Nova POV –
The growls multiplied. Left. Right. Behind. My pulse kicked, adrenaline roaring in my veins.
Kieran smirked, rolling his shoulders, like the whole forest had shown up to amuse him. "Stay behind me, Sinclair. I'll make it quick."
That was it. The way he said it. Like I was fragile. Like I'd already been benched in a game I hadn't even played.
Something in me snapped.
"I'm not hiding behind you."
Kieran turned his head, golden eyes narrowing, fangs still flashing. "Cute. But this isn't a schoolyard brawl... behind me Sinclair—"
The shadows lunged.
Three of them this time.
Before he could finish, I moved. My body dropped low, instincts taking over. The wolf inside me surged, quick and sharp. I spun beneath the first creature's swing, claws bursting from my fingertips, slicing clean across its gut. Hot blood sprayed, and it collapsed in a snarl.
The second came from the side—too fast for Kieran to intercept. I twisted, letting its claws rake bark instead of me, then slammed my boot into its leg. Bone cracked. My claws followed through, up its chest, finishing the job.
Breathing hard, I straightened, blood staining my hands, my heartbeat wild but steady. The wolf inside me hummed, satisfied.
Kieran just… stared.
Not smirking. Not mocking. Staring.
"What?" I snapped, wiping my claws on the grass.
His lips parted, then curled slow. Not the usual cocky grin. Something different. Sharper. Like he'd just seen me for the first time.
"Damn," he murmured. "Didn't think an omega could move like that."
Heat flushed through me, but I lifted my chin. "Maybe don't underestimate me next time."
The third beast lunged out of the dark, but before Kieran could blink, I was already there. Claws, teeth, speed—I ripped it down, my wolf growling in my throat as the thing hit the dirt.
Silence followed, thick and heavy.
Kieran's laugh broke it—low, dark, amused. He stepped closer, his eyes burning as he leaned down near my ear.
"You might just be more dangerous than I am."
A shiver ran down my spine, but I didn't let him see it. I met his gaze dead-on. "Told you."
For the first time, his smirk slipped into something real. Genuine. Like I'd impressed him—and he hated admitting it.
But before anything else could settle, a voice rang through the enchanted air, magically amplified. The principal's.
"Team Damien Blackwood… paired with Serena Sinclair."
The blood in my veins iced.
Kieran's head snapped toward me, eyes narrowing at the look on my face.
I barely heard him. My thoughts were already spiraling.
Serena. With Damien.
The forest didn't feel alive anymore. It felt deadly. And the danger wasn't just out here—it was in that pairing.
*****
Damien POV – The Forest
If there was a hell worse than the one I was born in, it was this.
"Damien! Did you see that? I nearly dodged it!" Serena squealed, clinging to my arm like I'd invited her to. Spoiler: I hadn't.
The beast she was referring to lay in two neat pieces at my feet, sliced apart by my claws, not hers. But sure. She "nearly" dodged it.
I grunted, shaking her off. "Focus. Or you'll be next."
She didn't even flinch. Instead, she smiled up at me like I'd recited her a love poem. "You're so calm under pressure. Is that a Blackwood thing? Oh! What's it like being the future alpha? Do you have… like… a girlfriend?"
I stared at her. Deadpan. "…Are you serious right now?"
Her eyes sparkled. "Completely. I mean, you're strong, you're brilliant, you're—"
"—surrounded by monsters with claws sharper than yours," I cut in, yanking her behind me as another beast lunged from the shadows. One swipe. Dead.
Her gasp was theatrical. "You saved me again. You're incredible."
I wanted to slam my head into a tree.
Every second with Serena Sinclair was like being gnawed alive by an overly affectionate puppy. She never stopped talking. Questions, compliments, fluttering lashes. It was exhausting.
And dangerous. Because she wasn't paying attention. At all.
"Damien," she chirped again, skipping to catch up, "what's your type of girl? You can tell me. I won't mind."
My claws flexed. My patience snapped. Not you, I wanted to say. But instead, my traitorous mind conjured an image I didn't ask for.
Silver eyes flashing with fury. A growl on her lips. Blood dripping from her claws as she stood her ground, refusing to cower behind anyone.
Nova.
I clenched my jaw. Why her? Why, of all people, did my mind drag me back to the omega who irritated me more than anyone else alive? She wasn't even here. She was with—
My chest tightened.
Kieran.
The thought made bile burn my throat. The idea of him anywhere near her—his smirk, his hands—
"Damien?" Serena's voice snapped me back. She was twirling a strand of hair, oblivious to how close another beast was circling us. "I know our families aren't really… friends. But maybe I could change that? For you?"
I turned sharply. "Stay quiet."
She blinked, lips parting like she was shocked I'd actually snapped at her. Before she could say more, the forest broke open with movement. Shadows surged, three beasts this time, their eyes gleaming, their teeth dripping venom.
Serena froze. Not ready. Not focused. Not fast enough.
"Damien!" she shrieked as one lunged straight for her.
And for the first time all night, my stomach dropped.
The beast launched for her throat.
For one heartbeat, Serena didn't move. She was frozen, wide-eyed, her scream ripping the air—
And then I snapped.
My power surged up before I could think to hold it back. Black smoke curled from my skin, the ground beneath me cracking as the demon in my blood surged forward. My claws weren't just claws anymore—they lengthened, dripping with shadow, my teeth sharpening into something feral.
One step. One slash.
The beast split in two, its body collapsing in a heap at her feet.
The other two came instantly. I didn't bother dodging. Shadows whipped from my hands like living chains, spearing straight through their skulls. The air stank of burning flesh as their bodies hit the ground, twitching once before going still.
Silence fell.
Serena was shaking, her hands clamped over her mouth. A second ago she'd been giggling about girlfriends. Now she looked like she didn't even recognize me.
I turned slowly, the glow in my eyes still pulsing, my chest heaving with the remains of fury. The demon side of me wasn't subtle. My veins burned dark across my arms, my jaw lengthened, voice deeper, rougher when I finally spoke.
"Do you understand now?" My words were a growl, thick with smoke. "This isn't a game. You don't pay attention—you die."
She stumbled back, almost tripping over a root, her lips trembling. "Y-you…" Her eyes darted over me, drinking in every monstrous edge, every inhuman shift. "…what are you?"
Her voice cracked on the question.
And for the first time all night, she wasn't gushing. She wasn't talking. She was terrified.