Chapter 23 – Tested
Sam's POV
I didn’t want Declan’s attention. That much was obvious from the moment I walked into this dorm. He was the kind of guy who could cut a person in half with a look, and worse, he enjoyed it.
But somehow, that night, his gaze landed squarely on me.
It was after dinner, the guys crowded in the lounge, talking too loud, laughing too hard. Declan lounged on the couch like he owned the entire dorm—which, in a way, he did. His cronies flanked him, feeding off his every word.
And then he crooked a finger at me.
“Come here, Hale.”
My stomach dropped, but I forced my face blank and walked over. Declan’s smirk spread wider, like he could smell my nerves.
“Sit,” he said, gesturing to the arm of the couch.
I perched stiffly, trying not to notice Elias watching from across the room, his expression unreadable.
Declan leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “So. You’ve been here long enough now. Time we see where your loyalties lie.”
My throat went dry. “What do you mean?”
He chuckled, low and dark. “Relax. I’m not asking you to throw yourself off the roof. Yet.” His boys laughed. He tilted his head, eyes sharp. “But I need to know you’re not a waste of space.”
One of the cronies piped up—Mason, I think. “Yeah, Hale. Gotta prove you belong in Nine.”
I kept my voice steady. “And how exactly do I do that?”
Declan’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “By listening. By following orders. And by not asking stupid questions.”
The room fell quiet. Every eye was on me.
Declan leaned back, tapping his fingers against the armrest. “Let’s start simple. Who do you talk to the most around here?”
I blinked. “What?”
“You heard me,” he said smoothly. “When you’re not studying or sleeping or pretending to be invisible, who do you talk to?”
My heart skipped. Was this a trap? Was he fishing for Elias’s name?
I swallowed. “I don’t talk much. You know that.”
Declan’s smirk sharpened. “That’s not an answer.”
“I guess… you.” The word tasted like ash, but it made his cronies snicker, and it seemed to satisfy him.
“Smart boy,” he said. “Flattery’ll keep you alive in this place.”
I forced myself to stay still, to breathe evenly.
Then Declan’s eyes narrowed. “But I don’t care about words, Hale. Words are cheap. Actions… actions are what matter.”
He snapped his fingers. One of his boys tossed him a can of beer. Declan cracked it open, foam spilling down his hand. He took a slow sip, then thrust it toward me.
“Drink.”
I hesitated. Alcohol burned my throat, always had. And I couldn’t risk losing control, not here, not around him.
But his gaze bore into me, and the room waited.
I took the can, lifted it to my lips, and swallowed. Bitter liquid scorched down my throat. My stomach churned, but I forced myself not to gag.
Declan grinned. “Not bad. Not bad at all.”
The guys cheered, some clapping me on the back. My hands shook, but I hid it.
Declan’s smirk widened. “Now for the real test.”
My blood ran cold.
He leaned closer, voice low but carrying enough for everyone to hear. “Tomorrow night, there’s gonna be a little… fun. And I want you there.”
“What kind of fun?” I asked carefully.
The grin that spread across his face made my skin crawl. “Don’t worry, Hale. Nothing you can’t handle. Just a little party. Drinks, music, girls.”
My heart seized. Girls.
Every instinct screamed to say no. To refuse. To run. But his gaze was unyielding, daring me to defy him.
I forced a nod. “Alright.”
The room erupted in cheers. Declan slapped me on the shoulder, hard enough to sting. “That’s what I like to hear. Maybe you’re not as boring as I thought.”
I tried to smile, but it felt twisted, wrong.
Later, when the noise died down and the others drifted off, Declan caught me again.
“You know what happens to guys who don’t keep up, right?” he asked softly, so only I could hear.
I swallowed hard. “No.”
He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. “They disappear.”
Goosebumps prickled down my arms.
Declan chuckled and stood, clapping me on the back like we were best friends. “See you tomorrow, Hale.”
And just like that, he was gone, leaving me frozen, my chest tight with dread.
When I finally made it back to the room, Elias was waiting, leaning against the desk.
“How was story time with Declan?” he asked, voice casual, but his eyes were sharp.
I forced a shrug. “Fine.”
“Fine?” His brow arched. “That’s all you’ve got?”
“He just wanted to… test me.”
Elias’s smirk was humorless. “He does that. To everyone.”
“Yeah, well, I passed.”
“Did you?” His gaze held mine, too steady, too knowing.
Something in my chest tightened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He tilted his head. “Just be careful. Declan doesn’t test people for fun. He tests them to break them.”
I looked away, clutching the edge of my bed. My stomach twisted, my heart pounding.
Tomorrow night, Declan expected me at his party. With girls. With danger. With temptation.
And if I refused… I’d be done.
But if I agreed… I might lose myself completely.
Elias’s voice cut through the silence, low and deliberate. “Whatever he asked you to do, Hale… don’t.”
I froze. “What?”
His eyes were shadowed, unreadable. “Trust me.”
And for the first time, I didn’t know who was the bigger threat: Declan… or Elias.