Jason woke to the sound of soft chimes echoing through the halls. Ceremonial bells. The sound sent ice through his veins because he knew what it meant.Today was the day.The entire academy felt different. Quieter. There were no early morning drills hammering through the corridors, no instructors shouting commands. Just the gentle, persistent ringing of those bells, calling everyone to prepare for what was coming.Ritual preparations. That's all today is.Jason could hear movement in the rooms around him, students getting ready, but he stayed in bed longer than usual. His eyes fixed on the ceiling as his mind tried to process what this day would bring.Something felt wrong with his body. Not just the usual soreness from training, but something else. Something that made his skin feel too tight, too sensitive. His pulse hammered against his throat, faster than it should be.It doesn't mean anything. It's just nerves.But even as he told himself that, Jason couldn't shake the feeling tha
Jason woke to silence. Not the usual morning sounds of students moving through the halls or instructors barking orders. Just silence, thick and heavy like the air before a storm.The Mating Ceremony was tomorrow. One day left.He sat up in bed, running his hands through his hair as the reality hit him again. The entire academy felt different today, like it was holding its breath. Like everyone was waiting for something to snap.Tomorrow. Just one more day to get through.Jason checked the schedule posted outside his door. No classes. No drills. No structured training of any kind. Just one word written across the entire day: Preparation.They're leaving us to our own instincts. That's when things get dangerous.He could already hear movement in the corridors. Voices getting louder, more aggressive. The normal rules didn't apply today. Today was about survival, about positioning, about showing strength before tomorrow's ceremony.Jason dressed quickly and made his way toward the main co
I wake earlier than usual, my body pulling me from sleep before dawn breaks. The darkness outside my window feels heavy, matching the weight settling in my chest. I dress slowly, each movement deliberate as Kaelen's words from yesterday replay in my mind on an endless loop.You're being watched. Don't mistake it for protection.I can't shake the way he said it—like he knew something I didn't, like he was trying to warn me about something bigger than I could see. But with Kaelen, it's impossible to tell if it was genuine concern or just another twisted warning wrapped in false care. Either way, his words follow me through breakfast, making every bite taste like ash.During drills, I notice the council observers stationed along the sides again. Their presence has become a constant, but today feels different. Today, their stares linger on me longer than anyone else. I catch one of them making notes, his pen moving across the page while his eyes remain fixed on my movements.My skin crawl
Chapter 35Jason spun around behind the greenhouse, his body tense and ready for whatever confrontation was coming. He expected to see Ivan's dark eyes and predatory smile, expected another encounter that would leave him shaken and confused.But it wasn't Ivan.A tall man stood there instead, one of the council observers Jason had noticed watching him for weeks. The man was older, maybe in his forties, with sharp features and calculating eyes that seemed to see everything. He wore the standard council uniform, but something about the way he carried himself suggested he was more important than the average observer.*Why is he here? What does he want?*The man stared at Jason for
Chapter 34Jason woke slowly, his mind swimming through layers of confusion. The bed beneath him didn't feel right—the sheets were different, rougher, and they carried a scent that wasn't his own. Something dark and complicated that made his chest tighten.Where am I?Memory crashed back in fragments. The brutal fight with Matvei. Ivan lifting him off the ground. The rough treatment in this very room. He was in Ivan's bed, and Ivan was already gone.Jason sat up quickly, wincing as his shoulder protested the movement. The joint was stiff and sore from Ivan's brutal reset, and his whole body ached like he'd been hit by a truck. Which, considering Matvei's size, wasn't far from the truth.
Chapter 33Jason woke before dawn, his eyes snapping open in the darkness. The image of Avalon speaking to the council representative from the night before played on repeat in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that their conversation had been about him. The way they'd looked at that tablet, the way Avalon had nodded—it all felt too deliberate, too focused.*What did they say? What do they know?*He sat up in bed, running his hands through his hair. Sleep had been restless, filled with fragments of dreams where everyone was staring at him, pointing, whispering. The Mating Ceremony was only days away now, and every moment felt like he was walking on thin ice.Jason got out of bed and moved through his morning routine. He showered quickly, dressed in his training clothes, and reached for his scent blocker bottle. The liquid inside seemed lower than before, but he pushed that worry aside and applied it carefully to his neck and wrists.*Just a few more days. I can make it a few more