The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 194

Eyes on Her-2

But Alexander had the sinking feeling that they hadn’t seen the last of her.

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Iva’s room was exactly as she had left it

The small bed against the wall. The wooden desk by the window. The wardrobe where she kept her few belongings. Everything was the same.

And yet, everything was different.

She dropped her luggage by the door and stood in the middle of the room, her eyes tracing over every familiar surface. The late morning light streamed through the window, casting pale gold shadows across the floor.

Her gaze landed on the bed.

And the memories came rushing back.

Caleb waiting for her in the dark. His eyes burning with barely contained hunger. The way he had looked at her-like she was prey and predator and something sacred, all at once.

She remembered the heat of his body. The strength of his hands. The way he had fisted her hair-firm, careful, gentle even in his dominance.

The kiss. The claiming. The punishment.

Iva’s face flooded with heat.

Her pulse skyrocketed, thrumming in her throat, in her wrists, in the hollow at the base of her neck. She pressed her hands to her burning cheeks, but it didn’t help. The memories were too vivid. Too intense.

She could still feel his hands on her. Still feel the weight of his body. Still hear the growl in his voice when he had told her she was his.

“Get it together, Iva,” she whispered to herself.

She took a deep breath. Then another.

The bond hummed softly in her chest-fainter now, with Caleb so far away, but still there. Still buzzing. Still reminding her that she was connected to him in ways she was still learning to understand.

She forced herself to turn away from the bed.

She rummaged through her luggage and pulled out the envelope the king’s office had provided-the excuse letter that would cover her absences for the first week of classes. It was sealed with the royal crest, heavy and official.

Iva stared at it for a moment.

A week ago, she would never have imagined holding something like this. A week ago, she had been running from her mate, convinced that she didn’t belong anywhere.

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<Eyes on Her-2-

New she had a letter from the king himself.

Now she had a mate who would burn the world for her.

Now she had a future.

She tucked the envelope into her bag and headed for the door.

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She knew she was behind on her studies. The first week of classes had come and gone while she was at the castle, navigating ceremonies and bondings and royal breakfasts. She would have to work twice as hard to catch up.

But first, she needed to find Lori.

Her best friend. The one person who had been there for her when she had nothing. The one who had shared her food, her blankets, her laughter.

Iva smiled to herself as she walked down the dormitory stairs.

She couldn’t wait to see Lori’s face.

The administration building was crowded when Iva arrived.

Students milled about, clutching schedules and forms, their voices rising and falling in a constant hum. Iva wove through the crowd, heading toward the registrar’s office at the end of the hall.

She had almost made it when she felt it again.

The feeling.

The same prickle at the back of her neck she had experienced when she first entered the campus. The sensation of being watched. Studied. Measured.

She stopped.

Turned slowly.

The hallway behind her was full of students-talking, laughing, moving from one place to another. None of them were looking at her. None of them seemed to notice her at all.

But the feeling didn’t go away.

Iva’s heart beat faster. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin, alert and uneasy.

“Avalon?” she thought, not daring to speak aloud. “Are you there?”

A soft voice answered in her mind. “I’m here. You are right. Someone is watching us. I can feel it too.”

Iva’s blood chilled.

“Who?”

“I don’t know yet. Be careful.”

Eyes on Her-

Iva swallowed hard and continued walking. She didn’t look back again.

But she felt those eyes on her the entire way.

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