Page 29

Delores

Strolling up to the lake in a school issued one piece and shorts, I smile to myself when I feel the heat of Felix’s gaze on me. My recently colored hair is in a perky ponytail to keep it out of my face and I have on my new tennis shoes. Despite his irritating demeanor, the ability to get out of my uniform on some days is making this and dancing my favorite sections.

I like that he’s staring, but I’d cut my tongue out before I admit it out loud.

Unlike last time, the other students are filtering into the makeshift classroom dressed appropriately. The email said we’d likely get wet and might shift, so we should wear appropriate gear from our academy kit. I’m not excited about getting my fresh dye wet, but as usual, this asshole waited until the last minute to send the message. I think he gets off on inconveniencing students as much as possible—especially me.

“Oh, look. We have Rainbow Magic Barbie now; how cute,” Felix says as he saunters past. His smirk makes me want to snarl, and I realize Fitz probably tattled on me.

Having a stalker does fuck with your privacy somewhat.

I turn my nose up at him and walk over to the chairs someone placed in rows next to the lake. If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s dead wrong. I don’t care how sexy and muscled he is in that tank top and low-slung board shorts. Though…

Fuck me if he isn’t goddamn mouth watering.

“Put your worthless asses in these seats and listen up!” Felix stands in front of the chairs, glaring at everyone again. “Last week, we watched Barbie and her counterfeit copy go at it like it was their time of the month. Fairy Magic back there destroyed her prey, but I’m not confident that will always be the case. Fighting based on rage will only get you so far, especially if your opponent is better trained than the Golden Puppy was by her karate panda.”

My hand flies to my mouth, and I stifle the laugh that almost escapes. I think he might hate the Heathers as much as I do. Though, honestly, Felix seems to hate damn near all the students, so maybe I’m overthinking it.

Gold looks furious in her non-regulation two-piece and booty shorts in sparkling gold. The others wore the same bikinis in their respective colors, along with the shorts and slip-on shoes. “My lawyer is drafting a motion as we speak. You should be ready, Professor.”

That makes him throw his head back and roar with mirth. When he finally stops, he arches a brow at her. “You should send him to meet with my father if he’s suing me. Say your goodbyes first, though. While he enjoyed the piece in the Predator Press about the ‘unnamed professor’ who encourages violence between students, he wasn’t happy about the accompanying suggestion that the Khans don’t have control of their heirs.”

My eyes pop open. Holy shit. I didn’t see the piece because the minute Cori said my ex-friends were taking over the paper; I knew to avoid it. It was likely Pink’s idea, and she conferred with her Daddy about it without mentioning what their plans were.

Who is stupid enough to print something negative about the Khan Raj and expect to live?

All four of the Heathers pale under their spray tans as Felix crosses his arms over his chest, grinning. “When I explained myself to his assistant over the phone, my father ordered him to send Fitz and I bonuses next month. He may not want us around, but he applauds our representation of the fierce Khan name.”

Man, did that gambit backfire.

Not only did they fail to get Felix in trouble, they drew the ire of the former king of Bloodstone. They have to be shitting their pants right now. None of their parents will enjoy being on his bad side. The tiger in question walks over to me and winks, looking pleased with himself. Even though his declaration helps him and his twin, the other one does not help me and I intend to find out what he was thinking.

“Why did you tell the staff I’m under Khan protection? You had to realize that would hurt me more than help, Sir.” I put a hard emphasis on the word, feeling just irritable enough to rankle him.

His eyes narrow and he cracks his neck, giving me a look I can’t decipher before walking back to the front of the class. “Today we’re working on shifting, hence the proximity to the water for those of you who are aquatic. A select few of you will display the ability to half-shift—something only possible if you are top tier bloodlines like Council heirs, some powerful seconds, and royalty—but don’t worry if you’re unable. It means you’re average and I expect that to be the case for most of you.”

The silence that falls over the crowd is eerie and a brave shifter in the middle raises their hand. “Would we know if we can do this naturally or?—?”

Felix looks surprised and strokes the light stubble on his chin thoughtfully. “As the future Raj and enforcer, Fitz and I could do so from a young age, though learning precision control was the struggle. Many don’t master it, they simply can go ‘whole hog’ or nothing at all. If you have the innate ability but have not done it yet, focusing on shifting partially will hopefully lead you to the skill. Those who know, should be able to achieve this based on heritage. Step into the appropriate space for your kind.”

I chew my lip nervously. Bruno can half-shift and Lucille has razor-sharp control over every part of her shift.

Technically, I should head for the ground or lake, but since I turned out to be prey, I doubt that bloodline extends to me. Who the hell has ever heard of alpha prey? No one, so I’m not going down there only to humiliate myself.

Todd and one of his idiot friends stand. Then the Heathers, a wolf, two smaller feline preds, and some bears join them. The three aquatic shifters follow and my nose twitches as I try to identify them by their scent, like Fitz has been teaching me. I can tell who’s pred and prey well enough now, but defining the danger to me based on species is in development.

I’m game to learn everything I can while I’m forced to attend Apex because if I survive, I’ll need it. Lucille might put up with me during my school years, but she’ll cut me off the minute I graduate just for thwarting their plans. I have to support and defend myself when the time comes. I don’t want to end up beholden to people I can’t trust ever again.

Watching the candidates line up, I frown. In truth, I’m still not fully connected with my bunny. My ingrained training to be a pred conflicts with her natural ones, though not as much as I expected, so I feel divided. The desire to rip into those who wrong me and the fear of being attacked doesn’t mesh. I often have to choose which side I want to listen to and it involves more brain work than anyone told me my animal would require. My bunny rages when she feels cornered more often than she wants to flee—something that could get me in trouble with preds more formidable than my ex-BFFs.

I have no idea what to do about any of it.

“Why are you still sitting there like a lump, Rainbow?” Felix arches a brow at me, motioning with his hand. “Get down here with the other heirs, as instructed.”

By Hermes’ winged feet, this dude won’t give me a break—ever.

“I’ve been disowned, Professor. You’re aware of that; everyone is. I don’t belong down there since my… problem,” I reply quietly. Making me admit that in front of everyone was shitty and I’m tired of people making me feel shitty because they can. I thought he was demanding, not cruel, but I may have to re-evaluate.

Snorting, he shakes his head. “Council bloodlines are the strongest in their respective areas. Removing a title from someone doesn’t change what’s running through their veins, whether your parents would prefer it or not. You were born into the power and I won’t let you waste it; get down here.”

Something about his tone holds a disdain that seems to be about more than my situation, and I make a note to ask Fitz why this would piss his brother off so much. I can’t imagine he’s truly angry at my parents—not at this level, at least. We barely know one another. I finally meet his eyes as I rise from the metal chair, kicking off my shoes so I don’t ruin them. His approval washes over me and I have to clear my throat as a spark of desire lights in my chest.

I’m not sure if my damage causes the sexiness of his love-hate shit or not, but I can’t find the wherewithal to care.

By the time I join the other students, Felix has pulled his shirt off and is addressing the class. “Full shifts are deeply linked to our animal sides; you will learn to control your human brain during them eventually, but at first, it will be hard. During a half-shift, you can transform a part or parts of your body while your mind remains normal. This is a normal level of half-shift.”

His body changes within seconds, showing feline features, fur, claws, and fangs, but in a shape that is more akin to a were-animal than a shifter. It’s dangerous and hotter than hell, so I press my thighs together to avoid letting my scent travel to the smirking tiger. I’ve seen my parents do more specific things, but Lucille is far better at it than Bruno. Like Felix, she’s seamless from form to form in a blink.

I’ll never be able to do that shit; hell, I’m lucky I can hear my animal.

“Of course, very few of you will have the ability to do this,” he says casually and my eyes widen at the seductive rumble of his words coming out of the feline form. “Speaking while half-shifted is only for the most powerful and well-bred lines, like the Khans.”

Todd snorts and I hear his stage whisper to the Heathers. “He means it’s only possible with families full of forcibly bred relatives like the Khans.”

“Oh, good. Maybe the half-breed boobalicious bunny can do it, too,” Pink snarks in return.

That’s when a wave of fury that dwarfs all the previous ones fills me from head to toe. I feel the animal within stretch, spread, and push against me hard enough to shove my consciousness aside. My hands ache as they curl into fists and my gums feel like they’re on fire. I have to grit my teeth as I turn my burning stare on the two idiots who used to be part of my life.

“Man, she’s even uglier angry than she was giving head,” Todd says in a guffaw.

Bad move, asshole.

Power surges inside me and I leap forward from my position, knocking into the hyena with the force of my strong rabbit legs. Once he’s on the ground, I wrap clawed fingers around his throat, keeping one point on his jugular and placing another by his eyeball. “Say shit like that again and we’ll find out if you look good with an eyepatch, Captain Short Dick.”

Laughter echoes around me and my prey struggles, but finds he can’t move with muscular legs and arms pinning him in place. Hate twists his once adorable features, and I blink as I realize I spoke in a partially shifted form. My grip tightens on the lying jackass beneath me, wanting to punish him for spreading rumors about me in public. Before I can make good on that desire, a hand clamps down on my shoulder. I look up to see an amused tiger man with lust fogging his golden eyes as he stares at me.

“You can’t kill him for being a lying douchebag, Barbie. That’s not within the rules,” Felix says as he holds his hand out. “His words made you angry enough to show your potential, so we’ll take that as enough revenge for today.”

Licking my lips, I note the sharpened teeth in my mouth in surprise. This is more shifted than I’ve been since prom, but I don’t feel weak and scared like I did then. Now I feel in control and powerful—ready to take on anyone who tries to hurt me or the people I care about. It’s a good feeling, so I loosen my grip on the sputtering hyena and move off him.

“Frigid bitch,” Todd splutters as he gasps for breath.

Felix whirls around, growling low as he moves me aside. “You’ll have to choose one or the other, Deputy Dog. She’s a frigid bitch or a whore who gives bad blowjobs. Choose wisely.”

Gold lets out a loud, nasty laugh as she looks at the crowd. “Now we know she’s fucking him for sure. Tell your parents everyone—they won’t put up with favoritism at Apex.”

I arch a brow, leaving Felix with my ex as I walk towards her with a fangy, buck-toothed grin. “I think favoritism is one of the primary advantages of Apex for Council heirs. Ask any of the other preds in this circle if they think people with certain last names get treated better.”

My words stir up a cacophony of shouts and protests, making Gold and Pink whirl to calm the masses down before they lose their pedestals. The distraction gives me time to get back to Felix, who’s now dangling the hyena by the scruff of his neck. Todd is almost in tears as he tries to get free and I sense as much as I needed an intervention earlier, my professor needs one now.

“Of course, he could just admit we only had sex once—on prom night when I emerged—and he couldn’t find my clit with a map and two hands. Then I shifted for the first time, which was unlucky because his fumbling tore up all my clothes. When he saw I was a bunny, he and his idiot friends tried to eat me. I can only assume he’d be bad at that, too—in any version.”

Felix blinks at me, logic returning to his expression as he drops my ex on the ground and doubles over, laughing. Once he breaks the silence, the rest of the students join in and I grin to myself. I won’t win any of them over right away, but if I can get one less person to bother me, it’s worth the bullshit I just had to deal with.

“We’re out of here. The atmosphere sucks,” Purple says, looking at Gold for reassurance. Gold nods and waits for Todd’s friends to scoop him up before they all stomp away from class in a huff.

“Mmm. Since the trash took itself out, let’s work on shifting in a bigger group. Steer clear of Rainbow, though. She’s in a mood today.”

Felix winks at me, and I let out a sigh of relief.

Maybe I’ll survive in this class, after all.