Chapter Sixty Seven

The room was silent for a bit, its inhabitants contemplating what they'd all just heard from the Rogue Killer's belly. A few of them were in shock while others were holding on to the last bit of self-control they had to keep themselves from laughing at the birthday girl on the floor. Sandra did not dare approach her friend in the silence that had taken over the room. Instead, the girl shot daggers at Frost who immediately got a grip of the laughter that threatened to burst from him.

"Katie…" Jackeline called the girl.

"Yes, Jackeline," Katie answered, embarrassment filled in her voice.

"This new you is far more expressive. It's a good look for you. About the sound we just heard, did talk of the party make you fall hungry? I know you couldn't have left that house on an empty stomach," she said.

"I admit that I'm hungry, but I ate before coming here," Katie replied, sounding as vague to avoid revealing just how much she'd eaten that morning.

"Well, did you eat very little? We'd understand if you were on some diet to look nice in front of Cole…" Jackeline said.

Katie stopped her mopping and looked up to meet the woman's eye, "That had not crossed my mind," a problem that had not yet registered in her mind until now. "What if this happens when I'm with him today?"

"I never thought the Rogue Killer would have to worry about something as human as that, but I don't see how that should worry you now. We are going to help you solve it," Jackeline said.

Katie couldn't believe she had to explain herself to a conference room full of hunters. It was true that she'd grown up with them and they knew she ate more than the average human, but it didn't change the fact that she was about to appear to be more of a bottomless pit after this explanation. Katie put her head back on the ground and whined loudly, "That's not it, Jackeline. I ate almost thrice my normal today. I couldn't seem to get satisfied and by the time I got here, I felt like nothing was there."

Kenneth was not a gentleman in manners like this and collapsed on the table laughing. His laughter, contagious as it was, triggered his comrades to let out a few laughs as well. From giggles to explosive laughter, the likes of Kenneth and Trevor that didn't mind how loud they were getting, the room was filled with humorous laughter.

What was calming about it though was that Katie loved to see her comrades happy and this did not irritate in the slightest, 'You can all be so hopeless sometimes for the title of hunters,' she thought before laughing out with the others.

Anthony had to stop their happy moment to remind them that time was not one of their luxuries at the moment. Samantha replied him saying, "Can't you see our puppy is in need of some food? The whole world can wait."

Katie then had to explain that she'd met the moon goddess the day before, a detail she'd carefully left out before that would lead her to tell them how the goddess had taken her off the pills. The laughter came to a standstill once she was halfway through the explanation. Anthony, who was on the side of them keeping time decided to go to the kitchen and grab all manner of breakfast he could find. From the piece of the story he'd heard, this puppy was in need of a tone of food.

When he returned, they'd theorized that the wolf that still lay dormant was demanding food in preparation for her transformation later that night. "This is all I could find," Anthony said, dropping a vast assortment of different snacks and food that he could find. Three maids followed behind him with trolleys of food and beverages.

"You don't clearly mean to stuff all of that into this poor girl's belly. She's got a boyfriend for crying out loud," Jackeline teased.

"Cole and I aren't yet…"

"Well, it was already decided the moment you were born. You guys were made for each other…"

"I thought we'd all like to have something to eat before carrying out the day's plans," Anthony interrupted to plead his case with the female in charge. The males in the room refrained from making any comments regarding Katie's condition to protect whatever new feelings she seemed to be showing now.

"That's actually very thoughtful of you," Jackeline replied, "Katie, you know we care about you…"

"I know Jackeline. I'm grateful for that, thank you," Katie silently wished she could stay here for the whole day. The only other place she was free to slip up and no one would know a thing.

"So... Any of you guys think Katie's having trouble keeping her emotions inside because of her werewolf side that's now finally emerging?" Kenneth asked once they were finally eating.

"If you're trying to insinuate that I'll be less of a…"

"I wasn't insinuating anything, Katie. You choose your own path," he stopped her. 'Darned adults… He'd seen through me like an open book,' Katie grumbled internally. It was true that she was becoming more of an emotional mess since relieving her of the drug she'd been using. She knew this mainly because of the anticipation she had to be in Cole's presence once again.

...............

Katie's second breakfast ended thankfully without any other jokes about her condition. This time she ate till she was considerably satisfied, her belly remaining exactly the same. Unnatural as it seemed, she quietly thanked whatever supernatural forces made it possible. The hunters barely made it to school in time for the Principal's opening speech. The VIPs had not yet arrived which was a good thing as it allowed the hunters to get done with all the security procedures.

Kenneth and his group of juniors immediately got to checking the stalls from the different vendors that scattered around the school allowing an assortment of things to purchase when at the festival. Events such as these were rare as it was a tasking activity on the side of the hunters. So for all those that had businesses that benefited best in crowds as big as those that were attracted by such events, it was the time when they got the chance to sell their wares and make considerable profits.

On one of the festivals in the past, there had been a carnival that was set up in the dead of night just for that day. This time, it wasn't as flashy as it'd been that time. It was the time when the school was still considered the safest school in the whole of the world, but now that news of the dead werewolf was still spreading in the form of a rumour, the vendors had decided to hold back and pack light.

Nonetheless, the festival remained a sight to behold. A large stage had been set up in the field upon which the Principal currently stood to address the students. The hunters had come to the conclusion to expose the killer of the student to keep Katie out of detainment.

Much as this also raised suspicion of her involvement in the murder, the hunters stood by their word that she was innocent and that no claims were going to be tolerated in the face of the esteemed Agency.

Katie stood behind the Principal humbled in front of the student body. The hunters fanned out all over the school and the field. It was during this time that they did their job of checking through the projects that were to be presented that day.

"I know you are all eager to get your projects up and running. After all, that is what this day is about for most of you. I advise that you all be disciplined and diligent with your presentations. It's very likely that you can get a scholarship to great universities and schools to continue your studies. Though I don't see a place safer than here…" the short man joked. No one laughed when he said this, though it was clear he hadn't said it without intending it.

The Principal seized his laughter and dropped into a serene silence for a moment. The rest of the student body took this time to acknowledge the death of one of their fellow students, "Every single one of you knows what happened during the past week.

And for those that don't know or for those of you that heard rumours from a friend, I shall relay everything in the presence of our esteemed hunters and head of security." Katie took in two deep breaths as trained and assumed the mask she carried around with her everywhere she went to hide her emotions.

"I have been asked by the Hunter's Agency to reveal everything as it happened and withhold nothing of the truth. This information is to be published in the newspapers around the whole world as to what happened in this school," there were murmurs from the crowd as they wondered what it was that he meant by this.

On this day, the parents of the students that could make it were present and this was the source of the murmurs. The move the Principal was about to ruin the reputation of the school if anything he said was wrong or if he was suspected of fraud.

"Principal Brown…" a lone voice rose up from the chaos, quieting the entire field. Everyone looked in the direction of the one that had just caught the Principal's attention. The one person the entire school had come to respect… the same person that had caused the school to rise to the top in terms of safety. Since Katie's arrival, Brigadia High School had never been the same and the entire school knew her to be the one who ushered in an era of peace between the wolves and the humans.

She did not segregate between the two races and made the humans apologise as well in case they were the ones that had wronged the werewolves. If it wasn't for her reputation, she would have been suspected by the students as well, but everyone knew who Katie Chase was.

It would have looked like the Principal was trying to cover up for her if she had stayed back and let him relay the entire story as he'd been briefed earlier, but this way, they would hear it straight from the person who'd made the most progress in the case and was at the centre of all the blame. Katie walked up to the podium, the Principal stepping aside from it to allow her to get up to the microphone.

A hunter is supposed to be capable of suppressing their emotions as she'd succeeded with this whole time. This, however, didn't come in the job description. No one would train you to appeal to humans and werewolves alike after one of them was killed under your protection. She wasn't sure she could hold her façade… that was until she saw a sole face from within the crowd.

His blue eyes stood out amongst all the faces that stared at her and at that moment, she gained all the confidence she needed to make this speech and so much more…