The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Aurora

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“You should go. Those three words hit harder than I expected. I froze, my mind already spinning with questions I wanted to ask him–questions about where

the King had taken him, what had happened while he was gone–but the words caught in my throat. My chest felt tight, like the air had been squeezed out

of it.

Instead of pushing, I just nodded, forcing a small, quiet agreement. “Okay… you’re right,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. My stomach

twisted, though, because there was so much left unsaid, so much I wanted to demand answers about.

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He didn’t respond, just gave a curt nod in return, his expression unreadable as always. I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as I turned, a mixture of

concern and frustration lingering there, unspoken.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to shake off the unease settling over me. “But… we’ll start on that book tomorrow, right?” I added, almost

pleading, hoping to anchor myself to something familiar.

Another nod. No words this time. Nothing but silence.

I exhaled, letting the tension drain a little from my shoulders, and turned toward the door. My fingers lingered on the handle for a heartbeat before I pushed it open and stepped outside, closing it behind me. The hallway was quiet, dimly lit by the soft glow of the torches along the walls. I paused for a moment,

letting my thoughts settle, letting the echo of his presence fade.

I pulled out my phone, glancing at the screen. 8:15 p.m. Great. Late, and my stomach was growling in protest. I hadn’t eaten since morning, and the thought of going straight back to my dorm without grabbing something made my stomach twist tighter.

Decision made, I turned toward the canteen, letting my footsteps carry me down the familiar corridors. The smell of cooking drifted ahead of me, warm and inviting, a small comfort against the storm of thoughts and tension clinging to me from Zayn’s dorm. I tried to focus on the mundane task of getting food, forcing my mind to stop circling the same questions: Where had the King taken Zayn? Will he get back with Charlotte because of King’s threats…or… not?

With a resigned sigh, I pushed open the canteen doors, letting the warm, bustling atmosphere wash over me. Maybe tonight, I’d at least eat something.

The canteen was warm, filled with the hum of students talking and laughing, the clinking of dishes, and the occasional shout from someone across the room. I grabbed a tray, piled on something edible, and found a small corner table My stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten in hours, but my mind wasn’t on the food. Every bite was mechanical, my thoughts drifting back to Zayn to Zade, to the weight of the King’s looming presence.

I tried to focus on the chatter around me, catching fragments of conversations about classes, exams, and upcoming duels, but it all felt distant. The warmth of the food was comforting, grounding me slightly, but the tension from earlier sll clung like a shadow I couldn’t shake.

By the time I finished, the hall was starting to empty, the last stragglers heading back to their dorms. I grabbed my tray and made my way back, moving quickly through the corridors, eager to get somewhere quiet, somewhere I could think without being bombarded by questions or expectations.

When I pushed open the door to our dorm, I was greeted by the familiar sight of my roommates–Lira, Riven, Selene, and Mira–lounging on their beds, chatting and laughing softly. They all turned when they heard me, their expressions immediately curious, almost expectant.

“There you are!” Lira exclaimed, hopping off her bed. “Where have you been? We’ve been wondering if you were kidnapped!” she said jokingly.

Riven leaned forward, eyes sharp and probing. “Yeah, seriously. You disappeared for hours. What were you doing?”

Selene added, softer but insistent, “You look… different. Something happen?”

Mira bounced a little on the edge of her bed. “Tell us everything!”

Chapter 51

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I took a deep breath, bracing myself. Their questions came fast, too fast, and for moment I considered dodging them, giving some vague answer. But I knew that wasn’t me. I couldn’t lie to them. Not when they were always there for me.

“… I went to Zayn’s dorm,” I admitted slowly, watching their faces shift from curiosity to surprise. ‘So we can start on translating that Latin book. But he

wasn’t there.

Their eyes widened. Lira practically leaned over the edge of the bed to hear more “Not there?”

I swallowed hard, feeling my chest tighten. “His… older brother was there. Zade… I met him.”

The room went quiet for a moment, the four of them staring at me as if I’d just dropped some kind of bomb.

“You met… Zade?” Riven asked carefully, her voice tinged with caution. “The oldest one? Zayn’s brother?”

“Yeah, I muttered. “Not what I expected, let me tell you that.”

Mira grinned. “Okay, I have to ask–who’s hotter? Zayn or Zade?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me. “Seriously? You guys care about that right now?”

“Of course we care,” Lira said, mock–offended. “It’s important intel!”

I groaned, sinking onto my bed. “Fine… Zayn’s better looking, I guess. But Zade… he’s got this… dangerous, brooding thing going on.”

Riven smirked. “Oh, so you’re saying Zade’s the bad boy type. I like it.”

Mira giggled, twirling a strand of her hair. “I think you just like trouble, Aurora.”

I shook my head, smiling despite myself. “Maybe. But right now, I just want to focus on getting that book translated tomorrow.

Lira leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief. “So… tell us! What did you ever talk about while Zayn was gone?”

I froze, caught off guard by the question. “Uh… nothing really. Just… stuff,” I mumbled, shrugging.

“Stuff? Come on, Aurora. You don’t get to just say ‘stuff‘ and leave it at that,” Riven teased, nudging me with her elbow.

Mira giggled and added, “Yeah, spill it! Was he… nice? Scary? Did he flirt with you or something?”

I rolled my eyes, though a small smile tugged at my lips. “He’s… different. Older than Zayn, of course. He’s more… intimidating, maybe. But we just talked.

That’s it.”

Before the girls could throw another question my way, my phone buzzed with a message:

Don’t forget our deal, beautiful.

Zade. How did he even get my number?

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