Time passed, and the Harvest Festival was only a couple of hours away.
The days since Leon’s deal with Wednesday had settled into something strangely routine.
With Enid, it had happened almost without him noticing.
On the first day, she’d still treated him like the exciting new student she couldn’t stop talking to.
By the third, she had stopped asking whether he was joining her for lunch and simply started leaving a seat open beside her.
The conversations themselves were rarely important.
Enid talked about classes, gossip, clothes, movies, her family, and whatever random thought happened to cross her mind.
Leon didn’t care about half of it, but he listened anyway.
Sometimes she would stop halfway through a story and narrow her eyes.
“You’re not listening, are you?”
“I am.”
“What did I just say?”
“Something about your brother stealing your scarf.”
“That was ten minutes ago.”
“I told you I was listening.”
She stared at him for a moment, then grinned.
It became easy.
That was what Leon noticed most.
Not the flirting.
Not the attention.
The ease.
He could sit beside her without needing a reason.
With Wednesday, things developed differently.
She never started behaving like Enid.
She didn’t seek him out just to talk.
Instead, she watched.
Sometimes Leon would find her standing nearby, apparently absorbed in a book while obviously paying attention to him.
The first time he caught her doing it, he looked directly at her.
“Enjoying the show?”
“No.”
“Then why are you staring?”
“I’m studying you.”
“That sounds creepy.”
“It wasn’t intended to be flattering.”
Leon smiled.
“You’re getting better at this.”
“At what?”
“Talking to me without insulting me.”
Wednesday closed her book.
“I can fix that.”
“There she is.”
She rolled her eyes and walked away.
A few minutes later, Leon heard her voice behind him.
“Why do you disappear so often?”
He turned.
Wednesday stood a few feet away, arms folded.
“What?”
“You leave classes early.
You disappear from the dormitory.
Thing has seen you leave Nevermore more than once.”
Leon smiled.
“You’ve been spying on me?”
“I prefer observing.” Wednesday said.
“Where do you go?”
“Here and there.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“It’s the one you’re getting.”
She stared at him.
“You’re remarkably irritating.”
Leon went back to what he’d been doing.
Wednesday remained there for several seconds before leaving.
Another time, she deliberately pushed harder.
“You are a lot stronger than a normal Outcast — why?”
“You’ve been watching me for a while now, couldn’t figure it out?” Leon smiled.
“I know you’re a hybrid, but other than some blood I saw you collect, you displayed nothing befitting Vampires or Werewolves..
Are you really a hybrid?” Wednesday stared at him.
“You’ll have to figure that out yourself,” Leon said.
That made her stop.
“But why are you so interested in what I am?” he asked.
She glanced over her shoulder.
“For investigative purposes.”
“Of course.”
She left without another word.
Leon watched her go with a grin.
He’d noticed something about Wednesday over those days.
She never stopped him from teasing her.
She simply pretended she hated it.
And every time he crossed a line she genuinely didn’t want crossed, she made that boundary clear.
Leon respected it.
Their strange arrangement had also given them reasons to spend time together without the usual awkwardness.
Once, they spent nearly an hour in the library arguing over a historical account neither of them believed was accurate.
Another evening, Wednesday found Leon on one of the school’s towers and sat beside him without asking.
She said nothing.
Neither did he.
They simply watched the town below.
Unbeknownst to her, Leon had been watching Thornhill and Tyler in a secluded part of the woods, talking as they moved towards a cave.
His senses were sharp enough to see them from all that distance and even hear parts of their conversations.
After twenty minutes, Leon glanced sideways.
“You know, most people say hello.”
“Hello.”
“A bit late.”
A few minutes later, she stood.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Wednesday.”
She walked away.
Leon watched her disappear through the doorway.
That was when he realized they had somehow reached the point where silence between them no longer felt awkward.
Neither relationship had a label.
But both had changed.
Leon looked at the SE points he had left, opened the Shop, and immediately bought an ability.
[Nexus Link – 100 SE]
[Description: Establishes a permanent mental and energetic tether with a designated servant, companion, or mate.
Allows instantaneous, silent telepathic communication regardless of distance.]
[Current SE: 477]
Leon had considered buying Cosmic Anchor immediately, but changed his mind and bought Nexus Link instead.
Cosmic Anchor could wait — he still had a few bloodlines left to absorb, and the SE from those would more than cover it.
Getting back to five hundred SE wouldn’t take long.
And since he would only need the Anchor right before leaving, there was no reason to spend the points yet.
Ring!
“Hey, little wolf,” Leon said, answering his phone.
“Heyy,” Enid’s voice answered back.
“You ready for the Harvest Festival?
I can’t wait!”
“Can’t wait to see you too,” Leon said, smiling.
“Ah — yeah,” Enid answered, before a distant voice cut in.
“Wednesday wanted me to tell you not to forget the car.”
“Yeah — I didn’t forget.” Leon had promised Wednesday he’d get a car to drive her, as without it, the distance to the train station would be too far to cover before the last train ran for the night.
“Do you want to go together to the Festival?”
“Yeah — that’s why I called,” Enid answered.
“Wednesday wants us to go together so I can make sure you don’t back out.” She continued, “She also wants you not to bring anyone else — just us.
She says we can’t risk anyone talking.” Enid paused, seeming to listen to Wednesday for a moment, then, sounding stunned for half a second, added, “She also wants to know if you’re leaving town with her.”
“I’ll think about it when I’m there,” Leon said, shaking his head.
“Does she want me to come?
Didn’t know Wednesday cared about me.”
“She says hang up—” Enid started.
“Oh — she meant me.
See you in a bit, Leon.”
“See you,” Leon said with a laugh, and hung up.
He ended the call.
Leon knew Wednesday hadn’t meant the question romantically.
From her perspective, he had been oddly detached during his time at Nevermore, had agreed to help her escape without asking for much in return, and had shown no interest in staying at the academy long-term.
She probably assumed he wanted to leave too.
That was the most reasonable explanation.
Still, the fact that she’d bothered to ask amused him.
***********
Leon dressed for the Festival in a black jacket over a white shirt, black jeans, and boots.
A recently purchased watch rested on his wrist.
He gave himself one last look in the mirror before spraying on some cologne.
He glanced to the side.
The Book of Shadows rested on his bedside table.
“Compelling Thornhill wasn’t difficult.”
At first, Leon had planned to take his time.
He knew exactly how the story was supposed to unfold.
He knew when the Book would matter, when Morticia would burn it, and when it would effectively leave the world.
But the appearance of a Cosmic Anchor had changed the calculation.
Once Leon could return whenever he wanted, there was no reason to rush the bloodlines he hadn’t yet collected. Find the original chapter at g.com.
He could take the Book now, secure the mission, and come back later.
More importantly, after obtaining the Book, Leon had discovered another useful detail: the Return Function’s cooldown only applied if the mission was incomplete.
If the mission was successfully completed, he could return whenever he wished.
There was only one problem.
He needed a convincing replacement.
For the last several days, Leon had hired one of the best counterfeiters he could find.
Money had stopped being an issue after he’d convinced a few wealthy people to make certain ‘investments.’
The counterfeit had finally arrived.
They had said it was identical to the original.
Leon still intended to verify every detail before making the switch.
If it passed his inspection, the original would disappear from Nevermore while the story continued with the replacement.
Ring!
“Heyy, Leon, we’re ready!” Enid said.
“Alright.
I’ll meet you in a couple of minutes.”
Leon grabbed his keys and headed outside.
After reaching the Academy’s parking lot, he stopped beside his recently purchased Ford Mustang EcoBoost.
Several students were already looking.
Leon smiled to himself.
“Hey, Leon.”
A blonde girl approached him.
Emma.
She was one of the girls who had started spending more time around him since his arrival.
“Going to the Harvest Festival?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“I know you’re going with someone else, but…” She smiled.
“You know where to find me.”
Leon returned the smile.
“Have fun.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You’re dismissing me that easily?” She puffed her cheeks.
“You’re no fun.”
“I’m plenty of fun.”
She laughed and walked away.
Leon watched her go for a second before hearing a familiar voice.
“Hey.”
He turned.
Enid and Wednesday were approaching.
“Hey, you two.”
Enid waved.
“Nice car.”
“Thanks.”
She walked around it, taking in the interior.
“You can ride it whenever you want.”
Enid caught the double meaning immediately.
Her face reddened.
“You–”
Leon smirked.
He liked getting that reaction.
“I’m riding with Principal Weems,” Wednesday said.
“I’ll meet you there.”
“Alright.”
Leon opened the passenger door for Enid.
She climbed in.
Wednesday headed toward the front of the Academy.
***********
A few minutes later, Leon and Enid drove away.
The car roared to life as they pulled away from Nevermore.
Enid immediately launched into an excited breakdown of all the games and events she wanted to try, her words coming faster than Leon could follow.
He listened with an amused smile, occasionally teasing her whenever she got especially excited.
But halfway to the Festival, her shoulders suddenly slumped, and her bright mood vanished.
“Wednesday is leaving,” she muttered, staring out the window.
“Are you leaving too?”
Seeing the sudden, genuine hurt on her face, Leon’s playful smirk faded.
The urge to tease her disappeared, replaced by something stronger — an intense need to reassure her.
“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Leon looked at her for a moment.
“I would stay if you want me to.”
The words felt incredibly forward the moment they left his mouth.
But when she looked at him, she realized he meant it.
The answer hit Enid harder than he expected.
She had been carrying that quiet fear for a while.
Between her mother’s constant nagging, the agonizing fear that she would never wolf out, and the looming possibility of being cast out of her own pack — doomed to live alone — she had slowly convinced herself that everyone would eventually leave her.
“Really?”
For once, Enid didn’t deflect or hide behind a joke.
She turned toward him, her blue eyes wide, raw, and completely unguarded.
“You won’t leave?”
Caught off guard by the sheer weight of her honesty, Leon slowed the car slightly.
He glanced at her glassy eyes and the soft flush creeping up her neck, his expression softening.
“If you want me here, then I’m staying,” Leon said, his voice steady.
Enid stared at him, and the heaviness on her chest finally began to leave.
“I want you to stay,” she whispered.
Sensing that some of her doubt still remained, Leon lifted one hand from the steering wheel and reached across the console, gently taking her hand.
Enid’s breath hitched in surprise, but instead of pulling away, she squeezed his hand and interlocked their fingers.
The sudden firmness of her grip caught Leon off guard, making his heart skip a beat.
Then a shadow of doubt crossed Enid’s face.
She looked down at their joined hands before quietly asking, “You say that…
but why do you always flirt with other girls?”
Leon looked at her, understanding exactly what she meant.
The psychic girls he’d flirted with while trying to obtain their blood, along with the occasional interactions he’d had with a few cute girls around Nevermore.
None of them mattered to him.
“Enid, I’ve never actually done anything with any of them.
It’s always been harmless joking.”
“Is it?” she asked, looking back up at him, searching his face.
Leon sighed softly, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand.
It was time to be honest.
“You know, because of what I am, I’m going to live for a very long time.
And whether it’s arrogance or just a fear of being alone, sometimes I can’t help being hyperactive and a bit flirty.”
He paused, meeting her eyes.
“But I like you, Enid.
I’ve never crossed the line with any of those girls, even when my instincts were screaming at me to do it, because none of them matter.”
Something bright flickered in Enid’s eyes.
Hearing that made something inside her shift.
The crushing fear of being a leftover wolf, started to feel less pressing.
Leon pulled into the crowded Harvest Festival parking lot and cut the engine.
The carnival lights blurred across the windshield, but his attention remained entirely on her.
He leaned across the console and gently pressed his lips to her flushed cheek.
Enid blushed furiously, the heat rising all the way to her ears.
Yet she didn’t pull away.
She kept her eyes locked on his, her voice small and hopeful.
“You really…
never did anything with them?”
“Never,” Leon murmured, his face still close to hers.
“I was terrified that if I did, I’d lose any chance of being with you.
And that’s the last thing I wanted.”
Looking into her glossy, emotional eyes, Leon couldn’t resist anymore.
He leaned closer, and their lips met in a small, reassuring kiss.
When he pulled back slightly, he caught her dazed expression and smiled.
He leaned in again, giving her another tender kiss.
Then another.
The teasing finally broke through what remained of Enid’s resolve.
Her hands flew up, fingers locking behind his head as she pulled him back toward her.
They kissed again, longer this time, until the rest of the world seemed to disappear around them.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were left staring at each other.
Enid looked at Leon’s handsome face only inches from hers, her heart pounding.
She leaned toward him again, about to steal one more kiss—
Ah.
A stark, rigid figure had appeared in the passenger-side window.
Wednesday.
She stood perfectly still beneath the dim parking-lot lights, staring through the glass with her arms crossed, patiently waiting.
Enid squeaked and immediately pulled back, grabbing her compact mirror to check whether her makeup had been ruined.
Leon let out a quiet, breathless laugh as he wiped a faint smudge of her pink lip gloss from his lips.
They quickly composed themselves and opened the car doors.
Wednesday didn’t blink as they stepped out.
She adjusted her satchel, her dark eyes tracking them with utter disdain.
“Are you two quite finished with your primal mating rituals?” Wednesday asked, her voice flat as it cut through the crisp night air.
***********
Leon and Enid walked around holding hands, their fingers interlocked like a couple.
They hadn’t really put a label on what they were yet, but Enid stayed attached to Leon like a koala, hugging his arm while keeping their hands joined.
Leon genuinely liked this girl.
And although he already knew he wasn’t going to be a one-girl kind of guy, he still didn’t want to tell her that yet.
Technically, even with his moments with other girls, whether in this world or back in Beacon Hills, none of them had been real relationships in that sense.
Lydia obviously had a thing for him, and so did Allison.
After they’d both noticed him going after the other, they should have shown some dislike and walked away — or at least, that’s what should have happened.
But after what had happened with Lydia in the car that day, Leon knew he could have her whenever he wanted.
As for Allison, she had been close with Scott recently to make him jealous, and even Jackson got close to her too, which was close to making him change his mind about her. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
Then there was Emma, along with the other girls at Nevermore.
He flirted with them and occasionally got a little touchy, but he never crossed a line, keeping things as platonic as a straight man reasonably could.
‘So, technically, if this gets any more serious,’ Leon thought, ‘Enid would be my first official girl.’
Leon had a moral line he never crossed.
Other than Kate — who was nothing but a psychopathic predator and didn’t care what he did to her — he would never lie to or force himself on another girl he actually cared about.
Even with how easy his Absolute Compulsion made it, he never would.
‘I’ll have to tell her,’ Leon thought.
‘Before this gets any more serious.’
He never planned on hiding things from Enid.
Eventually, he’d tell her what he wanted, and if she refused, he’d respect her decision — even if it meant watching her walk away.
Bam.
The trio stopped in front of a dart game, where Wednesday was taking down one balloon after another with effortless precision.
Leon and Enid watched her for a moment, whispering to each other, until Xavier approached.
He glanced at how close the two of them stood, greeted them, then took a place beside Wednesday.
“Jeez, you get any better at this, you’ll be taking home a whole pack,” Xavier said, a little awkwardly.
“Pandas don’t travel in packs.
They prefer solitude,” Wednesday replied in her usual dead tone.
“Alright.
Subtle hint taken.”
Wednesday turned toward him.
“You should know I’m with someone.”
“Oh yeah?
Who’s the lucky guy…
or girl?”
“What does it matter to you?” Wednesday asked.
Then, after a brief pause, she continued, “If you really want to know—”
She turned, walked over to Leon, and grabbed his arm.
“Him.”
“Alright — I get it.” Xavier looked at Leon, who gave him an apologetic smile, then walked away.
“That was very rude, Wednesday,” Enid said.
“You could’ve turned him down gently.”
“Why should I?” Wednesday asked.
“Whatever.”
Enid glanced down at Wednesday’s hand, still holding Leon’s arm.
“You can let go now,” she said, her voice low.
“Why?” Wednesday asked, looking at her.
“He always flirts with everyone.
Someone else will be holding him later anyway.”
Enid went quiet for a second before looking at Leon, clearly expecting an answer.
“We need to go soon,” Leon said, clearing his throat and looking away.
“Yes.”
Wednesday finally released him and returned to the dart stand.
“I’ve got some dead weight I need to lose first.” She glanced toward Principal Weems, who had been watching them.
“Let’s meet at the parking lot when the fireworks start.”
Leon nodded and left with Enid, who was still giving him the same questioning look.
***********
“Hey,” Enid said.
“Is it true?
Would you do that?”
‘Wednesday, why?!’ Leon sighed.
‘She probably did that on purpose, didn’t she?’
“I have no plans of that kind at the moment,” Leon said jokingly.
“But I thought polygamy was common among outcasts?”
Enid frowned and pinched his hand, earning a playful flinch from Leon.
“Polygamy isn’t as common anymore,” Enid said.
“Most modern families practice monogamy these days, so don’t get any funny thoughts.”
“No funny thoughts,” Leon said, smiling.
“But what if I wanted to be in a polygamous relationship?”
“Then I wouldn’t be in it.”
Enid started to let go of his hand, but Leon quickly grabbed it again.
“I won’t lie to you,” he said.
“I have some thoughts of that kind—” Leon noticed her expression change.
“But if you’re really against it, I’ll control myself.”
Enid looked at him for a couple of seconds before speaking.
“Is what you said in the car true?” she asked.
“Is it because you’re afraid of being alone?”
“Not sure,” Leon said honestly.
“But if I have feelings for someone, I don’t want to let them go.”
“And you think multiple girls would help?” she asked, looking at him not with the annoyance or anger he’d expected, but with genuine curiosity.
“I’m not sure.
I just think that if I ever cared about anyone, I wouldn’t be able to leave them.
So instead of choosing, I’d rather not choose at all.”
“Is it because of being an — you know,” Enid offered a small, apologetic look as she spoke.
“An orphan?” Leon shook his head.
“I don’t think so.” He continued, his story becoming more truthful than he expected.
“If I said I have memories of my past life — would you believe me?”
“Past life?
I heard some Seers and some Psychic outcasts managed to remember parts of their past life.” Enid looked at him with confusion.
“Did you remember too?
But you’re not a psychic!”
“I’m not, but I remember every detail,” Leon said.
“I remember the pain of losing my family, of living alone in a small apartment, and I also remember being bullied and excluded from things by my peers.”
“That sounds horrible!”
“I was living off of a government subsidy, so it was barely enough, and having no parents, alone, and no real friends, I really hated it — until I met this girl.” He continued.
“She was nice, got close to me, and slowly I opened up to her, even trusted her.” His expression shifted.
“Then the next thing I know, I found videos about me in their group chats — she did it as a prank, or some sort of messed up documentary.”
Enid didn’t say anything.
Her hand covered her mouth.
“She had videos of my place, my wardrobe, and even secretly recorded our conversations as I opened up to her.” Leon shook his head, pushing the dark thoughts back.
“You would think someone would pity me, but none of the kids did.
They just piled on with the jokes.” He continued.
“Even the adults didn’t do much other than take the videos down and give her a suspension, but you can never really delete those types of videos once they start circulating.” He sighed.
“And the last thing I remember was a rope and a chair, with a small note I left on my desk that probably wouldn’t have mattered to anyone.”
“Oh my god.” Enid held his hand firmly.
“That was horrible.”
Leon’s trauma had existed since the first day he woke up in this body, but it barely showed.
He had trust issues, which was why he felt such disgust toward Allison and her antics, while still holding some attraction to Lydia, since she had listened to him.
“I remember, but none of it matters,” Leon smiled.
“I will continue to grow stronger, and surround myself with people who love me, and if anyone tries to trick or betray me —”
Leon didn’t finish his sentence, but Enid felt a shiver as she watched his gritted teeth and his eyes– she saw them glowing crimson, before slowly dimming back to normal.
“You shouldn’t let it control you.” Enid hugged him.
“You are no longer that boy—”
“No,” Leon muttered.
“I still am.”
“You were given a bad hand.” Enid caressed his face.
“Maybe,” Leon smiled.
“You’re the first person I told this to, you know.
You would think I learned my lesson with trust,” he chuckled.
“I am?” Enid was a bit surprised.
“Why me?” she asked.
“Although we’ve known each other for days now, that felt too soon and too trusting.
Especially after what you’ve been through.”
“That is my point, Enid,” Leon said, looking at her.
“When I connect with someone, and I make up my mind about them, then I’m all in.
And I made up my mind about you.” He paused.
“You’re mine.”
“I’m — yours?” Enid looked at him with a slight smile.
“You don’t own me,” she said with a smile she couldn’t hold back.
“I don’t own you.
But you’re still mine.”
She tilted her face up toward him, blushing, her expression softening, her gaze growing warmer.
“I understand,” she said.
“Instead of choosing, you’d rather not choose at all,” she sighed.
“You mean if you ever met another girl that you had feelings for, then you won’t leave her,” she murmured.
“Is that what you meant when you talked about polygamy?”
“Yes.
I haven’t had that experience yet, and I hope I don’t.
But if I do, then I don’t want to let them go.”
“Most wolf pack leaders have multiple wives,” Enid said.
“So polygamy amongst wolves isn’t uncommon.
But I want to know if you’re worth it.”
She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his lower lip with a light peck.
Leon felt his heart skip, and he held her waist—
“Hey, you two — behave.”
Leon felt a light smack on his head as Principal Weems gave them both a look.
“Have you seen Wednesday?” she asked.
“N-no,” Enid stammered, flustered.
“Last we saw her was near the dart stand.”
“Where did that little devil run off to now?” Weems muttered under her breath, already walking away.
“If you see her, let me know.”
************************************
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