Chapter 158

Kieran:
Lunch was over, and the weight of my responsibility settled back on my shoulders like a familiar cloak – uncomfortable but necessary.
I had been running from her for weeks now.
Not literally, of course. I was far too dignified for that, or so I liked to believe. But I had avoided meeting her – even when she personally came looking for me on several occasions, I arrived on time and left on time from classes, found excuse to avoid the Herbs and Potions class for the entire previous week.
Every time I heard her voice in the hallway or caught a whiff of her scent, my stomach twisted in ways I didn’t have names for. And so, I avoided. Avoided her… avoided the truth of what I was feeling.
But that couldn’t continue, not when it was beginning to impact my students.
I was not only one of the founders of the Academy, but also a Professor. And with that came expectations. Standards. Duties. So I was back.
I took a breath deep enough to steady the churning in my chest and pushed open the door to the classroom.
The familiar scent of parchment and dried herbs greeted me, as did the chatter of students settling into their seats. My gaze swept over the room on instinct.
It took me all of two seconds to realize she wasn’t here.
Evaline’s seat was empty.
The absence hit me harder than I liked. I blinked, steeling myself. This was fine. She could be running late. Or perhaps…
I turned toward the class, forcing myself to ignore the twist in my chest. “Good afternoon,” I greeted them in a calm and measured voice. “Before we begin, I would like to hear how your experience went under your senior’s guidance last week. Anyone brave enough to volunteer a summary?”
My gaze roamed slowly, naturally, toward the window seat where she usually sat, surrounded by her small but fiercely loyal group of friends. That’s when I noticed Mallory Campbell shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
“Miss Campbell,” I said with a faint smile, “I don’t see Miss Evaline today. Any idea where our star student might be?”
The moment her eyes flicked to Kyros Graves, I knew something was off.
“She has taken the day off, Professor,” Miss Campbell finally said.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Is she unwell?”
Kyros Graves stepped in before Mallory could have spoken. “She’s been overworking herself throughout past week. I think it finally caught up with her. She’s not been to the infirmary, but she’s resting now and feeling a little better now.”
I kept my face neutral, even as something unpleasant stirred inside me. I nodded once. “Very well. Thank you. Please ensure she does visit the infirmary if her condition worsens. A lack of rest and proper nourishment is not something to be taken lightly, especially with the curriculum we follow here.”
They both nodded.
I was about to begin the lesson when a hushed voice reached my ears. It was low but clear enough for my wolf-enhanced hearing to catch.
“She’s probably just too weak to handle Academy life. What did you expect? She’s wolfless.”
Nadine Myres.
I didn’t need to look to know she was smirking, surrounded by her like-minded followers. A low chuckle followed from her group, and I noticed Eva’s friends immediately tensing, ready to defend her.
“Miss Myres,” I said, my voice slicing through the room like a blade wrapped in silk.
The class went silent and all eyes turned to her.
“If you have something worth contributing to the lesson, I would be delighted to hear it. But if all you have to offer is your lack of empathy and judgment, I recommend you silence yourself before you embarrass us all further.”
Her mouth dropped open slightly, but I didn’t stop.
“This Academy was built to honor merit and effort, not privilege or bloodlines. If anyone in this room believes strength comes from what you were born with rather than what you earn, I suggest you reconsider your enrollment.”
She shrank back into her seat, her smug mask replaced by pale discomfort. Then, she softly murmured an apology.
“Sorry, Professor.”
I let the silence linger, ensuring the message landed. Then I moved on. Check latest chapters at.net
“For today’s lesson, we’ll be diving into a new unit – special herb species with dual elemental properties. Please open your texts to page 142. Let’s begin.”
Forty minutes later, I dismissed the class, offering a final reminder for everyone to revise before next week’s practical exam. I gathered my notes and made my way out.
I had barely stepped into the hallway when my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a message from River.
Come to the office. Now.
Great.
I changed course and headed toward the main tower where our offices were located. When I reached mine and opened the door, I found both River and Oscar waiting for me.
It wasn’t an everyday thing for River to drop by the Academy. He only did so on special occasions. And since there was nothing special about today and not only him but Oscar was here too, things appeared serious.
And whatever this was, it wasn’t good.
A dreadful feeling suddenly settled over me as one possibility suddenly hit me. There couldn’t be another case of Soul Death? Could be?
Just the thought of it was enough to freeze me in my place at the entrance. For the second time today, I took a deep breath to calm myself down and stop thinking too much.
Stepping inside the office, I closed the door behind me with a soft click and raised an eyebrow at my brothers.
“This better be important,” I said evenly, “interrupting me during class hours? You couldn’t wait until evening to call me back to the mansion?”
River turned slowly, and the tightness in his eyes, so rarely seen, made the hair on my arms rise.
And Oscar’s silence was heavier than steel.
Something was very, very wrong.
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