Xander's POV
I stood frozen as Lyra vanished into the shadows, the night swallowing her whole. Even from here, I could feel the tension rolling off her in waves, those shoulders locked in that stubborn line that meant she was battling her demons again. The air crackled between us, electric and charged with something that made my chest constrict.
Fuck this entire situation.
I raked my fingers through my hair and released a growl that tore from my throat. The sound bounced off the empty campus, brutal and unfiltered. This pattern was killing me - every damn encounter with Lyra ended the same way, with her treating me like I was beneath her notice.
