Chapter 8

KAIA

When I can't express what's really on my mind, my solution is always the same.

Run.

I've been doing it for years.

Whenever my thoughts become too loud or my emotions threaten to spill over, I lace up my running shoes and keep moving until the noise inside my head finally quiets.

But this time...

There was nowhere to run.

Not from Professor Matthews.

Not from Deborah.

Not from the whispers that had followed me through the hallways after class.

I should have kept my mouth shut.

Instead, I'd let my pride answer for me.

I'd held everything in for so long that, the second class ended, I'd practically sprinted back to the dormitories just to change into my running clothes.

It was only the first day, and I already had assignments waiting for me, so I promised myself I'd keep it short.

Thirty minutes.

Just enough to clear my head.

The late afternoon air had cooled since morning, carrying the earthy scent of damp pine needles and freshly cut grass. The Academy grounds stretched endlessly before me, winding through ancient courtyards, quiet stone paths, and forest trails that disappeared beneath towering evergreens. Students were scattered across the campus. Some were sparring on the outdoor training fields, where the clash of wooden practice swords echoed through the air. Others lounged beneath centuries-old oak trees, laughing with friends or reading on the perfectly manicured lawns.

I avoided all of them.

The rhythmic sound of my footsteps striking the gravel path became the only thing I focused on.

Left.

Right.

Breathe.

Again.

The farther I ran, the quieter everything became.

Until...

That feeling returned.

The unmistakable sensation that someone was watching me.

It wasn't fear.

It was awareness.

Like invisible eyes following every step I took.

I slowed just enough to glance over my shoulder.

Nothing.

A pair of second-years jogged in the opposite direction without even looking at me.

Two girls sat on a stone bench scrolling through their phones.

Near the athletic fields, a group of Alphas were finishing what looked like combat drills.

None of them seemed remotely interested in me.

You're imagining things again.

Even so...

The feeling lingered.

By the time I finished my run, sweat clung to my skin, my breathing had become uneven, and loose strands of dark hair stuck to my temples.

Perfect.

Exactly what I needed.

The student dormitories were much quieter now than they had been that morning. The endless corridors, lined with dark wooden doors and softly glowing wall sconces, echoed with distant voices and occasional laughter drifting from behind closed rooms. Large windows overlooked the Academy grounds, bathing the stone hallway in warm golden light as the sun slowly began to set.

I rounded the corner toward my room.

Then stopped.

Asher was sitting cross-legged on the floor outside his bedroom.

A thick textbook lay open in front of him, several neatly written pages filled the notebook resting on his lap, and a pencil spun absentmindedly between his fingers while he stared thoughtfully at a paragraph.

He looked so focused that he didn't even notice me at first.

But...

Why was he sitting in the hallway?

"What are you doing here?"

Smooth, Kaia.

Really subtle.

He looked up, slightly startled, before rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile.

"Vinnie studies with music blasting through his headphones." He pointed toward his room. "Chris narrates everything he's doing while he works." A tiny smile tugged at his lips. "And I need complete silence to concentrate." He glanced around the empty corridor. "The hallway seemed like the best option." He stretched his neck, grimacing. "Although I'm pretty sure my back and neck are going to file a formal complaint."

I looked at the hard stone floor beneath him. Honestly... I was getting sore just looking at him.

"I have two desks in my room." The words escaped before I had time to think.

His eyebrows lifted.

"I work in silence too." I shrugged. "You can borrow the other desk." A brief silence followed. "...If you want."

His expression softened.

"Really? You don't mind?"

"No." I unlocked my door. "I wouldn't have offered if I did."

He gathered his books before following me inside.

The room was much larger than it needed to be.

It had clearly been designed for three students, maybe even four decades ago, but now only one bed occupied the spacious room, leaving an awkward amount of empty space. Two large wooden desks stood against opposite walls beneath tall windows that overlooked the forest surrounding Blackwood Academy.

The room had felt cold when I'd first arrived.

Too empty.

Too temporary.

So I'd tried to make it mine.

A delicate string of warm fairy lights stretched above my bed, casting a soft golden glow across the room once evening fell. The bare stone walls now held photographs carefully attached with tiny wooden clips.

Mom and Dad smiling during one of our camping trips.

Claire making a ridiculous face while Skylar laughed beside her.

The three of us squeezed together after graduation.

Daniel and Caroline.

Every photo carried a memory.

Every memory reminded me of home.

One picture, however, had an obvious gap where someone used to be.

I'd carefully cut Deborah out of it before pinning it to the wall.

She always thought photos were stupid anyway.

"I'll let you use this one." I pointed toward the empty desk beneath the window. "I'm just going to take a shower."

Asher carefully placed his books down before looking back at me.

"You went running again?"

I blinked.

"What?"

"This morning you said you took you breakfast to go because you'd gone for a run."

"Oh." Right. "I guess running is kind of..." I searched for the right word. "...therapy." He tilted his head. "It clears my mind."

His expression suggested he understood exactly what I meant.

"I'll be quick."

I disappeared into the bathroom before he could say anything else.

***

I'd expected having someone else in my room to be distracting.

If anything...

It was the opposite.

The only sounds were the quiet scratching of Asher's pencil across paper, the occasional turning of a page, and the soft tapping of my keyboard as I worked through my assignments.

Outside, the wind rustled the treetops beyond the window, while somewhere in the distance, the Academy clock chimed the hour.

No awkward conversation.

No pressure.

Just...

Comfortable silence.

I'd never experienced anything quite like it with someone I'd only met yesterday.

"If we want dinner," Asher finally said, glancing at the antique clock mounted above the door, "we should probably leave now."

I looked up.

"Hm?"

"They stop serving in about ten minutes."

I checked my watch.

He was right.

"We're about to miss the boat."

I laughed. "Okay."

I stood, stretching my arms above my head until my back cracked.

"Let's go."

Asher closed his notebook. "Do you mind if I leave my things here?" He gestured toward the neatly stacked books on the desk. "I'll grab them when we come back."

"Yeah." I waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

I glanced down at myself.

Somewhere between showering and starting my homework, I'd completely forgotten that I'd thrown on the first clean clothes I found in the bathroom.

Black cycling shorts. An oversized gray T-shirt that almost swallowed me.

At least I'd remembered to put on a bra.

Small victories.

I looked back at Asher.

"Do you think this is okay? My clothes."

He looked me over for exactly half a second before immediately looking away again.

"...Yeah." A beat passed. "I guess."

I narrowed my eyes.

"I think I'll change into jeans."

Turning toward my wardrobe, I added, "You can go ahead if you want. I'll catch up."

"No." His answer came immediately. "I'll wait."

There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in his voice.

It wasn't controlling.

It wasn't demanding.

It was simply...

Certain.

Like waiting for me wasn't even a question.

I couldn't explain why, but something about that certainty made my stomach flutter.

Oh no.

I think there's a little too much testosterone in this place.