Chapter 13: He Chose... Poorly. -Unnamed Grail Knight

Sunday morning found Jason lying motionless in what was no longer his and Bryan's shared room. The wolf stared at the ceiling through bloodshot eyes, his fur matted and unkempt from quickly showering after the game and then tossing and turning all night. Outside, the weekend campus life continued - students laughing, doors slamming, music drifting through the thin walls. But inside the dorm room, time felt like it was at a standstill.

The wolf's headphones sat idly next to him on his bed. Jason reached up and covered his ears with his paws. Then he uncovered his ears and held his paws out in front of his eyes. Uncovered he heard the world. Covered he heard his heartbeat and his uneven breathing. Jason clenched and unclenched his fists.

The memory of yesterday evening's phone call between him and Coach Martinez haunted Jason. It was all the wolf could think about. Coach Martinez's name flashing on his screen had made Jason's stomach lurch. Jason had known the call was coming. He knew what Jessica was doing, he just wouldn't let himself stop her. As he lay on his bed, Jason went over everything that had been said once again.

"Whilmeton." Coach's voice had carried a weight Jason had never heard before. "I just received a disturbing call from Jessica that we need to discuss."

"Yes, sir," Jason had managed to say past the tightness in his throat.

"That room transfer you requested- there a reason you haven't moved yet?"

Jason didn't respond.

Coach Martinez continued, "Your girl tells me this roommate of yours has been... making unwanted advances. Making you spend time with him, forcing situations. That true?"

Jason's pulse had raced as his eyes darted around the room. The wolf took in Bryan's desk, his books- there were traces of Bryan everywhere. "It's... complicated, Coach."

"Nothing complicated about sexual harassment, son." The cougar's voice hardened. "Either he's forcing you into something, or he isn't. Need a straight answer here - are you being coerced into uncomfortable situations?"

"He..." Jason swallowed hard, shame twisting a knife in his stomach. "He's been... persistent. About us spending time together."

"Has he threatened you? Used anything against you?"

“ Coach… I-" Jason's voice failed him and he let the implication hang, hating himself for every unspoken truth.

"Listen carefully, Jason. If something has happened, If you are uncomfortable you can talk to me or one of the school counselors. Now, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Jason's voice cracked. "I just... I didn't want to fail my classes."

"Christ," Coach muttered. "Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Thought I could handle it," Jason whispered, each word tasting like poison.

"Are you alone right now?"

Jason had nodded numbly alone in his empty room, his face contorting in pain. "Yes..."

“Alright son, just stay there tonight, and if—"

Panic surged through Jason's chest. "No, Coach, please! Don't bench me. I can play - I need to play. Please?"

The desperation in Jason's voice hung in the air. The silence stretched so long that he was certain his season was over before it truly began. There was no way Coach would let him play if he couldn't keep it together. Football was all that Jason felt that he had left. If he couldn't play, if Coach benched him- then what would Jason have left? What would all this, whatever all this was, have been for?

"Alright, Whilmeton. Head on over to the stadium. I'll meet you there."

"Okay," was all Jason could manage as he let out a breath of relief.

Coach's grunt of acknowledgment was the last thing Jason heard before the line went dead.

Unbeknownst to Jason, the cougar had then immediately called Jessica back.

"You were right," Coach Martinez said grimly to the cat as Jessica answered her phone. "Kid's clearly been intimidated into silence."

Jessica's voice dripped with concern. "I knew something was wrong. Jason's been so distant lately, missing team events. That rabbit's been isolating him, probably trying to..." She let the implication hang.

"Has Jason mentioned anything specific?"

"Well..." Jessica paused for dramatic effect. "I've seen how uncomfortable Jason gets when Bryan touches him during their 'sessions'. And lately, Bryan's been making Jason meet him alone, off-campus. If Jason refuses, Bryan threatens to stop helping him with classes." Her voice quivered. "I don't even want to think what he's being forced into doing in their dorm room."

"The room situation is being handled. These other allegations are the more serious concern for me right now…," Coach growled.

"I'm just worried about Jason," Jessica's voice trembled. "He's not himself anymore."

Coach Martinez let out a low rumbling growl. "Are you prepared to fill out an official statement on this Jessica?"

"Of course, Coach. I can tell you everything." Jessica sniffled convincingly.

“Thank you, Jessica. That's all I needed to know. I'll be back in touch shortly." Coach Martinez said as he excused himself and hung up his phone. The cougar took in and let out a deep breath before scowling and dialing another number. His phone rang three times before another older woman's voice answered.

“Bill? Kind of an out of the blue call, what can I do for you?" The woman's voice said as Coach Martinez ground his teeth.

“Sorry about the late call Tammy, I've got a bit of a situation I need to report."

Back across campus, as a series of unfortunate events had begun to unfold, Jason was grabbing his football bag and heading to the stadium. Coach Martinez met him at the entrance, just as the cougar said he would. Neither spoke as they walked down the stadium's back halls. Their only interaction was the cougar's paw squeezing Jason's shoulder. Jason had only nodded in response unable to look the Coach in his eyes.

The two parted ways as Jason headed to his locker and the cougar went to his office. After changing into his uniform and pads Jason rejoined Coach Martinez and sat in the cougar's office. The two sat in silence while Coach Martinez typed away on his laptop. Occasionally, the cougar would glance up at Jason, concern evident in his expression, but neither spoke. The rhythmic clicking of keys was the only sound that filled the uncomfortable silence. Despite the awkwardness, Jason preferred this to being alone with his thoughts.

He desperately wanted to think of anything except Bryan. It was a hopeless fight. No matter how hard he tried, Jason's mind wandered back to Bryan. Jason wondered if the rabbit was also sitting somewhere in silence. The thought caused Jason's chest to tighten painfully.

"Coach?" Jason said hesitantly.

The cougar stopped typing and looked up at Jason.

Jason swallowed and then shook his head and looked away.

"Nothing, sorry. Nevermind." Jason murmured.

Coach Martinez cleared his throat, " Don't force it, son, you can talk to me or to one of the counselors when you're ready."

Jason nodded.

That was the problem, Jason thought to himself. How did he become ready to talk about how he was feeling? What even was he feeling? Jason was 'feeling' so many different things right now he didn't even know where to start. Every time Jason tried to focus on the mental exercises Bryan had tried to help him with, the mere act just made him think of Bryan. Which was exactly who was casing Jason to feel like this in the first place.

After about an hour or so, the locker room outside Coach's office gradually filled with his teammates. Their usual pre-game chaos, crude jokes, and roughhousing echoed off the walls as everyone prepared for the game. When Jason stood to join them, Coach's voice stopped him.

"You ready for this, Whilmeton? To get out there?"

Jason met his coach's eyes briefly before he nodded.

Martinez huffed and tilted his head toward the door. Taking the cue Jason left the cougar's office and joined his teammates.

The game that followed had unfolded like a violent fever dream, each quarter blending into the next as Jason unleashed his inner turmoil on the field. Every tackle became an outlet for his rage, every collision a desperate attempt to make someone else hurt more than the pain Jason felt. The wolf's usual calculated play style had been replaced by something primal and fierce.

There were several times throughout the game when Jason had to be reigned in by both Coach Martinez and the referees.

"Whilmeton! Dial it back!" Coach Martinez had barked from the sidelines after Jason had sent another opponent sprawling. Then after the next offense, a referee's whistle shrieked through the air - giving Jason his second warning for unnecessary roughness.

Jason didn't care about the penalities. He knew that as long as he got results his teammates or Coach Martinez didn't either. Still, a token effort at not encouraging violence had to be made. So during a timeout, Coach grabbed Jason's facemask, forcing the wolf to meet his eyes. "I get you're fired up, but one more stunt like that and that ref is gonna eject you. Channel it into the called play, understood?"

Jason had nodded mutely, but the moment he returned to the field, the fury took over again. By the fourth quarter, his reputation had even begun to spread amongst the other team. He caught a running back's scent change from determination to fear as the smaller buck deliberately veered away rather than get in his way.

"Beast mode!" Derek had howled from the sidelines as Jason plowed through one of their defensive line players. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Despite all of this, the game had still been close. Each touchdown Jason made brought them closer to victory and elicited another round of celebrations - but Jason only felt hollow inside. Each cheer from the crowd and each congratulatory pat from his teammates only heightened his sense of disconnection. The more they praised his aggression, the more he hated himself for it.

When the final whistle sounded, his teammates erupted in celebration. They had won. He had won. Sports drinks flew and sprayed through the air as they chanted their victory. Jason went through the motions, his smile a brittle mask. Jessica found him in the chaos, throwing herself into his arms for photos, her cheerleader uniform still pristine despite the mayhem.

"My savage wolf," Jessica had purred, but Jason barely paid her any attention. His mind was across town in a coffee shop, replaying the moment Bryan's fingers had brushed his knuckles - knuckles now scabbed and aching from their encounter with the tree. The physical pain was nothing compared to the memory of Bryan's eyes, those green irises with their streaks of blue and orange, filled with hurt and confusion that were burned into Jason's memory.

Back in the present, Jason blinked. He still lay unmoving on his bed in his- no their- no Bryan's room. Jason's phone buzzed against his chest for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. The wolf knew without looking that it was Jessica's name lighting up the screen. She'd been texting non-stop since the game, each message felt like another added weight pressing down on him. Jason's replies had become increasingly mechanical - "yes," "no," "okay" - each response felt like another betrayal, though Jason wasn't sure to whom anymore.

He wouldn't admit it, but the real reason Jason hadn't left his bed was because it still held traces of Bryan's scent - old books and warm spices whose presence had become as familiar as breathing. Once comforting, now the smells just made his heartache.

His paw trembled as he picked up his phone again and swiped past Jessica's texts:

"Bryan, I'm sorry for everything-" Delete.

"I didn't mean to hurt you-" Delete.

"Please let me explain-" Delete.

The words felt pointless, inadequate. When had everything become so complicated? A month ago, his biggest worry had been passing his classes. Jason sat his phone back down and continued to stare up at the ceiling. When did he become like this? Why was he feeling this way? He'd been through a breakup before, and it wasn't this bad. Was this even a breakup? He and Bryan hadn't even been dating. They had only known each other for just over a month. So why did it hurt so bad?

Jason glanced around the room. A couple of boxes sat next to his bed, already filled with his belongings. The room transfer form lay on his desk like a prison sentence, Coach Martinez's and Mrs. Ringtail's signature stark against the white paper. Thompson Hall waited across campus like an escape route. It was an option the wolf felt he didn't deserve.

His stomach cramped painfully, reminding him he hadn't really eaten since dinner on Friday. Sleep had also been impossible as his mind replayed every moment, every chance he'd had to be brave instead of a coward. The wolf's claws dug into his palms as he remembered how easy it had been to let Jessica believe her accusations, to let Coach Martinez think the worst of Bryan. He'd chosen the easy way out, letting others paint Bryan as the villain. But he was the real monster.

With trembling paws, Jason forced himself to sit up. The room spun slightly, lack of food and sleep taking their toll on his exhausted mind. He had to finish packing before Bryan returned - if he returned. The wolf didn't even know where Bryan had spent the night, and that uncertainty gnawed at him worse than the hunger. Bryan deserved better than finding him here, better than dealing with Jason's cowardice. Better than someone who couldn't even admit the truth to himself, let alone the world.

Jason grabbed his few remaining belongings, stuffed them into one of his bags, and stacked everything on his bed. Then he picked everything up and with a final look around the room, headed out into the hallway. Carrying everything, Jason exited Bryan's dorm room and began his trek to the other building. The trip felt like a walk of shame, the wolf's tail dragging behind him. Jason had to stop a few times along the way to readjust his grip. His head hurt and his mouth tasted like bile.

As Jason finally walked into the lobby of the Thompson building, he glanced around and then headed towards a stairwell. The door was tricky to open while he balanced all his belongings, but he managed. Three flights of stairs later and the wolf was leaning against the wall as he tried to calm his stomach.

"Yikes, here- let me get the door for you." A somewhat familiar voice called out as the stairwell door opened.

Jason peered around his stack of boxes, recognizing the spotted feline from Bryan's study group- no that wasn't right, he was from Bryan's Pride Club. An oncilla, he remembered Bryan saying. What was his name - Drespatcho, Dressitthrow… something.

Dreo turned around, still holding the door open, and froze. Dreo's helpful smile vanished instantly, replaced by a snarl as he recognized Jason

"What the hell are you doing here?" Each of Dreo's words dripped with venom.

Jason stood frozen, boxes heavy in his arms as Dreo blocked the doorway, the oncilla's fur bristling with barely contained rage.

"You've got some nerve showing your face around here," Dreo spat.

Jason's ears flattened. "I don't want trouble."

"No? Should've thought about that before you threw Bryan under the bus." Dreo let the door slam shut behind him, the sound echoing in the stairwell. "Sexual harassment? Really? That's how you deal with your internalized homophobia?"

"What are you talking about?" Jason's voice came out hoarse, his throat tight.

"Don't play dumb with me," Dreo stepped closer, jabbing a finger at Jason's chest.

"Coach Martinez filed a formal complaint. Bryan's facing a review in front of the study admissions committee because you couldn't handle your own feelings!"

The boxes slipped from Jason's numb paws, their contents crashing down onto the stairwell landing. "No... that's not... I didn't..."

"Didn't what?" Dreo's voice cracked with fury. "Didn't mean to destroy his life? Get him kicked out of school? He defended you to all of us, and this is how you repay him? He trusted you, you, you- asshole!"

Jason staggered back against the wall, legs threatening to give out as he looked down at the smaller spotted cat. "Coach said... he just said I had to change rooms. That's all. I swear, I never..."

"Well, congratulations," Dreo cut him off, voice bitter. "You did more than that. Hope you can live with yourself, knowing what you've done to someone who actually cared about you."

Dreo stormed past Jason, intending to leave the wolf alone in the stairwell. But just before Dreo rounded the corner on the lower floor, the Oncilla turned and looked back at Jason with a harsh glare.

"I'm only going to say this once. Stay away from him you piece of shit," Dreo growled. "You've done enough damage, coward."

As Dreo disappeared down the stairwell, Jason slid down the wall amidst his dropped belongings. Jason shook and his chest heaved. His phone buzzed. Jason glanced at it in his shaking paw. It was Jessica again, asking if he needed help moving. He ignored it. Jason was unable to stop his body from trembling. The full weight of his choices crashed over him. All those study sessions, those quiet moments when Bryan had believed in him more than he believed in himself - gone.

Jason sat alone in the stairwell, his belongings in a pile next to him like the broken pieces of his life. The cold concrete seeped through his fur, chilling him to the bone, but he barely noticed. Jason kept trying to understand how he had gotten to this point. He kept trying to piece together what Dreo had said. The oncilla's words played on a loop, each repetition driving the knife of guilt deeper into his gut.

With trembling paws, he forced himself to gather his things. The trek to his new room felt like a death march. Each step echoed in the empty hallway. When he finally reached the door, he hesitated, the key hovering near the lock of the room. His new room. He turned the key and stepped in, not bothering to close the door behind him.

Inside, the room was a mirror image of the one he'd shared with Bryan, yet utterly alien. The air smelled of industrial cleaner and musty vents, devoid of the warm spice scent that had become home. Jason's throat tightened as he set down his boxes. The creak of the bed seemed to mock the emptiness around him. A month ago he would have been beyond excited to have a room to himself. Now?

Now, Jason walked across the room and sank onto the other bare mattress, head in his paws. The silence pressed in on him, broken only by the pounding of his heart. How had everything gone so wrong? He'd had it all - Bryan's trust, his touch, his…

A knock on the open door made him jump. Jessica stood there, her eyes wide with concern. "Jason? Are you okay?"

The sight of her was too much. Jason crumbled, and he felt the panic rising in his chest. His breath came in short gasps as the room began to spin.

Jessica was at his side in an instant, wrapping her arms around him. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here."

Jason trembled in her embrace, unable to return it. His paws hung limply at his sides as she stroked his back. He wanted to push her away, tell her the truth, but the words wouldn't come.

"I can fix this," Jessica murmured, her breath hot against his ear. "I can fix you."

A few floors away, Bryan sat with his knees pressed against his chest on Toby and Dreo's couch. The rabbit rested his head on top of his knees and stared blankly, barely registering Toby's animated chatter.

"...and don't even get me started on tail holes in pants!" Toby exclaimed, pacing dramatically. "Strap, no strap, tailored? It's a crucial decision! One that affects our daily lives in ways most mammals can't even comprehend!"

Chase sat next to Bryan, idly swiping through photos on her phone while Toby's rant about fashion injustice continued in the background. Bryan found himself drawn to her screen, watching as she cycled through images - campus scenes, Pride Club gatherings, moments he hadn't even realized she'd captured.

Catching his interest, Chase tilted the phone for a better view. "I like to take pictures. Helps me remember and see things," she explained softly.

"See things?" Bryan echoed.

Chase nodded, continuing to swipe through her collection - sunrise over Pride Hall, a grasshopper's final moments in a spider's web, abandoned remnants of campus life. Each image told its own story.

"The more people think they see, the more I find that they really don't..." Chase said as she paused on each image.

The door opened as Dreo returned with an armful of drinks, his expression tight with something he was clearly trying to hide. Chase caught his look and immediately raised an eyebrow in silent question. Dreo's eyes darted to Bryan who hadn't looked up yet from the coyote's phone before he forced a smile and shook his head at Chase. Chase nodded and remained silent as Dreo began distributing the beverages.

"So now that we have drinks, what did the guidance counselor actually say?" Chase asked Bryan, accepting her drink from the oncilla. "You were pretty quiet on the walk back."

Bryan's ears drooped further as he reached out and took the offered drink from Dreo. "Not great. They're taking the complaint seriously. There'll be a formal hearing next week. If they find... if they believe..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"They won't," Dreo said firmly, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. "We've got documentation, text messages-"

"Which only proves we were in contact," Bryan cut in. "Nothing that disproves... what Jason- what they're saying."

"What exactly did the counselor suggest?" Chase pressed.

"Character witnesses. Documentation of our study sessions. And..." Bryan's voice cracked slightly. "They 'strongly recommended' I move out of our dorm room immediately, said I should talk to the dorm manager, Mrs. Ringtail, before the end of the day."

Toby paused his fashion tirade. "They can't make you do that without a hearing!"

"They can't force me, no. But they made it clear staying would look bad."

"I don't think that'll be necessary anyways," Dreo said quietly, “call it a hunch…"

Bryan shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Maybe I can request a temporary room transfer? Until I can figure something out..."

"Absolutely not," Toby declared, standing dramatically. "You'll stay here with us."

"I couldn't-" Bryan started.

"You can and you will," Dreo interjected. "The couch is yours as long as you need it."

"But what about housing? They'll need paperwork-"

Chase waved dismissively. "Like the dorm managers really pay that close attention."

"I just..." Bryan's voice wavered. "I don't understand how this happened. Yesterday everything was fine, and now...He didn't even let me explain," Bryan whispered, his voice hoarse.

The room fell silent, the weight of Bryan's pain palpable. Dreo moved to sit on the other side of Bryan, careful not to touch the rabbit. "He's scared and stupid, Bryan. Scared predators do stupid things."

"But to accuse you of manipulation?" Chase growled. "That's beyond stupid. That's cruel."

Bryan's paws clenched, claws digging into his palms. "I should have told him about the club. I should have..."

"No," Toby said firmly, kneeling in front of Bryan. "You don't owe anyone an explanation for who you are. Not even tall, dark, and emotionally constipated."

A choked laugh escaped Bryan's throat, surprising even himself. "God, what a mess."

"That's how these things go sometimes," Toby said, his usual dramatic flair subdued. "One minute you're sharing secret kisses, the next they're pretending they never knew you."

"But sexual harassment?" Bryan's paws clenched. "That could ruin my whole future. My scholarship, my chances at grad school..."

"That won't happen," Chase said firmly. "Accusations without evidence rarely stick."

"Unless..." Bryan's ears drooped. "Unless Jason lies."

The room fell silent at that possibility.

"I need to use the bathroom," Bryan mumbled, standing quickly and walking out of the dorm room.

The moment the door clicked shut, Dreo motioned with his paw at Chase and Toby to come closer.

"He's here," Dreo whispered urgently. "Jason. I ran into him in the stairwell."

"Are you f'in kidding me?" Toby hissed. "What was he doing in our building?"

Chase's expression darkened. "Well, it makes it easier to hide the body."

"This isn't funny," Dreo said, running his paws through his headfur. " It looked like he was transferring rooms somewhere on third. He looked terrible - like he hasn't slept in days."

"Good," Chase growled. "He should suffer."

"Did he say anything to you?" Toby asked, his usual dramatic flair replaced by genuine concern.

"He didn't seem to know about the complaint," Dreo admitted. "When I told him Bryan could be expelled, he nearly collapsed."

"Serves him right," Chase muttered. "Coward couldn't even face what he did."

"Should we tell Bryan," Dreo asked, clearly uncertain. "He has a right to know."

"And what good would that do?" Toby countered. "Knowing his closeted ex is literally a few floors away? Or wait- shouldn't we just let Bryan go back to his room then?"

"He's not an ex," Chase pointed out. "They were never officially together. That's half the problem. Bryan needs to focus on the hearing. Knowing Jason's here would just make everything worse."

"And we are not sending him back to their old room so that he sits there alone, no," Dreo said firmly.

"So what do we do?" Toby asked. "Pretend everything's fine while that wolf lurks a few floors away from us?"

"For now? Yes," Chase nodded.

"Fine we don't tell Bryan," Dreo said as he also nodded. "Not yet anyway. We can take him in and out through one of the side entrances. He's barely holding it together as it is. It's probably for the best they don't run into each other."

They heard the dorm room handle turn and quickly dispersed. Toby quickly launched back into his conspiracy theories with practiced enthusiasm. But the tension remained as three pairs of eyes watched Bryan as he padded back over toward the couch.

"I mean, really," Toby continued as he sipped his drink. "Why do female pants have such pathetically small pockets? It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Big Purse is behind it all!"

Meanwhile, a few floors below them, Jason lay with his head in Jessica's lap, his breathing ragged as he tried to calm himself. The cat's fingers moved through his headfur in what should have been a soothing rhythm, but each stroke felt like another chain binding him.

"I've missed this," Jessica murmured softly. "Just us, together. No distractions."

Jason managed a noncommittal grunt, his eyes closed tight.

"We could go to that new restaurant tonight. And when we get back… we could celebrate your win properly." Her claws scraped lightly against his scalp. "I could stay here."

"Maybe," Jason whispered not really paying attention.

"Or we could stay in. Watch a movie, on your bed. Whatever you want." Jessica teased, her, voice sweet and light. "Now that you won't have to spend all your time studying."

Jason huffed and mumbled,"What if I liked studying?"

"Shhh, Everything's going to be okay now," Jessica continued, ignoring his question. "I took care of it all."

Jason's muscles tensed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Coach Martinez was so understanding when I explained everything. How that rabbit was manipulating you, using tutoring as an excuse to get close to you."

Jason's eyes snapped open. "What?"

"I told him everything - how Bryan was isolating you from your friends, making you meet him alone. The student board had me make an official statement this morning. I've told them all the 'times' I saw him making you uncomfortable without permission-"

Jason sat up abruptly, moving away from her touch. "You did what?"

"Baby, it's okay." Jessica reached for him. "Once he's expelled, you'll never have to deal with him again. Then we can fix this, fix you-"

"Stop saying that." Jason's voice cracked. "There's nothing to fix!"

"Jason, he was clearly taking advantage. I saw how uncomfortable you looked at that coffee shop-"

"No," Jason cut her off, standing. "You don't understand anything. Bryan never... he didn't..."

"Then explain it to me!" Jessica stood too, her tail lashing. "Because from where I'm standing, you've been acting strange ever since he became your tutor. Missing team events, avoiding me, letting him touch you-"

“How dare you…" Jason snarled.

Jessica took a step backward, a look of hurt and confusion flashing across her face.

The words burned in Jason's throat: I wanted him to touch me. I wanted all of it. He wanted to say it. He wanted to yell it. Instead, all Jason said was, "Get out."

"What?"

"We're done. This - us - it's over. Get out."

"Jason, you're not thinking clearly. That rabbit's got you confused-"

"No, it's you who keeps confusing me. I- I don't want to be with you, Jessica." Jason's gaze hardened and for a brief moment, some part of himself felt better- clearer. "I want you to leave."

"Jason,' Jessica said taking another tentative step back towards Jason," Baby, you don't mean that. Let's talk about-"

"NOW!" Jason roared, making Jessica jump.

“Unbelievable," Jessica said in disgust as her face also took on a snarl and she glared back at Jason.

“I'm not going to tell you again Jessica. Get- the- fuck- out… now. You and me are done."

Jessica let out a small growl as she stormed over to the dorm room's door, threw it open, walked out, and then slammed it closed behind her.

Jason flinched as the door slammed and the noise echoed down the hallway. The wolf's sensitive ears could pick up Jessica's heavy footsteps as she walked all the way down the hall to the stairwell. When Jason could no longer hear her, he let out a breath and sank back onto his bed, self-loathing washing over him in waves. He'd let this happen. His cowardice had put everything in motion. But there had to still be time for him to fix this. There had to be something he could do. Byran wasn't going to pay the price for this.

Jason was not going to let that happen.