Eli's breath caught in his throat. Jax's broad figure loomed over the boy, every movement radiating raw menace. The lockers behind them rattled with the force of the shove, the trapped student trembling under his glare.
Eli's chest tightened. What even happened? he wondered, his brown eyes wide.
Back home, life had been simple. He'd grown up in a quiet neighborhood, with parents who loved him and kept his world steady. School had always been about grades, projects, and the occasional laugh with friends between classes. Sure, he'd had companions here and there, people to talk to, share notes with, maybe even joke around but a best friend? No. He'd never had time for something like that. His studies had always come first.
And bullying? It wasn't something Eli had ever witnessed, let alone experienced. He had lived untouched by that kind of cruelty. Now, standing in Kingston's gleaming halls, watching Jax press a boy against cold metal with nothing but brute strength and an aura of violence, Eli felt his stomach twist. The sight was terrifying.
His knees felt weak. Almost without thinking, his body leaned sideways, closer to the only anchor he had Emris.
Emris noticed immediately. His sharp blue gaze flicked down to Eli, catching the way his hand trembled slightly against his side. Without hesitation, Emris shifted, his arm draping protectively across Eli's shoulders. The warmth of his presence grounded him, steadying his racing thoughts.
"Hey" Emris murmured low, his voice calm but firm. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."
The words were steady, but his eyes didn't leave Jax. His expression was sharp, alert, as though measuring just how far things could spiral.
Eli swallowed hard, his throat dry. Around them, students whispered, some covering their mouths in shock, others leaning forward like they couldn't look away. Yet none of them moved to stop it. None dared.
"Why doesn't anyone—" Eli started, his voice barely a whisper.
"Because it's Jax," Emris cut in quietly, his tone heavy. "The Executioner. No one crosses him. Not unless they want to be the next one slammed against those lockers."
Eli's stomach turned cold.
Emris gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, leaning in close so only Eli could hear. "We should head back inside. This isn't our fight. And trust me… there's nothing we can do about it."
Eli forced himself to nod, though every part of him wanted to keep watching, to understand why this was happening. But deep down, he already knew the truth this school wasn't like anywhere he'd been before.
As Emris guided him back toward the classroom, Eli cast one last glance over his shoulder. Jax still loomed, the boy beneath him trapped in a cage of strength and fear.
It was the first time Eli had seen cruelty up close. And he knew it wouldn't be the last.