Chapter 3 THE FOUR BOYS

CHAPTER 003: THE FOUR BOYS

“Zev…”

The name slips out before I even realize it. My body is hot and trembling, my breath shallow. The air feels thick like something invisible is pressing down on me.

Then he suddenly appeared in front of me, but the funniest part is that he appeared right on top of me.

Zev.

His skin glistens faintly in the moonlight, damp with sweat. His red eyes burn with something dark.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I shove him back, my heart racing.

He stumbles a step but doesn’t look sorry. Not really. “I … I didn’t mean to. I couldn’t stop it.”

“You couldn’t stop what?” I snap. “Creeping into my room in the middle of the night like some pervert?”

He runs a hand through his hair, avoiding my eyes. “I told you, I didn’t mean to. I felt you calling me.”

“I didn’t call you!”

He looks up, his eyes narrowing. “You said my name, Thalira. You called for me, and I came.”

My throat goes dry. “That doesn’t mean you can crawl on top of me like… like that!”

He flinches, his jaw tightening. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you. I just…” He looks away. “It’s been too long. I thought I’d forgotten what it felt like to be near you.”

I blink. “What are you talking about? Near me? We just met!”

He shakes his head slowly, a sad smirk playing at his lips. “You really don’t remember, do you?”

“What are you even saying?”

Before he can answer, the door bursts open.

Kieran walks in first, his eyes blazing like gold fire. Cassian follows silently, his gray eyes sharp. Alaric strolls in behind them, smirking like he’s walking into gossip he can’t wait to enjoy.

“What the hell is going on here?” Kieran demands.

Zev steps back, running a hand over his face. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Oh, it looks exactly like what it looks like.” Alaric says, leaning on the doorframe. “You're sweating and she's blushing, and the bed is all messy… The classic Zev.”

“Shut up, Alaric.” Zev growls.

Cassian’s voice cuts through, calm but cold. “You broke control again.”

Zev glares at him but says nothing.

I pull the blanket tighter around myself. “Someone better explain what the hell is going on, right now.”

Kieran sighs and steps forward. “You’re not the only one confused, Moonwhisper. We’re trying to figure it out too.”

I frown. “Figure what out?”

“That mark on your back.” Cassian says softly. “It links us to you.”

“What?”

Alaric pushes off the wall and walks closer. “Basically, fate decided to tie you to four very good-looking disasters.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Kieran mutters.

Alaric grins. “Oh, I don’t need to. You do it for me.”

I cut in sharply. “Enough with the jokes. What do you mean tied to me?”

Cassian glances at Kieran. When Kieran doesn’t speak, Cassian does. “Our powers reacted the night you awakened. It’s not normal. It’s like… your energy bound itself to ours.”

I shake my head. “That makes no sense. I don’t even know you people.”

Zev’s gaze softens. “You did. Once.”

I stare at him. “Stop saying that.”

“Then stop denying what’s already written.” he says quietly.

Before I can respond, Kieran steps between us. “Enough. She doesn’t need your riddles right now.”

Zev’s eyes flash red. “I’m not lying.”

“Maybe not.” Kieran says, “but this isn’t the time.”

I cross my arms. “Then when is the time? Because I’d really like to know why my room turns into a haunted sauna every time I close my eyes.”

Alaric snorts. “Haunted sauna. I like her.”

Cassian gives me a faint and almost a sympathetic look. “Maybe introductions will help.”

He steps forward first. “Cassian Emberfell. I'm a phoenix and I'm Eighteen. I’ve died one hundred and twenty-seven times. It’s not as fun as it sounds.”

I blink. “Died?”

He nods, calm as if talking about the weather. “And burned. And resurrected. It’s part of the curse.”

“What cursed?” I blink.

“My curse.” He wink at me.

Kieran clears his throat. “Kieran Blackthorne. I'm a werewolf. I'm E

eighteen... technically. I was frozen at seventeen for the past fifty years.”

I stare. “You’ve been seventeen for fifty years?”

He shrugs slightly. “You can't blame me though, blame the moon. Not me.”

Alaric grins and steps closer. “Alaric Vexmoor. I'm a Vampire. I'm Two hundred and forty-three years old, but everyone insists I look nineteen. I’m fine with that.”

My mouth falls open. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” he says with a smirk. “I’ve seen kingdoms fall, empires crumble, and fashion crimes that still haunt me.”

Zev sighs. “Do you always have to talk?”

“Always.” Alaric says proudly.

Then Zev turns to me. “ I'm Zev Darkmoon. I'm an Incubus. I'm nineteen or something close to that. I really don't know time doesn’t really count where I come from.”

I swallow hard. “Incubus. As in…”

He nods slowly. “Dream entity. The reason you felt what you felt.”

My stomach twists. “So you mean that wasn’t…”

“Intentional?” His voice is soft. “No. I can’t control what happens when someone connected to me calls my name in their dreams.”

Kieran glares at him. “You could’ve stayed away.”

“And let her burn in the connection alone?” Zev shoots back. “You know what that does to someone new.”

Cassian steps between them. “Enough. Fighting won’t change what’s happening.”

I take a step back, trying to breathe through all the information crashing into me. “So what, you’re all just… tied to me? Because of some mark?”

Kieran meets my eyes. “Not just a mark. A prophecy.”

I frown. “What prophecy?”

Cassian’s voice lowers. “The four guardians bound to the Moon Heir. The one who will either end or awaken the world.”

I laugh, nervously. “That sounds dramatic.”

“It’s not a joke.” Zev says quietly. “You are the Moon Heir.”

The room falls silent.

My pulse sounds in my ears. “You’re saying I’m supposed to… what? Save the world?”

Kieran’s gaze hardens. “Or destroy it.”

I stare at them, trying to find a lie in their faces but they look serious. All of them.

The air suddenly feels too thin. “No. You’ve got the wrong person. I’m just…”

“Thalira Moonwhisper.” Cassian interrupts gently. “Born under the Blood Eclipse. Marked by the Black Sigil. You’re exactly who we think you are.”

I shake my head. “This can’t be happening.”

Alaric walks closer and rests his hand on my shoulder. “Hey. You’ll get used to it. Eventually or maybe.”

I glare at him. “You’re not helping.”

He grins. “Didn’t say I was trying.”

Before anyone could speak again, a knock came on the door. A girl with short pink hair peeks in, holding a scroll.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt your… whatever this is.” she says, her eyes flicking between the five of us. “but the Headmaster said it’s time for your first training, Thalira.”

I blink. “Training?”

She nods. “You’re a student now. Welcome to Duskmoor.”

Kieran gives me a look that’s half warning and half sympathy. “Be ready. The academy doesn’t go easy on new awakeners.”

Cassian turns toward the door. “We’ll come with you.”

Zev’s eyes soften again. “You don’t have to face this alone.”

I stare at all four of them. They look too powerful, too strange, too tied to me and something deep in my chest stirs.

As I step toward the door, Alaric grins beside me. “You’re either the luckiest girl alive or the most doomed.”

I glance at him. “Which do you think?”

He smirks. “Ask me after training.”

The pink-haired girl opens the door wider. The hallway beyond glows with strange symbols floating in the air. The air hums, like the whole building is alive.

As I cross the threshold, I hear Zev’s whisper behind me. It was low and rough, meant for me alone.

“Whatever happens in there… don’t fight it. Remember, we’re part of you now.”