The Warning

Rei followed Dominic out of the cafeteria because, for once, arguing seemed less important than understanding why someone had taken her suppressant. She kept several feet between them as they crossed the courtyard, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Dominic walked quickly, his shoulders rigid and his expression unreadable. He didn't look back to see whether she was following. Somehow, he seemed completely certain that she would.

That irritated her.

Almost as much as the fact that she actually was.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked.

"The arena."

"Why?"

"Because that's where I found the bottle."

"You said you found it outside."

"I did."

"Then why are we going inside?"

Dominic stopped so suddenly that Rei nearly walked into him.

He turned.

"Because I want to know who had access to the arena."

Rei frowned.

"And you think someone on your team took it?"

"I don't know."

"Then don't accuse them."

"I'm not."

"You sound like you are."

"I'm trying to figure out who would want to interfere with your suppressants."

Rei's expression hardened.

"Maybe nobody did."

Dominic stared at her.

"You just told me you didn't lose the bottle."

"I didn't."

"Then someone took it."

"Maybe."

His jaw tightened.

"You really don't like admitting when you're scared, do you?"

Rei's eyes flashed.

"I'm not scared."

"Liar."

The word was quiet.

Too quiet.

Rei stepped closer.

"You don't know me well enough to call me a liar."

"No," Dominic said. "I don't."

For some reason, the way he said it made her pause.

He wasn't mocking her.

He wasn't challenging her.

He sounded almost frustrated.

As though he genuinely wanted to understand her.

Rei looked away first.

"Let's just find out what happened."

Dominic nodded.

They continued toward the arena.

Neither noticed the figure watching them from an upper-floor window.

---

The arena was nearly empty.

The morning crowd had disappeared, leaving only the sounds of maintenance workers preparing the ice for afternoon practice.

Dominic unlocked a side door.

"Stay close."

Rei rolled her eyes.

"I can take care of myself."

"I know."

She looked at him.

"Then why did you say that?"

"Because whoever took your suppressant might still be here."

That silenced her.

They entered the hallway.

Dominic pointed toward the rear entrance.

"This is where I found the bottle."

Rei crouched.

The floor had been cleaned.

Nothing remained.

She stood.

"Where exactly?"

"Right here."

"Who has keys?"

"Players. Coaches. Equipment staff."

Rei's stomach tightened.

"That's a lot of people."

"Not as many as you think."

Dominic walked toward a security panel.

He entered a code.

The screen lit up.

Rei stepped closer.

"Security cameras?"

"Every entrance."

"Can you see last night's footage?"

"Yes."

Dominic pulled up the recording.

The screen showed the rear entrance.

11:42 p.m.

Nothing.

11:51.

Nothing.

Midnight.

Nothing.

12:07.

A figure appeared.

Rei leaned closer.

The person wore a dark hoodie.

Their face was hidden.

They walked toward the arena door.

Dominic froze the footage.

"That's it."

"Can you tell who it is?"

"No."

The figure turned slightly.

A gloved hand reached into a pocket.

Rei's heart started pounding.

The figure pulled out something small.

A bottle.

Her bottle.

Dominic's expression became cold.

"Someone deliberately took it."

Rei stared at the screen.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

The figure looked toward the camera.

For one terrifying second, Rei thought they were staring directly at her.

Then the recording went black.

Dominic looked at the screen.

"What happened?"

"The camera was disabled."

"How?"

"Someone cut the feed."

Rei swallowed.

"That means they knew where the camera was."

Dominic nodded.

"And how to disable it."

Silence settled over the room.

Rei suddenly felt cold.

"This isn't about hockey."

"No."

"It's about me."

Dominic looked at her.

"Yes."

Rei stepped backward.

"No."

"What?"

She shook her head.

"I don't want this."

Dominic moved toward her.

"Rei—"

"No."

She turned away.

"I came here for school."

"I know."

"I just wanted to finish my degree."

"I know."

"I don't need this."

Her voice cracked.

She immediately stopped speaking.

Dominic noticed.

He didn't comment.

He simply stood beside her.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then he said, "We'll figure it out."

Rei looked at him.

"We?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Dominic didn't answer immediately.

Because the real answer was something he wasn't ready to say.

Because every instinct inside him demanded that he protect her.

Because his wolf had already decided she mattered.

Instead, he said:

"Because you're working for my team."

Rei stared at him.

She knew that wasn't the whole truth.

But she didn't push.

Not yet.

---

That afternoon, practice was brutal.

Dominic pushed the team harder than usual.

Rei stood behind the bench with the equipment list.

She watched him move across the ice.

Fast.

Precise.

Angry.

Every time someone made a mistake, Dominic corrected them.

Every time someone slowed down, he shouted.

Finally, Coach Reed blew his whistle.

"Enough!"

Dominic stopped.

The team gathered.

Coach Reed looked at him.

"You've been running them for two hours."

"We're not ready."

"You'll never be ready if you kill them before the championship."

A few players laughed.

Dominic didn't.

His eyes shifted toward Rei.

She was organizing the medical supplies.

For some reason, seeing her there calmed him.

Then he smelled her.

Faint.

Sweet.

His wolf stirred.

Dominic immediately looked away.

He couldn't allow himself to lose control.

Not here.

Not with everyone watching.

But someone else noticed.

A player standing nearby followed Dominic's gaze.

"Captain?"

Dominic looked at him.

"What?"

The player grinned.

"Nothing."

Dominic's expression warned him not to continue.

The player wisely turned away.

But the rumor had already begun.

---

By the end of practice, Rei was exhausted.

She was carrying a box of equipment toward the storage room when someone stepped in front of her.

A boy.

Tall.

Alpha.

She recognized him from the team.

"Need help?"

"I'm fine."

He smiled.

"I know."

He didn't move.

Rei stepped left.

He stepped left.

She stepped right.

He mirrored her.

Her irritation grew.

"Move."

"Relax."

"I said move."

His smile widened.

"You're pretty aggressive for an Omega."

Rei's stomach turned.

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a person before I'm an Omega."

He laughed.

"You're sensitive."

"No."

She stared at him.

"I'm tired."

He reached toward the box.

"I'll take that."

"I don't need help."

His hand closed around the box.

Their fingers brushed.

Rei immediately pulled away.

The boy's expression changed.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't touch me."

He laughed.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"That isn't the point."

A voice came from behind him.

"She said don't touch her."

The boy froze.

Dominic stood at the end of the hallway.

His expression was terrifying.

The player immediately released the box.

"Captain."

Dominic walked toward them.

"Leave."

The boy swallowed.

"I wasn't doing anything."

"I didn't ask."

The player left.

Rei looked at Dominic.

"I could handle that."

"I know."

"Then stop rescuing me."

"I'm not rescuing you."

"Then what are you doing?"

Dominic stepped closer.

"Making sure people listen when you say no."

Rei's anger faltered.

That was different.

Very different.

She looked away.

"Thank you."

Dominic didn't respond.

Instead, he picked up the box.

"I'll carry it."

Rei frowned.

"I can carry my own equipment."

"I know."

He walked past her.

She followed.

"You really like saying that."

Dominic glanced back.

"What?"

"I know."

He gave the smallest smile.

"Maybe because you keep assuming I think you're weak."

Rei didn't answer.

They reached the equipment room.

Dominic set the box down.

Then turned toward her.

"You aren't weak."

Rei looked up.

His expression was serious.

"You're one of the strongest people I've ever met."

She didn't know what to say.

Nobody had ever told her that.

Not like that.

Dominic walked away before she could respond.

Rei watched him disappear.

Something unfamiliar tightened in her chest.

---

That night, Rei returned to her dorm.

Her roommate still hadn't arrived.

She was grateful.

She needed quiet.

She showered, changed, and sat at her desk.

For nearly an hour, she worked on assignments.

Then she heard something.

A soft scratching sound.

Rei looked toward the window.

Nothing.

She returned to her work.

Scratch.

She froze.

The sound came again.

From underneath her desk.

Rei slowly crouched.

There was an envelope.

Black.

No name.

No address.

She stared at it.

Her instincts screamed not to touch it.

She reached anyway.

The moment her fingers touched the paper, the envelope opened.

A single photograph slid onto the floor.

Rei picked it up.

Her blood ran cold.

It was a picture of her.

Not from Blackthorn.

From years ago.

She was younger.

Standing outside her childhood home.

Someone had taken the photograph from across the street.

On the back was a handwritten message.

You should have stayed away.

Rei's breathing stopped.

Another piece of paper fell from the envelope.

Three words.

HE WILL FAIL.

She stared at them.

Who?

Then she understood.

Dominic.

Someone was threatening him.

Because of her.

Rei grabbed her phone.

Her hands shook as she typed his name.

She stared at the message box.

Then deleted it.

No.

She couldn't drag him into this.

She had spent her entire life surviving other people's disasters.

She wasn't going to become one of them.

Rei locked her dorm door.

Then checked it.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

She turned off the lights.

But she didn't sleep.

Because somewhere in the darkness outside her window, a figure stood beneath the trees.

Watching.

And this time, the figure wasn't alone.

Another person stepped beside them.

"Does he know?"

"No."

"And the Omega?"

"She's beginning to suspect."

"Then it's time."

The first figure smiled.

"Let Dominic get attached."

A pause.

"Once he loves her, destroying him will be easy."

Back inside the dorm, Rei opened her eyes.

She didn't know why.

She simply knew that something was wrong.

And for the first time since arriving at Blackthorn Academy, she wished she had never walked through those gates.