The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143

When I sat down in class, I kept my head low and stared at my notebook, even though I didn’t write a single thing. Every time

someone shifted in their seat or coughed, I flinched.

By the time the lecture ended, I was already halfway out the door.

The hallways felt smaller than usual. Louder.

I caught fragments as I passed groups of students:

“-saw it this morning-”

“-can you believe it? With him?”

“-she’s just a Beta–born, right?”

The words blurred together until it all just sounded like noise.

Then I saw him.

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Zayn.

He was standing near the courtyard steps with a few of his friends, his phone in hand. He wasn’t talking – just staring down at the

screen, his jaw tight. For a second, our eyes met across the hallway.

And then he turned away.

Something in my chest ached in a way I didn’t want to name.

So I kept walking.

Outside, the courtyard was slick with leftover rain. Mira, Lira, and Riven were waiting by the fountain, and the second Mira saw me,

she stood up.

“You saw it,” she said quietly.

“Yeah.” My voice sounded flat.

Riven crossed her arms, eyes sharp. “Someone took that on purpose.

“You don’t say,” Mira muttered, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Ha the academy’s reposted it already. Charlotte’s probably

celebrating somewhere.”

I sank onto the edge of the fountain, rubbing my palms together. “This is bad.”

Mira sat next to me, handing me a coffee. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Let them talk.”

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Chapter 143

Lira perched beside me, her voice soft. “Kael’s not gonna care, Aurora. You know that, right? He’s not the type.”

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We sat there for a while, the four of us, pretending not to notice the stares from passing students. The gossip would burn itself out eventually–it always did. But the damage? That was already done.

My phone buzzed again.

Unknown number.

I frowned, unlocking it.

Aurenya. Stop digging. You won’t like what you find.

My whole body went cold.

The name–the one no one here should know–glowed on the screen like it was alive.

I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

Mira leaned over, peering at the screen. “What the hell is that?”

Riven grabbed the phone, her expression darkening. “That’s not a random message. That’s a threat.”

Lira’s voice was barely a whisper. “No one here knows that name, Aurora. No one.”

Be careful.

My mother’s voice echoed again in my head.

And suddenly, the photo didn’t feel like a scandal anymore.

It felt like a warning.

For a long moment, no one said a word.

The sound of the fountain behind us filled the silence steady, calm, completely at odds with the cold rush building under my skin.

I just stared at the message, the words burned into my mind.

Riven leaned in first, her voice low. “That’s… not a coincidence.”

I locked my phone, heart hammering in my chest. The sound of the courtyard faded until all I could hear was blood rushing in my

ears.

“This isn’t about the photo. They wanted to get your attention.”

“Riven-” Mira started, but she cut her off.

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“Think about it. The timing. The photo goes viral, everyone’s talking and then this shows up? Whoever sent that message wanted you distracted.”

Lira’s voice was barely a whisper. “You think someone from the academy…?”

Riven shrugged, but her eyes were already scanning the courtyard, sharp and calculating. “If they got close enough to take that

picture, they’re closer than we think.”

“Let’s just… not talk about this here,” I said quietly. “Please.”

Mira nodded, her usual sarcasm gone. “Yeah. Lunch. We’ll figure it out later.”