Semua Bab Bound by secrets, Broken by love: Bab 31 - Bab 35

AidenI don’t mean to follow her. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.I stepped away from the fire because I needed space—or maybe it was the bloody noise, or the mixed sea of scents clinging in the air, and Levi’s odd interest in Astrid. Something I’m still trying to get my head around.I’ve been trailing her the moment she slipped into the dark. It’s down to that strange shift in the air the second she sat beside me, the way her presence thinned, like she was slipping right through my fingers the instant she stood up…Now I’m here, in the shadows by the bleachers, and she’s standing just ahead. The scent hits me first, unfiltered. No smoke, no beer, just her—vanilla, coconut, and something else. Something wild. Something captivating that I bloody well want a taste of.My footsteps—silent, nearly inaudible thanks to years of practice with Lucas—eat up the distance slowly. Her back’s turned, giving me the perfect vantage point as I drink her in: long, curly red hair piled int

Astrid “I’m heading off to bed,” I text Eva. Three bubbles hover beside her name immediately. My phone pings afterward. Eva: Something’s up. Do you need me to come along?” Me: My back hurts like hell, think I’ve played enough of my ‘honorarium role'. The bubbles hover for a while then stop. With a sigh, I rise up, about to leave when I catch her staring at me. Normally I’d do anything to throw off the tension but right now I’m too tired to care. I look away. “Goodnight.” My voice drops to a raspy sound as I whisper to Harry. His fingers curl around mine but I gently pull them away. “I’ll walk you back then,” Harry offers. “No.” I say firmly. His eyes widen slightly and I turn around before he sees how foggy my eyes are, the torn fragile demeanor threatening to break me. My steps are fast, way too fast. The kind of fast you walk when you’re about to break and you want to make sure you don’t do it in front of anyone. I can feel their stares burn into my back, those o

Astrid Run. I don’t know where exactly I’m headed; all I know is that I have to get away from Aiden as fast as I can. But even this distance doesn’t feel wide enough. Nowhere feels far enough. No direction feels safe enough from him. Thankfully, the silver light from the moon helps me navigate my way as I push open the hallway doors to Mooncrest’s non-academic block. A squeaky sound follows before it snaps shut. Long shadows dance across the empty space, my breath loud and uneven as it permeates the silence. Sneakers squeak against the tiled floors as I come to a halt. My hands are pressed against my knees, copper curls dangling from my head while I pant. Aiden’s scent, slightly mild but close, is enough to alert me of the fact that he’s closing in real quick. His scent clings to the air, sharp and heady like firewood and dark spice, dragging behind me like a warning. Or a promise. I don’t know which is worse. Every nerve in my body is on alert. Damn! This is fucked up. Why d