The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 26

Aurora

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The path toward Zayn’s wing felt longer than it should have, every step scraping against my nerves. My shoes whispered against the

stone, and the cold seemed sharper here, the wind knifing between the buildings. Or maybe it was just me, second–guessing every

decision that led me this far.

I told him I didn’t need him. That I didn’t want him hovering around like some shadow I couldn’t shake. And I meant it… at the time. So

what would it look like if I showed up now, after everything? After Raulf vanished and the new warden slid into place without

explanation?

Pathetic. Desperate. Weak.

I clenched my jaw, shoving those words down, but they still echoed in my skull.

The truth was, Zayn did know things. More than he let on. More than he should. He had that way of dropping little pieces of information, sharp enough to make me curious but never the whole truth. And last night… gods, last night he looked at me differently. Like he knew something I didn’t. Like he was waiting for me to figure it out.

My hands balled into fists inside my pockets. Maybe that was why I hated him. Or maybe it was why I couldn’t stay away.

I slowed when the corridor narrowed, the torches along the walls spitting orange light into the dim stretch ahead. This was the wing where the higher–ranked students lived–quieter, cleaner, heavier with unspoken rules. My heart thudded louder than my footsteps.

I paused at the corner, staring down the row of doors. His was near the end. I knew it, even without looking for the carved number plate.

The smart thing to do would be to turn around. Pretend I never came here. Keep my distance like I promised myself I would.

But then I thought of Raulf’s empty office. Of the book in my dorm room. Of the whisper in my dres woods like a threat. The sealed file with my name on it.

I needed answers. And whether I liked it or not, Zayn was the only one who might have them.

night, curling through the

Drawing in a sharp breath, I forced my legs to move. Step after step, slower with every pace, like maybe the world would give me a chance

to turn back. It didn’t.

Finally, I stood in front of his door. My hand hovered in the air, shaking just slightly before I even touched the wood.

One knock. That was all it would take.

I swallowed hard, my pulse drumming in my ears.

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Chapter 26

By now, the morning felt like it had stretched into

let, every decision layered on top of the last.

And then–1 knocked.

$84

The knock echoed in the quiet hall, softer than I meant it to. For a few heartbeats, nothing.

Then came the sound of footsteps inside, slow and heavy, dragging like whoever was moving wasn’t in a rush to meet me. The handle clicked, and the door opened.

Zayn stood there, framed in the doorway. His hair was mussed, his shirt half–buttoned, shadows under his eyes, the kind that came from stress, not rest. He didn’t look surprised to see someone there–just annoyed.

“Charlotte, I told you-“His voice cut off the instant his gaze landed on me. His whole expression shifted, the irritation shuttering into something more guarded.

“Aurora.”

For a moment, neither of us said anything. I was too caught up in the fact that he’d clearly been expecting someone else.

“Not who you were waiting for?” I asked dryly, arching a brow.

His jaw flexed, but he didn’t answer that. Instead, his voice came out rough. “What are you doing here?”

I hesitated. This was already harder than I thought it would be. “I need to talk to you. It’s… important.”

He searched my face for a long moment, suspicion flickering in his eyes. Then he let out a slow breath, stepping back from the doorway.

“Fine,” he muttered, pulling the door open wider. “Come in.”

I stepped inside; the air of his dorm was colder than I expected. The curtains were half–drawn, the room dim except for the the pale afternoon light, already losing warmth cutting across the floor. His desk was cluttered with books frantic rather than messy, and an untouched plate of food sat on the nightstand, already cold.

scattered in a way that felt

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