Chapter 4

LIAM

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With a heavy gasp, I shot upright, the sharp, searing pain still lingering across my wrist.

I bolted into a sitting position, my eyes drifting to my wrist.

And there it was, beneath the morning light: a black mark curled around inside of it.

I held myself perfectly still, my breath almost non-existent.

It didn’t look like a bruise. Didn’t look like dried blood. Rather thin black twisted into an intricate pattern, as though a mad artist had tattooed my wrist while I slept.

‘Nyratha.’

Silence.

‘Nyratha.’ 

Still nothing.

Cold knots formed in my stomach, and I threw the blanket aside before marching out of the room.

“Fredrinn.” My voice echoed through the hallway.

Seconds later, his bedroom cracked open, and Fredrinn stumbled out. Blinking his half-closed eyes against the morning light, he rubbed his temples.

“Liam?”

I wanted to tear that peaceful expression off his face. Wanted to smack myself for noticing how attractive the rasp in his voice was.

“When did you get here?”

For a moment, I just stared at him.

“What do you mean, when did I get here?” A misshapen grimace formed on my face. “You brought me here.”

Vertical folds formed where his brows met. “I…brought you here?”

“Did you hit your head last night?”

Fredrinn shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

For a moment, I wondered if it was imagined last night. But every place he’d touched me still seemed to hum beneath my skin.

I thrust my wrist towards him. “Explain this.”

His gaze dropped to my head, and lingered. Then slowly it glided to his wrist.

My eyes followed. The exact same black mark curled around his skin.

The air turned cold.

Dragging my attention to his face, my pitch rose. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“No. You did something.” I took a step forward. “This happened after you spoke that foreign language last night.”

Every color drained from his face, his fingers curling against his arm as he crossed them.

“That wasn’t me.” His voice lower now, heavier.

“I saw you.”I laughed once—a bitter sound. “You saw me see you. So don’t feed me that bullshit.”

His eyes lowered. “It was my wolf.”

My brain short-circuited. Wolves weren’t supposed to act so independently that they wouldn’t remember anything.

Or…

My thoughts snagged.

I went still, and almost thoughtfully I took a step back. “Are you…?”

Another step back.

“…feral?”

“I’m not.” His words snapped out. Too quickly. 

Then I remembered the morning after that night. Was he doing it again? 

A muscle feathered in his jaw.

Fredrinn’s gaze flicked to the widening space between us before gravitating back to the mark on my wrist.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said more to himself. “Until I figure out what this is, we need to stay away from each other.”

Another long silence found us.

Then he said, with a firmer voice, “And don’t tell anyone this.”

I snorted. “You mean Scott.”

He didn’t answer.

I shook my head. “Wouldn’t want your best friend asking why you and his brother suddenly woke up with matching marks.”

In just a night, I had been catfished, chased around the campus by someone who wanted something I didn’t understand. Now, I've woken up with a strange mark.

At this point, I just wanted to sleep.

I didn't have the strength to play into any of his tricks.

“Fine.” My fist clenched. “We’ll stay away from each other.”

Turning away, I approached the living room. I had almost reached the living room when his voice stopped.

“Liam.”

I didn’t turn around, just stopped in my tracks. “What?”

A long silence stretched behind me.

“If you ever meet him—my wolf.” His voice was deeper now, darker. “Do not speak with him.”

A heavy pause.

“And if he calls your name…” his jaw tightened. “…don’t answer.”

The air in the room grew colder.

When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Run…”

Every muscle in my back tensed.

“Never let him catch you.” His voice came, strained almost like it was a desperate plea.

I almost looked back, but I didn’t.

My nails bit into my palm as I clenched hard. “You don’t have to make up stories to keep me away from you.” 

Moon goddess knew, I never wanted to set my eyes on him again.

The second I was alone in the elevator, I jammed the heel of my palm against my forehead.

“I’m such an idiot.”

For a boy who once rejected me, how had I convinced myself last night meant something?

Images of last night flashed through my mind. The way I’d frozen beneath his warmth. The way his words curled like they actually were meant for me.

“I hate you, Fredrinn. I really hate you.” 

If only it were that easy.

.

.

On the drive back to my hostel, I leaned my head against the window. For once, my mind felt too tired to chase every thought fighting in my head. 

Instead, my fingers drifted to the mark on my hand, and that’s when I remembered my watch was still with Roger. 

I almost thought about messaging him to get it back. But then I shook my head and just allowed my fingers to linger there.

Nyratha, I called out. Still nothing from her.

‘How long are you planning to hide?’ I mumbled internally. ‘You do realize you’re inside me?’

Nyratha only curled, folding onto herself.

 The car had barely rolled to a stop when I jumped out, paid, and began heading towards my dorm.

As I shoved the door open, Benjamin froze, his shoulders jerking back like he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing.

“Oh you’re back,” he said.

I kicked my shoes off, and without a word I crossed the room and collapsed into the mattress, stomach flat, face-planting straight into the pillow.

“I have something to tell you,” Benjamin said again.

“Please tell me it can wait until tomorrow.” My voice came out muffled against the pillow.

“It can’t.”

I groaned, but my eyes stayed shut.

“My cousin got back to me.”

Still facedown, I mumbled, “So he was able to change it, right?”

Silence.

My stomach sank before I opened my eyes. 

Slowly I lifted my head and stared at him. “Ben, tell me he fixed it.”

“He did,” Ben said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But we still have to move out before the inspection starts tomorrow morning.”

I stared at him, before my face pulled into a frown. “I thought you said he fixed it.”

“You told me to tell you that he changed it,” Ben squeaked, throwing his hand defensively.

Another silence dropped between us, heavy. My gaze drifted to the poster picture on the wall. 

A bitter heat burnt down my throat

So much for having a place that was mine. 

Fredrinn’s words resurfaced. We need to stay away from each other.

My jaw tightened.

Guess life didn’t get the memo.

Ben shifted under my gaze, his smile faltering. “What? Why aren’t you saying something ?”

“I’m thinking.”

“Thinking of what?”

“Whose grave should I dig first?” I palmed my face before letting out another grunt. “You or Fredrinn’s?”

“You’re even lucky,” Ben said, smiling awkwardly. “You…”

Luck…it hung over me like a mockery.

I shot him a sharp glare and he swallowed his remaining words.

After a long silence, Nyratha finally spoke.

‘We are fucked.’