<h4>Chapter 603: Making Potions</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    Monday mornings at the academy had their own rhythm.


    Structured.


    Predictable.


    Almostforting.


    By the time I walked into the first lecture hall for Werewolf History and Politics, the familiar scent of parchment, ink, and polished wood had already started settling my mind into student mode.


    Mallory dropped dramatically into the seat beside me.


    "If Professor Elira starts talking about the Treaty of Northern Territories again," she whispered, "I might actually die."


    "You said thatst time," I murmured back.


    "And I meant it."


    Noah leaned over from behind us.


    "You didn’t die," he said. "You snored."


    "I do not snore!"


    "You do," Rowan added from the other side aisle without even turning around.


    Mallory red at both of them.


    I bit my lip, trying not tough as the professor entered the hall.


    The lecture began.


    Today’s topic was the political restructuring after the Second Rogue War - alliances, territorial negotiations, power bnces between council and Alphas.


    Normally, I liked this subject.


    But today...


    My mind kept drifting.


    Back to the investigation.


    Back to Naira.


    Back to the recording we had listened to yesterday.


    I forced myself to focus, taking notes carefully, writing down dates and names, reminding myself that my life couldn’t revolve around the investigation alone... even if that investigation was personal.


    After history came Runes.


    That ss always required more concentration.


    Precision mattered.


    One wrong curve, one misaligned symbol, and the entire rune could destabilize.


    Selene sat across from me, her hair tied into a loose braid as she carefully etched a stabilization rune onto parchment.


    "You are distracted," she murmured without looking up.


    "I am not."


    "You carved the anchor line twice."


    I looked down.


    She was right.


    I sighed softly.


    "Just tired," I said.


    She hummed but didn’t push.


    She never did.


    By the time Runes ended, my brain felt pleasantly full again... focused, grounded.


    Then came Physical Combat.


    And that...


    Was very different energy.


    The moment we stepped into the training arena, the atmosphere shifted from academic to electric.


    Students straightened.


    Voices lowered.


    Attention sharpened.


    Because standing at the center of the training floor...


    Was Oscar.


    Dressed in ck training gear, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing the strong lines of his forearms.


    His presence alonemanded the room.


    Even after weeks of him being our instructor, the effect hadn’t faded.


    Especially not on the female students.


    I heard at least three whispered giggles behind me.


    Mallory leaned toward me. "I swear half the girls attend this ss only for him."


    I tried to look neutral.


    Tried.


    Oscar’s gaze swept across the ss... and paused on me for half a heartbeat.


    Just enough.


    A tiny flicker of warmth passed through our bond.


    Then he looked away, fully professional again.


    "Warm-upps," he ordered. "Now."


    Groans echoed.


    We ran anyway.


    Training today focused on defensive counters - redirecting momentum rather than brute force.


    Oscar demonstrated with Kyros.


    Poor Kyros volunteered confidently... and ended up t on his back within seconds.


    The ss burst intoughter.


    Kyros groaned from the floor.


    "I wasn’t ready!"


    Oscar offered him a hand, pulling him up effortlessly.


    "That’s the point," he said calmly.


    My turn cameter.


    Facing him in training always did strange things to my nerves.


    Not fear.


    Not exactly.


    Just... awareness.


    He moved fast, but controlled. Every motion precise.


    When he grabbed my wrist to demonstrate leverage redirection, his touch lingered a fraction longer than necessary.


    Our eyes met and heat climbed up my neck.


    "Focus," he murmured quietly enough that only I heard.


    I swallowed.


    Right.


    ss.


    Not mate-bond distractions.


    By the time training ended, I was sweaty, slightly sore, and energized.


    After a quick shower, lunch with my friends felt loud and normal after that - Noah wasining about assignments, Ria was talking about weekend ns, and Mallory was still dramatic about history ss.


    After lunch came the health examinations.


    The academy had announced them the previous week, causing a brief wave of spection andints... but now?


    No one cared anymore.


    Groups of five students were called every fifteen minutes while the rest continued sses.


    It had be routine background noise since morning.


    When our group was called, we headed to the medical wing together.


    The checkup itself was quick - vitals, reflexes, basic blood sampling, energy resonance scan, and body check.


    The healer on duty smiled politely the entire time.


    "Everything looks excellent," she told me.


    Within ten minutes, we were done.


    By the time we reached the final ss of the day - Herbs and Potions - the hallway buzz had returned to normal student chatter.


    But when we entered the ssroom... Kieran wasn’t there.


    Instead, a fourth-year senior stood near the instructor’s desk looking mildly overwhelmed.


    "Professor Thorne had to step out for urgent matters," he announced. "So... just work on your projects. Or notes. Or practice potions. Whatever."


    Mallory’s eyes lit up.


    "Free period," she whispered.


    Technically not free.


    But flexible.


    Which was even better.


    Students spread out... some staying in the ssroom, some heading toward the study hall or library.


    And this...


    Was exactly the opportunity I had been waiting for.


    My heart started beating faster as I slipped into theb.


    The space was quiet.


    Empty.


    Perfect.


    I gathered ingredients carefully.


    Grinding herbs.


    Measuring liquids.


    Heating the base solution.


    But today wasn’t about a normal potion.


    Today...


    I was going to try something Aurelion had written about.


    <i>Infusing healing energy into medicine.</i>


    My notebooky open beside me - pages filled with copied and improvised notes from the record book.


    I inhaled slowly.


    Then ced my hands around the vial.


    Closing my eyes, I reached inward... toward that familiar warm current inside me.


    My power responded immediately... like it had been waiting. Soft silver warmth spread through my palms.


    I focused.


    Not on releasing it outward like when healing wounds... but guiding it, threading it, letting it flow into the liquid.


    For a moment...


    Nothing happened. Then... the potion shimmered. A faint silver glow pulsed beneath the surface.


    My breath caught.


    It worked.


    It actually worked.


    Excitement rushed through me so fast my hands trembled.


    I had done it.


    Just like Aurelion described.