Stefan
I knew she was trouble the moment she walked into Raventon.
A mere human, yet the entire school took notice, vampires whispering in their cold little corners, werewolves sniffing around like they could already sense something off. Even the faculty members glanced twice, their polished masks slipping for a beat.
Humans don't do that. Not at Raventon.
She was drawing attention like a flame draws moths. And nothing good ever comes from standing in the center of Raventon's spotlight.
I tried to ignore her. Hell, I should've ignored her. But then she looked up, cornflower-blue eyes scanning the room like she didn't belong here, yet pretending she did.
That was the first red flag.
Those eyes weren't soft like she wanted them to appear. No, there was something ancient behind them. Pain, maybe. Secrets for sure. I'd seen looks like that before, from creatures trying to pass as ordinary. So, no , her fake innocence didn't fool me. That nerdy demeanor, those oversized glasses, the stammering words? A well-constructed front. Like wearing lab goggles to hide a dagger.
And that attitude… Goddess, that attitude.
Rude. Stubborn. Always looking down her nose at the world like she was smarter than the rest of us. Maybe she was. But even brilliance can get you killed here if you wear it like a crown.
Still, something about her gnawed at me.
Humans have always been allowed at Raventon, though I've hated that fact for years. This place was never meant for them. It's not safe, more like a trap disguised as an opportunity. A breeding ground for vampires, even though human breeding and blood-draining are strictly forbidden.
But rules? They were made to be broken.
And that's exactly what the vampires have been doing for decades, breaking the rules in quiet, calculated ways.
Every now and then, they slip. Go too far. A human goes missing, and Raventon cleans it up like it never happened. Covered with excuses, wiped clean from memory.
I try to maintain order. I have some control over the vampire quarters, but when my back is turned, they still do as they please. Some factions don't recognize my authority at all. The werewolves aren't much better, always bristling for a fight, eager to challenge me. Still, they kill humans less often than the vampires. But that doesn't make them saints. They just use humans differently.
Why do I have power over both sides?
Simple. It's a title I never asked for. A forced legacy in this twisted hierarchy. A product of blended royal blood.
Half vampire. Half werewolf. Or… perhaps barely even wolf, since I've never been able to shift.
An anomaly.
And because of that, I've never truly been accepted by either side.
They want me to choose, but it's not that simple.
I leaned against the arched stone wall at the far end of the courtyard, shadows curling around me like smoke. Students passed in quiet clusters, keeping their distance. None dared walk too close. Just the way I liked it.
Peace, or something like it, was finally within reach, until I saw her.
Brown hair pulled into a ponytail. Hazel eyes that flicked toward mine, then quickly away. She walked right past me like I didn't exist, her human scent cutting through the air with sharp familiarity.
The bloody ingrate.
Just yesterday, I saved her from jumping off the roof, and not a single word of thanks. I should've stayed out of it. I knew better. But I didn't.
And I didn't want her talking to me either. She was a stain. An unwanted presence.
Knowing I'd have to see her face in therapy again today, I skipped the session altogether. Let Professor Namjoon punish me. I didn't care.
Hands shoved deep in my pockets, headset in my ears, not that I was listening to anything, I headed back to my suite.
Then I felt someone fall into step beside me. I didn't flinch. It was Hope, the only person I tolerated.
"So, who do you think did it this time?" he asked, matching my pace with ease.
I glanced at him, broad shoulders, messy dirty-blonde hair, then looked straight ahead. "I won't know until I investigate."
He scoffed. "You know it's them."
Them. The vampires. Of course, that's who he meant.
I liked Hope, but he was a werewolf. He couldn't always hide the disdain in his tone when it came to them. Because of that, I didn't tell him everything I thought.
"Stop jumping to conclusions," I said flatly, shutting the conversation down.
A girl had gone missing. No trace left behind. She wasn't just any human; she was a blood slave. Compliant. Familiar with the rules. Her disappearance didn't make sense.
There are humans in Raventon who know exactly what this place is. Some come willingly, curious about the world we live in. Others, most, don't. But some participate in our system with eyes wide open. Like her. The missing girl. She wasn't stupid.
Finally, I reached my door. I paused with my hand on the handle, then spoke without looking back.
"I want to be alone."
"Okay," Hope said, stepping back.
I shut the door behind me and finally exhaled. Relief washed over me. Just stepping outside this room meant responsibility, and that weight always found a way to sit on my shoulders.
I didn't bother turning on the lights. My room was pitch black, walls, sheets, and curtains. All of it. A perfect mirror of my soul.
I climbed onto the bed, but before I could even lie down, my phone chimed. I frowned. Most of my notifications were silenced, except one. One I never expected to hear from.
The school voice note app.
My brows pinched tighter. No one had ever used that to contact me, not directly. Probably because no one even knew I had a number linked to it.
So who the hell was it?
Curiosity outweighed my caution. I unlocked my phone and saw a five-minute voice note sitting in my inbox. No name. Just a timestamp. I tapped play without thinking.
And then her voice echoed through the speaker.
That rude, infuriating girl.