Page 153 of Resurgent

“There’s been another attack.”

My stomach drops. “Another what? That’s not—"

“Animal,” he amends quickly, already moving—grabbing his jacket, his keys. Efficient. Focused.

Leaving.

“Hunter—”

He stops, barely long enough to look back at me.

“Call Matt,” he says. “Have him take you back to his room. Now.”

My brows pull together. “I’m not—”

“Annalise.”

It’s not loud, but it hits harder than anything he’s said all day.

“This isn’t training,” he says, voice low and controlled in a way that makes my chest tighten. “You go with him, and you stay there until I come get you. No one but me.”

Something in me bristles immediately. “You don’t get to—”

“I do,” he cuts in. “Right now, I do.”

Silence stretches between us, thick and charged.

I want to argue; Gods do I want to argue…But the look on his face—

“…fine,” I mutter, jaw clenched.

He studies me like he can’t believe I’m actually conceding, but I have no desire to come face to face with another monster before I’m at full strength.

Realization of exactly that must hit. “Good,” he says before rushing out without another word.

Standing in the silence of the arena, my breath the only sound, my skin buzzes from fear. From the fight. From him.

The quiet that settles in his absence feels wrong in ways I can't put words to.

“…another attack,” I murmur, digging my phone out from under my library books and calling Matt.

“Zest and I will be there soon to watch over you while you cross campus.”’

Matt answers on the second ring. "I just got off with Korr. I'm on my way."

Relief loosens the knot in my chest, if only slightly.

"We're not walking back alone," he continues. "Zest and Tyr are coming too."

A warm pulse brushes the edge of my mind.

“Already told her.”

A reluctant smile tugs at my lips.

"Tyr beat you to it."

"Good. Stay put. We'll all be there in a few."