GHOSTS FROM THE PAST

Alina froze, her pulse pounding in her ears. The figure standing at the edge of the garden wasn’t just someone familiar. It was Nolan Chase, her ex.

Her stomach twisted. Memories she had tried to bury—broken promises, whispered lies, heartbreak—rushed back like a tidal wave.

“Nolan,” she breathed, her voice a mix of shock and anger. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled, slow and calculated, and that smile made her skin crawl. “I could ask the same about you,” he said smoothly, his eyes flicking toward Rhett. “And him.”

Rhett stepped forward, his posture tense, protective. “Step back,” he said, voice low and dangerous. The air around him seemed to shift, almost imperceptibly, like a storm about to break.

Alina felt a jolt of fear—and something else. The way Rhett positioned himself between her and Nolan, the way he radiated strength… it made her pulse quicken.

Nolan ignored him, grinning like he owned the world. “So this is the infamous Rhett Blackwood I’ve been hearing about?” He circled slowly, eyes sharp. “Funny… didn’t think you’d fall for a guy like him.”

Alina’s jaw tightened. “Stay out of this, Nolan.”

“Oh, I intend to,” he said sweetly. Then, his grin darkened. “But I need to warn you, Harper… you’re in over your head.”

“Over my head?” she repeated, bewildered. “With what?”

He leaned closer, voice dropping. “With him. With this world. You have no idea what you’ve stumbled into.”

Alina glanced at Rhett, whose eyes were narrowed, lips pressing into a thin line. There was something in his gaze—an unspoken warning that Nolan’s presence was dangerous. More dangerous than she realized.

Before she could ask, Nolan straightened and smirked. “Think carefully, Harper. Not everyone survives college. Some of us… leave with more than bruises. Some of us leave broken.”

Then, with a swift movement, he stepped back into the shadows and vanished, leaving a cold silence behind.

Alina shivered. Her heart was still racing. “Who… who was that really?”

Rhett’s expression darkened. “Trouble,” he said simply. “Someone who thinks they can control you. Someone who… won’t hesitate to hurt anyone you care about to get to you.”

Alina swallowed hard. “You mean… he’s dangerous?”

“Extremely,” Rhett said, voice low. His eyes softened briefly as he glanced at her. “And he’s not the only one watching. Not anymore.”

Over the next week, college life became a balancing act of pretending, surviving, and trying to make sense of the chaos around her.

Rhett was both terrifying and protective, his presence a constant reminder that the supernatural world was real—and dangerous. At the same time, he was… magnetic. Every glance, every subtle touch, every moment he shielded her made her pulse spike.

And the fake dating? It was starting to feel less like a game.

The campus whispered about them—students who noticed Rhett’s protective gestures, the way Alina laughed at things she normally wouldn’t, the way they walked side by side like they belonged together.

Alina hated how much it thrilled her.

One evening, as she left the library, she felt eyes on her. A shadow lingered near the treeline. She froze, heart pounding.

“Rhett?” she whispered, barely daring to breathe.

A hand landed on her shoulder—firm, warm, commanding. She spun around, expecting him, but it was someone else.

Lexi, her roommate, pale and tense. “We need to go. Now,” she said urgently. “I saw him. The shadow… it’s back. And he’s not alone.”

Before Alina could ask what she meant, a series of rustling sounds echoed from the treeline, followed by low, guttural growls.

Rhett appeared moments later, moving faster than she could comprehend, positioning himself between Alina and the approaching threat. His eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, sharp and dangerous.

“You two stay back,” he said, voice low but commanding. “And don’t even think about interfering.”

Alina’s stomach twisted. She knew he was serious. She had seen what he was capable of. But fear was mingled with something else—something reckless and defiant.

The creatures emerged from the shadows—lean, terrifying, and inhuman. Their teeth glinted under the moonlight. Their eyes… cold, predatory, and hungry.

Rhett moved first. In a blur, he intercepted one of the creatures, claws meeting flesh in a horrifying, silent impact. The others hesitated, snarling, sensing his dominance.

Alina’s mind raced. This is real. This isn’t a story. This isn’t a nightmare. This is… survival.

She glanced at Lexi, who was gripping her backpack like a shield. “What are those?” she whispered.

Rhett’s gaze flicked to her, a flash of warning in his eyes. “Shadow predators,” he said simply. “They’ve been watching you. All of you. And they’re not friendly.”

Alina felt a surge of panic. “They’re going to kill us!”

“They’re not going to touch you. Not while I’m here,” Rhett growled, low and dangerous. His claws extended, teeth gleaming, every muscle poised for action.

And then, as the creatures lunged, a sudden, piercing howl echoed across the campus. It was long, sharp, and filled with authority. The shadow predators froze.

Another figure stepped into the moonlight. Taller than any human, imposing, and unmistakably powerful.

Rhett’s eyes widened—just slightly, but enough for Alina to notice. Recognition, caution, and… something darker.

The newcomer’s voice carried over the quad, deep and commanding: “Rhett Blackwood. You’re overstepping your bounds.”

Rhett’s jaw clenched. “I don’t answer to you,” he said.

“Oh, but you will,” the figure said, stepping closer. “And so will she.”

Alina’s heart stopped. The shadow predators retreated slightly, sensing the tension between the two alphas.

And in that moment, she realized—the game had just become far more dangerous than she had imagined.