, his teeth sharpened to points. "How fun."