Eve

I clenched my hands as Gray approached us, but I was glad to see that he now had two black eyes and a broken nose. All his wounds will be fully healed by tomorrow, but it was worth it.

"What the hell happened to you?" Mr. Okhmhaka asked Gray.

"He was being a peeping tom and got caught," Clay growled through clenched teeth.

"That's not what is important right now," Miss Tocho remarked, "We have a dead student who needs to be put to rest."

"You're right, Laquetta; let's focus on the problem at hand," Mr. Okhmhaka said, then turned to Clay and me, "You two should find your clothes, then return to the school. We will call you later for questioning."

I replied with a nod, then shifted; thankfully, my fur covered my face as it grew red from embarrassment when I realized I had been naked this whole time.

"Don't be embarrassed, Little Bird. I told you that you would need to get used to nudity quickly. It's a common occurrence amongst Guardians," Clay explained as he shifted.

We looked more like raccoons than wolves the following day when we made our way down the hall toward the Headmaster's office.

I groaned as Clay dragged me toward my imminent fate.

"It's going to be all right, Little Bird," confides Clay as he wraps an arm around my waist, "We have plenty of witnesses to help us if they try to point the finger at us."

I leaned against Clay's arm with a sigh, "I know what happened to Harmony wasn't my fault, but I can't help feeling a little guilty," I stated, "A small part of me felt sorry for her, and I had hoped that she would find her one true mate someday, but there is no happy future for her now."

Just as we reached the office, Shelby and Mercedes came rushing out with tears in their eyes… The Headmaster must have just informed them of Harmony's demise.

Shelby stomped towards me with a growl, making me stumble backward when she exploded into her red and black brindled wolf, aiming right for my throat with a snarl.

Clothes tore as Clay and Asher shifted into their wolves. Asher moved to hold Shelby back while Clay stood in front of me with his teeth bared and hackles raised in a protective stance. 

Since I still wasn't connected through the pack link, I had no idea what they were saying. But whatever Asher had told Shelby got her to back off. With an agonizing howl, she took off down the hallway.

"That's enough, kids," demanded Headmaster Okhmhaka, "You boys need to find some clothes while I chat with Miss Denton. Miss Hensley, please wait out here in the hall until I call for you."

Clay turned to look at me and said, "I will be back soon."

"Don't leave me here alone!"

"Get in here, Denton; I don't have all day," Growled Headmaster Okamkha.

"I will wait out here for you," Waverly said with a smile.

"Thanks," I replied, "wish me luck."

I was so nervous as I stepped into the office that my knees shook as I approached one of the wooden chairs behind the Headmaster's desk.

Mr. Okhmhaka was such a large and intimidating man that it made me want to tuck my tail and run away.

"So, Miss Denton," He says, leaning back in his chair to cross his arms, "Please explain to me how you ended up at the murder scene last night."

I gave him a nod, then told him everything except for the part where Clay and I went into the woods for a run.

"Oh, you can also ask Gray; he NEVER left our side," I said through clenched teeth.

The Headmaster pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh, then asked someone to fetch Gray. We only had to wait five minutes before he came strutting in, looking entirely healed from last night's ordeal.

"What did you call me for, Pa?" Gray asked as he took the empty chair to my right.

"Miss Denton told me you were with her and Mr. Branham last night. Is this true?"

Gray's face grew cherry red as he fidgeted in his chair, then said, "Ahhh, yeah… I mean, yes. You told me to never let her out of my sight. So I was only doing as you asked."

"I'm sure he didn't tell you to spy on us while you hid in the bushes!" I snapped.

"Well, I never expected to find you two doing the hokie pokie. I couldn't…."

"Shut up, Gray!"

"Enough!" Boomed Headmaster Okamkha, scaring the shit out of me so bad that I swear I jumped a foot high off of the chair.

I shoved my racing heart back in my chest where it belonged and tried not to piss myself off due to the overwhelming glare from the Headmaster.

Mr. Okhmhaka released a tired sigh as he pinched at the brim of his nose again, then said, "A student was murdered last night, and all you two care about are yourselves!" He growled as he slammed his fists down on the desk, making a loud BOOM! that echoed through the room.

"You're right, sir. I'm sorry for only thinking about myself; I lost track of what was most important." I said, feeling ashamed.

"I'm sorry too, Pa," Gray said as he hung his head in resignation.

"I accept your apologies," Headmaster Okamkha replied, then he leaned forward on his elbows before lacing his fingers together as he addressed us, "Now, Grayson, please tell me the truth. Did you see Miss Denton or Mr. Branham kill Harmony Williams?"

"What!?.... NO!... They didn't kill that girl!" Gray explained, "We were on our way back to the school when we heard the scream, but when we got to the scene, she was already dead," he explained.

"Very well, I will trust your world until I hear otherwise," the Headmaster said, "For now, I don't want anyone going outside alone until we find the killer."

"Yes, sir," Gray and I said simultaneously.

When we left the office, I was glad to find the other three waiting for me. As soon as Clay saw me, he pulled me in for a side hug, then pressed his lips to my forehead.

"So, how did it go?" he asked as we walked down the hall.

"Thanks to our peeping tom, we have an alibi for what happened yesterday." 

Asher looked from me to Clay, then Gray, then back to me, "Peeping Tom? What are you talking about?"

Clay released a low growl, then recalled what happened yesterday, "Peacock boy here thought it would be fun to spy on us while Eve and I went out for a little alone time."

"Peacock boy?" Gray asked with a frown, flinching away when Clay clenched his hands and bared his teeth with a low growl.

Waverly scoffed, then looked at Gray with disgust, "Dude, that's just wrong."

Gray threw his hands in the air dramatically and then shouted, "My dad asked me to keep an eye on Eve, all right! I was just doing as I was told!"

"I'm sure he didn't mean for you to act like a creepy stalker, though," Asher commented, "Eve will be perfectly safe when she is with Clay or me. You don't have to follow her everywhere."

"I can keep her safe too," Waverly adds, "When she is in the girls' dorms, I can help keep her safe."

"Thank you, Waverly," I said to her with a smile.

Waverly's face turned red as she scratched at the back of her neck, looking a little sheepish, "I consider you a friend, and someday we will be sisters, too."

I never really thought about it, but what she said is true. When she marries Asher, she will become my sister-in-law.

"Well then, sister, " I said with a smile as I hooked my elbow through hers, "Let's go get some breakfast. I'm starving!!"