Kings of Hawkings [bxb]

Chapter 32

Everyone from Hawkings relaxed over the weekend and prepared for the upcoming school week. With winter break approaching, tension was high due to the impending finals.

The Kings walked together from the dorms to the school, flanked by a large group of boys. Cars drove by, honking and shouting cheers of encouragement. The Hawkings boys, usually accustomed to curses, responded to the cheers with enthusiastic hollers.

The Kings smiled and nodded occasionally, but Jonas and Hugh were absorbed in their own conversation. Hugh's arm was wrapped around Jonas, who leaned into him, completely oblivious to the world around them.

Their lighthearted mood vanished abruptly as they neared the school's entrance. The vibrant atmosphere had soured into something heavy and ominous. A crowd of boys had gathered in the courtyard, their hushed whispers and tense murmurs converging around a macabre display.

An old oak tree stood at the center, from which a pit bull and a husky hung by their necks. Both animals wore plastic crowns and were covered in wounds. Blood dripped from them, pooling beneath the tree.

The crowd's attention was fixed on Jonas and Hugh, knowing that the display was aimed at the Mad Dog and the Wolf.

Jonas' face grew cold as he approached the gruesome scene. His expression darkened further when he saw a knife pinned to the husky's chest, holding a piece of ripped fabric with the St. Vincent's sigil. The same kind of fabric had been cut from his jacket when he was attacked at the end of the school year, a cruel reminder of Lukas' betrayal. Now, that same fabric was pinned to the dead dog.

Jonas sighed deeply, his face shadowed by a mix of frustration and resignation. St. Vincent's brutality was never just confined to people; if they could inflict harm on humans, it was all too predictable that they'd resort to such sickening acts against animals. His heart ached at the sight before him, a stark reminder of the school's cruelty and the darkness it harbored.

"Hugh, can you help me cut them down?" he asked quietly, his voice barely more than a murmur. The request was tinged with a palpable heaviness, a silent plea to confront the horror with the dignity that St. Vincent's had so callously denied.

Hugh clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing with fierce anger. He quickly scaled the tree, cutting the ropes, while Jonas carefully lowered the bodies to the ground. Their movements were deliberate and respectful despite the grim task.

Hugh's rage was palpable as he joined Jonas on the ground, his voice a low, seething growl. "What the hell is wrong with them?" His frustration was a raw, powerful force, reflecting the horror and disbelief.

Jonas pulled the knife from the dog's body, the blood staining his hand, but he remained stoic, his expression a mix of disgust and determination. He held the sigil, running his fingers over the frayed stitching of his name with a troubled gaze.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled from Jonas' chest, his voice barely contained as he spoke. "They've resorted to twisted mind games."

His eyes burned with a cold fury. The fact that the perpetrators were this unhinged unsettled him. Knowing that those responsible were not only ruthless but dangerously unstable made the threat all the more immediate and terrifying.

The other Kings approached. "I think it worked. The mood around the school has definitely shifted. I'm not sure if they're angry, scared, or both," Sam said quietly.

"I called animal control to remove the bodies. The teachers are organizing a cleanup crew... This is really fucked up," Rodgers added.

Millan sighed. "What now?"

Jonas, his gaze fixed angrily on the fabric in his hands, spun on his heel and stormed off the campus. The students watched him with apprehension. Ignoring their stares, Jonas pulled out his phone, carefully avoiding the bloodstained side, and quickly typed out a message.