Sandabury Academy

The Hunt

**Valerie's POV**

I see red. I don't know how to stop. All the trees surrounding me have deep claw marks etched into their bark with some trees missing whole chunks. And yet I keep going. It's like I'm in the back seat of a car with a reckless driver. Now I've got nothing against trees, I'm just super pissed. Jacques led us away from the Academy, where Jaheara was the most safe, so that she could be captured by the Doppelgängers. She's probably on her way to the Overseer Council right now.

The fact that I have no idea where that is, no one outside the council does, only fuels my rage. More tree splinters go flying with a crack. That's when I actually take the time to really look at the marks on the tree. They're in the shape of claw marks. I stop, all the anger slowly flowing out of me, as I look down at my hands. I yelp in shock at the elongated finger nails that resemble a werewolf's claws and at my slightly discolored, pale, purple skin. Pulling up my sleeve, I start to hyperventilate when I see that the discoloration goes up my arms too.

Familiar footsteps flood my ears and I turn around to Terry's surprised face. It quickly vanishes to a poker face, no doubt to keep me from freaking out more.

"Terry! What's happening to me?" I gasp through my labored breathing.

"It probably has something to do with you being a-".

"Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!" At this point, it has started to rain lightly, only adding to my dismal mood.

Terry keeps his distance, his eyes downcast. The silence between us is comforting me in an odd way, and that makes me realize he deliberately came to get me. Suddenly, I'm overcome with guilt over the fact that I simply cannot return his feelings for me. I inwardly hate how all over the place my emotions have become since the whole... ordeal. Lightening flashes and the rain starts pouring down harder. I hug myself out of reflex and that's when I notice warmth on my cheeks. I wipe my face quickly, hoping foolishly that Terry doesn't see but of course he does and then comes rushing over.

Terry wraps me up in his arms without hesitation right as I fall to my knees, the earlier rage having drained me emotionally. His actions only cause me to sob harder at the mixed anger and guilt assailing me. Terry holds me in the pouring rain until I cry myself to sleep full of self loathing at the fact that I can't seem to let him go. He is the only thing keeping me sane right now.

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**Sabrina's POV**

Finally, after several hours of searching, my girls and I manage to track down Jaheara's scent. As soon as the President ordered us to track her down, we left the Academy using the Northern gate and went through the inter-dimensional portal that connects the Academy to the real world. We landed in an open field, like the President said we would, and met up with a plain looking, old man. I couldn't determine what he was, but he did have a weird smell to him. Without saying a word, he pointed in a direction and then we traveled Northeast until we came to a small town on the outskirts of the Appalachian Mountains. There, we picked up Jaheara's faded scent at a small cafe and followed her trail into the forest leading up to the mountains where we are now approaching a small clearing.

"Her scent is fresh now," April comments towards me.

I simply nod as I try to decipher where to go next.