The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Aurora

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Lira snorted from across the room. “That’s putting it lightly. He looked like he was two seconds away from punching something.”

“Or someone,” Riven added under her breath.

I groaned, dragging a hand over my face and sinking deeper into the blankets. “Oh, great. Just what I need. A jealous Lycan on top

of everything else.”

“You’re acting like you didn’t kind of expect it,” Mira teased, sipping her iced coffee.

“I didn’t!” I protested, even though… maybe a part of me did. Just a tiny one.

“Sure,” she said, drawing out the word, clearly not believing me.

I ignored her, grabbing my phone from the nightstand. The screen lit up–7:23 p.m. Already?

I sighed, tossing it aside again and flopping back onto my bed. “Perfect. I’ve missed dinner, my life’s officially a mess, and now Zayn’s back, acting like he cares about me.”

“You’re being dramatic,” Riven said, grinning.

“I think I’ve earned it,” I muttered.

I pushed the blanket off my legs and stood up, grabbing Kael’s jacket that was on my desk and putting it on. “I think I’ll go see what he wanted,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

Mira glanced up from her pile of clothes, eyebrows raised. “Now?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, already slipping on my sneakers. “I won’t be long”

They started to say something–probably a warning, or a be careful but I didn’t give them the chance. I was already at the door, tugging it open and stepping out into the hallway before I could change my mind.

The dorm corridor was quiet, the kind of quiet that pressed against your ears. Only the faint hum of the lights and the distant sound of laughter from another floor broke the silence. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked, each one slower than the last, like part of me wasn’t sure I actually wanted to get there.

I told myself I was just curious. That was all. I just wanted to know why he’d been looking for me. But deep down, I knew that

wasn’t the full truth.

I was still mad at him–furious, even–but curiosity has always been my downfall. And Zayn… Zayn had this way of pulling me in,

even when I swore I was done.

I shoved my hands into the pockets of Kael’s leather jacket as I walked, the faint scent of his cologne still clinging to the fabric. It

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Chapter 139

didn’t help that every step closer to Zayn’s dorm made my chest feel heavier.

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By the time I reached the door, my heartbeat was a mix of nerves and something I couldn’t name. I hesitated, staring at the familiar

wood grain, remembering every argument, every almost–smile, every unfinished sentence between us.

Then I took a deep breath and knocked.

few seconds later, the door swung open–and there he was.

Zayn.

And, of course, he was shirtless.

For a split second, my brain just… stopped working. His hair was a little messy, like he’d just rolled out of bed, and his skin still glistened faintly from a recent shower. The light from his room spilled across his shoulders, catching the curve of muscle along his

chest and the faint scar that ran down his side.

Focus, Aurora.

I straightened, forcing my eyes up to his face before I completely embarrassed myself. His expression shifted the moment he realized it was me–whatever softness might’ve been there vanished, replaced instantly by something tight and guarded. Annoyance,

maybe even a little anger.

“What do you want?” he asked flatly, his tone cutting through the silence like a blade.

He leaned one arm against the doorframe, gaze raking over me–slow deliberate. My cheeks burned under it. But when his eyes landed on the leather jacket I was wearing, his jaw clenched. His stare lingered there, sharp and unreadable, and I could practically

feel the temperature drop between us.

Great. He’d noticed.

I swallowed, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, trying to ignore the way his eyes narrowed. “1, um…” I started, my voice smaller than I intended. “Mira told me you were looking for me yesterday.”

His lips twitched–not a smile, more like a scoff he didn’t bother to hide. “Yeah,” he said, his tone cool, almost bored. “Guess I was.”

He didn’t move aside to let me in. Didn’t even step back. He just stood there, looking at me like he was trying to figure something

out–and not sure if he liked the answer.

And for the first time in a long while, I realized I didn’t know what to say to him anymore.

May I come in?” I asked after a beat, trying to sound calm, collected like his attitude wasn’t already getting under my skin.

Zayn didn’t even hesitate. “Nope.”

Just that. One word. No explanation, no emotion.

I closed my eyes for a second, inhaling through my nose and counting to three so I wouldn’t say something I’d regret. God, he was

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Chapter 139

infuriating.

When I opened them again, he was still there–one hand braced casually against the doorframe, the other dragging through his

damp hair, looking way too composed for someone who was clearly pissed off.

“Then what did you want?” I asked, crossing my arms, my patience already hanging by a thread.

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He gave a low, humorless laugh–barely more than a breath. “Nothing anymore,” he said finally, his tone sharp and flat, like he’d

rehearsed it.

I blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I changed my mind,” he said simply, shrugging one shoulder. “You can go now.”

The words hit harder than they should’ve, not because of what he said, but how he said it. Detached. Cold. Like I was some stranger

showing up at his door instead of someone he used to-

I pushed that thought away.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “Seriously?“.

He met my eyes, and for just a split second, I saw something flicker there–something that looked like hurt–but it was gone before I

could be sure.

“Seriously,” he said, voice steady now. “Go back to Kael, Aurora.”

My breath caught at the way he said Kael’s name, like it was something bitter that wouldn’t leave his mouth.

So that was it.

“So that’s your problem,” I said finally, unable to stop the sharp edge in my voice. My arms folded over my chest, more to keep myself from shaking than anything else. “You’re jealous.”

Zayn’s eyes flicked up at me, and for a heartbeat, I swore I saw something crack in his expression–something small and raw–but then it was gone. He gave a quiet laugh, the kind that had no real humor in it.

“I’m not jealous,” he said coolly. “I’m just stating a fact.”

I frowned. “Oh yeah? And what fact would that be?”

He leaned a little closer to the doorframe, his gaze drifting down to the jacket I was wearing–Kael’s jacket. The corner of his mouth lifted, but it wasn’t a smile. It was that mocking half–smirk he always used when he wanted to get under my skin.

“You had fun yesterday?” he asked, voice light, but his eyes were anything but.