The training grounds at Wolf-High Academy buzzed with activity. Students paired off, sparring under the watchful eyes of their instructors. The sharp clang of weapons, the crunch of boots on gravel, and the occasional grunt of exertion filled the air.
Aurora stood at the edge of the grounds, watching the others practice. She felt out of place, her nerves a tightly coiled spring. Her hands clenched and unclenched by her sides as she tried to push away the feeling of unease. Sofia had advised her to sit this one out, but Gamma Dan's earlier warning about adapting quickly echoed in her mind.
She didn't have much time to dwell on it. A voice cut through the noise, dripping with mockery.
"Well, well, if it isn't the White Knight," Stefan Ryan said, his smirk unmistakable even from a distance. He was standing across from Finley, his stance relaxed but his sharp eyes glinting with challenge.
Finley, who had been adjusting his gloves, straightened and turned to face Stefan. His expression darkened, though he kept his composure. "What do you want, Stefan?"
"Oh, nothing much," Stefan drawled, his tone casual. "I was just curious. It's not every day I see the mighty Finley Blackthorne swoop in to save someone. Especially a patronage student."
The words hung in the air, sharp and biting. A few students paused their training to watch the exchange, sensing the tension brewing.
Finley's jaw tightened. "I don't have time for your games."
"Games?" Stefan tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Come on, Finley. We both know what this is about. You're bored. She's new. I get it. But maybe you should think twice before playing hero. People might start to talk."
Finley took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. "Stay out of it, Stefan."
Stefan's smirk widened. "Why? Afraid she might prefer someone else's attention? Someone who isn't weighed down by family expectations?"
The tension between them crackled like lightning, their rivalry as palpable as the heat radiating from the afternoon sun.
Before things could escalate further, Gamma Dan's commanding voice boomed across the training grounds. "Enough! Back to your stations, both of you."
The moment shattered, and the watching students quickly returned to their practice. Finley and Stefan exchanged one last glare before stepping away from each other, but the air between them remained charged.
Aurora didn't know why she felt the need to walk the garden paths that afternoon. Maybe it was the growing weight on her chest, the feeling that the walls of the academy were pressing in on her. She needed air, and space to think, but even here, in the quiet corners of the academy grounds, she couldn't escape the unease.
"You really shouldn't wander alone."
The voice startled her, smooth and tinged with amusement. She turned to see Stefan leaning casually against a nearby tree, his arms crossed and his ever-present smirk firmly in place.
"I wasn't wandering," Aurora said quickly, though her voice betrayed her surprise.
"Of course you weren't." Stefan pushed off the tree and approached her, his steps deliberate and slow. "You know, it's dangerous here. So many predators. You might get caught in something you can't handle."
Aurora's brow furrowed. She couldn't tell if he was joking or if there was a warning buried beneath his words. "What do you want?"
"Just a friendly chat." Stefan stopped a few feet away from her, tilting his head as he studied her. "You're quite the talk of the school, you know. A patronage student catching the attention of not one but two Alphas? Impressive."
Aurora's stomach churned. She didn't want to be the talk of the school. She didn't want attention at all. "I didn't ask for any of this," she muttered.
"Maybe not," Stefan said, his tone softening. "But attention has a way of finding people like you. Especially when they're… different."
Aurora's heart skipped a beat. Did he know? No, he couldn't. She forced herself to meet his gaze, trying to steady her voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Stefan chuckled, the sound low and almost dangerous. "Relax, Aurora. I'm just saying you should be careful. This place isn't kind to outsiders. And as for Finley…" He paused, his smirk returning. "Well, let's just say you're better off keeping your distance."
His words sent a chill down her spine, but before she could respond, Stefan turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with more questions than answers.
The evening found Aurora in her dorm room, pacing back and forth. Sofia sat on the bed, watching her with concern.
"You're overthinking it," Sofia said.
Aurora stopped and turned to face her. "Am I? Stefan shows up out of nowhere, warning me to stay away from Finley. Gamma Dan keeps looking at me like he knows something. And the other students… They already hate me. How am I supposed to survive here, Sofia?"
Sofia sighed. "I told you, this place is different. Everyone here has an agenda. You just have to stay under the radar."
Aurora sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, burying her face in her hands. "I don't know if I can do this. It feels like every step I take is being watched. Like they're all waiting for me to mess up."
"You're stronger than you think," Sofia said, her voice firm. "I wouldn't have pushed you to come here if I didn't believe that."
Aurora looked up at her friend, her chest tightening with emotion. "What if I'm not, though? What if they find out—"
"Don't," Sofia interrupted, her tone sharp. "Don't even say it. No one's going to find out. You just have to trust me, okay?"
Aurora nodded reluctantly, though the doubt lingered.
From the balcony of the main hall, Finley watched the moon rise over the academy grounds. The tension from his earlier confrontation with Stefan still simmered beneath his skin.
He couldn't deny that Stefan's words had struck a nerve. Aurora was different, and he couldn't explain why that intrigued him so much. But it wasn't just curiosity—there was something else, something deeper, pulling him toward her.
He thought of his father's stern lectures, his brother's mocking tone, and the crushing weight of expectations that came with the Blackthorne name. Getting involved with someone like Aurora would only complicate things.
And yet, he couldn't shake the image of her from his mind—the way she had looked so small and out of place, but with a quiet strength that seemed to defy everything around her.
"Dangerous," he muttered to himself.
But even as he said it, he knew it was already too late.