rena before Val ev

s a bit unsteady as if trying to maintai

. Especially for a

the rest of Renwick's lecture. I'd se

and juniors to take this type of cl

ping too still, breathing too light, l

he froze when the blood wouldn't stop, like

ere was the

that unless you've

g the stares from students still buzzi

e alphas. We were supposed to heal i

e Val a

ething

he Headmaster's office. I barged in like

n," I

desk, fingers folded, eyes on some old document like he ha

face unreadable, wearing all black like dark colors were his fas

fting his head. "To what do I

my thoughts before they exploded out of me. "It's

Finally. His gaze

I meant that. But you stuck me with him. And now

like he was testing the w

in his bag. He barely talks. And in combat c

his silence deepened. That meant somet

lpha," I added. "I'm not

overlooked the southern grounds, hands behin

ave to do with an

one eye catching th

uestion was too va

ke he's hiding in plain sight. And I

y knew what I was going to say. "

d. "Wai

sk, calm and composed like h

rived here under direct transfer from an unlisted territory. No known pack. No linea

hell let him i

ut him felt... incomplete. Like he's suppressing something. Or someone. I had two optio

ists. "So I'm a

ted. Feared. Trusted. If anyone can detect a

"This isn't what

ut this is what y

lood was hot. My jaw ached fro

rust him,"

topped me cold.

over my

behavior. See who he talks to, how he reacts under pressure. And if

I find noth

aid. "But I don't believe in

opened a drawer. Pulled out a slim,

abeled:

each for i

e up before. Once. A long time ago. In a repo

e folder like

e's from one of

id slowly, "there's mo

eavy and thick. Outside, a bell

don't just need a spy. I need someone who can

't. Because everything in

dy remembering the look on Val's face when the bloo

am

il

g more t

"What happens i

into a line. "Then we

eart heavy with a decisi

ay out, I

ning around. "I'll keep him as m

eeling that maybe-just may