Chapter 3 Collision
Lyra blinked and spun around, confused. “Echo? Hunter?” She called their names softly but no reply came. She hugged the books to her chest and began running out of the library to go find them.
The moment she stepped out—
She collided with something hard.
The impact threw her backward instantly, her body hitting the floor as the books scattered everywhere around her. A gasp rippled through the hallway. People froze. Some even covered their mouths.
“Sorry…” she muttered quickly, her voice shaking as she tried to gather the books.
She lifted her head —
And her breath stopped completely.
A pair of cold, dark eyes were staring down at her. Not just cold, terrifyingly unreadable. His expression held nothing, yet somehow everything. Like he was judging her entire existence in one glance.
Prince Kael.
His presence alone felt like ice crawling down her spine. She felt her fingers shake a little.
But he wasn’t the only one staring.
Sirena stood beside him, her eyes filled with pure burning hatred. The way she stared at Lyra’s face… it felt like knives. Sirena had always been the most beautiful girl in Nocturne Academy, but now looking at Lyra her flawless soft face, her innocent eyes, her natural beauty it made Sirena’s chest twist with pure rage.
She wanted to drag a knife across that face and ruin it. That was how deep the jealousy ran.
The hallway was dead silent. No one moved. No one breathed.
Prince Kael’s cold stare stayed locked on Lyra, boring into her like he could see right through her skin. She felt completely exposed.
Everyone around them pitied her instantly.
Because no one ever bumped into Prince Kael and came out fine.
And Lyra…
Lyra was just a fragile fairy girl who didn’t even understand the danger she wa in.
Lyra didn’t even understand what happened. One minute she was rushing out of the library, trying to catch up with Echo and Hunter, and the next she had bumped into someone so hard she fell to the ground.
Her books scattered everywhere.
She blinked fast, her heart already racing. Before she could stand, she felt the temperature around her drop, like someone had opened a door to the underworld.
When she looked up…
Prince Kael was staring down at her.
Those cold, dark eyes.
They didn’t look angry.
They didn’t look annoyed.
They just looked… empty.
Like he was staring at something useless.
Everyone around them froze in fear.
Lyra quickly lowered her gaze.
“S–sorry,” she whispered.
She tried to gather her books, but before she could touch them, Kael suddenly bent down a little. Not to help her… but to get closer. His shadow covered her completely.
Her breath stopped.
His hand came up slowly, and he touched her chin with one finger. Just one. He lifted her face gently, but the touch wasn’t soft at all — it was cold, controlled, like she was being inspected.
Lyra swallowed hard, shocked.
She didn’t even breathe.
People around them looked like statues.
Kael never touched anyone.
His eyes scanned her face like he was searching for something.
Her heartbeat became too loud she thought he could hear it.
Then he spoke quietly, but his voice held something sharp.
“Don’t ever stand in my way again.”
That was all.
He dropped his hand and straightened up like she was nothing important. He walked past her without even looking back, his cloak brushing the floor, his aura still cold.
Everyone started breathing again.
Lyra stayed frozen on the ground for a few seconds, her body shaking lightly. She quickly picked up her books and stood up, her heart beating so fast it made her dizzy.
She didn’t know Kael had stopped a few steps away.
He wasn’t looking back, but his jaw clenched slightly.
Her scent…
It was too pure… too warm…
Something his wolf side reacted to in a strange way.
He growled under his breath, annoyed with himself.
“I need to stay away from her,” he muttered and walked off.
Lyra didn’t hear any of that. She just held her books tightly and tried to calm her breathing, wondering why her whole body felt strange.
Sirena shot Lyra one last deadly stare before running after Kael, her long dress brushing the floor dramatically as she disappeared down the hallway. Lyra stood frozen, still feeling the coldness from Kael’s eyes like it was carved into her skin. People around her slowly recovered from their shock and started whispering again.
Echo and Hunter appeared out of nowhere, rushing straight to her like she was a lost child.
“Lyra!, are you okay?” Echo grabbed her hand tightly. “You don’t know how scared I was.”
Lyra blinked, still confused. “Why… why are you scared?”
Echo placed a hand on her chest dramatically. “I can’t believe you right now. Haven’t you heard about Prince Kael before? Everyone knows him. The last person that bumped into him Kael sucked his blood dry in front of everyone. He didn’t even blink. He is dangerous.”
Lyra’s eyes widened a little. “I… I didn’t know.”
Hunter stared at her like she had said something impossible. “Where exactly did you come from? How can you not know Prince Kael? Do you even know the other four?”
Lyra shook her head slowly, embarrassed.
Echo frowned at her softly. “It’s okay, you’re new… but gods, try not to die on your first day.”
Lyra looked down shyly. “But I think… I think I have heard Prince Kael’s name before. And… I think I will be cleaning his room.”
Both Echo and Hunter stopped walking and turned to stare at her with wide, horrified eyes.
Echo gasped. “Why are you so unlucky?”
Hunter placed a hand on his forehead dramatically. “Poor girl. I hope you survive this.”
Lyra didn’t even know what to say, her heart already beating nervously.
.