The academy felt different after the <b>attack</b>. The air was heavier, charged with unspoken fears, silent questions no one
dared to ask
The assembly that the school head had called shortly after had been nothing more than a formality–words meant to reassure, to keep the illusion of control. But the truth? The truth was in the quiet tension that thickened the halls, in the wary nces exchanged between students, in the hushed conversations that ended the moment an instructor walked by Because how the hell was a set of twenty rogues, able to infiltrate this ce? it was clear that leadership had no idea how either, and they were spiralling wondering how.
But they wouldn’t let us know that. Not at ATA.
I walked beside Max, my fingers loosely entwined with his, my other hand gripping the dagger tucked safely in my pocket. It burned against my palm, not physically, but with something deeper–something ancient.
The dagger Instructor Bastian had given me felt…. wrong.
As we passed through the corridors, my gaze flicked to the side. The door to Nate’s room creaked open, and he stepped inside, his back stiff, his movements slower than usual.
His clothes were torn in ces, his knuckles bruised, and his jaw was tight with exhaustion. He looked like hell.
My feet twitched toward him before I could stop myself, as if I wanted to go to him.
But I forced myself to keep walking.
Ethan was standing outside Nate’s door, leaning against the frame, his arms crossed. His green eyes softened when they met mine, and he smiled, stepping forward to press a quick kiss to my cheek.
“See you at dinner?” he asked, his voice gentle.
I nodded, but my eyes flickered past him. Nate never looked at me.
I wanted to say something. To acknowledge that his friend had died and I understood his grief, to acknowledge that something between us had changed. But I didn’t. Because what was the point?
Max’s grip on my hand tightened slightly as we reached his room. The door clicked shut behind us, and I released a slow breath, finally allowing myself to focus.
I pulled the dagger from my pocket and set it on the desk between us.
“Bastian gave me this,” I said as soon as I turned to Max.
Max’s silver eyes flickered to the de, his entire body <b>going </b>rigid. He reached for it slowly, his fingers tracing the runes etched into the ckened metal His brows pulled together, his jaw ticking as he turned it over in his palm.
“Do you know what this is? | asked.
He exhaled sharply “I <b>do</b>”
I waited, but he didn’t immediately borate His thumb ghosted over the ancient markings, his expression unreadable. “These runes “he murmured. “They’re old. Pre dating modern werewolf history. Back then, runes like these were used to Suppress or control our kind ”
My stomach dropped Suppress?
He met my gaze, his eyes dark with something close to fear “Not who you are or your wolf. Just your abilities
I shuddered. “I don’t want to suppress my woll, Max”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair “I know <b>And </b>you won’t” He looked like he was deep in thought for a moment before his eyes widened slightly “Wait, he mumbled “You said Bastain gave <b>you </b>this? That <b>means </b>he saw
“Yes, I interrupted before he could finish. “I thought he was going to kill me but he pulled me into a ssroom and gave
Max heaved out a sigh looking like he wasn’t sure if he needed to be grateful or confused.
“Bastian give this to you for
“He said the other instructors wor
sispered
His Angers tightened around the hat
Then that means this is really for what I think it is. He wants you to use it t
“Do you know how to do that?”
10
suppress your gift until ik
His jaw ticked. “I do”
He didn’t borate, so <b>I </b>asked. “But if they find out, they’ll kill <b>me</b>. Why?”
“I won’t let them touch you,” he said, his voice firm
He promised
I swallowed hard, believing him, needing to believe him.
1 hesitantly reached for the dagger again, my fingers brushing against the cool metal. The moment I touched it, something shifted A strange sensation hummed through me, pulling, pressing, weighing down. It was just like when Bastain handed
it to me
I flinched. “Why does it feel different when I hold it?”
Max’s eyes darkened. “Because this isn’t just metal, Jiselle. It’s magic.”
A shiver ran down my spine.
“Ancient magic,” he continued, his voice quieter now. “Drawn from the Moon herself. Back then, runes like these were carved into weapons to either control or suppress powerful wolves. To strip them of their gifts. At first, it was a gift from the moon to destroy the rulers who used their power and influence to draw innocent blood and rule cruelly. But then it became a weapon or a tool, reserved to only a few.”
“How do you know all this?” I asked. Was this a course?
“The academy-” he started, but then hissed as he gripped his palm.
His blood oath wound
“You’re telling me too much, I realized, my voice barely above a whisper.
His jaw clenched, but he didn’t deny it.
Then, something clicked in my mind. My breath caught, and I turned to him, eyes wide.
“The wounds that you all have in your palm… the blood oath <b>wounds</b>. They were sealed with a dagger like this, weren’t they?” Max flinched, a rare moment of hesitation shing across his <b>face</b>. “One like it- A sudden grunt left his lips, his palm clenching tightly.
“Stop I gasped. “Don’t tell me anymore.”
I didn’t care if I was left in the dark. I didn’t care if it drove me insane not knowing. I wouldn’t let him die for me
My heart pounded as I looked down at the dagger, <b>realization </b>sinking in. This was how they held so much power. This was how their secrets were kept
The wounds in their palms–they weren’t just scars. They were magic–sealed oaths. They ensured their silence. They ensured their obedience
And this dagger–it was humming with the same power
“Can you tell me how to use it without harming yourself? If not please don’t say anything. I will figure it out”
He smiled softly and let out a slow breath
“As long as this stays on your person, your abilities will <b>stay </b>dormant, he said. “But when you’re shifting for challenges in the next two weeks, you can make a small prick on your finger directly before you shift. Not deep enough to leave a permanent scar, because that will very well suppress your gifts forever, just like the blood oaths. These runes are activated by blood to pricking your finger night before you shift will be enough to keep you safe in wolf form for now.”
I didn’t even bother asking what the bell would happen if I shifted now without using the dagger Something told me that everyone would know <b>about </b>these gifts
allowed hard. And when the
A shadow passed over his features. Then you’ll have to decide if you want to use them”
tde My finger
against hum, and presses
forhead
“You’re safe Jisele he murmured I promise”
But even a
He was terrified. Because
Because if Max was scared en whatever It might very well