I had a lingering sense of disappointment when I left Theo's class, even though I'd been genuinely looking forward to the next one.
I didn't know what to expect from Weaponry, but it sounded like the perfect class for someone who wanted revenge.
I had never been a violent person. Actually, I still didn't consider myself violent. But knowing that Milos was out there, and that he wanted to get to me so badly, made me desperate to learn how to defend myself. From him. From anyone.
I couldn't afford to forget that my parents had been murdered. If I wasn't careful, the same thing could happen to me.
Sure, I might be safe for now. But what would happen after I left Werewolf Academy in four years and returned to the real world? Would Milos be waiting for me? Would he hold onto his hatred that long? Or would he forget about me entirely and move on, while I tried, and failed, to forget about him?
There were too many uncertainties. The only thing I knew for sure was that I needed to be prepared in every way possible. If that meant learning how to use a gun, then so freaking be it.
When I stepped into the classroom, I froze.
It didn't look anything like the others.
It looked like a shooting range.
Stone walls lined the far end of the room, each marked with targets, some shaped like wolves, others like human bodies. Twelve booths stood in neat rows, separated by glass dividers so each person, each wolf, could practice alone.
Just… wow. Mind officially blown. This definitely wasn't what I'd pictured, though I wasn't entirely sure what I had expected.
Colton stood in the far corner, typing something into a computer. The sharp click of my heels against the stone floor echoed as I moved farther inside. He glanced up.
His lips curved into a smile. "Hey, you."
"Hey." My gaze drifted over him before I could stop it. No suit and tie this time, just fitted jeans and a light blue polo that clung to his muscular arms. His longish blonde hair was slicked back, though a few rebellious strands fell onto his forehead.
God, he was freaking hot.
I studied his expression, trying to see if he'd heard my thoughts, but if he had, he didn't show it. He just looked… happy to see me.
A sudden realization hit me.
Why did it seem like Theo was the only one who could hear me?
Maybe it had something to do with him being Alpha. Maybe only the strongest could break through whatever mental barrier I had.
Shoving the thought aside, I stepped closer to Colton. "So… are we actually going to, like, shoot guns?"
"Yup. And other weapons."
For some reason, it hadn't fully registered that we'd be practicing with real weapons. I'd assumed we'd just learn about them in theory—not stand in an actual shooting range.
And this was the Crescents' House.
Not only would I be handling real weapons, but I'd be learning alongside wolves labeled as "bad."
Why would anyone teach a bad wolf how to use a weapon?
"So… is this dangerous?" I asked quietly. "Learning to shoot with…" I glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. "The Crescents?"
He smiled, amused, his gray eyes bright. "You do realize you're one of them, right?"
"I'm only half-Crescent," I argued, even though I had no idea if being Sorted into two Houses actually meant that. "And I would never hurt someone."
"Are you sure about that?" he asked softly. His gaze locked onto mine. "There's something no one's told you about werewolves yet. About all wolves, not just Crescents. We all have the desire to kill. It's instinct."
"I don't."
Except for Milos. I would have killed him if I'd had the chance.
"You're new," Colton said. "It'll come." Then he added, "But don't worry. There are safeguards in place. No one's killing anyone in here, accidentally or otherwise."
"What kind of safeguards?"
"Like this." He reached into a bin and pulled out an arrow. Stepping behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted the arrow so I could see the tip. "See this?"
I nodded, though I was far more aware of his chin brushing my shoulder and the warmth of his breath against my neck.
Something stirred inside me.
"That's brass," he explained. "Arrows meant to kill werewolves are tipped with sterling silver. There's no silver anywhere on campus. If someone gets hurt here, it's temporary. Your body will heal."
"That's… relieving," I murmured.
He still hadn't let go.
And the truth was, I didn't want him to.
There was something about Colton, something steady and protective. Being in his arms felt easy. Safe. I could have stayed there forever if I let myself.
Footsteps echoed through the room, breaking the moment. Colton stepped back as another student entered.
As more wolves filtered in, I felt grateful we'd had that brief pocket of privacy. It was the first real sign that maybe, just maybe,Colton felt the same pull toward me.
The problem?
He wasn't the only Darken I wanted to kiss.
I wanted to kiss all of them.
I just didn't want to destroy their pack in the process.