Chapter Four: Shadows in Broad Daylight
There were three things I expected to see when I walked into school that morning:
Callista pretending not to be obsessed with her reflection, Luna scheming her next rule-breaking adventure, and Mr. Evergrey sipping burnt coffee like it was ambrosia.
What I didn't expect?
Was him and getting called to the principal's office.
Standing at the front of the assembly hall like he hadn't nearly choked the life out of me with just his presence last weekend.
Black uniform again. Cold stare. That same silver ring on his index finger he'd worn at the club—twisting it like he was trying to remember how not to kill someone with it. Same tattoo running along his arm.
And gods, he looked exactly the same.
That same unreadable expression. That same jaw so sharp it could cut my GPA in half.
I stopped walking. My heartbeat didn't.
No one else seemed to recognize him, but I did.
How could I not?
It wasn't every day a guy folliws you out of a VIP booth, blocked a drunk vampire's punch to your face, and then insulted your entire existence with the line:
"Try using your brain before your mouth next time, princess."
Principal Valen's office was cold. Not physically—it was draped in warm wood panels and smelled faintly of herbal tea and cinnamon polish—but cold in that clinical, calculated way only authority figures knew how to be.
I sat across from her, my legs crossed, trying not to look bored. Or twitchy. Or like I hadn't slept because some demon boy from hell with sex god cheekbones was haunting my thoughts.
She folded her hands on her desk and gave me that tight, unreadable smile.
"Aurielle," she said, tone flat as a blade. "I won't waste your time pretending I called you in here to lecture you. You've heard every version of that already."
I blinked. "Then what am I here for?"
She hesitated.
Just a beat.
It was enough to set off every inner alarm I had.
"There are… changes coming," she said carefully. "To this pack. This school. This world."
Oh, that sounded like a prophecy just waiting to ruin my life.
"Changes?" I echoed.
"You might notice things shifting. People arriving. Power stirring where it shouldn't. If anything feels strange—anything—you come to me. Immediately. You don't ignore it. You don't second-guess it. You come. Do you understand?"
I frowned. "What are you talking about?"
She didn't blink. "I'm trusting you, Aurielle. I don't do that lightly."
I opened my mouth to ask more, but she stood, signaling the conversation was over.
"And for the record," she added, walking around the desk, "just because I care about you doesn't mean you're off the hook for being late again. You'll serve detention with Luna after school."
I rolled my eyes. "Of course."
"Go to class," she said. "I have an announcement to make shortly."
The hall was buzzing when I stepped into the classroom. As usual, the moment I crossed the threshold, conversations dipped and eyes rose.
Boys stared like I'd walked in naked.
Girls smiled like they wanted to breathe my air.
Same old bullshit.
I walked past the row of seats, ignoring the whispers.
"Damn, look at her—"
"—she's got that Alpha energy—"
"—think she's single?"
I flopped into my seat near the window, arms crossed.
My brain still felt hazy from that office meeting.
What the hell was Principal Valen talking about? What power? What shift?
I was still reeling when the door creaked.
The principal didn't come in.
But her voice echoed just beyond the door, arguing with someone.
"I told you he was on the list—"
"But he's not even registered—"
"I'll handle it."
And then—
The door opened.
First came Miss Thorn, our literature teacher, smiling awkwardly as she stepped aside.
And then—
He walked in.
Like fate knew exactly where to stab me.
Black hoodie.
Tattooed arms.
That same silent confidence, like nothing in the room deserved his attention.
Him.
The boy from the alley.
The boy from the field.
The boy who looked at me like I was less.
He didn't glance my way.
Didn't need to.
The air in the room shifted.
Even the lust-drunk boys shut up.
Even the girls who usually giggled at my outfits leaned forward like they'd just found a new religion.
Whispers flew instantly.
"Who is that?"
"He's new?"
"Is he even a student?"
Miss Thorn cleared her throat. "Everyone, this is… uh… Alervon Vane . He'll be joining us for the rest of the semester."
Alervon.
Of course his name had to sound like a damn blade.
I could barely breathe.
This was impossible.
He was here.
"He's a transfer from the mainland council. He'll be with us for the remainder of the semester as part of the inter-clan diplomacy program."Miss Thorn explained.
Whispers continued out across the room. Aleron Vane? That sounded like a name you gave a villain before he stole your kingdom and your heart.
He didn't speak. Didn't smile. Just let his gaze sweep over the students like he was mentally sorting who was worth saving in an apocalypse.
And then—
His eyes landed on me.
Not a double take. Not a flicker of surprise.
Just that same cold stare from the club, like I was a noise he'd already learned to ignore.
I lifted my chin. Try me, I thought.
Miss Thorn continued, "To ensure proper integration, we've selected a student to assist him for the next month—help him adjust, understand our protocols, and represent our school with grace."
Please not me.
Please not me.
Please not—
And then came the real curse:
"Since he's new, he'll need help catching up too," Principal Valen announced from the doorway, voice clear, final.
"Aurielle, you'll be his partner."She says with a smile.
My entire body froze.
WHAT.
No. No no no. Nope.
Now I knew this was the side punishment she had in store for me.
I shot up halfway from my seat. "Excuse me?"
Valen's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You heard me."
Luna, two seats behind me, muttered, "Oh, this is going to be delicious,"
My soul left my body.
The entire hall turned. Luna's jaw dropped. Callista let out an audible gasp, clearly mad it wasn't her. Alervon? He barely blinked. Like the universe hadn't just tied me to him with a month-long leash.
"For the record," I muttered to Luna as applause broke out, "this is karma for everything I've ever done."
"He's so fine though," she whispered back.
"He's a menace."
I looked at Alervon.
At the front, he turned just slightly, his eyes brushing mine again.
Still cold. Still unreal.
He didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't even look surprised.
He walked to the desk beside mine with slow, quiet confidence and sat down without sparing me a glance.
Like I didn't exist.
Like we hadn't collided in shadows.
Like he didn't obliterate me with words and walk away.
I glared at him, throat burning. I could feel the heat crawling up my spine, into my skull.
"Decorated, not dangerous."
His words circled again. Mocking me.
I leaned over toward him, whisper-sharp. "You knew. Didn't you? That I'd be here."
Nothing.
No reaction.
Oh goddess! Fuck my life.
[TO BE CONTINUED...]