Page 12 of Wicked Dove (Institute Thirteen #1)

A woman stands in a long, brown, pleated skirt and a cream shirt.

Her brown hair is pulled into a bun on top of her head and there’s not a strand out of place.

She smiles politely, but I can sense it’s forced.

“Apologies for the delay, you arrived quicker than planned,” she states, lacing her hands in front of her.

“I’m Professor Morton,” she adds with a nod before glancing at Kael.

“I assume you know where you're going and what you're doing?”

Kael grunts, not moving as I fold my arms over my chest, nervously. “You must be Miss Elodie Blackwood,” she states, running her eyes over me, but the assessment doesn't last long before she nods. “Let me show you around quickly.”

“I don't need to see it,” I insist, ready to head straight back out that door and get the hell away from here. But once again, I find myself being ignored.

Turning my attention back to the door, my pathway is quickly obstructed as Kael moves to stand in my way. His friend must get the hint, because he follows suit, doubling the obstacle.

Reluctantly, I turn toward the professor. She walks down the corridor without a backward glance and I realize I have no choice but to follow her. The second I move, so do Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. They remain one step behind me, and it drives me insane.

“You don't need to be here,” I grunt, glaring over my shoulder at Kael and his friend, who is an ass by association.

Kael shrugs. “Guardianship, remember?” he reminds me, and I roll my eyes.

“Guardianship?” his friend questions, and it's my turn to ignore them as I spin back to the professor. I’d rather she lured me to my death than deal with those two.

Professor Morton points out a room on the right. “This is my office, and about the only room downstairs that you'll have access to if you ever need me. Everything else is in The Vale. So, let me take you up to where you'll be staying.”

I blink at her, disbelief taking root in my gut.

What the hell is The Vale? Instead of asking, I keep my lips sealed as she begins to ascend the staircase.

It’s a rich, dark mahogany that folds back on itself as it winds up and up.

Following after her, I hate how each footstep echoes around me like a nail in the coffin as I succumb to my death.

It's only when we reach the fourth floor that the professor speaks again. “As you're under Kael’s guardianship, you'll be staying with him.”

“No, I won’t,” I blurt, correcting her, and she stops, peering at me in confusion.

“I’m sorry?” she questions, and I frown.

Glaring over my shoulder at Kael, he stares just as hard back at me. “I’m not staying with him,” I repeat, turning my attention back to her. “I need my own space.”

The professor shakes her head. “I’m sorry. There's no space for you to have your own room.”

I shrug. “I’m not asking for one for myself, just not with him. Aren't there any girls I could share with?” I insist.

The trailer didn’t come with a room for myself, and the only other room I’ve been in was with the ass behind me.

The last time I shared a room with this guy, it didn’t go well for me, and as much as he makes me mad, apparently I'm very easily swayed by the fact that he can deliver a spectacular orgasm.

Professor Morton purses her lips. “There is one girl, but I don't know if that's a good idea,” she admits, glancing down the hallway.

“Why?” I ask with a frown, but the professor doesn’t answer. Kael’s friend, however, does.

“She's psychotic.”

Glancing back at him, his smirk is undeniable.

“I already like her more than him,” I insist as a look passes between her and Kael.

If he's forcing me to be here, the least he can do is accommodate me somehow.

“Okay, then,” Morton mutters, waving for us to walk down the hall.

“Institute Thirteen is one of many housing quarters that form part of The Vale. You will attend classes with the other institutes. Your timetable will be available to you tomorrow morning, and I'm sure your guardian will assist you in finding your way. Your uniform will be provided. I will ensure it is brought to your new room as opposed to Kael’s, along with the rules of Institute Thirteen. Any questions?” she asks as she stops at a door on the left.

I shake my head and she knocks on the door, not waiting for a response before she opens it.

Stepping inside, I glance around at the pale-pink room.

Two twin beds sit on opposite sides of the space, a nightstand beside each of them, with matching desks at the bottom of both.

A doorway leads off to the left, and another to the right.

To the left looks like a walk-in closet, and to the right, I can see the outline of a bathroom vanity. The right-hand side of the room is stacked with belongings that are clearly not mine. In contrast, the left is bare and untouched.

Curiosity over who my roommate will be begins to formulate in my mind based on the scattered books, random belongings, and country music playing from a small speaker on their nightstand.

Turns out, I didn’t have to wait for long because a girl appears in the doorway to the ensuite with a bloody knife in her hand, poised and ready to wield.

A sinister grin splits her face, her blond hair braided down her back, and her clothes are as speckled with the same crimson stain as her knife.

The teacher clears her throat. “Elodie, this is Ocean, your new roommate.”