LOGINRonan’s POVElias did not talk much for the rest of the day. He stayed close to me, quiet, careful, like someone trying not to fall through a thin floor. The fear in his eyes never fully faded. It stayed there like a shadow behind every breath.I hated it.I hated that someone out there had done this to him. I hated that Hale was pushing him harder. And I hated that no matter how close I stood, the danger still felt closer.We skipped the rest of training. Vale complained a little, but when he looked at Elias, he stopped talking. His face softened for a moment before he forced it away again. He knew something was wrong, even if he did not know what it was.By evening, I managed to get Elias back to our room. He walked inside slowly, like he was expecting someone to jump out. His eyes scanned the corners, the window, even the ceiling."Elias," I said gently. "No one is in here. I checked twice.""I know," he whispered. "I just feel like someone is watching me."I stepped in front of hi
Elias’s POVThe morning air felt too quiet.I walked across the training field with my hands inside my pockets, trying not to look like someone who barely slept. The sky was gray, soft, almost dull. It matched the heaviness inside my chest.I had woken up before Ronan. He slept like he was waiting to fight something even in his dreams. His arm had been wrapped around me the whole night. A part of me wanted to stay there and pretend the world outside did not exist. But pretending never lasts long for someone like me.Students were already gathered when I reached the field. Some stretched. Some talked in small groups. Some stole glances at me, quick and silent. It was not hateful attention. It was the kind that made your skin feel too tight.Vale stood near the front with his clipboard. His eyes met mine, and something like worry flashed across his face before he covered it.I still hated that he could read me so easily.Ronan arrived a second later. His shoulder brushed mine, soft enou
Ronan’s POVThe sun hadn’t fully set when Vale came back for us, but the hallways already felt darker than usual. Too quiet. Too watchful.Elias walked close beside me, his shoulder brushing mine every few steps. He didn’t speak, but I could feel the tension in him; tight, sharp, constant. Every sound made him flinch a little. Every shadow made him look twice.Vale led us down a corridor students weren’t allowed to use. It smelled like metal and old paint. No windows. No noise. Just pale lights humming above us.“This way,” Vale said.Elias hesitated for half a second. I rested my hand on his back, guiding him forward. He let out a small breath and kept moving.When we reached the end of the hall, Vale stopped at a door that looked heavier than the others. Reinforced steel. Three locks.“This is it,” he said. “Hale will give you updates in the morning. Until then, stay inside.”Elias frowned. “All night?”“Yes,” Vale said. “That’s the point.”I stepped in front of him. “What aren’t yo
Elias’s POVI woke up to the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Soft and careful ones.At first I thought I was dreaming, because everything felt blurry. My eyes were half-closed and my head rested against something warm. When I lifted it a little, I realized I had fallen asleep on Ronan’s shoulder.He didn’t move.He was awake. Sitting still. Watching the door like he expected someone to walk in at any second.“How long… was I asleep?” I asked quietly.“A few hours,” he said.I sat up slowly. The room felt different. Heavy. Tense. Like the air itself was waiting for something.“Did something happen?” I asked.Ronan didn’t answer right away. His jaw flexed once. That was never a good sign.“Tell me,” I whispered.“There was a scent earlier,” he said. “Faint. Not strong enough to identify. But… wrong.”My stomach twisted. “Wrong how?”“Not from the academy.”I stared at him. My hands felt cold.“You think someone broke in again?” I asked.“Maybe.” He stood and walked to the door, check
Ronan’s POVElias looked like he was trying to hold himself together with shaking hands.I walked him back to the room, but even after we stepped inside, even after I locked the door, I could still feel that fear hanging in the air. It was heavy. It stayed between us like a shadow that refused to move.He sat on the bed slowly. His shoulders were stiff. His eyes were far away.I hated seeing him like this.“Do you want water?” I asked.He shook his head.I sat beside him. Close, but not too close. Elias did not like being crowded when he felt scared. I learned that weeks ago.For a full minute, he did not say anything. He just stared at his knees. I waited. He would talk when he was ready.“Ronan,” he finally whispered.“Yes.”“I really don’t know who that man is. I swear.”I believed him. Every bit of him looked honest. His voice, his hands, the way he kept taking small breaths like someone trying to steady himself.“I know,” I said. “You don’t have to convince me.”He looked up at m
Elias’s POVI did not sleep well.I lay awake most of the night, staring at the ceiling, my heart beating too fast each time I remembered the voice of the man who broke in. Even with Ronan beside me on the floor, even with his calm breathing in the room, I still felt like someone was standing outside the door waiting for me to blink.When morning came, my eyes hurt. My head felt heavy. I wanted to stay under the blanket and pretend the day did not exist, but someone knocked on my door.It was not loud, but it was enough to make my whole body stiffen.Ronan sat up fast, already alert. “Stay behind me,” he said quietly.I did.He opened the door.Vale stood outside with a tired look in his eyes. His clothes were clean now, but I could still tell he had not rested. There was a tightness in his posture that made me nervous.“Good morning,” Vale said. “Director Hale wants both of you.”Ronan’s jaw tightened. “For what?”“He wants to speak with Arden again,” Vale answered. “And he asked for







