Chapter 44 Chapter 44

Chapter 44 Chapter 44
Zaire POV

Why the fuck did her arm start glowing when she touched him?
The image refuses to leave my head. One second she was shaking his hand, and the next golden light was crawling beneath her skin like it had been waiting for that exact moment.
Why did he look like he'd finally found what he was looking for?
That wasn't curiosity on Felix's face. It wasn't fear either. It was recognition. Like something had just confirmed a theory he'd been chasing for a long time.
And when I saw him wink at her...
Something inside me snapped.
Why did it bother me so much?
I've watched guys flirt with girls before. Hell, I've done enough flirting myself over the years. So why did this one feel different? Why did every instinct I had tell me to put as much distance between him and Kaelani as possible?
I need to keep my eye on him.
If he's a witch... is he a Light Witch or a Dark Witch?
Either way, he isn't normal. Magic doesn't react like that without a reason, and whatever role Kaelani is preparing to step into, people like him are exactly the kind of variables we can't afford to ignore.
Shadow lets out a low growl.
"He won't get close to her again."
For once, I don't argue with him.
"What was that?" I ask Shadow.
He stays quiet for a moment before answering. "I don't know... but did you see his face?"
"Yeah."
"He looked surprised... then he smiled." Shadow's growl deepens. "I don't like that."
Neither do I. If he'd looked as confused as we were, I probably would've brushed it off. But that smirk... it was like whatever happened between them meant something to him.
"Keep an eye on him," Shadow says. "Until we know why he reacted like that, we don't ignore him."
I nod to myself. Felix wasn't a threat... not yet. But he was definitely a question that needed answering.
The moment Aliza and Stephanie walk over, I groan inwardly.
Of course. We can't go five damn minutes without one of them showing up. No wonder Kaelani finally lost her patience.
As soon as Kaelani is out of earshot, Stephanie walks straight over to me.
“Zaire, when are you going to get away from the butch?” she asks with a smirk.
A growl rumbles deep in my chest, and she immediately stiffens.
“Don't talk about her like that,” I say, my voice low and controlled. It takes more effort than I care to admit not to bare my teeth at her.
“I already told you whatever happened between us was one time, and there isn't anything else.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I glance at Kieran.
“Aliza, you have to stop popping up. We're never going to be able to move on otherwise,” he says gently.
“I don't want to move on, Kieran. You were mine first,” she whines.
Stephanie reaches up and turns my face back toward her.
“Are you saying you want her over me?”
Shadow snorts.
"Just tell her yes so she'll finally leave us alone. Every time she's around, Kaelani gets mad."
“Yes, Stephanie,” I say without hesitation. “I want her, and I'm not interested in any other she-wolves. My focus is on her.”
The words leave my mouth so easily that they catch even me off guard. There isn't a second of hesitation. No doubt. Just certainty.
Stephanie's eyes widen, and her face flushes bright red.
“But she's being shared by the three of you!”
Kieran and I growl at the same time.
“Whatever is going on between us and her is none of your business,” I say, struggling to keep my temper in check. “What is your business is the fact that I already told you I don't want anything to do with you. You were a one-time mistake when I first got here, and honestly...” I shake my head. “I'm regretting it because now you're clingy.”
Her mouth falls open.
Good. Maybe now she'll finally hear me.
“Are you done here?” I ask Kieran. “Because our girl is currently mad at both of us, which means Liam is getting all the attention.”
He shakes his head with a quiet chuckle.
“How does she deal with you?”
I shrug.
“A lot of yelling.”
That earns the smallest laugh I've heard from him all day, and for a second the tension eases.
“Kieran, I'm not done,” Aliza snaps.
He sighs.
“Aliza, I am. Us breaking up has nothing to do with Kaelani. It just took her coming back for me to realize I waited too long to end things in the first place.”
He rubs a hand over the back of his neck, looking more exhausted than angry.
She lets out a frustrated screech.
“This is not over, Kieran!”
She storms off.
Stephanie points a finger at me.
“Same goes for you, Zaire. She doesn't get to just come out of nowhere and take the school's three hottest Alpha heirs off the market.”
Neither of us bothers responding.
She huffs before turning and following after Aliza.
The silence that follows is almost peaceful.
“Should we be worried?” Kieran asks.
I suck my teeth.
“We can handle whatever rumors they throw our way.”
“Yeah...” He glances toward the parking lot where Kaelani disappeared moments ago. “But can Kaelani?”
The question lingers between us because neither of us has a good answer.
We walk toward the parking lot.
“Take my car?” he asks. “Or what?”
“Yours. I'll catch a ride back with Liam later.”
I climb into the passenger seat, but instead of closing the door immediately, I glance back toward the stadium. My eyes automatically search for Felix, but he's gone.
That bothers me almost as much as the glowing hand.
Kieran starts the car.
“How mad do you think she is?”
I stare out the window.
“I'm not sure. But I know you need to figure out whatever's happening with Aliza if you want any chance with Kaelani.”
“I know,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just don't know what else to do. I've never had to work this hard to break things off with a girl before.”
“Yeah.” A dry laugh escapes me. “I usually avoid the clingy type.”
Kieran chuckles and shakes his head.
"You ever think maybe it's because this isn't really about the breakup anymore?" I ask.
He glances at me before looking back at the road.
"What do you mean?"
"They're not trying to get us back anymore. They're trying to make sure Kaelani doesn't want us."
His grip tightens on the steering wheel, but he doesn't argue. He knows I'm right.
As he pulls out of the parking lot, my thoughts drift between Felix, Kaelani, and the threats Stephanie and Aliza had just thrown our way. Felix was still an unanswered question, but Stephanie and Aliza were a problem we thought we understood.
Neither of us says another word for the rest of the drive. Looking back, maybe we should've. Maybe if we'd taken Stephanie and Aliza more seriously instead of brushing them off as jealous exes, we would've seen what was coming.
Instead, we drove away believing the worst thing they could do was spread a few rumors.
We were wrong.