THE MIDNIGHT GAME

Alina Harper stared at her reflection in the dorm mirror, tugging nervously at her hair. College parties weren’t her thing—not really—but tonight was different.

Rhett had insisted. “It’s better if you come to the party. Pretend to be mine. Keep up appearances.”

Her reflection stared back at her with wide eyes and a mix of skepticism and dread. Pretending to date Rhett Blackwood in front of the entire campus? That was insane. And yet… she couldn’t deny a tiny thrill of excitement.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Rhett:

“Meet me at the quad. 10 minutes. Be ready.”

Alina swallowed hard and shoved her phone into her bag. She had no idea what she was walking into—but experience had taught her one thing: following Rhett Blackwood usually meant danger. And sometimes… adrenaline.

By the time she reached the quad, he was already there. Hands shoved casually into his pockets, his jacket pulled tight against the chill of the evening. The golden sunset had faded into a deep indigo, and the campus lights flickered on, casting long shadows across the lawns.

“You’re late,” he said, his usual teasing tone absent. His eyes scanned the area, sharp and alert.

“I’m exactly on time,” Alina replied, folding her arms. “For once.”

Rhett smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Follow me. And stay close. Tonight, appearances aren’t the only thing we have to worry about.”

Alina’s stomach twisted. She had thought the party would be… fun. College drama, some teasing, maybe a little flirting. But the warning in his tone told her otherwise.

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Lights blinked along the campus lawn, music thumped through the air, and groups of students danced, laughed, and drank. From the outside, it looked harmless. Innocent. But Alina felt the same prickling unease that had become her constant companion since meeting Rhett.

“You know, if anyone suspects,” she muttered as they weaved through the crowd, “you being—whatever you are—people will freak.”

“Let them,” he replied smoothly. “No one’s going to figure it out. Not tonight.”

Alina arched an eyebrow. “And if someone does?”

He shot her a look, sharp and electric. “Then you make sure they regret it.”

Her pulse quickened. She wanted to argue. She wanted to run. And yet… there was a thrill in the danger.

It started subtly. A shadow at the edge of the lawn moved differently from the rest of the partygoers. Too silent. Too deliberate. Alina noticed it first, her instincts screaming. She nudged Rhett.

“Over there,” she whispered.

Rhett’s head turned, eyes narrowing. “Good catch,” he murmured. Then, almost casually, he slid between her and the shadow. His presence was magnetic, commanding, protective. Alina couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles tensed subtly beneath his jacket, ready to spring.

Suddenly, the shadow moved again, lunging toward the perimeter of the party. A flash of teeth caught the light—long, sharp, glinting red.

Alina froze.

Rhett was gone in an instant. He moved like a blur, faster than humanly possible. The crowd barely had time to scream as he intercepted the creature, claw meeting claw in a violent, silent battle.

Alina’s heart raced uncontrollably. She had seen this before, yes—but seeing it in public, with people so close, made her stomach churn. Students scattered, screams echoing across the quad. But Rhett was calm, precise, every movement controlled and lethal.

And then… he looked at her.

“Stay here,” he commanded, voice low and dark. “Don’t move.”

She nodded, breathless. And as she watched, he ended the encounter as quickly as it began, leaving the creature unconscious—or worse—on the grass. His eyes flicked to hers, and the world seemed to hold its breath.

After the creature was gone, the party slowly resumed, though whispers had started. Students speculated about what had happened, glancing nervously toward the shadows where the attack had occurred. Alina felt eyes on her too—but she couldn’t tell if they were curious, frightened, or suspicious.

Rhett returned, brushing off his jacket as if nothing had happened. “We’re leaving,” he said quietly.

Alina frowned. “Leaving? The party’s—”

“Too much attention,” he interrupted. “And we have more pressing matters.”

She followed him, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. And then, in a sudden moment of recklessness—or perhaps instinct—Rhett grabbed her hand. Not tightly, but enough to anchor her in the chaos.

“You’re mine tonight,” he said, almost casually. But there was a weight behind it, a promise, a warning, and something else… something that made her pulse spike.

Later, safe in the shadows of the campus garden, Rhett finally relaxed slightly. The tension in his shoulders eased, though his eyes still scanned constantly.

“You okay?” he asked.

Alina swallowed. “I… think so. You saved me. Again.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Then he let out a quiet, almost bitter laugh. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it because if I don’t… you don’t survive. Not in this world.”

She blinked. “This world?”

He looked at her, intense, almost painfully honest. “Yours isn’t safe. Not anymore. Not since you saw me.”

Alina shivered. Part fear, part excitement, part confusion. “And the fake dating… that’s really for protection?”

He smirked again, sharp and dangerous. “Partly. But mostly… it’s to keep people guessing. And to keep you alive.”

Her lips parted. “And if someone finds out the truth?”

“Then they regret it,” he said simply.

As Alina tried to process his words, a new movement caught her eye. A figure emerged from the shadows of the trees—tall, lean, and familiar. Her heart froze.

It was someone from her past. Someone she thought she had left behind.

And they were smiling.