Stepping out of the car near the school, I instinctively scanned the crowd for Nik—but he was nowhere in sight. Predictable.
What had I expected after the events in the forest? That Karimov would simply slip back into classes as if nothing had happened? He had vanished without a trace, and no one knew whether he was plotting revenge for his mother's death or trying to run from the past, to erase it and start anew. I had never sensed any deep bond between Galina and Nik; he hadn't even let her call him her son. Yet, I couldn't shake the thought that Nikita must have felt the weight of losing that unhinged woman, still his biological mother. Kostya was certain he hadn't returned to the Karimov house, and that only reinforced my unease.
A part of me still carried warm memories of Nikita, the strange comfort that had come simply from his touch. Yet another part—the newer, sharper Asya, the one the wolf within was slowly shaping—warned me against illusions. That part knew every lie, every flattering word, every subtle manipulation. One part of me thirsted for love; the other thirsted for blood. How these halves of me might coexist—or even compromise—remained a mystery I had no answer for.
The screech of brakes cut through the morning, harsh and grating, jolting me from my thoughts. Too loud, too abrupt—my instinct demanded a sharp rebuke. I turned and saw the offending drivers: the familiar cars of the Smirnov family and the Yakovlev twins. Almost at the same moment, Viola and Stas pulled into the first row near the school, usually reserved for teachers. Oddly, it was empty, and for a fleeting second I wondered if I had misread the calendar.
All five of them spilled out of their cars with the casual fuss of a morning routine. Stas opened the trunk, distributing bags and textbooks to his relatives. Diana spotted me first, waving with a glance that measured me cautiously before she whispered something to her brother. Stas responded softly, his words lost to me, though I strained to catch them.
Arthur retrieved his backpack, then Viola's, and hand in hand, the couple walked straight toward me, smiles bright and open.
"Good morning," Arthur greeted, fingers pressed lightly to his forehead. "Glad to see you're doing all right."
"As much as possible," I said. "How was the disco?"
"Awesome!" Diana squeezed between her siblings, her energy spilling over. She hugged me briefly, and I caught myself silently hoping for release. Strange, how her presence could still feel so comforting. She had always been my favorite—perhaps more than anyone else in the Smirnov family.
"Viola and I won first place for our costumes," Arthur continued proudly. "Greek mythology is going to be trendy again, they say."
"So we were ahead of our time."
"Exactly!" Both Viola and Arthur chimed in, laughing at the coincidence, their joy palpable. Around Arthur, Viola shed her armor, revealing a carefree girl with eyes that burned with the soft flame of first love. Watching them was a delicate mix of pleasure and ache—the shards of my own recent heartbreak reminded me of what had been lost.
"First transformation soon?" Diana asked, voice ringing with curiosity, and Arthur quickly shushed her.
"Diana!"
"What?" Her wide, expressive eyes were genuinely confused. "Isn't it okay to ask?"
All three turned their gaze toward me. I understood their concern. Soon the city would host another wolf, and no one could say who—or what—might be the first target. I could offer no assurances, only hope that things might remain safe.
"Friday," I said.
Arthur and Viola froze, statues carved of astonishment, while Diana's eyes softened with sympathy. The news was heavy.
"Maybe," I ventured cautiously, "you could leave for the weekend? Just to be safe."
"That's always an option," Arthur said thoughtfully. "But you know, we've never had trouble with your father. Max and Viola even go with him hunting sometimes—when some 'big game' sneaks into the local forests." He leaned in conspiratorially, and Viola nodded with approval.
"From time to time, we do make a good team," Arthur continued. "Maybe you and your wolf will get along too..."
"If you're not mad at any of us," Stanislav interjected, joining the circle. Vampire hearing was sharper than a wolf's, evidently.
"Mad?" I echoed. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"For example," Diana began, "that you wandered into the forest alone and didn't sense anything wrong."
"Or that you didn't expose Nik and Galina sooner," Stas added, dreamy in tone, as if the events reflected on him personally. He was the one who had often visited my hospital room, bringing company, trying to lighten my stay after everything that happened.
"And also that we had fun at the school disco without you," Arthur added, "even though you worked so hard decorating the hall!"
The group laughed, tension dissolving in the crisp winter air.
"All those 'if onlys' won't change anything," I said. "What happened happened. Now I just have to live with it."
"Exactly," Stas said seriously. "You. Not us."
"And partly you too. Now I'm the most dangerous neighbor in Xertoni."
I tried to make it sound playful, but only Arthur caught the humor.
"We'll see about that," he winked, pulling Viola close in a gentle embrace. "Let's wrap it up. It's starting."
"Let's get out of here. I can't stand her," Viola muttered, following her boyfriend toward the stairs.
"Asya!" Tatiana's voice rang out, and she practically leapt onto me, nearly choking me in her enthusiasm. Good thing my body was already changing—otherwise, her hug might have been painfully tight.
"You're back!" she said, and I patted her gently, waiting for the storm of her affection to ebb.
"Hey, hey," I murmured.
Finally, Tatiana spotted another victim in Stanislav and released me.
The first bell rang, and without a word, we all hurried into the school together.