—Alexia—
I woke to the crinkle of candy wrappers and the faint smell of chocolate and salt still lingering in the air. Kaia was sprawled sideways across her bed, a gummy worm stuck to her cheek, one arm thrown dramatically over her face. Zeus had migrated during the night, his head now resting on my stomach, breath rising and falling in sync with mine.
For a moment, I didn't move. The early light barely touched the curtains, and in that quiet, I could almost pretend things were normal. That I wasn't carrying chaos under my skin. That Asher hadn't looked at me like I was something to be locked away. That Jasper hadn't masked his worry with jokes, or that Soren's sharp gaze hadn't felt like it was seeing too much.
My fingers curled in Zeus's fur. He huffed, shifting, letting me know he was awake too—always aware, always with me.
"You're too good for me, you know that?" I whispered.
He let out a low sigh, the closest thing to a laugh. The pressure in my head pulsed, not pain, but a warning. The magic hadn't settled, only curled tighter in my chest, waiting. Watching. I eased Zeus aside, pressing my bare feet to the cold floor, and padded to Kaia's mirror. My reflection stared back, tired eyes, hair a tangled halo, a faint burn-like mark pulsing gold just below my collarbone where chaos had last flared. It didn't hurt, but it was a reminder. That nothing about me was normal anymore.
My mind flickered to each of them: Finn, with his steady softness that made the bond hum quietly when he looked at me, like it wanted to mend something. Jasper, whose laughter filled up the spaces where fear tried to live, the bond warm and restless, like sunshine through cracked windows. Asher, sharp edges and heavy silences, the bond between us like a pulled thread, stretched thin, wanting to snap but never quite letting go. Soren, who watched me with eyes that seemed to measure everything, the bond was cool, steady, a reminder that I wasn't alone even in silence. I pressed a finger to the gold mark. Breathe in. Breathe out. A knock broke the quiet. Zeus's ears perked, tail thumping once.
"Alexia?" Finn's voice was low and hesitant. "Are you awake?"
Of course, it was him.
I hesitated, then sighed. "Yeah. I'm awake."
When I opened the door, Finn stood there with two steaming cups of coffee. He looked exhausted, but there was something steady in him, something that had shifted since the night I collapsed. Without a word, he handed me a cup. Our fingers brushed, and that soft hum of the bond pulsed, sharper than before.
"You look…" he started, giving a crooked smile, "awake. That's a start."
"I feel like I got hit by a storm," I muttered, stepping back to let him in.
Kaia snored behind me, blissfully dead to the world.
Finn leaned against her desk, lowering his voice. "I didn't want to wake her. I just… needed to see you."
The way he said it made my chest tighten.
He nodded toward the cup. "Figured you might want something normal."
"Thanks," I said, taking a careful sip.
"You're not being turned in," Finn said suddenly. The words hit hard.
I swallowed. "Figured as much, or I'd be chained up by now."
He shook his head. "The Headmistress made it clear to everyone. You didn't attack. Your magic reacted to protect you—and Zeus."
My hand drifted down to scratch behind Zeus's ears. Finn watched, his voice softening.
"I've been feeling it too," he said. "The bond. Between us."
The room seemed to still, even Zeus pausing to look up at him.
"A bond?" I repeated.
"It's different, Alexia. With you, it's... sharper. Stronger. I think it might be a mate bond."
The words felt too big for the small dorm room.
"Are you sure?" I managed.
"As sure as I can be. Shifters know. It's not just magic, it's instinct. When you hurt, it tears through me like it's mine."
I closed my eyes, overwhelmed. "Do I get a choice?"
His voice was soft, certain. "Always. You get to choose. Whether you want this, or me."
"And if I don't?"
His smile was sad, warm. "Then I'll still be here."
Kaia snorted loudly in her sleep, punching herself in the face with her arm before resuming snoring. Finn and I both froze before laughing softly.
"Great timing," I murmured.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a mini chocolate bar. "Emergency ration. In case she hoards the rest."
I took it, smiling. "Thanks."
"For the chocolate or everything else?" he asked.
"Both."
He nodded, stepping back toward the door. "I'll let you breathe. But you know where to find me."
"Finn."
He paused.
"Thank you. For not leaving."
He turned, eyes warm and bright, the bond humming softly between us. "Never wanted to."
The door clicked softly shut behind him. Kaia kept snoring. Zeus curled back up at my feet. And for the first time since everything shattered, I let myself sit on the edge of the bed, chocolate in one hand, coffee in the other, letting the quiet settle. For a moment, I didn't feel like a storm. For a moment, I felt safe