-Asher-
The moment we crossed into the school, something shifted in the air—a tension thicker than the wards that lined the ancient stone walls. It wasn't just magic; it was something deeper, something older. I could feel it deep in my bones, a silent warning echoing from the very stones themselves. The kind of warning that tells you the ground beneath your feet has changed, and that nothing here would ever be the same.
I held the fox close, cradling the fragile creature as we moved forward. Its small body trembled against my arms, yet there was a fierce spark of life in those wide, shining eyes—something defiant and alive. I glanced at Alexia. The weight she carried was visible in every tight line of her jaw, in the exhaustion flickering in her eyes, but also in that fierce determination that refused to die. This wasn't just a fight against the Council or Gideon. No—it was something much bigger. It was a fight for the very soul of this place, the heart of our world, and all that we held dear.
I've always been the protector, the shadow lurking at the edges, watching and waiting for the right moment to act. But now, with the school awakening around her and her magic slowly returning, I realized the battle wasn't just hers anymore. It was ours. All of ours.
The fox stirred in my arms, a tiny, vulnerable thing that somehow felt like the purest symbol of hope. Even in this darkness, life found a way to cling on. That fragile warmth pulsing through its small body reminded me that even when everything seems lost, there's always a chance to fight back.
We moved through the cold, familiar halls, twisted and warped by the Council's oppressive grip. The banners that once flew proudly were tattered; the corridors that should have hummed with life now felt suffocating, like a wound left to fester. I vowed silently, with every step: whatever it took, I would stand by Alexia. Not just as her shield, but as her strength. I would never betray her again. Even if she never wanted to see me or have me be part of her life, I would be there—in the background, in the shadows—protecting her with everything I had.
The weight of that promise pressed down hard on my chest. I'd made mistakes—big ones. Mistakes that tore a hole between Alexia and me, and for a long while, I thought that was the end of us. But now, standing here in this corrupted fortress of a school, watching her fight through exhaustion and doubt, I knew I had to be better. For her. For all of us.
The fox in my arms was an unexpected reminder of the need to be better. So small, so fragile—yet there was something more to it. I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just some stray creature caught in the crossfire. Whatever it was, it belonged to this fight just as much as we did.
I looked down at those wide, shimmering eyes, glowing faintly with an unnatural light. The warmth radiating from it was almost tangible, like a quiet rebellion against the creeping shadows that twisted through the halls. Maybe it was a sign—a message from something greater—that even in the deepest darkness, life holds on. That hope refuses to die.
Ahead of me, Alexia moved with quiet determination, her light flickering and slowly rekindling despite the weight of suppression still clinging to her like a shackle. The school itself seemed to breathe around us, responding to her presence. The ancient magic woven into these stones whispered promises of protection and power—ancient guardians awakening to their rightful mistress.
I clenched my jaw, swallowing the knot of fear and anger that always threatened to rise. Whatever came next, whatever the Council or Gideon threw at us, I would be ready to lay down my life, because she deserved nothing less. When she first arrived, I thought she was a danger to our world—that she would change everything between me and my friends who had become family. I was rude. I was harsh. I was a total asshole. I did everything I could to push her away, even when my wolf—the raw, primal part of me—was telling me to get closer.
Then I did the worst thing I could have done to her—and to my friends.
I turned Alexia in to the Council.
Because I was afraid. Afraid of what her presence would do to our group, fearful of how everything would change. Her chaos magic scared the living daylights out of me, especially with all the stories swirling about Gideon and the destruction that power could bring.
But the wolf was right. There was something about Alexia—something fierce, something unbreakable—that didn't fit into any of my old fears. She wasn't the threat. She was the key.
Now, standing here with her, watching the strength she's fighting so hard to reclaim, I hate myself for that betrayal more than I've ever hated anything. It feels like a wound that might never fully heal.
I stepped forward, closing the distance between us silently. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me, or if the bond between us can ever fully mend. But one thing is sure: I'm not going anywhere. Not this time.
Because sometimes, the most brutal battles aren't against magic or enemies.
They're against ourselves.
And I'm ready to fight that fight—for her, for all of us.