Lux's POV“I’m coming!” I yelled, approaching the door as the knock came again. I opened it to find the breakfast delivery as expected. The guy smiled politely as he handed me the food bags to which I thanked him, trying to shake the heaviness in my chest from what Lake had just told me. Making my way back to the living room, I placed everything on the table, and the aroma of Lake's food made my stomach rumble.A moment later, he emerged from his room and sat down on the sofa next to me. I passed him his food, and he thanked me. I was still trying to figure out how I was going to help him by keeping that bastard away from him."We still need to do groceries," I said, opening my container and deciding not to bring up the depressing topic of Kairos. "We could order online, but I would like to check out the shops around here. Take a look around. Of course, if you are up for it."He looked at me and nodded. "I am game." And I smiled with relief. I figured getting out might help him, even
Kairos's POVWalking into our dorm's living room, I found Darian already there, lounging on the couch as if he had been waiting for me. His gaze followed me the moment I walked in, and I felt the tension in the room rise.“You’re not going to the game?” I asked, but knew he wouldn't bite, and I was right because, instead of responding, he leaned forward slightly with that expression I knew all too well. "Kairos, what happened last night? Or rather, this morning? What did you do?”The question made my heart clench, and I sighed and looked away, but before I could respond, he said, "And how did the conversation with Micah go? What exactly did you tell him? You cannot shut me out like this, brother." He was right, and my jaw clenched. I didn’t enjoy keeping him in the dark, but I also didn’t know how to tell him what I did. When Darian went looking for me earlier, we returned to find Micah, Reed's father waiting for me. He wanted to talk about everything Reed had told him had happened
Kairos' POVI opened my mouth to respond to Reed, but he interrupted before I could. "I saw you," he admitted. "You, and Darian." Darian turned sharply toward him, his eyes narrowing. "You spied on us?" And Reed raised his hands.“I wasn’t spying. I just happened to be there. I was dropping off some girls from the party when I noticed you heading into the dorm and then returning with Kairos," he said before turning to me. "I saw what you looked like, so do not try to deny it," he added, and I did exactly what he warned against: I denied it.However, he wasn’t listening to me, so I had to repeat myself. “Lux’s not my mate,” I said firmly. "And I already talked to your father and explained everything."Reed raised an eyebrow and gave me that annoying smirk he always wore when he thought he was right. “You didn’t explain anything,” he said. “You said a whole lot of nothing. My dad’s still worried, by the way. He’s worried that something is seriously wrong with you and you are hiding it.”
Third-party POVReed watched Lux as her gaze followed Kairos walk away, but there was no softness in them, no longing, just distance. Her gaze shifted to Lake, who leaned in to speak with her before following Kairos, and that too, made Reed uneasy.The vibes he got were strange—off. Especially since he believed Lux was supposed to be Kairos's mate.Kairos had denied it repeatedly. But Reed hadn’t believed him. Not until now. Because, as he stood there watching how they greeted each other, there was no sign of a connection between them. There was no subtle energy and barely any warmth. Instead, there was disconnect and coldness. Perhaps Kairos was not lying after all. But, what exactly was he doing in her dorm this morning?A new thought crossed Reed’s mind. Maybe it had only been a one-night stand. But that made no sense either; not after Lux's friend Lake freaked out about Kairos and called the cops. She would never have let him into their space after that.Reed's head snapped around
Lake's POVI walked behind Kairos, my steps not quick enough as he continued in front of me without even looking back, despite hearing me call out to him. I knew he had heard me, and ignoring me would not change anything.He’d made it clear it was over, that he couldn’t choose me. But I wasn’t done. It felt like something happened to me when he drank my blood, and I desperately wanted him so bad it physically hurt. I knew it was twisted to continue chasing after him after he told me he had a fiancee. I knew it was wrong to even give myself hope.But something inside me refused to listen to reason, and it was more than just wanting him; I needed him.When I saw him, it was like a fire ignited inside of me, and when he said he needed to go to the men's room, it was as if something else had taken over, and it didn't care if it was right or wrong.Normally I wouldn’t have gone after him like that, especially with the guys around, but this part of me that had somehow awakened didn’t care a
Lux's POVReed's Range Rover was a few rows down. He unlocked it, and we climbed inside, arms full of the hot dogs, sodas, and the crinkling bouquet he had gotten for me. It was sweet of him.He took the sodas and put them in the cup holders while I sat back in the passenger seat, pulling out my phone to call Lake, who made me frown when he answered. He sounded like he was in a moving vehicle, so I frowned and asked where he was. He said he had to return to our dorm and that I should call him when I needed him to come get me.I was dumbfounded as I asked myself what the hell it was going to take for him to stop doing what he was doing to himself. I didn’t need to ask to know he was with Kairos.My head collided with the headrest as I ended the call, and Reed was already starting the car, the low rumble of the engine humming beneath us as he pulled out of the spot. He gave me a soft glance. "Is everything okay? Is Lake going to join us?”I took a second to find my words before forcing
Lake's POVKairos and I didn’t say anything on the ride back to the dorms, and it felt like the longest ride before the car finally pulled into the parking lot. Exiting, we both went inside and the tension between us was still high, but I barely had time to close the door before Kairos drew me into a hug so tight that I thought I would collapse into him completely.It was as if he never wanted to let go, and my chest tightened, my eyes burning all over again as I held on as if he was the only thing holding me down.We didn’t speak. We just stood there, arms around each other, tears soaking into each other's shoulders as everything we were too afraid to say spilled out in the way we held each other. Then I heard his voice, muffled and broken.“I love you too,” he said. “And I don’t know what to do with myself, either.” My eyes shut, and my heart cracked even deeper at the pain in his voice.After a while, we slowly pulled back, both of us still trying to get it together as we wiped our
Lake's POV Kairos's question hit me like a straight punch in the chest, and I knew I should say no. We had just decided to become friends. I had made that promise to myself only twenty minutes before, and I knew what that kiss would do to me, how it would set me back and rip apart the resolve I was barely holding together with shaking hands.But I couldn’t say no. Instead, I leaned in and met him halfway. Our lips met, soft and desperate, and then nothing else existed. The surrounding walls vanished, and the voices in my head fell silent. The air shifted, and we landed back on the couch, lips still locked, as if gravity had given up on us. His knees straddled my hips, and I let my hands wrap around him, bringing him closer as if I could imprint him on me permanently.There was nothing rushed about it at first, just aching slow passion as we memorized each other for the final time.Every bit of pain associated with the decision to let him go was absorbed into that kiss. And I had no i
Third-Party POVLux was still frozen in the crashing waves, staring at the impossible vision in front of her, when the world was suddenly swallowed up in darkness again.The lightning was gone and Kairos, or whatever version of Kairos she had seen, vanished into the black. That was when the terror truly sank in.Her breath hitched and caught in her throat. The image of Kairos, the one with the tail suspended in the storm, burned itself into her memory like a curse. She had no idea what she had seen, but she knew one thing for certain: she needed to get out of there.Her feet pivoted before her mind could and sand kicked up behind her as she sprinted away from the shore, wild and ungraceful. Her knees buckled once, but she caught herself scrambling forward in the pitch black.The water's roar faded behind her, and her own ragged breaths became quiet, leaving only the pounding of her heart, which thrashed in her chest as if trying to claw its way out.A voice screamed in her head, "Run!
Lake's POVI watched Darian as he directed the car to pull over to the side of the road, his movements remaining eerily calm. My hands clenched in my lap as he stepped out and shut the door without saying anything, and I leaned forward, looking around for Kairos.But it was not just dark, but pitch black. There were no lights along this stretch of the beach, and no signs of life either. The only thing I could see was the ocean ahead, and the sound of it crashing and churning filled my ears, becoming louder with each passing second.I stared out, my heart racing, as Darian began walking down to the water, his steps unhurried. Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, my feet crunching into the sand as I took a step forward, but then I came to a halt.My legs would not allow me to move. "Is he over there?" I called out, pointing ahead into the darkness, hoping, needing Darian to say something that would calm my racing nerves and give me the courage to continue, and he stopped."Yes," he
Kairos's POVI lost all sense of reason and direction as Lake's phone rang and rang without an answer, and I removed my phone from my ear, checked the screen as if that would change anything before hitting redial. However, there was still nothing."Come on, come on," I muttered, pacing in a circle before coming to a complete stop. I couldn’t find my car keys. My heart slammed so hard it hurt as if it was trying to punch its way out of my chest, as I ran back to Darian's side of the dorm, still calling Lake as the phone rang again.The door was still ajar from before, and I saw his car keys immediately as I stumbled in and I snatched them without a moment’s pause. I had no shoes on. Just my pajama bottoms, but I didn’t care.My mind was too loud, my thoughts too jumbled, and I did not even try to hide my superhuman speed as I leaped down the staircase. There was no time to run like a human now. "Please help me," I begged any power that would listen, switching back to calling Darian as
Lux's POVThe cool air forced me to pull my robe tighter around me as I went outside. Reed's car was parked right in front of the building, just as he had said. He stepped out as soon as I appeared, and our gazes met in the orange glow of the streetlamp.He smiled, and I found myself returning it instinctively as we walked toward each other. Meeting halfway, we shared a quick hug."Sorry for bothering you so late," he said, pulling back.“It’s not a bother,” I quickly replied. “If it was, I wouldn’t be out here.” My voice came out sharper than I expected, but that was not the only thing that surprised me. The statement also surprised me, and I wondered if I was telling him or myself. He didn't seem to mind it, though, as he opened the car door for me. I slid inside, adjusting my robe and tucking my slippers under the seat.He took his seat on the driver's side. "So, did everything go well with what you needed to do earlier?" I asked, hoping to quickly relieve the tension that only I c
Lake's POVLux yawned softly and stretched her arms above her head before suggesting we call it a night. I glanced at the clock and realized how late it had become. I had finished my meal a while ago, and for the past hour, we had been sitting in the kitchen, talking about everything and nothing.I didn't think I had the energy to discuss what happened between me and Kairos. But despite my best efforts to avoid it, it came up, and I told Lux what had happened, how I wanted to talk to Kairos, what we said, and how we decided to be friends.She asked if it was not better to cut ties and avoid each other rather than hang out. But I told her that we would make it work.Lux did not press it; she was dealing with her own issues, such as Alec. The way he treated her still irritated me, and I didn't want to break my promise to Lux, but I was not going to let it slide. I planned to see my cousin first thing in the morning and talk to him.Getting up, I took my plate and mug to the sink for a q
Third-Party POV "I'm stupid for being heartbroken," Lux said. And Lake froze before the eggs in the pan sizzled and popped forgotten. He walked around the counter and wrapped his arms around Lux, engulfing her in a firm, protective hug that she fell into. Something twisted deep inside his chest. He was familiar with Alec and his friends' operations, having heard their stories when Alec returned home during breaks, the bravado, the casual bragging, the way girls were reduced to themes and moments. But he had hoped Alec would not pull such a stunt with Lux, knowing how much Lake cared for her. Lake's jaw tightened, and Lux gently drew back, just enough to look up at him, as she told him everything that had happened, including how Alec behaved as if he had never seen her before, how it broke her heart, and finally about Charlotte. She told Lake everything Charlotte said about Alec and his friends. But she paused as Lake's face turned red, and his eyes hardened with each word she s
Lux's POVReed looked at me as he ended the call, his expression changing to apologetic in a matter of seconds. “Hey, I'm really sorry… I need to go somewhere. Right now.”“It’s okay. I understand.”"I promise to make it up to you," he said quickly, and I nodded again, smiling slightly. One of the guys nearby must have overheard and chimed in, "She could hang with us; I will drop her off later—""–Absolutely not," Reed interrupted before the guy could finish, giving him one of those long, knowing stares that made me look between them both.Charlotte's words returned to my mind. They are all players. I shook the thought away as he gently touched my arm and motioned for us to leave. We turned and walked away, back towards his car. I could sense the tension in the air, as if he was half in his head and half trying to hold it together.“I really am sorry,” he said again as we reached the car. “It’s fine,” I replied. I was actually getting into the racing thing, but whatever was pulling hi
Lux's POVThe ride through Silverglade was breathtaking. After leaving the stadium and the chaos behind us, Reed suggested we stop for ice cream, which we did. There was this cute little roadside stand with the aroma of sugar and waffle cones dancing in the air. He chose mint chocolate chips, while I went with salted caramel.We talked as we drove, and the blur of streetlights and people faded, leaving only the quiet edges of town. Silverglade looked stunning in the evening light. And I stared out the window, watching everything pass by.Reed followed a winding road up a hill surrounded by trees that arched slightly over the road. The way the light hit them made them appear almost enchanted, and I pointed out the trees with curiosity. “What kind are those?” I asked, leaning forward to take in the long trunks and far-reaching branches.“Those..” he said, his eyes flicking between the road and me. “Jacarandas. You’ll see them bloom soon, purple flowers everywhere. My father refers to th
Lux's POVI took a step back and narrowed my eyes at the girl, trying to make sense of what was going on. "Excuse me?" I asked firmly, while the voice inside me snapped at the audacity. Whatever was or was not going on between me and Reed was none of this girl's damn business.Who even was she?The girl blinked like she’d only just realized how far she’d gone, and her expression softened slightly as she ran a hand through her tangled curls.“I’m Charlotte,” she said, sticking out her hand like that would fix the weird vibe she’d just dropped into my lap. I didn’t take the hand; I didn’t know where that had been. Furthermore, I did not go around shaking strangers' hands.Withdrawing her hand awkwardly, she sniffled, her eyes darting around as if she was trying to gather herself, and I watched her fingers tremble as they swept through her hair again, confirming what I had already suspected—she was on something.“I didn’t mean to come off rude,” she went on. "I just—I saw you and Reed ou