Chapter 31 – Elias Defends Me
Sam's POV
The common room looked like a battlefield—chairs overturned, snacks crushed into the carpet, blood smeared across Blondie’s lip. But worse than all of that was the sharp, furious glare of our dorm supervisor.
He pointed at the chaos, his voice like a whip. “Every last one of you—office. Now.”
My stomach plummeted. I hadn’t even been here a month, and already I was about to be caught in the middle of a dorm war.
We filed out like guilty soldiers, shuffling down the hall in silence. No one dared whisper. The weight of it pressed down on all of us. Declan walked with his head high, like he didn’t give a damn. Blondie and his friends looked smug, like they’d won something. Elias’s jaw was tight, his fists still flexing like he was ready to throw another punch.
I walked near the back, pulse hammering. If they singled me out—if they asked too many questions—what if I slipped? What if they demanded proof I was who I claimed to be?
No. I couldn’t let it get that far.
The supervisor’s office door slammed behind us, locking us into his lair. He leaned against his desk, arms folded, his eyes like daggers.
“Do any of you idiots,” he growled, “have the slightest clue how much trouble you’ve just caused?”
No one answered. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.
Finally, Declan smirked. “They started it.”
Blondie barked a laugh. “Oh, please. You shoved me first.”
“Because you wouldn’t get out,” Declan shot back. “You were trespassing.”
“You think you own the building?” Blondie sneered. “Entitled little—”
“Enough!” the supervisor roared, slamming his hand on the desk. The sound made me jump.
Everyone went quiet.
He scanned the line of us slowly, his eyes sharp, calculating. “I should suspend the lot of you. Expel you, even. Fighting on school property is a serious offense. But since certain families have… influence”—his gaze flicked at Declan, who smirked wider—“I know exactly who will and won’t face consequences.”
I swallowed hard. He meant us. The nobodies.
Sure enough, the supervisor pointed at three Dorm 9 boys. Then his finger landed squarely on me.
“You,” he said. “Step forward.”
My chest tightened. I forced myself to move, stepping into the middle of the room where all their eyes drilled into me.
“Name,” the supervisor snapped.
“Sam Hale,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady.
“You’re new,” he said, eyeing me like I was something stuck to his shoe. “And already starting fights? Not a good look, Hale.”
“I didn’t—” I started, but stopped myself. My fists clenched at my sides. One wrong word and I’d sound defensive.
Blondie smirked, enjoying the show. “Yeah, he shoved Nolan hard. Saw it myself.”
“That’s because he shoved Elias first!” I blurted, heat rushing up my neck.
The supervisor arched a brow. “Are you telling me you fought to defend another student?”
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Saying yes would make me look soft. Saying no would make me look like a liar.
Elias’s voice cut through the silence. Calm, steady, unshakable. “That’s exactly what happened.”
I jerked my head toward him. He met the supervisor’s gaze without flinching.
“Hale didn’t start this,” Elias continued. “He stepped in because one of them tried to blindside me. If you’re punishing someone, punish me. Not him.”
The room went so quiet I could hear my own heart slamming in my chest.
The supervisor narrowed his eyes. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes,” Elias said firmly. “Because it’s the truth.”
Blondie scoffed. “Bullshit. They’re lying for each other.”
Declan finally stepped in, rolling his eyes. “For God’s sake, can we stop wasting time? Blondie and his little army came in here looking for a fight. We gave them one. End of story.”
The supervisor glared at him. “Watch your tone, Ward.”
Declan smirked. “Or what? You’ll call my father?”
The tension twisted tighter. I stood frozen, every nerve buzzing. Elias was still standing slightly in front of me, like a shield. I didn’t know what shocked me more—that he’d spoken up for me at all, or that he was willing to take blame for something I’d done.
The supervisor sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose like this whole thing was giving him a migraine. “Fine. Here’s how it’s going to work. Everyone involved in the fight is on dorm restriction for two weeks. No parties, no trips off campus. Extra chores. And if I hear so much as a whisper of another fight…” His eyes sliced through the air, pinning each of us. “I’ll make sure heads roll. Understood?”
A few muttered yes sirs trickled out. I forced mine to sound strong.
“Get out,” he snapped. “All of you. Now.”
We filed out, the air thick with anger and grudges. Declan muttered curses under his breath. Blondie shot me a pointed look, dragging his thumb across his throat before he and his crew disappeared down the hall.
When the hall cleared, I leaned against the wall, my knees weak. My cover had nearly blown apart.
“You okay?”
I looked up. Elias stood in front of me, arms crossed, eyes sharp but not unkind.
I swallowed. “Why’d you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Defend me. Lie for me.”
He shrugged. “Because it wasn’t a lie. You were defending me.”
“That doesn’t mean you had to step in,” I said quickly, my voice lower now, tight. “You could’ve let me take the blame.”
His gaze lingered on me. “Maybe I didn’t want you to.”
My chest squeezed. Too close. Too dangerous. “You don’t even know me.”
His lips curved just slightly. “Don’t I?”
The way he said it sent a chill down my spine. Like he saw more than he should. Like he knew.
I forced a laugh, trying to sound casual. “You’re impossible.”
He leaned a little closer. “And you’re hiding something.”
My breath caught.
Before I could answer, Declan’s voice rang out from down the hall. “Hale! Cross! Quit flirting and move your asses.”
The spell shattered. Elias’s mouth twitched like he wanted to say more, but he turned and started walking.
I stayed frozen for a second, pulse racing, before I pushed myself off the wall and followed.
Because the truth was, Elias was right. I was hiding something.
And if he kept looking at me like that… he might be the one to figure it out.