Chapter 70 Chapter 70
Harper stood in the middle of her bedroom, surrounded by piles of clothes, snacks, and camping gear spread across the bed and floor. The one-week wilderness camp was only two days away, and the house had turned into a whirlwind of preparation. Suitcases lay open, lists were scribbled on sticky notes, and the faint smell of new hiking boots and bug spray filled the air.
Kai leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with an amused smile.
“You sure you need all that?” he asked, nodding at the mountain of items. “It’s a camp, not a five-star resort.”
Harper glanced up from folding a thermal jacket, a playful glare on her face.
“Unlike some people, I like to be prepared. You’ll be the one begging for my extra socks when your feet freeze at night.”
Kai chuckled and stepped inside, picking up a bright pink water bottle from the pile.
“Pink? Really? You trying to scare off the bears or attract them?”
She snatched it from his hand.
“It’s practical. And cute. Shut up.”
They both laughed, the easy banter feeling like a small pocket of normalcy in the middle of everything that had happened lately.
Kai sat on the edge of the bed, helping her sort through a stack of T-shirts.
“So… you excited?” he asked, tone turning a little more serious.
Harper shrugged, folding a shirt with more care than necessary.
“A little. Nervous too. All those students with different powers… some of them might not like me very much after what happened with Mia and the rooftop stuff.”
Kai nodded, his expression softening.
“Yeah. But you’ll have me there. And Catherine. We’ll stick together.”
Harper smiled faintly.
“Thanks.”
She hesitated, then added quietly, “And… The One?”
Kai’s hands paused on the clothes.
“He said he’s not coming. But with him… who knows.”
Harper looked down at the shirt in her hands.
“I don’t know if I want him there or not. Part of me does. Part of me is terrified of what he’ll do if something goes wrong.”
Kai reached over and squeezed her shoulder.
“We’ll handle it. One day at a time.”
They continued packing in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of zippers and rustling fabric filling the room.
Downstairs, Samantha was in the kitchen making a list of emergency supplies, while Darius sat at the dining table, staring at a map of the camp area with a deep frown. He hadn’t said much since the confrontation with The One, but the tension in his shoulders spoke volumes.
Harper zipped up one suitcase and looked at Kai.
“You think this trip will be okay?”
Kai gave her a reassuring smile.
“It’ll be fine. New place, new people, maybe even some fun. And if anyone tries anything… we’ve got each other.”
Harper nodded, but her mind wandered back to The One — the black tears, the cold words on the stairs, the desperate kiss that followed.
She wondered where he was right now.
And whether he would really stay away from the trip.
Or if he was already planning to appear when no one expected him.
Kai noticed her distant expression again.
“Hey,” he said gently. “You okay?”
Harper forced a smile.
“Yeah. Just… thinking about the trip.”
She didn’t mention the heavy feeling in her chest.
Or the fear that the peace they were all pretending to have was about to shatter once more.
—
The school parking lot was alive with the excited chaos of departure. Buses idled with rumbling engines, students milled about with backpacks and duffel bags, laughing, hugging, and shouting last-minute goodbyes to parents. The one-week wilderness camp had finally arrived, and the air was thick with anticipation and the faint smell of diesel and fresh pine from the distant woods.
Harper and Kai arrived together, walking side by side through the crowd. Kai carried a large duffel bag over one shoulder, while Harper had a smaller backpack and a rolling suitcase. They joined the line for their assigned buses.
The boys’ bus was already boarding on the left — a separate vehicle for the male students, as per the camp’s strict “balanced grouping” rules. Kai turned to Harper with a small smile.
“Guess this is where we split,” he said. “Try not to let Molly ruin your week.”
Harper gave him a weak smile.
“I’ll try. You stay safe too.”
Kai nodded and headed toward the boys’ bus, disappearing into the crowd of guys shoving each other playfully.
Harper turned back to her own bus — the girls’ bus — and scanned the crowd one last time, searching for a familiar dark red-haired figure.
No sign of The One.
She sighed softly, a mix of disappointment and relief settling in her chest.
She boarded the bus, the steps creaking under her feet. Inside, the chatter was loud and constant — girls talking about what they packed, who they hoped to room with, and wild theories about what “power development” activities the camp would include. Harper made her way down the narrow aisle, nodding at a few familiar faces.
Then she saw Molly and her crew — Claudia and Amy — seated near the middle. They were laughing and whispering, heads close together. The moment Molly’s eyes landed on Harper, her expression soured. She rolled her eyes dramatically and muttered something to her friends, who immediately joined in with exaggerated eye-rolls and giggles.
“Something smells fishy,” Claudia said loudly, loud enough for Harper to hear.
The group burst into laughter.
Harper ignored them, keeping her gaze forward as she continued down the aisle.
She spotted Catherine near the back, waving enthusiastically from a window seat.
Harper slid into the seat beside her with a small sigh of relief.
“I’m glad you didn’t end up missing the bus,” Catherine said, grinning as she nudged Harper’s shoulder.
The bus doors hissed closed, and the engine rumbled to life. They began to move, pulling out of the parking lot.
Harper leaned back, trying to relax.
Then the voices started.
Soft at first.
Whispers.
Not from the girls around her — inside her head.
She turned around in her seat, scanning the back of the bus.
Her eyes landed on a girl running desperately toward the bus — the same girl who had been accused of being a witch earlier in the year, only to later reveal she was a hybrid (part witch, part wolf). She was waving her arms frantically, backpack bouncing on her back.
“Wait! Wait! She hasn’t—” Harper started to call out, raising her hand to get the driver’s attention.
“Will you shut up and stop causing an issue!” Molly yelled from her seat, loud and venomous.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror.
“Is everything alright back there?” he asked, voice gruff.
Harper tried again. “There’s a girl running to catch the bus—”
Molly’s hand shot out, claws extended just enough to scratch Harper’s arm — not deep, but enough to sting and draw a thin line of blood.
“Ouch!” Harper hissed, clutching her arm.
Molly leaned in with a vicious smile.
“That’s right. Next time I’ll aim for your neck.”
Harper turned back to the window.
The hybrid girl was no longer visible — the bus had already pulled away.
She sighed heavily and sank back into her seat.
Some people just don’t know how to behave,” Molly scoffed loudly from her seat.
“I don’t know, maid’s behavior?” Claudia added, making several girls in the bus laugh.
The laughter spread — cruel and pointed.
They were still laughing when suddenly a loud thud echoed from above.
Something heavy landed on the roof of the moving bus.
The entire vehicle shook.
Screams erupted from the girls.
Harper’s heart jumped.
Then a face appeared upside down at the front windshield — a girl with wild hair and a bright, mischievous grin. She waved cheerfully, mouthing “Open up!”
The driver slammed on the brakes in surprise, then quickly opened the front door.
The girl swung down gracefully and hopped inside.
Molly stood up immediately, hands on her hips.
“What sort of stupid behavior is that, Sarah?” she snapped.
Sarah ignored her completely.
She walked straight past Molly without a glance, making her way to the back and sliding into the empty seat across from Harper and Catherine.
She flashed them a bright smile.
“Room for one more?”
Harper smiled back, relieved.
Catherine grinned. “Always.”
Molly sat back down with a huff, muttering under her breath.
The bus resumed moving, the chatter slowly returning, though the earlier tension still lingered in the air.
Harper leaned toward Catherine.
“Who is she?”
“Sarah,” Catherine whispered. “Hybrid like the other girl. A bit chaotic, but harmless. She’s fun.”
Harper nodded, glancing out the window as the school disappeared behind them.
“Since we’re already sitting together, I might as well introduce myself,” she said brightly, extending her hand. “I’m Sarah.”
Harper shook it first, offering a small smile. “Harper.”
Catherine followed, her grin wide and welcoming. “Catherine. Nice to meet you.”
Sarah leaned back, crossing her legs. “You two seem fun. I saw you both earlier — Harper, you’re the one who stopped Molly from pushing that poor girl off the rooftop, right? That was badass.”
Harper blushed slightly. “I just… didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Catherine nodded enthusiastically. “She’s too nice for her own good sometimes.”
Sarah laughed. “Well, you two seem like the kind of people who make camp bearable. At least now I don’t have to be stuck with just losers for a whole week. Happy for you two here — let’s be friends.”
She held out her hand again, this time for a proper group shake.
Harper and Catherine both reached out, their hands meeting in the middle in a quick, silly three-way shake.
Harper smiled, a genuine one this time.
Maybe the camp won’t be so bad after all, she thought to herself. The woods might hold secrets and dangers, but at least she wouldn’t be facing them completely alone.
Molly, seated a few rows ahead with Claudia and Amy, turned around in her seat and shot them a glare so sharp it could have cut glass. Her eyes narrowed on Harper, then flicked to Sarah with clear disdain.
Sarah noticed and waved cheerfully at Molly, completely unbothered.
Molly huffed and turned back around, muttering something to her friends that made them snicker.
Catherine leaned closer to Harper and Sarah.
“Don’t mind her. She’s been in a mood since the manager slapped her earlier. Karma’s a funny thing.”
Sarah grinned. “I heard about that. Wish I’d seen it.”
The bus continued its journey, the city slowly giving way to rolling hills and then the thick tree line of Eldergloom Woods in the distance. The chatter around them grew louder as students speculated about the camp activities — power training, survival challenges, team-building exercises, and the mysterious “integration nights” where different supernatural groups were forced to work together.
Harper stared out the window, watching the trees grow denser. The forest looked ancient, almost watchful. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was already aware of their arrival.
Sarah nudged her gently.
“You okay? You look like you’re thinking too hard.”
Harper forced a smile.
“Yeah. Just… hoping the camp is as fun as everyone says.”
Catherine laughed. “It will be. We’ve got each other. And if Molly tries anything, we’ll handle it together.”
Sarah nodded. “Exactly. I’m good at causing distractions. And running. Lots of running.”
The three of them shared a quiet laugh, the tension from the morning easing just a little.
But as the bus turned onto the final dirt road leading into the woods, Harper glanced back one last time toward the school they had left behind.
She wondered where The One was.
And whether he would really stay away… or if the forest would bring him straight to her.