Chapter 004

RHYDAR

The morning sun is slipping through the blinds, but I haven't slept since he got here. Creed. Or...whatever the hell that thing is, wearing Leo Creed's skin. I sit on the edge of my bed, my body still vibrating from the scent.

His scent.

It's fruity, floral, and fucking addictive. It's clinging to my sheets now. He's lying on my bed barely moving, curled up tight too. And I know.

I fucking know he's not Leo.

Leo Creed is dead. I am a hundred percent sure of that.

So who the hell is this?

He moves like Leo, talks like him, and fights almost like him, too. But there's something wrong. That scent. It's driving my wolf insane. He keeps pacing inside me, snarling every time that floral smell gets too close. It feels like he wants to rip through my skin and bones and claim him.

Claim what? A lie? A ghost?

I grit my teeth and exhale slowly. I drag a hand down my face. This is insane. I should report it. Drag him to the Alpha Masters and demand an answer. But I won't.

Because watching him squirm under my gaze is...fun. Because every time I get close, he tenses as if he knows that I see right through his skin. I can’t report him because my wolf claws to the surface every time he smells her.

Wait. No. Him. Not her.

Fuck.

I won’t be able to stop toying with him until I find out what happened to Leo Creed and figure out why the hell my wolf thinks he's anything but a boy.

I reach out slowly, my fingers brushing the damp strands of hair that cling to his temple. They're softer than Leo's ever were.

Why does his skin look like it hasn't seen the sun in weeks? Why does his jaw tense like it's not used to clenching through pain? Why do I want to pin him down again just to see how many times I can make him flinch?

He shifts slightly, murmuring something under his breath. I brush another lock of hair from his cheek. My thumb lingers just a second too long against the curve of his jaw.

Too soft.

Too fucking—

He jerks awake.

"Shit!" His voice cracks as he scrambles back on the mattress, his eyes wide with panic. His gaze crashes into mine. And he freezes. I don't move. I sit there calmly, watching him spiral, enjoying every second of it.

He clutches at the sheets. "I—I thought—was I out? I swear I got knocked out—"

My lips twitch. "Did you?"

His throat bobs as he swallows. "I—I don't remember getting here."

"Maybe you just tripped and hit your head," I say smoothly, keeping my tone casual.

"Or maybe you were just too easy to put down, Creed."

That look on his face?

That flicker of doubt?

That's the part that makes it worth it.

His fingers twitch like he wants to form fists. I lean in a little, my elbows resting on my knees.

"But don't worry, I carried you in."

A smirk tugs at my mouth. "You're lighter than I remember."

He stiffens.

"Maybe you've been skipping meals while faking your death."

He glares at me, his jaw tense. "I didn't fake anything."

Oh?

"So you're saying you're not Leo Creed?" I tilt my head. "Interesting. Because last I checked, he's supposed to be dead."

He doesn't answer. And that's fine. I don't want the truth yet. I want him shaken and confused.

I reach towards him again, just to watch him flinch.

And he does.

God, it's delicious.

"You okay, Creed?" I say, rising to my full height now, towering over him. "Still recovering from your little nap?"

He scowls, yanking the blanket up as if it can protect him from me. But he doesn't know it belongs to me. "You're a psycho," he hisses.

I grin, moving away from him as my fangs itch to mark him. "Maybe. But you're in my room. My bed. My world."

I glance over my shoulder as I reach the door.

"And next time, maybe try not to moan in your sleep. It's distracting."

His mouth drops open. "I did not—"

I slam the door behind me, letting the echo shake the walls. Let him wonder what else I saw. I'll break him and strip the lies down until he tells me everything.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll figure out why my wolf is snarling at the idea of letting anyone else near him.

Whoever this imposter is...he's mine to destroy.

....

The canteen is a jungle. Metal trays slam. Boys bark and shove and flex. The alphas puff out their chests like it'll win them some kind of throne.

Idiots.

I step in, and the noise dies, just enough to make it obvious who just arrived.

I spot Theo and Uriel already at our usual table near the far window. Theo's mid-laugh, half-choking on an apple slice while Uriel reads some thick-ass manual on battlefield psychology.

I move through the crowd with ease. They part instinctively. Not out of respect. Out of fear.

I like that better.

Theo flashes a grin when I drop into the seat across from him.

"Morning, sunshine," he says, tossing me a roll. "You look like someone pissed in your coffee."

"I don't drink coffee," I mutter, tearing into it. "It's too bitter. Like you."

"Oof. I missed you too."

Uriel doesn't look up. He just flips a page and says quietly, "There's a ghost bleeding behind you. You should check it out. It might cheer you up."

I chuckle.

Freak.

Across the canteen, the doors swing open again.

And he walks in.

Leo. Or... whatever the hell he is.

He’s wearing a different oversized hoodie, his hair clinging to his face. His eyes scan the room like a stray dog looking for scraps. I don't move. But my chest tightens. He hesitates by the door, clutching his tray. He's doing that thing again, shrinking down like prey.

I don't like it. I want to see him snap.

"Be right back," Theo says suddenly, popping up.

He jogs toward him and clasps a hand on his back. I stiffen.

Don't fucking touch him.

They talk, and then Theo tugs him towards our table.

I lift a brow but say nothing. Leo sits next to Uriel. He's stiff and quiet. And unlike the real Leo, who chatters the instant he gets to our table.

"Morning, legend," Theo says, plopping back into his seat with a wink. "We were just about to start a food fight in your honor."

Leo stares at him like he's clinically insane.

Uriel glances up at me once. "He's not the same."

Before I can answer, a too-loud laugh fills the air. Magnus.

That asshole smugly strides up to us as if he owns the room, flanked by his little gang of bulked-up cockroaches. He slams a hand down on our table and leans in.

"Well, if it isn't the ghost of Leo Creed," he sneers. "Didn't know corpses got hungry."

Leo stiffens, and I see red. Magnus reaches out, two of his fingers extended like he's about to tap Leo's forehead. He doesn't get the chance. I grab his wrist and twist until it snaps. Magnus screams and falls back, clutching his hand.

The whole canteen freezes.

I rise slowly. "Try that again, and I'll break your spine next."

Magnus is on the floor, gasping, his face pale.

I don't even look at him. I turn to Leo, who's staring up at me with wide eyes, his lips parted. That same stupid scent rolls off him, affecting my wolf.

Theo whistles low. "Remind me never to flirt with your toy."

Uriel hums. "That was hot."

Leo says nothing.

But he doesn't look away from me either, a different fire burning in those pale blue eyes. And that makes something deep inside me rumble.

After breakfast, I don't bother with cleanup. I stalk out through the east doors, trailing Leo's scent like a predator. But just as I'm about to catch up, someone steps in front of me.

"Rhydar."

I don't have to look to know who it is. Diana. The academy’s queen bee. Lunch and combat training are the only times the males are allowed to interact with the alpha females. And she’s definitely taking her chances. But she’s clingy and entitled. Definitely not my type.

She leans in with a smile so bright it gives me a migraine. "You haven't responded to my proposal yet. We'd make a perfect match. Imagine the legacy—"

I step aside.

"You don’t even know who I am,” I cut her off.

It’s true. No one knows that I’m the runaway alpha king’s son. I don't want the attention. Plus, I’d rather die than return to my asshat of a father.

"But I—"

"I said I'm not interested."

She huffs, stepping closer again, and that’s when I see Leo. He’s frozen.

His tray slips from his fingers slightly. And his eyes are locked on the figure moving through the hallway. A man in a crisp suit, surrounded by bodyguards, is heading toward the director’s office.

And fuck—

Leo is as white as bone.

His eyes are blown wide, his pupils shrinking in pure panic. He looks like he's seen something worse than me.

Who the hell is this man? And why is Leo terrified of him?