I tore my gaze away from Kieran, my heart hammering against my ribs.
What the hell was that?
I felt uneasy. Uncomfortable. Like his stare had reached inside me and rattled something I didn't even know existed.
I forced in a deep breath and lowered myself onto the chair, placing my book on the table. My fingers trembled slightly, but I ignored it. I just needed to focus. Breathe.
Just when I was about to settle, a sudden kick slammed against my chair.
I barely had time to react before I was sent crashing to the floor.
Pain shot through my elbow as it scraped against the rough surface.
A few students chuckled. I gritted my teeth and looked up.
Towering over me was an elite.
His uniform was pristine, his deep green eyes glinting with arrogance. He smirked as he loomed over me like I was nothing more than dirt beneath his feet.
"This is my seat," he said, his voice dripping with disgust. "How dare a stinking, lowly feral sit in my place?"
I clenched my fists, swallowing the burning pain in my elbow as I pushed myself up. My eyes locked onto his, cold and unyielding.
His smirk twisted into a sneer.
"How dare you look at me with those stupid eyes, you worm?"
Before I could speak—
His hand landed on my face slapping me
The force whipped my head to the side, a sharp sting spreading across my cheek.
A hush fell over the class.
The elite scoffed. "Your kind shouldn't even dare to look me in the eyes," he spat. "We shouldn't even be in the same vicinity."
Adrian suddenly walked up to us, stepping in between us.
"That's enough," he said, his voice firm.
The elite barely spared him a glance before shoving him aside.
Adrian stumbled, hitting the ground with a pained grunt.
"And who the hell are you to speak when I'm talking?" The elite sneered at him. "You're a noble. Not much different from a feral. You all belong beneath my feet."
I was furious, my patience was running thin as something in me snapped
"And why is that?"
My voice rang through the room, steady despite the fire burning in my chest.
The elite turned back to me, his expression darkening.
"Why do we belong beneath your feet?" I demanded, stepping closer. "We're just as much werewolf as you are. We have the same red blood flowing through our veins. We are all students of this academy, so why the hell should we be treated worse than animals?!!" I yelled
A flicker of something flashed in his eyes before his face twisted in fury.
"How dare you?" he growled.
His fingers suddenly elongated into claws.
My breath caught.
The air shifted.....
And then.....
A voice.
Deep. Commanding. Lethal.
"Why the hell is class suddenly so noisy?"
The entire room stilled.
My stomach turned ice-cold.
Slowly, the elite lowered his hand, his jaw tightening.
His claws retracted.
But as he stepped closer, he leaned down whispering for me to hear.
"I'll see you after class," he murmured darkly before shoving me aside and reclaiming his seat.
I stumbled slightly but held my ground, my body still tense.
I turned my gaze toward the source of the voice.
Kieran.
He sat there, eyes downcast, flipping through a book in front of him as if nothing had happened.
He hadn't even looked up.
And yet, just a single word from him had been enough to stop an elite in his tracks.
Just then, the teacher walked in and the class room fell into an uneasy silence. He was tall and broad, shouldered, his presence alone commanding obedience. Dressed in a fitted black suit with a red tie, he carried himself with the authority of a man who had seen and fought countless battles. His sharp, calculating eyes scanned the room before they landed on me.
"You," he said, his voice deep and unimpressed. "Why are you standing in my class?"
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What was I supposed to say? That I had just been attacked? That I didn't even want to be here in the first place?
The teacher narrowed his eyes. "Find a seat. Now."
I swallowed hard, glancing around. Most seats were already occupied, except one. Right next to him.
Kieran Valerius Hunter.
I hesitated for only a second before moving toward the empty chair beside him. My skin prickled with awareness as I sat down. His presence was overwhelming, his scent intoxicating, like crisp winter air and something dark, something dangerous. I forced myself to look ahead, gripping my book like a lifeline.
The teacher turned back to the class. "My name is Professor Alaric Cain. I will be your instructor for Combat and Strategy. For those of you who are new to the Academy," his eyes flicked to me for a brief moment, "this is not a class for the weak. You will fight. You will strategize. You will survive, or you will fail. Most of our lessons will be conducted outdoors in the training grounds, but today, we begin with the basics."
He paced the front of the class, hands clasped behind his back. "What is the most important skill in battle?"
A noble student near the front raised his hand. "Strength."
"Wrong," Alaric said flatly. "Strength alone will not save you in battle."
Another student spoke up. "Speed?"
"Incorrect. Speed is useful, but without strategy, it is meaningless."
A deep voice cut through the room. "Instinct."
I turned my head slightly. Kieran. His voice sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.
Alaric nodded, pleased. "Correct. Instinct. A true warrior does not rely solely on power or speed. They anticipate. They adapt. Those who hesitate, die."
I tried to focus as Alaric continued, discussing battlefield tactics and the importance of reading one's opponent. But it was impossible to ignore Kieran's presence beside me. Every time he shifted, every time his fingers absently tapped the edge of his book, I found myself too aware of him.
At one point, he leaned back in his chair, his long black hair catching the light from the window. The breeze made a few strands fall across his face, and I caught myself staring. He was.....gods, he was unreal. Sharp jawline, piercing fiery golden eyes that flicked lazily across the room, as if none of this truly interested him. He looked like he belonged here. Like power itself was embedded in his very existence.
I quickly looked down at my book, heat rising to my face. What the hell was wrong with me? This was Kieran Valerius Hunter. Son of the Alpha King. The Lycan prince. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I stepped out of line.
But still… I could feel it. The weight of his stare. The impact of his presence
And for the first time since I arrived at this academy, I wasn't sure if I was terrified of him.....
.....Or drawn to him.