Nightmares at Everglade Falls

9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gabriel

I rush after Isabella, my heart pounding in my chest. I catch up to her and grab her arm to stop her, but she wrenches it away, her eyes blazing with anger. Her lower lip trembles as she demands to know what’s going on.

“Nothing,” I lie, my voice strained. I know there’s something, something powerful and inexplicable, that I felt with Ophelia.

I want to save my ass by telling my girlfriend that I was letting Ophelia touch me just because she has never been around supernatural beings before, but I can’t betray Ophelia’s trust by revealing the truth.

Isabella looks at me incredulously. “I thought you and the witch didn’t get along,” she says, her voice laced with disbelief.

“We don’t,” I reply quickly, trying to calm the storm brewing between us.

“Why do you smell like arousal then?” she asks, her tone accusing.

I don’t have an answer for her, and she doesn’t wait for one.

“What has gotten into you?” she demands, her voice filled with anger and hurt. “First Owen and that freaking fairy, and now you?”

“This is not at all what it looks like, Isabella,” I reach out to touch her, but she flinches and takes a step back.

“Don’t. Please. I need a minute.”

I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

She is beyond furious, but I could never have expected the next words to come from her mouth. “You are the freaking head boy. You are an alpha. If your plan all along was to cheat on me, then I would suggest doing it somewhere no one else can walk in on you. I am not going to be the laughing stock of this fucking school Gabriel, I swear it.”

A sudden thought hits me at her words, “Is that all you care about?”

She runs a hand through her silky blonde hair. “Don’t you dare fucking gaslight me right now. You are the one in the wrong. You are the one who wants to defile your status by messing with the lower class. You don’t get to turn around and put this on me.”

This is by far the worst fight we have ever had.

I hate that I am hurting her.

I’m reeling from Isabella’s words as she storms away, leaving me standing there, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. What have I done? I try to collect my thoughts, but everything feels like a jumbled mess.

I wait until my body and mind are calm before I make my way back to the lab. Ophelia is already gone, leaving behind only the lingering scent of her perfume and the books she left behind in her hurry. I run a hand through my hair, feeling frustrated and lost.

I messed up big time. Isabella’s words echo in my mind, and I can’t shake the feeling of guilt and regret. How did everything spiral out of control so quickly? I never meant for any of this to happen.

I sit down heavily in a chair, my head in my hands. I need to figure out how to fix this mess, but I have no idea where to start. Isabella’s trust in me is shattered, and I don’t blame her. I’ve let her down in the worst possible way.

My parents will never forgive me for this.

I walk into arithmetic class, feeling the weight of the morning’s events still heavy on my shoulders. Isabella is nowhere to be seen, and neither is Ophelia or Aurora. Owen shoots me a concerned look, and I give him a weak smile in return, assuring him I’m fine. Although inside, I’m anything but.

I can’t shake the guilt of what happened with Isabella and the tension with Ophelia. And now, not knowing where they are only adds to my anxiety. I glance down at the books in my bag, a constant reminder of the mess I’ve made.

Owen nudges me, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Hey, you okay?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah,” I mutter, not meeting his gaze. “Just... a lot on my mind.”

He nods understandingly, but the teacher starts the lesson before he can say anything else. I try to focus, but my mind keeps drifting to Ophelia and Isabella.

The rest of the day passes in a blur. I don’t see any sign of them, and it only adds to my sense of unease. In the afternoon, Owen and I head to tryouts for the soccer team. Coach Jeffries is as tough as ever, pushing us to our limits as he picks the teams.

I throw myself into the tryouts, putting all my energy into the game. Exercise has always been an escape for me, a way to clear my head and focus on something other than my problems.

But even as I play, I can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. Isabella, who’s usually cheering us on from the sidelines, is noticeably absent. It’s like a constant reminder of the rift between us, and I can’t help but feel guilty for causing it.

As the tryouts come to an end, I feel drained both physically and emotionally. I know I need to find a way to make things right, but I have no idea where to start.

All I can do is hope that, somehow, I’ll find a way to fix what I’ve broken.

After soccer tryouts, I trudge back to my room, feeling more lost than ever. The weight of Isabella’s absence hangs heavy on my shoulders, and I can’t shake the emptiness inside me.

As I step into the shower, the warm water does little to ease the tension that’s been building inside me all day. I let the water cascade over me, hoping it will wash away some of the guilt and confusion I’m feeling.

After I’m done, I grab a quick dinner alone in my room. It’s strange not having Isabella by my side, her laughter filling the air. She’s been my constant for so long, and now that she’s gone, I’m not sure who I am without her.

Feeling restless, I decide to head to House Lacroix to try and talk to Isabella. Maybe if I can just explain myself, we can work things out. But when I arrive, Patricia, one of the other beta wolves, tells me Isabella doesn’t want to see me. It’s like a punch to the gut, and I’m left standing there, feeling more lost than ever.

Defeated, I make my way back to my room. I know I should be studying, but my mind is too full of thoughts of Isabella and Ophelia. I try to bury myself in my books, but the words blur together, and I can’t focus.

If I cannot fix this with Isabella, the least I can do is try to talk to Ophelia about it. She must be avoiding me.

I pull out her books from my bag.

This can be the excuse I need to get her to talk to me or to at least hear me out. I just need her to know that nothing is or can ever happen between us.

With that single thought in mind, I make my way out of my room.

I clutch Ophelia’s books tightly as I make my way toward House Evergreen, a part of the school I’ve never ventured into before. The air feels different here, filled with the soft hum of nature and the scent of fresh foliage.

As I approach the building, I’m struck by its lush greenery. Vines crawl up the walls, and colorful flowers dot the landscape, creating a serene and enchanting atmosphere. It’s a stark contrast to the more rugged surroundings of House Lacroix.

I can’t help but feel out of place as I navigate through the bustling courtyard. Groups of fairies flit about, their laughter echoing through the air. I catch snippets of their conversations as I pass by, their voices light and melodious.

Summoning up my courage, I approach one of the fairies and ask for directions to Aurora and Ophelia’s room. She points me toward the far end of the building, where Room 304 is located.

My heart pounds in my chest as I walk down the hallway. The closer I get to their room, the more nervous I become. I pause outside the door, feeling a sudden chill run down my spine.

Taking a deep breath, I raise my hand and knock on the door.

No answer.

I knock again, this time a little louder, hoping to catch Ophelia’s attention. A fairy peeks out from one of the other rooms, and I offer her a friendly smile, trying to convey that I mean no harm. After a moment, she smiles back and retreats into her room.

I take a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm. As an alpha, I can’t afford to show any form of aggression, especially not in a place like this. Fairies are known for their peaceful nature, and I don’t want to do anything to disrupt that.

With determination, I raise my hand and knock again, this time more insistently. I need to speak to Ophelia to find out what’s happening and why she’s been avoiding me. Whatever it is, I need to know so I can fix it.

I freeze as the unmistakable scent of blood reaches my nostrils.

That can’t be right.

My heart pounds in my chest as I press my ear against the door, trying to make sense of what’s happening on the other side. Ophelia’s scent is there, but there’s something else too—something dark and sinister, like tar mixed with petrol.

“Ophelia!” I call out, my voice tinged with urgency as I pound on the door again. My heart sinks as I hear her faint voice, barely above a whisper, calling my name.

“Gabriel...”

Without another thought, I take a step back and kick at the door with all my strength, the wood splintering under the force of my blow. As the door swings open, my worst fears are confirmed. Ophelia lies on the floor, blood pooling around her, claw marks marring her chest.

A surge of panic courses through me as I rush to her side, dropping to my knees beside her. Tears fill her eyes as she whispers, “Help me.”

My hands shake as I reach out to touch her, my fingers trembling as they brush against her skin. She’s so cold, so fragile beneath my touch, and all I can think about is how desperately I want to keep her safe.

But before I can say or do anything else, something dark and sinister slithers through the half-opened window, its claws glinting in the dim light. My blood runs cold as I realize we’re not alone—that whatever attacked Ophelia is still out there, lurking in the shadows.

With a surge of adrenaline, I push myself to my feet, scanning the room for any sign of danger. But before I can react, someone else bursts through the door, letting out a scream that echoes through the rooms.

Chaos erupts around us as people rush to Ophelia’s aid, their voices blending together in a cacophony of fear and confusion. But through it all, one thought rings clear: I won’t let anything happen to her, not if I can help it.

“Someone get the witches.”

“Call the Principal.”

“Is that Gabriel?”

“Aurora?”

“No. That is the new witch.”

Everyone is talking all at once.

“Ophelia,” I whisper loud enough so she can hear me. Tears slide down her cheeks as she nods.

“I am going to move you now. We need to get you to the infirmary so you don’t bleed out, okay?”

Then, carefully, I lift her in my arms and maneuver through the crowd, rushing in the direction of the administration block where our school infirmary is located.