CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: SO YOU REMEMBER

Ryker stood still, his brows pulled together in surprise. He had expected Aiden to brush him off or even ignore him, but the sudden burst of anger in Aiden’s voice caught him completely off guard. His lips parted as if he wanted to defend himself, but for a moment, nothing came out. Finally, his voice lowered, uncertain.

"Did I... do something wrong? Why are you this angry at me?"

Aiden let out a long, heavy sigh, one that sounded as if it carried every ounce of exhaustion he had been hiding since he first stepped into this school. He didn’t even look at Ryker when he spoke again. His tone wasn’t sharp anymore, but it carried the weight of defeat.

"You know what... you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not like I can blame you for my own stupidity. So, please, let me go. I need to see if I can at least rectify my own mistake."

The words were spoken softly, but Ryker caught them clearly, and they only fueled the questions now burning inside him. Rectify his mistake? What mistake? What was Aiden planning? Ryker leaned forward slightly, his instincts pushing him to press further. He opened his mouth, ready to demand an explanation, but before he could, Aiden’s eyes flicked to the entrance of the building.

Aiden widened his eyes dramatically, feigning surprise. "Oh—your fiancée, Seraphina. She’s here."

Ryker stiffened. The name hit him like a spark on dry kindling, and without thinking, he loosened his hold on Aiden’s waist, turning toward the direction Aiden had pointed at. His gaze swept the hallway near the doors, searching for her familiar figure.

But there was no one.

And in that single moment of distraction, Aiden broke free. His feet carried him as fast as they could toward the entrance, his body leaning forward with desperate determination. His rainbow-colored companion shot off his shoulder and flew after him, wings flashing bright hues under the building’s lights.

Ryker blinked once, realizing he had been tricked, and when his gaze returned to the space in front of him, Aiden was already halfway to the exit. His jaw tightened, irritation mixing with the sudden prickle of fear. Because if Aiden’s words about rectifying his mistake meant what Ryker thought they did, then there was no way in hell he could let him go through with it.

Ryker’s senses sharpened. Before he made a move, his instincts tugged at him, warning him of eyes watching from the corner of the corridor. He shifted his gaze quickly, spotting a faint shadow lingering by one of the supporting columns. It was too faint to make out clearly, but he could tell it was someone hiding, watching. Probably a nosy student eager to gossip later about whatever drama they thought they had just witnessed. Ryker dismissed it for now. He had no time for rumors when Aiden was slipping away.

With one deep breath, he set off. His legs moved with practiced ease, his wolf instincts guiding him. He didn’t even need to tap fully into his strength to outrun Aiden. Even at his slowest, he could cover twice the distance in half the time. Aiden’s human scent lingered fresh in the air, guiding him like a beacon. Ryker let his lips curl into a faint smile as his speed surged.

In three seconds, he was at Aiden’s side.

Aiden’s eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. Ryker had appeared beside him as if the air itself had bent around him. But he quickly forced himself to dismiss it. Of course Ryker could do something like this. He was a werewolf, after all. What startled him would always be second nature to someone like Ryker.

Aiden scowled, irritation flooding his expression. "Why won’t you just leave me alone? Why do you keep following me around?"

Ryker’s voice hardened, deeper now, carrying authority that was hard to ignore. "What do you mean by saying you want to rectify your mistake? Don’t tell me you’re planning on leaving school."

Aiden let out a short, bitter laugh. "And what if I am? What if I’m planning on leaving this school? How is that any of your business?"

Ryker’s chest tightened. His next words came out without hesitation, sharp and commanding. "No. You can’t leave."

Aiden’s scowl deepened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "So what if I try to leave? It’s none of your business. You don’t even know me, so why do you think you have any right to tell me whether I leave or not?"

Ryker’s voice rose hotter this time, emotions pushing through before he could rein them in. "Because I know you came to this school for me."

The moment the words left his mouth, Ryker froze. His chest tightened painfully, and his gaze flicked away, anywhere but Aiden’s face. He hadn’t meant to say that. He hadn’t planned to reveal that much, not yet. But the truth had slipped out, and guilt flooded through him.

Aiden stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened, surprise and disbelief painting his features. Slowly, he turned to Ryker. The world around them seemed to narrow to just the two of them. He rose on his toes and reached out, firmly grasping Ryker’s face to tilt it back toward him. He wanted Ryker to look at him, directly, without running away.

"How did you know that?" Aiden demanded, his voice laced with anger. "You shouldn’t know about that."

Ryker forced his features into something that looked confident, even though his heart was far from steady. "I guessed. Seeing you here, I just assumed you came to Skyline Academy because you couldn’t forget me... like I couldn’t forget you after meeting just once."

Aiden’s face darkened with anger. His voice trembled, not with fear, but with hurt. "So when you stood there in front of the whole school, when you asked me who I was, you already knew? You knew who I was the whole time, and you just wanted to disgrace me? Is that what you meant when you said you couldn’t forget me?"

Ryker’s chest ached. He shook his head quickly. "I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I didn’t know what to do at that time. I panicked. The moment you stood there, introducing yourself, my mind blanked. And the first thing that came out was denial. I regret it, every single word. Please, forgive me."

Aiden’s mouth opened, a sharp retort at the edge of his tongue. He wanted to spit something cruel back at Ryker, something that would sting as much as he had been stung. But the weight pressing on him wasn’t Ryker right now. It was this place, this school, and the realization that he didn’t belong. He closed his mouth and shook his head.

"You know what... forget it."

His voice was low, resigned. He turned away and began walking again.

Ryker, desperate, followed closely. "Where are you going?"

"It’s none of your business," Aiden shot back, not slowing his pace.

Ryker reached for him again. "Really, Aiden. Listen to me. You can’t just leave. You’re here now. You’re a student of Skyline Academy, a bonafide member. You can’t just up and go."

Aiden stopped, his shoulders stiff. Slowly, he turned to look at Ryker, his gaze piercing. "I can. And I’m leaving now. Watch me."

He began walking again, each step purposeful. Ryker’s voice followed him.

"Don’t you even want to know why we feel this connection between us? Even though we’ve only met three times, and the third time is today? Don’t you want to know me at all, after pursuing me to this school?"

Aiden’s glare was sharp, his words sharper. "I don’t want to know anything and I regret pursuing someone I barely know. I just want out of this school. And I want you to leave me alone."

Above them, Rainbow fluttered happily, circling Aiden’s head as though entertained by the argument. The bird tilted his head, watching the scene like a spectator at a theater play. If he had popcorn, he would have been munching it gleefully.

Ryker’s shoulders dropped slightly. His jaw tightened, and after a long pause, he said quietly, "Fine then. If you’re that adamant about leaving, go ahead."

Aiden blinked. He looked at Ryker strangely. The shift was too sudden. Just moments ago, Ryker had been begging him to stay, nearly commanding him not to leave, and now he was telling him he wouldn’t stop him. Aiden frowned but decided not to waste his energy trying to make sense of Ryker’s moods.

He kept walking.

Ryker’s voice came again. "Where are you going now?"

"The staff building."

Ryker nodded once, a decision already forming in his mind. Before Aiden could react, Ryker wrapped an arm around his body and pulled him close.

Aiden gasped, struggling. "What are you doing?"

"Making your journey faster," Ryker said simply.

And before Aiden could even blink, the world blurred. The corridor, the floors, everything dissolved into streaks of color and sound. His stomach flipped from the sudden speed, and his breath caught in his throat.

Rainbow’s voice echoed in his mind. "I can’t follow you there. The staff building is full of powerful witches, and they’ll see through me. They’ll know I’m not just an ordinary bird. I’ll wait for you later."

Before Aiden could respond, the motion stopped. He blinked rapidly, realizing they were already standing directly in front of the staff building. His chest rose and fell quickly, his body trying to catch up with the whirlwind that had just happened.

Jealousy prickled in his chest. He couldn’t help it. The ability to cover a ten-minute walk in less than a minute... wolves really did live in an entirely different world. But he would never admit that to Ryker. Not now. Not when his anger still burned.

So instead of thanking him, Aiden turned sharply and walked toward the entrance. He didn’t even glance at Ryker.

But Ryker followed, his presence close.

Aiden turned, irritation sparking in his voice. "And why are you following me?"

Ryker shrugged, unbothered. "Because I want to."