Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Kaelani POV

The moment I take my seat he’s staring at me. I try to ignore him and focus on the teacher, but the staring is too much.

“What do you want Kieran?” I ask, finally turning toward him.

“Why do you seem so bothered by me when we’ve never even spoken before?” he asks.

I pinch the bridge of my nose because of course he wouldn’t remember.

That’s the problem. The fact that he can sit there and ask me that question means he genuinely has no idea.

“If you don’t know then it’s not even worth having a conversation about,” I tell him.

He sucks his teeth and leans back in his chair.

“You’re acting like I did something to you.”

My eyes flick toward him before returning to the front of the room.

“You did, Kieran, and like I said, if you don’t know then please let it go because I’m not interested in reliving it for your benefit.”

Especially when I'm not the one chasing answers. He is.

“Why can’t you just tell me what I did?” he presses.

I let out a heavy sigh.

“Because I’m not the one trying to talk to you. You want to talk to me and besides, don’t you have a girlfriend who just so happens to be my little sister?”

For a second he opens his mouth to respond before closing it again.

Good. Maybe that finally got through to him.

I turn my attention back to the teacher and hope that’s the end of the conversation.

Of course luck is never on my side.

“Is this about Aliza? Are you not telling me because I’m dating her?”

A dry laugh escapes me.

“No Kieran, it has nothing to do with her and everything to do with you, so please stop talking to me now because you're making this far more complicated than it needs to be.”

The frustrating part is that if he remembered, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

“He’s relentless,” Nyra says, clearly entertained.

He finally goes quiet and the rest of the class passes without another word from him.

The moment the bell rings I’m out the door.

My next class is Alpha Strategy and Governance, so I take the long route and cut through the quad in the hopes of avoiding Kieran.

Apparently the Moon Goddess finds my suffering entertaining.

I roll my eyes the second I walk into the classroom.

Kieran is already sitting in the back and the only empty seat is between him and Liam.

What the hell is going on today?

“Hey, I saved you a seat,” Liam says when he notices me.

A smile pulls at my lips despite my irritation.

“Thanks. Did you find your last class okay?” I ask while taking out my books.

“Yeah I did, thanks.”

“How about this one? The school was already a maze and now with the upgrades it’s worse.”

He laughs.

“I struggled but I ran into your friend and she helped me out.”

Of course Kaia helped him. She'd probably draw him a map and walk him there herself.

“So are you going to just pretend I’m not sitting here?” Kieran asks.

I slowly turn toward him.

“Yes, that is exactly what I was planning to do Kieran, the same way it’s been the entire time. Honestly, I’m shocked you even know my name.”

His jaw tightens.

Good. Maybe now he understands how ridiculous this whole situation feels from my side.

Before he can respond, Liam leans back in his chair.

“Combat is next. I get to see how the Alpha’s daughter fights.”

The subject change is such a relief I could hug him.

I laugh instead.

“Being the Alpha’s daughter has nothing to do with it. My little sister doesn’t train because she hates sweating.”

Liam laughs.

And just like that, the tension sitting between me and Kieran eases enough for me to finally focus on something other than the boy who suddenly decided I exist.

“Oh so your typical Alpha’s daughter,” he replies.

“Aliza trains,” Kieran says, trying to insert himself into our conversation.

I snort and glance his way.

“Of course she does, although I really don’t remember asking you.”

Liam coughs to hide a laugh.

The look Kieran gives me says he isn't used to being spoken to like that and honestly, that sounds like a personal problem.

“This is stupid,” he mutters.

“First thing I agree with, so stop talking to me.”

At this point I'm starting to think stubbornness is his defining personality trait.

“Attention Juniors and Seniors please report to the combat field for an announcement regarding this year’s tournament.”

Principal Rivers’ voice echoes through the loudspeaker.

“Okay well since this is a senior class, I guess class is dismissed,” Mrs. Parker says as everyone begins gathering their things.

I’m on my feet immediately.

If the universe is feeling generous, maybe the tournament announcement will distract Kieran from whatever mission he's currently on.

“What do you think the announcement is?” Liam asks as we step into the hallway.

I shrug.

“Not sure, the tournament is usually pretty straightforward.”

Every year it's the same thing. Rankings, matches, bragging rights and a chance to prove who actually put in the work over the summer.

The halls quickly fill with students heading toward the combat field.

Liam falls into step beside me.

Kieran follows behind us.

I know he does because I can feel it.

Every time I slow down, he slows down. Every time I glance over my shoulder, he's there.

His eyes burn into my back as we walk and I hate that I notice.

I hate it even more because part of me keeps wondering what changed.

Three years.

Three years of passing each other in hallways. Three years of training on the same grounds.

Now suddenly he wants to talk.

Now suddenly he knows my name.

Now suddenly he can't stop staring.

I don’t know what got into him this year, but I have enough problems already.

A magical tree that may or may not exist. A dead grandmother giving life-changing warnings. Powers I don't understand.

I don’t need to add Kieran and Aliza to that list.

Especially when I have a feeling whatever answer he's looking for isn't going to make either of us happy.