Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Shadows of Enemies

Noah’s

It had been a month since my father sold me to Enzo, a month since I last saw his face—his tired eyes, his shaky hands signing me away to clear his debts. I sat in the classroom, the low hum of voices around me fading as I stared at my desk, wondering if he was okay, if he ever thought about me now.

Was he still drinking? Gambling? Or was he simply glad to be rid of me? The thought twisted my stomach painfully, and I hunched over, trying to disappear entirely into my own mind, to be alone for once.

“Hey, Noah,” a voice cut through my thoughts, soft but familiar. I didn’t need to look up to know it was James, the only person here who didn’t make me feel like a stray dog. He slid into the seat next to me, his backpack hitting the floor with a thud. “You okay, man? You look like you’re about to bolt right out of here. Is it your dad again?”

I forced a smile, my hands fidgeting with my pencil. “I’m fine,” I said, my voice flat and unconvincing. “Just… don’t want to talk about it right now, okay? Not today.”

James leaned closer, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Come on, dude,” he said. “You’ve been off for days. Something’s clearly eating you up inside. Is it that Enzo guy you talk about? The one you’re staying with? Is he messing with you somehow?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head, my throat tight. “Enzo’s… not like that at all. It’s just complicated, I swear. I just miss my dad, alright? Even if he was a mess, he was still my father, you know?”

James nodded in understanding, his face softening with sympathy. “Yeah, I get that feeling,” he said. “My dad’s a mess sometimes too. But are you absolutely sure you’re okay? You don’t ever have to hide stuff from me, Noah. I’m truly here for you.”

“Thanks,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m just… handling it. Dealing with it all. But I really can’t talk about any of it. Not yet, anyway.”

“You sure about that?” he pressed, his voice low and concerned. “You look like you’re carrying the whole damn world on your shoulders today.”

“Drop it, James,” I said, sharper than I had meant to be. “I’m fine. I just need some space and quiet.”

Before he could say anything more, the classroom door swung open, and my heart sank instantly. Dean walked in, his stupid, practiced smile plastered on his face, his eyes scanning the room like a hunter searching for prey.

My blood ran cold. Of all the teachers in this entire school, why did he have to be mine? I glared at him, my hands clenching into fists, my mind flashing back to that terrible night—the locked room, the full moon, his creepy laugh as he trapped me just to get to Enzo.

“Whoa,” James whispered, leaning in close to me. “You look like you want to kill that guy right now. What’s going on between you and Mr. Dean?”

“He’s bad news,” I muttered, my eyes still fixed on Dean. “Don’t trust him, James. He’s truly dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” James said, his voice low and confused. “He’s just a boring history teacher, Noah. What exactly has he done to you that makes you say that?”

I shook my head, my jaw tight with suppressed rage. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you the truth,” I said. “Just… stay far away from him.”

Dean’s voice droned on about some distant war, but I couldn’t focus on a single word he said. All I could think about was how much I hated him, how he had wanted me dead just to hurt his brother. My hands shook violently, and I couldn’t take the silence anymore. I stood up, raising my hand toward him. “I need to use the restroom immediately,” I said, my voice hard and determined.

Dean’s eyes locked on mine, his smile twitching slightly, as if he knew a secret I didn’t. “Go ahead, Noah,” he said, his voice too smooth and unsettling. “Don’t be long, though.”

I stormed out of the classroom, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm, and headed straight to the bathroom. I turned on the sink, splashing cold water repeatedly on my face, trying desperately to calm down the sudden fury.

Dean’s face kept flashing in my mind—his smirk, his rough hands on me, the sheer pain of that terrible night. I gripped the porcelain sink tightly, my breath shaky, repeatedly telling myself to hold it all together.

The door creaked open behind me, and I spun around instantly. Stan stood there, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his eyes hard but visibly hesitant. My stomach twisted unpleasantly. “Get out right now,” I said, my voice low and threatening, stepping toward the door to block his exit.

“Wait up,” Stan said, blocking my path firmly. “We really need to talk about this, Noah.”

I laughed, a cold and bitter sound. “Talk?” I said, my voice rising sharply. “You and your psycho boyfriend tried to kill me, Stan! You locked me in a small room, and left me there to die! And now you have the nerve to want to talk?”

Stan stepped closer to me, his hands held up defensively, as if he was trying to calm a wild animal. “I’m sorry, okay?” he said, his voice low and sincere. “It wasn’t my choice to do that. Dean… he’s got his own twisted plans. I truly didn’t want to hurt you, Noah. I swear to you.”

“Sorry?” I said, laughing again, my hands shaking with anger. “You think that word fixes any of this? What if I had died in that room, Stan? Would you be standing here saying sorry then?”

He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk past him, his grip firm but not intentionally rough. “Listen to me for a second,” he said, his eyes pleading with mine. “I had to follow Dean’s orders. He’s my mate, Noah. You’re Enzo’s mate, so you must get it, right? We literally don’t have any choice when it comes to obeying them.”

I yanked my arm free from his grasp, stepping back quickly. “Don’t give me that mate crap again,” I said, my voice shaking with frustration. “They’re brothers, Stan! Why do they hate each other so much? And why in hell am I caught right in the middle of their stupid, pathetic fight?”

Stan’s face tightened again, his eyes dropping to look at the floor. “It’s not that simple of a problem,” he said quietly. “They’ve been at each other’s throats for years now. It’s about power, territory, and ancient old grudges—it’s just a huge mess. Dean wants absolutely everything Enzo has: the pack, the title, and the respect of all the others.”

“That is not an acceptable excuse!” I snapped, my hands clenched tight at my sides. “You actively helped him trap me! You think I’m just going to forgive you because you’re Dean’s mate?”

“I’m not asking for your forgiveness,” Stan said, his voice quieter and more defeated. “I just want you to fully understand the position I’m in. I truly didn’t want you to get hurt that night. I told Dean repeatedly to leave you alone, but he—”

“Save your breath,” I cut him off sharply. “I don’t care what you told him privately. You were there, Stan. You let it all happen to me.”

The door opened again for the third time, and Dean walked in, his familiar smile wide and completely fake. “Everything okay in here, boys?” he said, his voice dripping with that unsettling, creepy calm. “Noah, you look quite upset. Is something wrong?”

I froze entirely, my heart racing, my hands shaking with barely contained fury. “Get out of my way right now,” I said, my voice low and dangerous, pushing past him forcefully. My shoulder slammed hard into his as I went. I didn’t look back at either of them, my blood boiling with hatred, hoping I would never have to see Dean’s face again.