The Human Among Wolves Chapter 102

Aurora

I watched him carefully—the way his posture held a tense pride, the tight line of his jaw, the restless twitch of his fingers against the table. He wasn’t just upset—he was cornered.

“What kind of life do you want then?” I asked quietly.

“A life I actually choose,” he said, voice low. “Not one dictated by councils or tradition or centuries of dead men telling me who I need to be.”

He let out a breath, leaning back slightly.

“Everyone expects the future Lycan King to want the crown more than his own damn heartbeat,” he muttered. “But power doesn’t mean freedom. Not when your whole life is planned out before you can even talk.”

My chest tightened. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like, carrying a destiny that heavy.

“So you don’t get to choose your mate,” I murmured.

Kael’s laugh was sharp and humorless. “No. They pick for me. A pristine Luna from a noble family—someone who’ll look good beside the throne and give the kingdom pretty heirs.”

He met my eyes again—and this time, there was no sarcasm to soften the truth.

“I don’t want my life to be a political transaction,” he said. “I want someone who sees me—not just the crown.”

His fingers stilled on the table. The silence stretched, thick with words he wasn’t saying out loud.

“And if you already found someone your father wouldn’t approve of?” I asked, though my voice came out much quieter than I intended.

Kael didn’t so much as blink.

“I’d fight for her,” he said—like it was the easiest decision in the world. Like he’d already made it.

I opened my mouth to respond to Kael, but his attention suddenly shifted behind me.

And when I turned—

yeah.

Zayn.

He stood just a few steps away, like he’d been there long enough to hear… way too much. His eyes weren’t angry. They weren’t anything. Just flat, unreadable.

But his hands—holy shit.

His knuckles were a mess. Split skin. Dried blood.

Like he’d taken out all his emotions on a brick wall and the wall almost won.

And for some stupid reason, I couldn’t look away from them.

What the hell happened?

Zayn’s gaze lingered on me for one heartbeat too long—and then he turned and walked straight out of the canteen. Not a word. Not even a glare.

Somehow, that made it sting more.

Like he’d already decided I wasn’t worth reacting to.

I forced myself to breathe, swallowing down whatever that feeling was clawing up my chest.

Then my phone buzzed.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The screen lit up and my stomach knotted.

Unknown number:

You’re ignoring me.

A second message came right after:

Last warning.

I barely noticed Kael leaning closer until his voice dropped low. “You good?”

I locked the screen way too fast and shoved the phone toward my bag. “Yeah. It’s fine. Just—spam.”

He gave me a look that basically said

Nice try. Try harder.

“Aurora,” he said, and there was no teasing in it. “Show me.”

I hesitated—then sighed and handed him the phone.

Kael wasn’t dramatic. He didn’t even blink at first. He just read the messages calmly… until his jaw clenched hard enough that I saw muscle jump.

“That’s a threat,” he said, voice low but sharp.

“It could just be someone trying to—”

“It’s not a joke,” he cut in. “You get that, right?”

I didn’t answer, because yeah—I got it.

I’d been trying not to.

Kael stood up so fast his chair scraped loud across the tile. Heads turned.

He didn’t give a damn.

He held his hand out for mine.

“We’re going,” he said.

I blinked up at him. “Going where?”

“To find out who thinks they can mess with you,” he said. “And make sure they regret it.”

My heart did a weird flip I wished it wouldn’t. “Kael—”

“No,” he said, softer this time but still firm. “You’re not dealing with this by yourself.”

Before I could overthink it, his hand was on the small of my back—gentle but guiding—urging me up from the table.

“We’ll start with the Headmaster,” he added. “Someone’s gonna tell us what the hell is going on.”

And just like that, the gossip, the photo, the whispers—it all felt a lot less important.

I barely had time to grab my bag before Kael was already leading us toward the exit. His hand rested lightly against my back—steady, protective—like he’d decided I was suddenly made of glass. Or maybe something worth guarding.

But the further we walked, the faster my pulse climbed. The walls felt like they were closing in—eyes tracking me, whispers rising, every step heavier than the last.

Halfway across the courtyard, I pulled back.

“Kael,” I said, voice low.

He stopped instantly, turning to face me. Brows furrowed. Concern written all over a face that usually only showed sarcasm or annoyance.

“What’s wrong?”

I swallowed, trying to find the words. They tangled in my throat.

“We can’t go to the Headmaster.”

He stared at me for a moment like he thought he misheard. “Why not? Someone threatened you. You think I’m just going to—”

“Kael, listen,” I said quickly, stepping closer so no one else could hear. “Whoever texted me… they knew my real name.”

His expression shifted—the temperature behind his eyes dropping several degrees.

“Aurenya,” he murmured, barely audible.

“No one here should know that,” I whispered. “Not unless someone’s been digging. Watching. Or—” I forced myself to finish, even though it made my stomach twist. “—they’re closer than we think.”

“So you think someone in the Academy is involved,” he said slowly, piecing it together out loud. “Someone with access. Someone who could have taken that picture, too.”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But if I go to the Headmaster and that person is connected? I’ll just be handing them everything they want.”

He didn’t look convinced—but he wasn’t arguing either. His hand slipped from my back to my wrist instead, thumb brushing lightly over my pulse like he was checking if I was still breathing.

“You should’ve told me sooner,” he muttered.

I let out a weak laugh. “Yeah? And say what? ‘Hey, Kael, someone mysterious out there knows my real name and wants me to stop digging into my past’?”

I shook my head. “You already have enough to deal with.”

He stepped closer—close enough that the warmth rolling off him chased away the chill for a moment.

“Don’t do that,” he said quietly. “Don’t shut me out.”

His voice wasn’t flirty now. No teasing. Just steady. Real.

I hated how much that got to me.

*** * ***

Kael walked me all the way back to the dorms, his hand hovering close to my elbow like he wasn’t sure if he should hold on or give me space. I didn’t argue. I didn’t have the energy to.

By the time we reached my floor, my nerves were stretched so tight I could practically hear them buzzing under my skin. I forced a small smile and told him I’d text him later— he didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded and stepped back anyway.

It was quiet when I pushed open the door to my room.

Too quiet.

Usually someone was playing music, or Mira was humming, or Lira was FaceTiming someone and laughing too loud.

Now… nothing.

All four beds were empty.

Lights off.

Curtains drawn, casting long stripes of shadow across the floor.

Weird.

But maybe they were all still in class. Or eating. Or just somewhere that wasn’t here.

I shook it off and tossed my bag onto my bed. I had just started digging for my charger when a small shiver crawled up my spine.

Something was sitting on my pillow.

A box.

Black.

Tied neatly with a dark ribbon.

There was no card.

No note.

Just… there.

Slowly, I sat on the edge of the mattress and pulled the ribbon loose, the smooth fabric slipping through my fingers. The lid came off with a quiet, final little click.

Inside—

A silver moon pendant.

Beautiful.

But the chain…

The chain was stiff.

Darkened.

When I touched it, a faint flake of dried red fell against my fingertip.

Blood.

My pulse kicked up hard, a sharp throb behind my ribs. I swallowed, nausea rising.

This wasn’t a prank.

This wasn’t some jealous bitch stirring shit.

I reached for my phone—needing Kael, needing someone—and that’s when the screen lit up.

1 New Voicemail—Unknown Number

My throat tightened.

I shouldn’t play it.

I already knew I shouldn’t.

I pressed it anyway.

There was a hiss of static first.

Then a voice.

“Aurora…”

The witch.

Seraphina.

She sounded… terrified.

“They found me. Don’t—don’t trust—”

A crash.

Glass shattering.

Someone yelling in a language I didn’t understand.

Another gasp—sharp and cut off too fast.

The message ended there.

The phone slipped from my hand onto the mattress.

The silence that followed wasn’t silence at all.

It roared—loud and crushing—every beat of my heart echoing in my head like a warning siren.

Someone is coming for me.

Someone who knows my real name.

Someone who knows exactly what I am.

My vision blurred at the edges. I pressed my palms against my eyes, forcing air into my lungs one shaky inhale at a time.

Focus.

Think.

Where were the girls?

Why wasn’t anyone here?

The doorknob rattled suddenly.

I jumped so hard my knees hit the underside of the desk.

The door swung open and—

“Aurora?!”

Mira.

I exhaled a breath that nearly buckled my legs.

She took one look at me—

then at the box still open on the bed—

and her entire face changed.

“What the hell is that?” she whispered.

Her voice was too loud.

Everything was too loud.

I picked up the pendant with shaking fingers and showed it to her.

Mira’s eyes widened, hand flying to her mouth.

She didn’t even need to ask.

“I’m calling the others,” she said, already pulling out her phone.