Chapter 7
Chapter 7: A Kiss Within An Unknown
Mrs. Jones put her hands on the rope and began trying to climb the rope. Another rope was tossed down to Jo and she looped it around her neck. It was pulled up and Mrs. Jones was yanked upwards. Her face turned red as she clawed at the rope that was cutting off her oxygen supply. Jo paced back and forth in front of her, pointing at her.
“This could have very easily happened to Lilianna. Did any of you care? No, you didn’t. You all knew and you let it continue to happen!”
She waited until she started turning blue, before moving back towards her. She shifted her hand again and swung it up. It embedded deep in the teacher’s stomach, before she pulled it out.
“So, very sorry. I missed,” she said pleasantly, and cut the rope down.
Jo grabbed the rope and dragged her over to the pool. As Mrs. Jones lay panting, desperately trying to catch her breath, the wolves took turns urinating and defecating into the pool. Jo crouched beside her. She used her hair to pull her head back.
“Now, I will admit, I do not know if there was just water in the toilet she tried to drown Lilianna in or not, but it does not matter. The punishment will be the same.”
Ethan brought her a pair of gloves and she put them on. She picked up a handful of feces and shoved it into the teacher’s mouth.
“Swallow it! You are going to eat every bit of this shit and lick the pool clean, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Beta JoAnn,” she whimpered.
“Do it!”
Jo left her in front of the pool to come and sit on the edge of the stage. Lily watched disgustedly as the teacher started to eat the feces. Gregory stood up, lifted Lily and carried her over to Jo. Jo positioned her next to her and brushed her hair back gently, before looking over the crowd again.
“You all need to remember the consequences for bullying Lilianna Washington,” she said, pointing at Lily. “I will come back as many times as I am needed to ensure her safety whenever she is here. Her safety is not only important here, but wherever she breathes air. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Beta JoAnn,” the entire audience chorused.
She stood up and pulled Lily up next to her. “I must run now. Andrea’s last punishment is not something I can do here. Before I go, allow me to introduce you to your new gym teacher. Beta Gregory of the Dragão Clan. To replace your deceased teacher, Princess Ana, of the Dragão Clan will be here. Last, but not least, Gamma Ethan, will be in the kitchens. Oh, I also forgot to tell you.” She snapped her fingers and a table was rolled out with a covered platter on it. Sasha turned Lily away as Jo lifted the lid. The lunch lady, who had given her lunch earlier that day, decapitated head laid on it. “Your sweet, old, dear lunch lady made a fine meal for the hungry rogues roaming the territory.” She smiled at them again. “I do hope each and every one of you have learned the lesson I came to teach you. Get back to class and do try your best to behave.”
Lily was guided into the wings of the stage by Kalani. When everyone else had joined them, they led her to a classroom a few doors away. Jo took her hands in hers.
“Let me be the first to apologize for everything you have been forced to endure, Lily. I can assure you that nothing will ever happen to you again and on the off chance that it does, you notify one of us immediately and we will handle it.”
She pulled her hands away and threw herself into Jo’s arms.
“Thank you so much,” she whispered.
Jo awkwardly patted her back. “It’s no problem. There is one more thing we have for you, before we go. Go in here and see what it is.”
She was gently pushed into the empty room. She looked around confused. A small fire burned in the wastebasket, but that was all that was there. It called to her and she found herself drawn to it. She moved across the room to kneel in front of it. She reached her hand out and it leapt at her. The flames touched her skin and electricity raced over her body. She breathed out and thrust her hand inside of it. It moved up her arm, wrapping around her.
It gave her the feeling of being hugged and she closed her eyes. Fingers trailed over her neck and even more intense sparks were lit inside of her. The fire was absorbed into her body and she swallowed as the sensation of fingers moving over her skin continued. She turned around and her eyes opened. Her heart pounded when she saw nothing and yet the tingling sensations kept going. Her hair was smoothed down and her cheek was cupped. Something rubbed her bottom lip and she trembled.
Her head was tilted back and once again she searched in front of her, looking for whatever was touching her like this. Pressure on her lips made her mouth open and what felt like a tongue eased inside. Her hand came up and hit a warm spot in front of her. She ran her hand over the material under it, before balling it in her hand. Her eyes drifted close again as the kiss continued and when the pressure pulled away, she was left breathless. Fingers uncurled her fist and the heat backed away from her until it was gone. She leaned back against the desk behind her as her legs wobbled. She touched her lips. What was that? What had just happened to her? The only thing that has ever made her feel that way was-
“Lukas,” she whispered. His name fell from her lips with confidence, making her look around again. “Thank you, Lukas,” she murmured, softly.
The bell rang and she jumped, startled at the sudden noise. She went to the door and paused. Her shoulders slumped as doubt crept in. It couldn’t have been him. She was just imagining this all, right? Something wrapped around her waist and she was tugged backwards. A kiss was placed on her neck.
“I love you, Lily. You are safe now.”
Then the feeling of being held was gone. She swallowed and left the room. Jo held out her bag to her.
“I will be around. If you need me, I will be here. Have a good rest of your day, Lily.”
She nodded, unable to speak. She walked into her next period late and when the teacher looked at her, her heart started pounding painfully in her chest.
“I- I am sorry for being late, Ms. Herrera.”
The teacher gave her a tense smile. “Please, take your seat. Lily. You’re not that late, so it’s fine.”
Lily hurried to her desk as fast as she could. The teacher brought her the assignment and she quickly breezed through it. She pulled out her notebook and opened it. The sketch in it made her thoughts go back to her first kiss that had just happened. At least it felt like a kiss and it left her wondering who she had shared it with. She couldn’t say for certain, but instinct told her it was Lukas. She picked up her pencil and erased his lips on the sketch. She began to redo them, making the bottom fuller to match what she had felt. It might not have been the king, but she could continue to dream, right?