Chapter 35 Past The Danger
Malia's POV
The fluorescent lights and antiseptic smell of the campus infirmary brings me awake. I'm not myself for a moment. Then it crashes back—the blood moon, the corrupted wolves, the pain of my failed shift, three brothers in wolf form standing guard outside my window. I make an effort to sit up and I instantly regret it.
Every single muscle in my body is aching. "Whoa, easy." July's face is in front of me, eyes red-rimmed as if she has been crying. "You're okay. You're safe."
"What—" I sound hoarse. "What happened?"
"You collapsed," Freddy says from my other side, a more grave expression on his face than normal. "Tried to shift during the blood moon and your body just couldn't handle it. Rowan found you and brought you here."
Bits of memory come up—Aiden's arms around me, voices yelling, then silence. "How long was I out?"
"Twelve hours," July says quietly. "It's almost noon. The moon set at dawn."
Twelve hours.
I missed the rest of the blood moon.
"Did anyone else—" I begin, scared to say the rest of the question.
The look July and Freddy give each other tells me all I need to know. "Another student went missing," Freddy says. "Hybrid. Third-year named Maya Torres."
My stomach dropped. "When?"
“Sometime around midnight. Witnesses report seeing her being pulled into the woods by one of those corrupted wolves.” His voice is tight. “Campus security discovered blood but no body. And this morning, the school sent an email stating she ’transferred due to family emergency.’”
“‘No one believes it anymore,’” July adds. “Students are terrified. The hybrids especially but no one will talk about it. There are even a few saying they want to quit Mooncrest altogether.”
“At this point, can you blame people?” I whisper.
“No. But that's exactly what whoever's doing this wants. Expel the hybrids. Terrify them so much they just go away on their own.” She squeezes my hand. “You can't leave, Malia. If you leave, they win.”
“If I stay, I might be next.”
“Not if we have anything to say about it,” Freddy says firmly. “And certainly not if the Moonfalls have something to say about it but the danger if over for now.”
As if summoned by his name, the infirmary door opens. Aiden walks in, and my breath catches. He looks tired.
Dark circles under his eyes. Bruises on his jaw and arms from last night’s brawl. But his eyes—when they look at me—are relieved.
"You're awake," he says, voice rough.
"I'll give you two some privacy," July says quickly, pulling Freddy toward the door.
“But—” Freddy starts.
“Privacy,” she repeats firmly as she drags him out.
The door closes, Aiden and I are left alone.
He doesn’t immediately step closer. Just stands there, staring at me like he’s scared I’m going to disappear.
“Told you to stay indoors,” he says at last.
“I did—”
“You were supposed to stay in your room. Locked. Safe." His voice rises slightly. "Not collapse as you try to shift. Not—" He stops, jaw clenching. "Do you have any idea what it was like? Feeling your pain across the gap and unable to get to you right away?"
“I'm sorry—"
"Don't apologize." In three strides he has crossed to my side of the bed. "Just don't do it again."
"I didn’t do it on purpose. My wolf just—she went crazy. Felt like the pack was in danger—"
"The bond," Aiden says quietly. "She felt us fighting. Felt the danger we were in and tried to help." He sits on the edge of the bed. “Your wolf is tied to us now. When we’re threatened, she responds.”
His hand rests on the bed beside mine.
So close. Almost – but not quite.
“What are you not telling me?” I ask softly.
He's quiet for a long moment.
Then: "Three more hybrids tried to leave campus this morning. Packed their things and walked out. The school just let them go.”
“That's good, right? They’re safe—"
"They're gone," he corrects. "Anyhow, we don’t know if they made it home. I don’t know if there was an interception."
Cold penetrates my chest. "You think—"
"I think whoever’s doing this is clever. Instill enough terror that students leave on their own. Then snatch them up when they’re alone, you were the target in particular, you were meant to leave, run off in fear and they get you…just like the others” His voice is grim. “You’re safe, that's enough. Then the school can just say they transferred.”
"So what do I do?"
“You stay. And you let me protect you.”
“You can’t be with me every second—”
“Then I’ll break rules. Cut class. Defy my father, if I have to." His blue eyes focus on mine. “Whatever it takes, Malia. I can’t lose you.”
The words hang between us, heavy with meaning.
"Why does it matter so much?" I whisper.
“‘Cause when you collapsed last night, a part of me collapsed. This thing I’ve been fighting — it became undeniable.” His hand finally moves, covering mine. “You’re not just someone I’m protecting. You’re mine. The thought of losing you — ” His voice falters slightly. “I can’t.”
My heart hammers. "Aiden —"
“I know it’s forbidden. I know it complicates everything.” He leans closer. “But I’m done fighting it.”
Then he says the words I’ve been desperate to hear:
"It's over now. The blood moon has passed. The immediate danger is dead and gone.”
Relief floods through me so powerfully I feel tears prick my eyes.
“We survived,” I breathe.
“You survived and this proves that you are ready for whatever Mooncrest would bring on.” He reaches out, and suddenly I’m being pulled forward, wrapped in his arms. The hug is tight, desperate, like he's trying to convince himself I'm real.
His face buries in my hair, and I feel him shaking slightly.
“I heard the pain of your collapse through the bond," he murmurs. " thought I was too late."
"But you weren't," I whisper against his chest. "You protected me. All three of you."
"Always," he vows. "No matter who comes next. Always."
We are like that for a long moment — holding each other, breathing each other to the bond between us humming with relief and something deeper.
Something neither of us has named yet.
When he finally pulls back, his hands come up to frame my face.
"Malia," he says, and my name has never sounded like that before, reverent, desperate, full of unspoken emotion.
My breath catches as his head begins to lower.
Slowly. Allowing me to retreat.
But I don't want to pull away. I hold my breath as the distance between us disappears.
His touch is surprisingly gentle — one hand cradling my jaw, thumb brushing my cheek, the other hand tangling softly in my hair.
His skin is cool against mine, that alpha temperature running just a bit lower than human warmth. Then his lips meet mine.
Soft. So fucking soft, my wolf says to me like an 80 year old stoner.
Like I'm something delicate he’s afraid to break. The kiss is tender, cautious, and nothing like the violent domination he displays to the rest of the world.
This is Aiden before the walls build up around him – exposed, soft, too scared to lose what he’s found.
My hand rises to press against his chest, and I can feel his heart beating fast under my palm.
His lips brush against my own with aching sweetness, as if he wants to memorize the moment.
When we finally separate, we both are breathless.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he confesses softly, “since the minute you looked at me with those defiant eyes and didn’t back down.”
I'm smiling anyway, "Even when you were being cruel?”
“Especially then. Fighting what I felt only made it stronger.” His forehead rests against mine. “But I’m done fighting.”
Out the window behind him, I catch movement.
Rowan is standing in the courtyard and gazing straight at us.
Even here I can see the emotion that flickers across his features — what we just shared, what it means.
He has one expression flicker through his.
Then he turns and walks away.
My chest clenches with a complex guilt.
"He saw us," I whisper.
“He knows,” Aiden says softly, following my gaze. “About the bond. “About what we all feel.”
“Does that make this is wrong?” I asks.
“Nothing about this is easy.” He gets up, straightening. “But it’s real. And we’ll figure it out.”
He bent down and gave one more soft kiss on my forehead.
“I love you, Malia Reed. I swear, I really do.”