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5

I froze, unable to believe that someone knew what I had done. My eyes were fixed on my phone screen as the people, the murmurs, and everything around me vanished.

Who was "P"? How did they get my number? I felt just like I did in high school when I received threatening messages.

"Carolina?" Kayler's voice brought me back to reality. I looked at him.

"It's... a message," I whispered very softly. I didn't want his new pack to hear, and he understood. I thought he would read my mind like before, but I remembered he couldn't do that anymore. Somehow, he had blocked my thoughts. Or so he had said. That had given me some peace because I could think clearly.

"We'll see you at the campus," he told them as he stood up with me. "I have something to do first."

The guys nodded. Kayler and I started walking out of the cafeteria. I occasionally glanced around to see if anyone was looking at me strangely with their phone, but almost everyone was. Could it be someone from the university? If only I could remember.

We stopped in a deserted hallway. I showed him the message.

"Shit..." he muttered, clenching his fists. "Whoever it is, I'm going to kill them."

"Kayler," I warned him, thinking he must be joking.

"Don't tell me to calm down. Whoever it is shouldn't know this, let alone what we are. It's one of our rules."

"And if they're not human?" I suggested.

"According to those three guys, we were the only werewolves at the university."

Then who?

"This... is too much," I rubbed my temples. Someone knew what I had done, someone was going to send me to jail. I deserved it, I knew, but I didn't think that girl... or guy had proof of what I did.

"Relax," he approached me, cupping my face in his hands, making me look at him. "As long as I'm alive, Carolina, nothing, absolutely nothing will happen to you. Do you understand?"

I nodded, smiling sadly.

At that moment, everyone from the cafeteria started heading towards the campus. I really didn't want to go. And I wouldn't.

"If you want, we can go home," he suggested. "We can have a video call with Anne and Thomas. Or you can call your mom or Kenzie."

In the midst of so much sadness, I smiled with hope. Talking to my friends or my mom would distract me, besides, I missed them so much.

"Okay."


When we got to the apartment, we sat at the desk, looking for Anne online. I smiled when I saw she was. I hurried to call her, surprised at how quickly she answered. The video chat window opened, revealing an Anne with glasses, smiling at us.

"Hey, guys!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you, really."

"Hey, Anne, how's everything?" I asked.

"It's going great! Last night, Thomas took me to a mountain. We spent a lot of time sitting under the full moon before going for a run in our wolf forms." She smiled.

She looked happy. I smiled for her. Kayler, next to me, hugged me from behind. Anne had told me that Thomas had finally turned her into a wolf. Unlike me, she looked thrilled. She seemed to enjoy her new life.

"Good for you, Anne," Kayler responded for me since I had gone silent.

"Carolina, how's university? Have you made any new friends?"

Friends. Yeah, right.

"There's a professor, quite young, who... I think we'll be good friends," I replied. Anne raised an eyebrow, smiling as she glanced quickly at Kayler. She noticed how he moved his arms from around me to the desk.

"That's... good?" she responded, somewhat awkwardly. Then a figure appeared behind her with a phone in hand.

"Hi, Thomas," I raised my voice, catching the guy's attention. Anne turned to him, extending her hand for him to join her. Thomas sat beside her.

"Hey, blonde, how's the university life?" he asked, smiling.

I sighed deeply.

"I think I'll survive."

"Be careful, they say the first few months are very tough," he spoke in a deep voice.

"Don't listen to him," Anne intervened. "Carolina, if you need anything, you know you can call us anytime. You know nothing is more important than us."

I nodded.

"Rest assured, we'll do that, Anne," Kayler responded. "Thomas, I'll call you," he told the guy, pointing to the phone.

"Alright," Thomas replied, standing up. "See you, blonde."

"Bye," I said. Kayler got up from my side and went to the bedroom, leaving Anne and me alone. We exchanged a knowing look.

"You can't fool me, Carolina, I know something's up," she murmured. "And here I thought all the bad stuff was behind us."

"It's very... complicated," I lowered my gaze. "It's not a good idea to tell you here."

Silence.

"Hey, is it serious?"

Of course, it was something serious, very serious, I would say. I raised my eyes to look at her.

"Sort of," I shrugged.

"And I'm so far away," she complained. "Anyway, what does Kayler want to tell Thomas?"

"No idea, he's been a bit tense and worried."

And it's no wonder.

"Maybe he'll tell me later," she said to herself. "Have you talked to Kenzie or Connor?" she asked.

"Not really," I replied. And it was true, since those two had finished with everything else, I hadn't seen them again. Who knows where those lovebirds are now.

"Kenzie called me once to say I was right, she should have talked to Connor and been honest. After that, I didn't hear from her. Or from Clark."

I pressed my lips into a thin line.

"We'll hear from them eventually," I stood up. "Well, Anne, we'll talk later? I have something to do," I lied. I just wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep for a while.

"Alright, see you."

The video chat ended. I just stared at the screen, thoughtful. I got up from the desk and went to the couch, turning on the TV in the process. I lay down; they were showing a romantic movie.

Great.

KAYLER.

"What I need to know... Is it possible not to remember your first human victim? I mean, you were asleep, wake up the next day completely covered in blood and not remember what happened last night," I explained to Thomas after telling him what had happened with Carolina.

"That's... new. As far as I know, that's never happened, nor have I heard of it," he replied. "But most likely, it was her animal side. Her human side would never do such a thing; it seems it craved real food. That's the only explanation I can give you."

I sighed. I hadn't heard of such a thing either. It was very new to me, and the only person who might have answers is my father, but I don't want to bother him now. He'll tell us to come back, and Carolina won't want that. We're in the process of having a life together, living together, just the two of us. I know I'll get her out of this.

"Alright," I said. "I'll see what I can do."

"Keep me posted, okay, Brown?"

"Yes."

I hung up, tossing the phone on the bed and bringing my hands to my face, exasperated. The blue moon would be in a month and a half. Sometimes, I lose control, but I'll be stronger and have all the power I want.

I left the room, looking for Carolina. I found her on the couch with the TV on. She was asleep. I knelt beside her, stroking her face.

"I'll do everything possible to bring you peace," I whispered. The same thing had happened to me when I accidentally killed Scott. "I promise," I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

I had to go out.

CAROLINA.

I opened my eyes, drowsy, the moonlight filtering through the window. I noticed the room was dark; only the TV light illuminated it. I sat up, rubbing my eyes.

"Kayler?" I called, looking around. No one was there. Where could he have gone? I frowned, standing up. Maybe he was in the bedroom. I was on my way when suddenly there were two knocks at the door. It sounded like it was with a fist. I was nearby, so I opened it immediately.

No one was there. I looked down, finding a box wrapped in gift paper with a beautiful silver bow. I bent down, picking it up and closing the door behind me.

I hurried to open it, thinking it might be a gift from Rafael. I left the wrapping on the table and opened the box at once. My breath caught as I saw what it contained. There was a shredded shirt, and when I picked it up, I realized it was mine, the one I wore the day I killed the guy.

There was also a note.

I read it with trembling hands.

Carolina Lane, I know what you are. I know you killed Dereck, and if you don't come to 112 Avenue on Friday at 9 PM, the whole university will know.

You have been warned.

"P"

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