The Human Among Wolves Chapter 60

Aurora

The days bled together, one after another, in a blur of classes, lectures, and endless study sessions for the upcoming exams. I kept my head down, forcing myself into a routine so tight there was hardly any room left to think—and yet, somehow, he still found his way into my mind.

No matter how hard I tried to block him out, Zayn lingered in the quiet moments. The way he looked at me, the way he touched me, the words he spat at me like knives.

I saw him, of course. There was no avoiding him completely.

At lunch. At dinner. Passing through the hallways.

And every time, he was with her.

Charlotte.

They would sit together at the same table every day, talking and laughing like nothing had ever happened between us. Like I hadn’t given him the one thing I swore I would never give anyone. Like I hadn’t stood in his room with my heart in my hands while he crushed it under his boot.

I tried to ignore them. I really did. I’d sit at the farthest corner of the cafeteria, picking at my food until I could make a reasonable excuse to leave. But every giggle that drifted from their table, every casual brush of his hand against hers, every shared look—it felt like another tiny cut, sharp and stinging.

As for the book… I couldn’t bring myself to open it.

It sat on my desk like a silent reminder of everything I had lost, its weight almost mocking me.

I didn’t know Latin. There was no point in me staring at words I couldn’t understand, not without Zayn to help me. And right now, I couldn’t stomach the idea of asking him for anything.

So it stayed closed.

Collecting dust.

Just like the calls from my parents.

My phone buzzed constantly—Mom’s name lighting up the screen again and again—but I couldn’t bring myself to answer. Not yet. Not when I still hadn’t figured out what I was going to say.

Each day ended the same. I’d return to my dorm, collapse onto my bed, and stare at the ceiling until sleep finally dragged me under.

And even then, I wasn’t safe from him.

He was in my dreams.

Always in my dreams.

*** * ****

The sun had already dipped below the horizon by the time the door to my dorm creaked open, spilling warm light and loud voices into the room. Mira walked in first, her expression practically glowing with excitement, Selene right behind her with that mischievous smirk she always wore when she had a plan. Lira and Riven followed, each carrying their bags from class.

Before I could even sit up from where I’d been lying on my bed staring at the ceiling, Mira crossed the room and slapped a brightly colored flyer down onto my blanket.

“You’re coming with us tonight,” she declared, like it wasn’t a question at all.

I frowned, picking up the flyer. The bold letters across the top read Halloween Bash—Tonight! There was an illustration of a bonfire under a full moon, people dancing in silhouettes.

“It’s in the woods,” Selene added, plopping down at the foot of my bed and kicking off her boots. “Right outside the Academy gates. Everyone’s going to be there.”

I blinked at her, still trying to process what she was saying. “The woods?”

“Yes, the woods,” Riven chimed in as she set her bag by her bed and sat cross-legged on the floor. “You know, those tall leafy things you can see from your window?”

I gave her a flat look. “I know what the woods are, thanks. I just…” I hesitated, glancing back down at the flyer. “Is that even allowed? Leaving the Academy after curfew?”

“That’s the fun of it,” Selene said, grinning like the rule-breaking was half the point.

Lira, who had been quiet up until now, stretched out on her bed with a sly smile. “Come on, Aurora. You’ve been cooped up in here for days. You need this.”

I let out a slow breath, staring at the flyer again. “I don’t know…"

“Of course you know,” Mira said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “You’re coming. End of discussion.”

I sat up fully now, hugging my knees. “I just… I don’t get it. Why would werewolves celebrate Halloween, of all things? Isn’t it kind of… I don’t know… offensive? Like humans dressing up as monsters for fun while you actually exist?”

Selene laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re adorable. It’s not about the costumes for us—it’s about the night itself. The moon, the energy, the freedom. For one night, we get to run wild. And yes,” she added, her smirk widening, “there are costumes. Just… ours tend to be a little more authentic.”

My brows furrowed. “Authentic?”

“You’ll see,” Mira said, clearly enjoying the look of confusion on my face.

Riven leaned forward on her elbows. “Please say yes, Aurora. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Just come, sit by the fire, eat something, watch everyone make fools of themselves. It’ll be good for you.”

I looked at all four of them, their eager, expectant faces. They were practically buzzing with excitement, like they’d been waiting for this night all week.

And maybe… maybe they were right.

Maybe I did need this.

But still, there was a part of me that hesitated, a knot of worry coiling tight in my stomach. The idea of being outside the safety of the Academy after dark, in the woods, surrounded by wolves—literal wolves—was enough to make my palms sweat.

“I’ll think about it,” I said finally, clutching the flyer like it might bite me.

“Thinking about it means yes,” Mira said, grinning in triumph.

“Does not,” I muttered, but my voice lacked conviction.

*** * ***

The flyer sat on my nightstand long after the girls had scattered across the room, digging through closets and arguing over outfits.

I just stared at it.

It felt less like an invitation and more like a dare.

A bonfire. Costumes. Music. Wolves.

I could already imagine the night—the crackle of fire, the smoky scent clinging to my hair, the sound of laughter ringing through the trees—and him.

Zayn.

The name alone made my chest tighten, my heart thudding in a way that was equal parts pain and anger. I could see it so clearly: him standing there with Charlotte, his head bent toward her, that quiet, lazy smirk on his face. Maybe he’d laugh. Maybe he’d touch her. Maybe he’d kiss her—with that same mouth that had whispered my name like it meant something only weeks ago.

The thought sent a sharp, cruel ache through me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, but the images stayed. Burned against the backs of my eyelids, mocking me.

“You’re coming, right?”

Selene’s voice pulled me back. I blinked and looked up to find her standing at the foot of my bed, two tops draped over her arms as she studied them with a dramatic frown.

“I said I’d think about it,” I muttered. My voice sounded flat, even to me.

Selene didn’t miss a beat. She tossed the tops onto Mira’s bed and crossed her arms, her expression all business.

“You’ve been moping for weeks,” she said matter-of-factly. “And, yeah, I get it. Zayn hurt you—I think we all want to punch him in the face on your behalf. But you can’t keep hiding in here forever, Aurora. At some point, you have to stand up, get dressed, and remind everyone—including him—that you’re still here. Still you.”

Her words landed somewhere deep, in a place I’d been ignoring.

I didn’t want to face him. I didn’t want to see him look through me like I was nothing.

But maybe she was right.

Maybe showing up—letting him see me whole, unbroken—would hurt less than sitting here alone, pretending the world had stopped just because I had.

I took a long breath, my fingers curling into the blanket beneath me. “Fine,” I said at last, pushing myself up off the bed.

Selene’s grin was immediate and victorious.

“Good girl,” she said, already moving toward my closet like she owned it. “If we’re going to a party, we’re not just showing up—we’re going to make an entrance.”

I rolled my eyes, but I felt it—the faintest pull of a smile on my lips.

As she tossed potential outfits onto my bed, the tight ball of dread and excitement in my chest only grew.