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I pull the solid wood door open, sighing a breath of relief as it swings without any resistance. There isn’t any sort of rule requiring students to stay in their rooms at night, but I waited until the cafeteria opened to be less conspicuous.
I blink against the light as it streams into the dark hallway and step out onto the cobblestone pathway. The familiar stones bring up memories of the last time I traveled this path with Denver. Maybe I should’ve woken him up, but if Kai’s still there, I don’t know how he’ll react to someone else.
I keep my pace unhurried in case someone is watching me, and stroll down the path, past the gazebo and down towards the trees. With the cover of the dense pines I push out my magic, sweeping the distance for any sign of life other than me. The same pings go off of the wildlife around me, but there’s no sign of a monster or a supernatural around.
My heart thumps in time with my steps, both their paces increasing as I near the clear blue glistening water. The sun peaks just over the trees lining the far side, casting a warm glow over the still surface, and I stumble to a stop at the lake’s edge, kicking a few small stones into the water. I pull in a staggered breath and chew on my bottom lip, silently wishing he’d rise to the surface like he did before but stop myself short from calling out his name, remembering what he said about the power it holds.
I cast my powers out across the lake, pushing it down to the far depths but it still comes back with nothing. The glistening water and the sheer beauty of nature surrounding me is like a painting, yet I can’t appreciate it, not when I don’t know if Kai made it out all right or not.
Landon told us he was going to check through the records to see if a kraken has been caught recently, but my stomach twists with worry, my instincts telling me something is off.
Soft footsteps come from behind me, the brush against the dead pine needles scattered over the forest floor the only indication that my stealthy stalker is even there. I pull my magic in, barely reminding myself in time that I need to speak the spells aloud, before I turn to face the intruder. My power dissipates immediately as my eyes lock on to a pair of golden-brown ones.
“Greyson,” I sputter, barely catching myself just before a nasty attack spell leaves my lips. “What are you doing here?”
His uniform is rumpled, like he’s slept in it all night, his tie nearly slipping out from its knot. Deep bags are set under his eyes as he cautiously steps forward, his hands raised as though he’s not sure if I might still attack him.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that I followed you, Aria,” he says, slowly lowering his hands to his side. A few pebbles scatter as he takes another step forward, his movement not nearly as silent now that he’s been caught.
“Obviously,” I say with a derisive snort, marching over to him and closing the few feet between us. “The question is why.”
His brows furrow as he looks down at me, his lips parting without a word, as though he’s dumbfounded by my question.
“Something is obviously going on, Aria,” he says, pain creasing his handsome face. Now that I truly take him in, his facial hair is thicker than it normally is, his shoulder length hair messier too. “I thought that after we talked on the first day that things might go back to how they used to be, but you seem more distant than ever. It’s like you’re sitting right across from me but you’re not really there—you’re a mirage.”
“Greyson,” I breathe, wishing I could reach for him but—
“I feel like I’m on the outside looking in at your life. Even though I see you every day it’s just surface level,” he sighs, frustration and sorrow mixing in his tone. “We just keep skating around the issue and neither of us wants to bring it up.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whisper, the lie tasting sour on my tongue. I do know what he’s talking about, and I’ve felt this tension growing between us but I kept pushing it off. No matter how many conversations we have, it’s not going to change the fact that he’s a wolf and I am who I am.
Is it really so different from my mates though? They’re monsters and there’s no way they’d be accepted as my partners. With Greyson it’s different, and I always knew that if we ever crossed that line, that would be it, there’d be no going back.
“You do though,” Greyson says, the pain on his face making my breath catch in my throat. “I see it in your eyes every time I look at you. I see that you feel the same way I do, and just when I think there’s a chance, I see the pained look you get when you decide we can’t be together.”
This is the last thing that I wanted to do. I thought that I was sparing both of us from the sorrow and agony of either acknowledging we can’t be together, or keeping it a secret when it can’t be anything more.
“I didn’t decide that,” I insist, my voice shaking as the years of emotion I’ve kept bottled up come rushing to the surface. “You know that after my mom left—”
“No, you’ve decided,” Greyson says, cutting me off. “You try so hard to not be like your mother, that you’re willing to give up on us before we even have a chance.”
“Glenda would never allow it.” The words slip from my lips before I even realize I’m speaking, and I do my best to suppress my wince at his cutting words. “Besides, you’ve never said anything either. For all I knew you only cared about me as a friend and that’s it.”
He rocks back a step as I fling those words at him, recoiling like I’ve physically struck him. The utter shock on his face and the disbelief in his eyes leaves me regretting them immediately.
I open my mouth but nothing comes out, both of us staring at one another, unable to break the growing tension hanging thickly around us. Neither of us have ever said anything, and I admit I took comfort in that denial, but it seems Greyson always assumed that I knew.
“Is everything alright?” another man asks, accompanied by the crack of brush under footsteps. My head snaps up, just as my mind registers the voice, Denver.
Greyson whirls around, lowering to a crouch, poised to attack until he realizes who it is.
“Of course,” Greyson breathes, straightening as Denver strolls towards us. “I should’ve known.” His gaze flits between Denver and me as Denver stops by my side.
“Greyson,” I whisper, but stop myself from stepping towards him. What am I going to say? I can’t deny that there’s something between Denver and me, and I also can’t assure him that it doesn’t affect my feelings towards him. There’s so much that still stands between us, and I can’t risk him getting hurt because of me.
“I guess I’ll just see you at breakfast,” Greyson murmurs, pulling in a deep breath, his shoulders slumping when he exhales. He gives me one last look before he turns towards the school and walks back through the trees.
Weight seems to press down on him with each step, his movements slow as if he’s dragging himself away. But still not a word comes out. The sight slices through my chest like a knife. This was the last thing I wanted. No one was supposed to get hurt, and yet it seems both of our hearts have been shattered this morning—because of me. I want to chase after him, to scream his name, but my body remains frozen in place, my heart and my brain warring for dominance.
