Chapter 18: More Than He Should

VANESSA’S POV

The walk back was a blur. I wasn't just walking; I was moving like someone was chasing me. My heart was beating so hard it felt like it was trying to break out of my chest. I kept thinking about the wolf. How did it just stop? One second I was ready to snatch Melissa’s phone out of her hand, and the next, the fire in my blood just died down. It was like my body finally understood that getting caught would ruin everything.

I stayed in the shadows, avoiding the main paths where the specialists were walking around. I could see the light from their big flashlights moving through the trees. I just wanted to get to my room. I wanted to lock the door and pretend this whole day never happened.

But then, the air changed.

I didn’t even need to look. I could feel him. That peppermint and rain smell was back, and it was close. I stopped walking and looked at the sky, letting out a long, tired breath. Then Adrian stepped out from behind a thick tree, blocking the path like he’d been waiting for me the whole time.

I tried to side-step to the right to keep moving, but he moved too. I tried the left, and he was there again. He wasn’t grabbing me or being rough, he was just standing there, blocking my way completely.

I looked up at him. “Oh, for God’s sake, Adrian. Why are you following me? Are you a pest?”

He didn’t move. He just looked at me for a moment before speaking.

“You always act like you don’t want to be seen,” he said. “You leave rooms before people even notice you’re there. You sit at the back in every class… like you’re trying to disappear.”

I felt irritation rise up fast. I shifted my weight, trying to act like I didn’t care.

“Wow,” I said. “That’s either very observant or just plain creepy. I haven’t decided which one yet.”

"I'm serious, Vanessa."

I folded my arms over my chest, pulling my hoodie tight. "That’s even worse. Why are you even talking to me? Go back to Melissa. I’m sure she’s looking for her neck brace."

"You think I’m joking all the time," he said. He gave a small, tired smile.

"Because you usually are. Everything is a game to you."

"Fair." He stepped a little closer. The light from the distant dorm windows was just enough to see his face. The lazy smirk was gone. "I noticed you before the fire, you know. The tutoring thing didn’t start it."

I frowned, looking away from him. "Please don’t tell me you’ve been weird for longer than I thought."

That actually made him laugh, a short, dry sound. "I’m serious."

"Unfortunately, I can see that. So what’s the big mystery? Adrian, trust me, plenty of people are tired of you. I’m not special."

"No. I mean it," he said, and his voice got lower. "Everyone here wants something. Attention. Status. Favors. Everyone is trying to out rich each other. You never did. You looked at me like I was just some guy standing in your way."

I swallowed hard. "That’s because I like peace. And you? You bring problems. Big ones."

"Maybe."

"Definitely."

The wind moved through the trees, and far off, a security radio came on.

"When you almost fell into that fire at the beach... I was scared," he said quietly.

I looked at him, my mouth opening a little.

"And when you ran out of the library today looking like something was wrong," he continued, "I followed you because I wanted to know if you were okay."

I let out a short, sharp laugh. "You have a very strange way of caring, Adrian. You bully me. You make my life a mess."

"I know."

"You blackmailed me."

"I know."

"You’re honestly very annoying."

He nodded. "I know that too."

I had to look at the ground to keep my face straight.

"This is exactly why I avoid you," I said, my voice dropping.

"Because I annoy you?"

"Because you make things complicated. I don't do complicated."

He stepped even closer, right into my personal space. I could smell the peppermint on his breath. "Maybe you were never as invisible as you thought, Vanessa."

I looked back at him. For the first time, I didn’t feel like running.

"I don’t study people I don’t notice,” he said, his eyes still on mine. “And I notice you more than I should.”

The silence that followed was real. It was the kind of silence that makes your chest feel way too tight. I just stared at him, waiting for him to laugh it off. But he didn’t.

I took one step back, then another. I just needed space between us.

"Stop noticing me then," I said.

My voice came out softer than I wanted. Not angry. Just shaky.

I turned and walked away. I didn't look back to see if he was watching. I just kept my eyes on the dorm building.

I reached the dorm entrance and slipped inside. The warmth of the building hit me hard. I hurried up the stairs, passing a few students in the hall without really seeing them.

I got to my room and fumbled with the handle. I went in and shut the door hard, locking it and resting my head on it. My room was dark, but I didn’t turn on the light. I just stood there, listening to my breathing.

I walked over to the window and looked out. I touched the bandage on my hand, the one he kept looking at in the library. It was still stinging, but the pain felt far away now.

My wolf was quiet. It was just sitting there, waiting for something.

I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled my knees up. I checked my phone again. Still nothing. No messages, no videos. He actually did it. He really handled Melissa.

I laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Classes started again in the morning, which meant another tutoring session. I had no idea how I was going to look at him.

The fever was gone, but my blood still felt warm.

I wasn't a ghost anymore. And for the first time, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to be.