The impact of Sylvia’s obliterating light was massive. The entire class teetered on the edge of self-destruction as chaos erupted around them. Noah stood frozen, unsure how to defend himself. He could only dodge and weave, but a ball of light that enormous made avoidance nearly impossible. Its blinding radiance filled the room, pressing toward him with unstoppable force.
Just as it was about to strike, a crack of lightning pulsed from the sky, slamming directly into the building through the open window of their classroom. The massive surge of light meant for Noah reversed course instantly, hurtling back toward Sylvia with devastating power. She didn’t go down immediately. The girl fought hard, battling against the overwhelming energy that coursed through her body. But something began draining her strength rapidly. Another bolt struck her again, this time hitting her stomach with brutal precision. Sylvia collapsed flat onto the floor, bleeding heavily from the impact.
The whole class held its breath in stunned silence.
"Who did that??" Eugene demanded, looking around while coughing through the thick smoke rising toward the ceiling. His eyes locked onto Killian, but he knew better. Lightning wasn’t Killian’s affinity—he couldn’t control it. So how had this happened?
Killian’s lips curled into a mocking smile, unfazed by the accusation. "Take your girl somewhere else before she loses it again, instead of sticking around and asking fucked-up questions." He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand, then turned to check on Noah, Rose, and Lamia. His concern felt genuine in that moment, a rare crack in his usual tough exterior.
"Ashton, are you fine? Did that light touch you?" Rose and Lamia rushed over, their hands moving quickly across his arms and torso, searching for any hidden injuries. There were none on him, thankfully. But the same couldn’t be said for the rest of the class. Desks were overturned, walls scorched, and several students nursed minor wounds in the devastating mess left behind.
Then, a single authoritative step echoed through the room. The formidable figure of Ms. Marie Langford appeared in the doorway, her face twisted into a venomous frown that could intimidate even the bravest among them.
"I told you all to stay quiet and listen to your teacher. What did you do instead? Start a war?" she snapped. "Don’t you know this is a prestigious institution? We do not allow such reckless behavior here."
Lamia tried to explain what had truly happened, stepping forward with careful words. Rose and Noah exchanged worried glances—they wanted to stop him from saying anything that might land everyone in deeper trouble. But Marie had already spotted him.
"Have anything to say about this, young man?" she asked, her voice sharp.
Lamia stood straighter, though his nerves were clear. Noah scanned the room for Sylvia, but she was already gone. Her friends Emily and Abigail had quickly carried her off to the healing center. That left the main culprits and nearby classmates to face the consequences.
Lamia didn’t break eye contact, though he gulped visibly. "This isn’t our fault, ma’am. Please don’t punish us." The words burst out involuntarily, and Marie shook her head in a pitying, almost pathetic manner.
"Okay, I won’t punish you excessively," she replied coolly, "but I hope you enjoy detention. And you too, Ashton. I thought you had changed. They warned me about how notorious you were, and here I was thinking this semester would be different. Couldn’t you stay out of trouble? Killian, how come you couldn’t control your dog?"
Noah had heard enough. He was about to shout that he was his own person—not anybody’s damn dog—when Rose’s hand suddenly grabbed his arm and pinned it down firmly. He glanced at her in surprise. How had this seemingly fragile girl managed such strength? It left him momentarily speechless.
"Well, that’s you guys’ business," Marie continued, pointing at Eugene and Killian, who were both trying to act like saints. "All of you involved—I know you two likely headed it. Detention for the lot of you, a full week. It’s final."
Eugene flared up immediately. "I didn’t do anything! And you don’t have the power to put me in detention. Who do you think you are?"
Noah couldn’t help it—he laughed out loud. Rose shot him a glare that screamed for silence, but it was too late. Marie’s eyes shifted to the pair.
"Aww, isn’t this an adorable display? Maybe you both would feel much better cuddling in the dark. But right now, detention for everyone involved." She arched an eyebrow, and Noah felt Rose’s glare intensify. He realized he was doomed; she wasn’t going to let him escape without a serious reprimand later.
Killian chuckled and started to sit back down, but Marie fixed her gaze on him. "Are you deaf, young man? I said detention, and you’re not exempt. So pack your things and go."
Killian looked offended by the phrasing—what was he, an elephant?—but he complied. Together, the group trudged toward the detention room. No one was smiling. Noah lingered at the back, not wanting to provoke the others further. The two alphas, Eugene and Killian, walked at the front, pretending the other didn’t exist. Lamia and Rose stayed quiet around him too.
Were they mad at him? The thought had barely formed when both snapped their heads toward him at once.
"How the fuck did you just manage to get all the alphas’ attention at once?" Lamia asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration. "At this point, I believe you’re a harbinger of chaos itself. This is impossible."
Lamia sighed deeply. "Let me guess—you didn’t follow what I told you about not walking the same road as the moonlight alphas, did you?"
Noah neither confirmed nor denied it. Lamia threw his hands up in surrender, accepting the unspoken answer.
Rose stopped suddenly and turned to face Noah directly. "The lightning—who did it? Tell me it was you, because I’m trying to process this."
Noah looked at her, utterly confused. "You mean to tell me you’re not the one who did the magic?"
Rose shook her head, and Lamia did the same. Noah’s face turned pale as the implications sank in.
"Okay, maybe it was Killian?" he suggested weakly.
Lamia shook his head again. "That’s not his affinity. Nothing about him suggests he could pull that off." Both friends turned back to Noah with intense stares.
"Then it’s you, Ashton," Rose said firmly.
The looks they gave him made Noah stumble back a step. It couldn’t be him. How could an omega like him paralyze someone as powerful as Sylvia? She was among the highest-ranked in the dragon affinity tier. The idea seemed absurd.
"It can’t be me. I’m not that powerful," he exclaimed, though doubt crept into his voice for the first time.
Rose leaned in closer and whispered something in his ear, her breath warm against his skin. "When we are alone, I have a theory. This is going to change everything. Something tells me it’s you."
Those were her final words before they entered the detention room. As Noah took a step inside, a familiar scent of lemons drifted from behind him, where they had just come from. His skin crawled with unease, a chill running down his spine. Fear gripped his heart, but he rushed forward and settled into a seat, trying to push the discomfort aside.