Except for the phantom echo of arms that had held me-too carefully for a stranger, too silently for someone who didn't care. I glanced at the clock as I got out of bed. I could not stay here and rest. Too many hours had passed. What would have happened in the Academy. I exited the healer wing and walked in the dorm building. "Seth!" Finn's voice snapped me out of my thoughts just as I stepped into the dormitory corridor. He jogged up, concern etched into his face. "Where did you disappear to ? I've been looking everywhere for you- He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes dropping to the thick bandage wrapped around my left arm. "What the hell happened to your ann? " I shook my head slightly, trying to downplay it. "It's nothing serious," I murmured, brushing off his concern. "Just a wound. It's already healing" He didn't look convinced. "That doesn't look like 'nothing: Seth . Did that happen back during the fight? "I'm fine," I repeated, forcing a faint smirk. "You know me, I've had worse." Before he could press further, a dorm assistant approached. He was holding a tablet and wore the black -and-gold uniform of the Academy. "Alpha Finn?" he asked. Finn straightened. "Yeah?" "I've been instructed to inform you that your belongings have been relocated to the hierarchy housing floor. Your new room is ready. Please report to the dorm office for confirmation," he said before turning and walking off. blinked, surprised. "Wait-Finn, you won in the final combat? " Now his injuries from earlier made sense. Finn gave a modest nod. "Yeah."" "Wow Congratulations!" I smiled. But then a flicker of guilt crossed his face. "What's wrong?" I asked, confused. "I don't know," he admitted "I feel like I only won because you showed up at that building to help me. You couldn't make it to your own match because of ine. It feels like I stole the spot that was meant for you." A short laugh escaped me "What nonsense are you thinking in that head of yours? How could you steal something that was ine to begin with! You fought You won That spot belongs to you. Finn And I'm really glad it's you ." "Really?" he asked softly I said, more firmly this time. "My mother us in my destiny. And honestly. I'm okay with that' say we only receive what's meant for us aths that room PP We started walking down the hallway together, and he filled me in on what had happened while I was unconscious. The entire Academy was in an uproar. Reed and Cassius had been punished, they were forbidden from speaking to each other and had already been booted from the dorms. But that wasn't what had everyone on edge. The e real shock was that Ronan and Dante had been stripped of their hierarchy status. And I didn't have to guess who the Academy blamed . As I passed through the corridor, dozens of eyes followed me-judging, hostile, disapproving. The message was clear in every glance: This was my fault. We stopped at a fork in the hallway. "You're heading that way, right?" I asked. Finn nodded, his expression still a touch hesitant. "Will you be okay?" "I'll be fine." I said with a soft smile. We said our goodbyes , and I made my way back to the dorm room-now completely empty. Finn had moved out. Reed and Cassius were gone. The space felt bigger, echoing with silence. I shut the door behind me and looked around. Without their beds and chaos, the room was almost peaceful. I took a breath. Alone. For the first time. It wasn't such a bad thing . I slipped off my blazer and started unbuttoning freeze. Startled, I turned. my shirt when the soft click of the door opening behind me made my fingers Ronan . He stepped inside and calmly shut the door behind him. " You!" I gasped. "What are you doing here?" He said nothing , his eyes trailing from the bandage on my arm to the rise and fall of my chest, then lower-watching me like a storm about to break. And then he started walking toward me. Slow. Intentional. Predatory. I instinctively stepped back. "What … what are you doing?" "What a person does in his room. Seth Darven ," he said , voice low, eyes locked on mine My heart thudded violently. "Your room?" I echoed, eyes widening as the pieces clicked together. The hierarchy room, be'd lost it. Which meant .. He was staying here Permanently. Alune Lark My back hit the wall just as he closed the distance, caging ine between his body and the cold surface. His gute dropped to my lips before lifting to my eyes, something dangerous and dark glinting behind them. P P