The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 316

Chapter 316

Aurora

I kept my gaze forward as the bus lurched away from the academy, tires crunching softly over frozen gravel. The warmth inside slowly

seeped into my fingers, but the tightness in my chest refused to ease.

Outside, the campus slid past in pale shades of white and stone, familiar shapes dissolving into distance far too quickly.

The bus wasn’t quiet-not really. Low voices filled the space, laughter drifting from somewhere behind me. I didn’t turn, but I knew my roommates were a few rows back. I could sense them the way you sense home even with your eyes closed. Mira’s laugh cut through the noise once, bright and unmistakable. Riven answered her with something sarcastic, and Lira shushed them half-heartedly. The sound

grounded me more than I expected.

Several buses rolled ahead of us, others trailing behind, all moving in the same direction. Too many students for one ride. Too many

thoughts in my head for such an early hour.

I rested my forehead briefly against the cool glass of the window.

Normal, I reminded myself. Just act normal.

The airport came into view not long after, lights glowing against the dark morning like a contained constellation. The buses parked one by one, doors folding open as students poured out into the cold. The air smelled sharp and clean, laced faintly with fuel and frost. Somewhere nearby, engines hummed-low, powerful, impatient.

Two planes waited on the tarmac.

Both sleek. Both already alive.

We were guided forward without confusion, staff moving efficiently, directing groups with practiced ease. Luggage was taken almost as soon as it touched the ground. There was no chaos, no hesitation-just movement.

I felt Zayn before I saw him.

He fell into step beside me naturally, like he’d always been there. His shoulder brushed mine, and then his hand found my lower back, steady and warm through the layers of my coat.

“You okay?” he murmured.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

A lie. But a quiet one.

1/3

11:32 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 316

We boarded quickly, ascending the stairs into the plane’s softly lit cabin. The interior was calm, almost muted, the seats wide and arranged neatly. I slid into a window seat without thinking. Zayn took the seat beside me moments later, his knee brushing mine as he settled in.

Behind us, familiar voices filtered in-my roommates somewhere a few rows back. I caught fragments of conversation, laughter softened by the cabin walls. Knowing they were there helped more than I wanted to admit.

The doors closed with a heavy, final sound.

Seatbelts clicked. Overhead compartments shut. The cabin lights dimmed slightly,c asting everything in a warm, subdued glow.

I watched the ground crew move below the window, figures bundled against the cold, precise and unhurried.

Zayn leaned closer, his voice low. “Once we’re in the air, try to rest.”

I huffed softly. “You know I won’t.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “Still.”

The engines roared to life, vibrations rippling through the floor, through my chest.

I tightened my grip on the armrest

instinctively, then relaxed when Zayn’s fingers laced with mine.

The plane began to move.

Slow at first. Then faster.

Runway lights streaked past, blurring into lines of white and gold as speed built beneath us. My stomach dipped sharply as the ground fell

away, that weightless moment stretching just long enough to steal my breath.

Then we were airborne.

exhaled, leaning back into the seat, Zayn’s presence solid beside me.

There was no turning back now.

We’d been in the air for a couple of hours now.

I woke with a stiff groan, rubbing at my eyes as I shifted in my seat. My neck protested immediately. I glanced up at Zayn.

2/3

11:32 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 316

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify