Chapter Eighty-Six
Breakfast was a chorus of complaints and laughter.
Kael groaned about the sheer amount of reading he had to do for his teaching courses, Molly teased him about his handwriting in the margins, and Avery rolled her eyes at the endless “boring” midterm prep. Riven, still buzzing from his anatomy exam, was already talking about the next round of study sessions.
Lucien, however, was calm. He had his intelligence class in the morning — the “spy” work he excelled at — and botany in the afternoon, the subject that had surprised even him with how much he loved it. He’d never expected plants to capture his attention, but Avery and Molly’s push to find his passion had sparked something real. He liked the patience of it, the way life unfolded in quiet, deliberate patterns.
And after today, he only had one more exam left, scheduled for Friday. That made him the one with the shortest week, and by unspoken agreement, the one responsible for keeping the others motivated.
Kael especially leaned on him. Bookwork had always been Kael’s weakness, but Lucien’s sharp mind and steady presence had made the load lighter. Knowing Lucien would be there to cram with him was a weight lifted.
The day went smoothly. His intelligence exam was challenging but satisfying, the kind of test that made him feel sharp and alive. Botany was even better — he left the classroom with dirt still under his nails and a grin tugging at his lips.
By the time he met his guards outside, he was restless, energy buzzing through him.
“Run before dinner?” one of them suggested.
Lucien nodded. “Perfect.”
The forest loop was familiar, the rhythm of his feet against the earth steadying. He let the tension of exams bleed out with every stride, his lungs burning in the best way.
And then the shadows came.
They struck without warning — shades, slipping from the treeline like living smoke. Quick. Precise. Ruthless.
One guard went down almost instantly, his throat torn open before he could even raise his blade. The second fought hard, but the shades didn’t allow them to retaliate. Their strikes were meant to disable, to wound, to send a message.
Lucien barely had time to draw breath before pain ripped through him. Claws, blades, shadows — he couldn’t tell. His knees buckled, the world tilting as blood soaked his shirt.
The bond flared, distant and panicked, but he couldn’t form words.
The last guard, bleeding heavily, fumbled for his phone. His fingers shook, vision blurring, but he managed to slam his hand against the distress beacon before darkness claimed him.
Lucien collapsed onto the forest floor, the world dimming around him.
The shades melted back into the trees, their work done.
And in the silence that followed, the beacon pulsed — a single, desperate call for help.
The kitchen was warm with the smell of spices, Avery and Riven moving easily around each other as they chopped and stirred. She was talking through her exams — biology and anatomy tomorrow, medic analytics after that — and he was teasing her about how much she’d over-prepared. They’d planned to eat, then study together, a quiet night before the storm of midterms.
But then it hit.
The bond flared like fire in their chests, sharp and searing. Lucien. Hurt.
Avery gasped, clutching the counter. Riven’s phone rang at the same time Kael’s did across the training field. Auron’s name flashed on Riven’s screen, the head of security on Kael’s. Both voices said the same thing:
Lucien’s distress beacon has been activated.
Avery didn’t hesitate. She grabbed Riven’s hand, and in the next heartbeat, they were gone — teleporting straight into the forest.
The scene was chaos. One guard lay bleeding out, his heartbeat faint and faltering. Lucien was sprawled on the ground, unconscious, blood soaking through his shirt, pooling beneath him.
The bond screamed at Avery to go to Lucien, to throw herself at his side. But the fading heartbeat of the guard pulled her first. She dropped to her knees, hands glowing as she pressed against the wound, forcing herself to focus.
Riven was beside her, steady and calm, his voice low. “You’ve got him. I’ll get Lucien.”
The sound of boots and wings filled the clearing as reinforcements arrived. Auron led a small contingent of warriors, their eyes scanning the shadows for any lingering threat. Medics rushed forward, Kael and Molly close behind, their faces pale with fear.
Riven worked methodically, his hands sure as he stabilized Lucien’s wounds. Blood was everywhere, but his voice stayed calm, steady, grounding. “Stay with us, brother. You’re not leaving us like this.”
Avery tried to help, but her hands shook too badly. Molly pulled her close, the two of them huddled together, tears streaking their faces as they watched their mates hold the line.
Kael crouched beside Riven, his wolf straining against the bond, but he forced himself to follow orders, to hand over supplies, to keep his head clear.
When the medics finally reached them, Riven didn’t let go until Lucien was secured on the stretcher, his breathing shallow but steady. The injured guard was lifted beside him, both whisked toward the waiting transport.
Auron’s voice cut through the chaos, firm and commanding. “They’ll be taken to the hospital. You four — with me. You’ll be escorted by the warriors left standing guard. No arguments.”
Riven nodded, his jaw tight. Avery and Molly clung to each other, Kael’s arm wrapping around them both as they followed.
The forest was quiet again, but the silence was heavy.
The faction had struck, and this time, they had come far too close.