VERAH
I looked out of the window as soon as the mindlink ended, my grip tightening on the curtains.
Students were scurrying inside in panic, still in their uniforms. Doors slamd shut everywhere, mixed with a few ridiculous excited cheers.
Really?
I scoffed.
In situations like this, there was nothing to be excited about. Especially since it was always the students who suffered the most.
We were the ones forced to take charge of the attack while the higher-ups sat back in their hos, sipping expensive wine and thinking of new ways to make the next student miserable.
Even during the last attack two years ago, it had mostly been the students’ efforts. The monster had eventually left on its own without causing too much damage.
Maybe it would be the sa now. Only a few students need to die and it would leave. Yet, it didn’t sound right.
A loud bang sounded outside my door, making jump.
"Elyse?" I murmured, walking cautiously toward it.
No response.
"Elyse?" I called again, taking another careful step.
Or the monster?
I gazed at the door for a long ti, then shook my head. "No. Definitely not."
The monster wasn’t here yet. If it was, the dorm wouldn’t still be this relatively calm. Still, I didn’t want to rush to the door.
Whoever was outside began pounding harder. I expected a na, a voice...nothing.
"You can go back to wherever you ca from if you won’t say your na!" I snapped.
Still no response.
I gulped, forcing the lump in my throat down. My eyes darted around the room, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. My gaze landed on the bat beside my nightstand.
Lance’s customised black wooden baseball bat.
I had taken it from him last year after he lost a bet. At the ti, it was the only valuable thing I could claim from him.
I picked it up, tightening my grip around the handle, and moved toward the door. The knocking continued — louder, more insistent.
Monsters aren’t that smart, I told myself. There was no way one would stand out there knocking politely for this long.
"Okay, Verah," I whispered, breathing in and out slowly. "You’ve trained your whole life for this. Academy monsters are nothing. Piece of cake. Nowhere near as bad as the real world."
My fingers trembled around Lance’s bat as I inched closer to the door.
The closer I got, the harder my heart pounded. Sweat slid down my forehead.
A Hollow Hound wasn’t just any monster, it was legendary. Not even the strongest council mbers had ever truly beaten one.
I can’t do this.
I’d be throwing my life away for nothing.
I took a shaky step back, eyes darting around the room. I needed a place to hide.
Under the bed? Too small. Bathroom? No. Wardrobe? Useless. It would sniff out in seconds.
"Help , Stacey," I begged my wolf.
Silence. Not even a flicker of strength I felt whenever I called her na.
Traitor.
"If I die, I die," I muttered, gripping the door handle. "That’s what this academy is for anyway."
Before I could overthink it, I yanked the door open and swung the bat with everything I had.
"Take that, you fucking sneaking perverted ugly-faced ogre—!"
Thwack!
"Whoa!"
"You can talk?!" I snarled, swinging again. "You don’t get to co to a lady’s room and hunt her down without permission—"
"What the—?!"
"Take that in your ugly deford face!"
"Verah! Stop!"
I froze. It knew my na.
Strong hands fastened around my wrist, stopping the bat mid-swing. Adrenaline surged through . I moved on instinct. My other hand shot up, gripping the arm that held .
But before I could slam it into the wall, my back was suddenly smacked against it instead. I gasped, eyes widening in shock.
A hard body pressed firmly against mine, pinning in place. A familiar scent — clean rain and cedar — flooded my senses.
My eyes flickered up and locked on Lance.
I blinked twice, making sure I wasn’t hallucinating. He stared down at , his expression a mix of worry and exasperation.
"Are you thinking straight now?" he murmured.
"L... Lance?" I stuttered.
Lance rolled his eyes and finally let go after a few seconds. He let out a short snort of laughter. "What? Were you expecting it to be a monster?"
Yes. No. I wasn’t expecting him.
Before I could stop myself, I closed the distance and flung my arms around him.
"Whoa!" He exclaid, gripping my shoulders and pulling away almost imdiately. "That’s too much touching."
Of course. That was the Lance I knew. He wasn’t much of a hugger, especially not with . He always said it was irritating because he had to sll .
But I still did it anyway just to annoy him.
Lance pressed his palm to my forehead.
"Are you certain you’re alright?"
"I am," I breathed out. The fear that had gripped earlier had completely vanished, thanks to him.
And I was really thrilled to see him. Even if I would never admit it out loud.
"Are you sure?" he asked again.
I nodded. I stepped further into the room and he followed inside.
Lance sat on my bed, his eyes darting around the room like he was searching for sothing so he could leave quickly.
"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked, turning to face him. "You should be at your house looking after the mbers."
Lance said nothing. He kept staring at sothing behind .
"I appreciate that you’re worried about , but I’m capable of taking care of myself and—"
"Where is Elyse?" he cut off.
I folded my arms across my chest. "Why?"
"Why what?" Lance returned, his brows pulling into a frown.
"Why do you want to know where she is?" I shot back. "Headmaster Alaric told you to stay away from her and—"
"We are in the middle of a high-level monster attack, dummy!" he grunted. "She should be in the fucking room with you!"
Oh shit.
Panic clawed back into my chest as I glanced at Elyse’s empty bed and then back at Lance, who was waiting impatiently.
I had been so focused on saving myself that I completely forgot about her.
"So, where the fuck is she?" he grunted.
"School..."
"School?!" Lance and another voice said at the sa ti.
I turned toward the door. Elliott stood there, jaw clenched, anger radiating off him. He stepped into the room without permission, completely ignoring my glare.
Lance shot to his feet. "Is she insane?!"
"She left before the notice," I defended.
"That doesn’t make it better!" he growled.
"I’m sure she’ll be fine wherever she is," I said.
"Of course she is," Elliott added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I never gave you—" I started, but he interrupted .
"I’m going to find her," Elliott said, already moving around the room.
I scoffed, scowling at his back. Why is he acting like they’re still together? He should focus on the Headmaster’s orders!
"I’m going back to school," Lance said, heading for the door.
"Are you insane?!" I shouted. "Go back to your house. Elyse can defend herself. She doesn’t need a knight in shining armor!"
"She is my mate," he said simply.
"Oh please!" I tossed my hands up in exasperation.
"Stay here. Don’t leave."
With that, he walked out.
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