Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“Oh no, that sucks. What did you like about it? Being outdoors, the creativity, or both?”
Again Nia looked to Dagem for cues. Dagem was giving her nothing, so she replied, “Both. Believe it or not, I was excited about it. I’m an earth wolf, so being a part of making nature even more beautiful is my dream.” She looked away. “Or it was.”
“Hmm.” I dropped my head back, mulling it over. “I don’t know what’s on the omega job list but... what about... Oh! Have you ever thought about set design?”
“What?”
“Set design,” I repeated. “You know for movies, musicals, and plays. It’s an indoor and outdoor job. It’s creative. And, with your earth powers, you won’t need cardboard trees and plastic leaves. You could create real, beautiful sets that bring your favorite stories to life.”
“My favorite stories?”
“Yeah. Your backpack was open this morning and I peeked inside. Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Matilda. All of those musicals are famous among Wolf Nation too. Imagine if you were in charge of creating those sets. It’s not landscaping, but it would be a pretty fun job, right?”
Nia blinked at me. “That’s... That’s a great idea. Holy crap, why didn’t I think of that? Getting to bring all of my favorite books to life would be a dream. I’ll talk to Mrs. Shard first thing tomorrow and—”
“Set design is no longer on the omega approved career list,” Dagem sliced in. “Effective immediately.”
“What!” Nia cried. “Why?”
Dagem shot her a sharp, silencing look.
“No, seriously,” I asked, a hard edge slapping the sweetness out of my voice. “Why? Is it because I suggested it? Because that’s some petty, vindictive bullshit right there.”
“And that’s a demerit, Miss Volana. I will not be questioned or spoken to in that manner by the likes of you. I strongly suggest you speak when spoken to from now on.”
I loudly rolled my eyes.
“Drop that fucking look,” Badr hissed. “You’re not fooling anyone by pretending you give a shit for that girl’s job prospects. Playing the sweet, kind, wisdom-sharing priestess isn’t going to save you.”
I just smiled at him. “I wasn’t aware I needed saving.”
We were silent for the rest of the short walk. I didn’t need my fourth demerit of the day. Although, going by their expressions, they had something else in mind for me.
We reached a large, imposing pair of double doors. Badr took firm hold of my forearm and dragged me over the threshold into the large, tasteful office.
My wolf should’ve bared her teeth at his manhandling, and she likely would’ve if she wasn’t too busy purring and twitching my fingers toward my pants button. Stripping worked on my fates once. She saw no reason why it wouldn’t again.
Get ahold of yourself, beast!
Amusement flooded back to me. She was me, so technically I was laughing at myself, but still.
My wolf was a bitch.
Badr shoved me none-too-gently in the chair placed before the headmistress’s desk.
Her office didn’t have many personal touches. No photos of family or friends. No vacation pics or cheesing grins at the camera with a celebrity by her side, but what it lacked in warmth, it more than made up for in expense.
Everything I laid eyes on screamed money so loud, I winced. Persian rugs beneath my feet. Marble plinths between the windows carrying antique vases. A desk made centuries before Wolf Nation was born. The fancy upholstered chair I was sitting on, and a two-thousand-dollar Hermes throw blanket draped over a chaise lounge.
Seriously, two thousand frickin’ dollars for a blanket. Lucia had the same one, but she was eye-wateringly rich. She could throw stacks of hundreds in a bonfire and it wouldn’t dent her net worth.
Just how much do headmistresses make?
“Is anyone going to tell me what I’m doing here?” I asked as Dagem rounded her desk and claimed her high-backed seat.
Dagem crossed her legs, then rested her laced fingers on her knee. She was the appearance of calm, relaxed, and in control. “Why don’t you take a guess?”
I swept the uncomfortable, stony, and angry faces around me. “I assume this is about Mr. Hall and what we witnessed from the detention room.”
Dagem’s dead-eyed smile made my skin crawl. “You are many things, Miss Volana, but stupid isn’t one of them.”
“That’s almost a compliment.” I flicked to Orion, catching him licking those soft, cherry-stained lips as he stared at my cleavage. Caught, he ripped away, clearing his throat. I almost giggled seeing his blush. “Did you want, like, a witness statement or something, because it’s not going to be any different from Orion’s.
“Right, baby.” I dropped my voice, purring at the tips of his reddening ears. “Didn’t you tell them everything we saw and did in that empty classroom? All the dirty”—I brushed my fingers over the back of his hand—“details.”
Orion shot across the room so fast, I was left blinking at the spot he was just standing in.