Elise felt it again.
That strange sensation.
Like invisible fingers brushing the back of her neck.
She turned slowly in her seat during class, her gaze sweeping the room. Students were paying attention to the teacher. Patricia was doodling in her notebook. Anastasia was whispering to Devin. Everything looked normal.
Except…
Silas.
The new student sat at the far back, chin resting on his palm, eyes fixed directly on her.
Their gazes met.
His lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
Elise's heart skipped uncomfortably. She turned away immediately, unease pooling in her chest.
---
Davon noticed.
He noticed the way her shoulders stiffened. The way her breathing changed.
"What is it?" he whispered.
"That new boy keeps staring at me," Elise murmured without looking at him.
Davon's eyes lifted slowly to the back of the room.
Silas was no longer smiling.
He was watching Davon now.
The air between them tightened — predator meeting predator.
Davon's jaw clenched.
---
Later that afternoon, Elise walked alone through the quiet hallway toward her dorm. The council meeting had delayed the others, and for the first time in days, she was by herself.
Her footsteps echoed.
Soft.
Steady.
Then…
Another pair of footsteps followed.
She stopped.
The footsteps stopped.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Slowly, she turned—
Nobody.
Just an empty hallway.
She shook her head with a nervous laugh. "Get a grip, Elise," she whispered.
She reached her dorm door.
And froze.
Pinned neatly to the wood was a small white slip of paper.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled it down.
I've finally found you again.
— S
Her breath caught in her throat.
---
That night, Davon burst into her dorm without knocking.
"Elise," he said urgently.
She turned, the note still clenched in her hand. "Davon…"
One look at her face and his composure cracked. He crossed the room in two strides and gently took the paper from her fingers.
The moment he read it, something dark flickered across his eyes.
"He gave you this?" His voice was eerily calm.
She nodded shakily. "I think the new boy… Silas."
The room went silent.
The door opened again as Devin and Lucian stepped in, drawn by Davon's sudden shift in energy.
Davon handed them the note.
Lucian's playful expression vanished.
Devin's jaw tightened. "A human wouldn't leave a trail like this without intention."
Anastasia and Patricia exchanged uneasy glances.
Patricia swallowed. "So… what does this mean?"
Davon's eyes never left Elise. "It means someone has been watching her far longer than today."
Elise's chest tightened. "You think he's dangerous?"
Davon reached for her hand, gripping it protectively. "I think he's already crossed the line."
---
Across campus…
Silas stood beneath a streetlight, phone in hand.
On the screen was a new photo.
Elise at her dorm window.
The lights still on.
Safe.
For now.
He slipped the phone into his pocket and smiled softly.
"They're already scared," he murmured. "Good."
Then his smile faded.
"But fear is only the beginning."