Shit. I should just go to sleep. Whatever it is, it’s none of my business.
But curiosity tugged at me like a physical force, and before I could think about it too long, I crossed quickly back to the door, slipping my tennis shoes back on. I’d changed out of my school uniform into a pair of dark gray sweats and a t-shirt, so I threw a black hoodie on over that, tugging the hood up over my head.
Then I stuffed my key card into my pocket and slipped out the door.
Outside, I squinted into the darkness, but I couldn’t see anyone else coming from the other dorms. Wherever everyone was going, they must already be there.
Clutching my phone, ready to turn on the flashlight at any moment if I needed to, I made my way into the wooded area near the wall.
As soon as I reached the wall itself, I realized where all the students had gone, and a little thrill of excitement and nervousness trickled down my spine. There was a gap in the high stone wall—not large, but big enough to fit through single file. Wherever all those kids had gone, they were off school property, which probably meant they were doing something super against the rules.
I slipped through the break in the wall, glancing around the dimly lit woods to make sure no one was waiting to jump me or anything. There was no marked trail or anything, but there was a small path worn from use, so I followed that.
About fifteen minutes later, just when I started to think maybe I should turn back, I heard noises coming from up ahead of me.
Voices.
As I drew closer, I moved slower, slipping behind tree trunks to stay hidden. In a small clearing, light glowed from electric lanterns hooked on tree branches, and a group of guys were gathered in a wide cluster in the open space. The whole world had taken on a primal feeling, like modern life didn’t exist.
It took some maneuvering to find a better vantage point without getting too close, but when I did, my eyes widened.
Inside the wide circle of bodies, a guy was getting punched in the face—and the one doing the punching was Cole.
He was out of his school uniform, wearing just a pair of low-slung black pants. With his shirt off, I could see the tattoos that wrapped around his arms and up over his shoulders, covering his torso and back. Underneath the swirling black ink, his muscles bunched and rippled as he took another shot at the guy in the makeshift ring with him.
The kid blocked it feebly, dancing away as he tried to catch his breath. Cole didn’t give him a chance though, advancing quickly and punching the boy in the stomach. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat, and Cole had a mark near his left eye that told me the other kid had gotten in at least one lucky hit before the real beating had begun.
I caught sight of Mason, watching with an almost bored expression as the crowd around him “ooohed” when Cole’s fist collided with the kid’s face.
Stark power radiated from him, like a predator on a hunt. His black hair gleamed in the lantern light, sweat making the strands stick together. His eyes were narrowed, but his face stayed oddly calm as he fought.
My fingers curled, my nails digging into the bark of the tree I hid behind.
I should do something, right? Stop this somehow.
But I didn’t move. All I could do was stare at Cole as he worked like a machine, blocking the wild punches the other kid threw at him before moving in to deliver his own.
He looked… primal. Wild. Unhinged.
My heart slammed in my chest, my breath coming in sharp gasps as I watched them move around the makeshift ring.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Idaho?”
The low voice from behind me made me jump, pushing my pulse into overdrive as I stifled a scream.
Fuck. Fucking fucking fuck.
I knew who it was before I even turned around. I recognized all their voices easily by now—heard them in my dreams, my nightmares. Elijah’s voice was smooth as silk, deep and almost melodic. It was the kind of voice you wanted to murmur sweet things to you, which made it all the worse when he called me names or mocked me in our biology class.
I shrank back against the tree trunk, but he grabbed my arm before I could say a word and dragged me back through the woods. When we were a good distance from the light and noise of the crowd, he turned to face me, staring at me through the darkness. I bit my lip, gazing up into his eyes as he gripped both my arms. He looked half angry and half… I wasn’t sure what.
Squeezing my arms tighter, he repeated his question. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I was just…” I shook my head. He knew what I was doing here, didn’t he? Did he think I always took midnight strolls through the woods off campus? “I saw people going into the trees. I just wanted to see what was going on.”
He sighed, releasing his grip on me so suddenly I almost fell over. He ran a hand through his bronze hair before wrapping it around the back of his neck. His usually calm demeanor had cracked, and he looked agitated. Finally, he leaned toward me, putting his face close to mine. The warm smell of oak and sage filled my nostrils, and I sucked in a breath through my mouth, trying to keep his scent from invading my body.
“This isn’t a place for you, Idaho,” he murmured softly. “Royals only. Don’t let me catch you where your nose doesn’t belong again. Got it?”