Fear had a scent.

Cold metal. Sharp rain. Burning nerves.

And somehow—

Ronan Ashbourne smelled exactly like all three.

My heartbeat stumbled violently as I stared at the man standing behind me.

No.

Not man.

Disaster.

The locker door beside my head slammed shut beneath his hand, trapping me between steel and shadows.

Black hoodie. Rings flashing beneath the hallway lights. Dark eyes fixed on me with dangerous amusement.

Ronan Ashbourne remembered me.

Unlike Kael…

he remembered me instantly.

“What made you think I couldn’t recognize you, Lyra Whitmore?”

His voice slid beneath my skin like smoke.

I swallowed hard.

Students continued walking through the hallway around us, unaware of the war beginning inside my chest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered.

A lie.

Terrible one.

The corner of his lips lifted slowly.

“You really should stop lying.” His gaze lowered briefly before returning to my eyes. “Your face confesses everything.”

My fingers tightened around my locker handle.

“Move.”

Instead of listening—

he leaned closer.

Much closer.

Enough for me to catch the sinful scent of cedarwood and expensive cologne wrapped around him like temptation itself.

“You disappeared from Velvet Howl too quickly last night, baby.”

“There you go again.” I glared at him. “Stop calling me that.”

“Why?” His brows lifted lazily. “You blush every time I do.”

Heat instantly rushed to my cheeks.

Traitor.

Absolutely traitorous cheeks.

Ronan noticed.

Of course he noticed.

His smirk deepened.

God, he enjoyed provoking people.

“I’m not blushing.”

“Mhm.”

“I’m serious.”

“And I’m handsome.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“How are you a real person?”

A low chuckle escaped him.

It wasn’t loud.

But somehow it wrapped around my spine like velvet chains.

“Cute.”

My eyes narrowed immediately. “Did you just call me cute?”

“No.” He tilted his head slightly. “I called your anger cute.”

Infuriating.

This man was genuinely infuriating.

I pushed his arm away and stepped out from between him and the locker.

But before I could leave—

his voice stopped me again.

“You avoided answering my question last night.”

I froze slightly.

“What question?”

His dark eyes sharpened.

“Why were you crying over my brother?”

The hallway suddenly felt too bright.

Too loud.

Too exposed.

I looked away immediately. “I wasn’t crying over anyone.”

“Another lie.”

I clenched my jaw.

“What exactly is your problem?”

“My problem?” He laughed softly. “You bumped into me twice, ruined my make-out session, shoved me against a wall, then disappeared. I think I deserve curiosity.”

I crossed my arms tightly.

“You flirt with every girl this way?”

“Only the pretty ones.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave again.

But this time—

his expression changed.

The amusement faded slightly.

“What did Kael say to you?”

The question caught me off guard.

I looked back at him.

Why did he care?

“I don’t see how that concerns you.”

For a moment, Ronan simply stared at me.

Then quietly—

“Because my brother doesn’t look at people unless they matter.”

My heart skipped painfully.

No.

I refused to let those words affect me.

Kael didn’t care about me.

I heard what he said that night.

She’s not my type.

Those words still felt like broken glass beneath my ribs.

Before I could respond, the hallway suddenly erupted into noise.

Girls began whispering excitedly.

Some even straightened their clothes hurriedly.

I frowned in confusion.

Then I felt it.

The atmosphere shifted.

Like the air itself had become heavier.

Ronan’s gaze lifted over my shoulder.

And for the first time since meeting him—

his jaw hardened.

I slowly turned around.

Kael Ashbourne stood at the far end of the hallway.

Dark clothes.

Cold eyes.

Power clinging to him like a curse.

Every conversation around us lowered instantly.

Because Kael carried authority naturally.

He didn’t ask rooms to quiet down.

Rooms obeyed him automatically.

His gaze landed on Ronan first.

Not warm.

Not brotherly.

Sharp enough to cut flesh.

Then—

his eyes moved to me.

And stayed there.

My pulse instantly betrayed me.

Ronan noticed.

Of course he noticed.

A dangerous smile slowly touched his lips.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Kael began walking toward us.

Each step felt deliberate.

Controlled.

Predatory.

The closer he came, the tighter the tension became between the brothers.

It wasn’t hatred.

Hatred burns loudly.

This felt colder.

Older.

Like two kings standing on the same battlefield waiting for the first sword to rise.

When Kael finally stopped in front of us, silence swallowed the hallway whole.

His gaze shifted toward me briefly.

“You’re blocking the hallway.”

The words were directed at Ronan.

But his eyes remained on me.

Ronan leaned casually against the lockers beside me.

“You always this grumpy in the mornings?”

Kael ignored the comment.

Classic Kael.

Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.

Ronan, however, looked entertained by the silence.

“You should smile more, brother.” His voice dripped mock amusement. “You’ll scare your future pack members.”

Kael’s jaw tightened slightly.

“Don’t start.”

The softness disappeared from Ronan’s face instantly.

“I didn’t start anything.” His eyes darkened. “You’re the one staring at my conversations.”

My conversations.

Why did those two words sound possessive?

Kael finally looked directly at him.

The tension between them became suffocating.

Students nearby had practically stopped breathing at this point.

Because everyone knew.

Something was wrong between the Ashbourne brothers.

But nobody knew how deep the wound truly went.

Then suddenly—

Kael spoke.

“Father wants you at the council hall after classes.”

Ronan scoffed softly.

“Of course he does.”

“You’re late already.”

“And yet here you are instead of him.” Ronan’s smirk returned slowly. “Still cleaning up his messes?”

A dangerous silence followed.

Even I could feel something invisible snap between them.

Kael stepped closer.

Not aggressively.

Worse.

Calmly.

“Watch your mouth.”

Ronan laughed under his breath.

“There he is.”

The hallway suddenly felt freezing.

I didn’t understand what history existed between them—

but whatever it was…

it bled.

Deeply.

Then unexpectedly—

Kael looked at me again.

“Class starts in five minutes.”

I blinked in surprise.

Was that… concern?

Before I could answer, Ronan suddenly leaned down near my ear.

Close enough for his voice to brush against my skin

.

“You should go, Lyra.” His dark gaze remained fixed on Kael while speaking to me. “Before you accidentally become part of family business.”

A chill crawled through me.

Because for one terrifying second—

Kael looked at Ronan like he wanted to kill him.

And Ronan?

Ronan looked like he wouldn’t mind dying…

as long as he dragged his brother into hell with him.