The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 214

Liora’s POV

I found Zane sitting in the alcove of the common room the next morning. He had his knees drawn up to his chest, and was sitting in the window seat, staring out at the campus grounds below. He didn’t seem to notice me approaching, which was out of character for him. Zane never missed a chance to be an ass when a girl was walking up to him.

“Hey.”

He jumped at the sound of my voice, although he quickly smoothed it over with one of his signature smiles. “Hey there, princess. Come to join me?” He patted the spot next to him.

I rolled my eyes at the use of that nickname, but perched on the other side of the window seat, holding my coffee cup between my hands. We just sat in silence for a minute.

The common room was especially quiet this morning, which was saying something, because it had pretty much been a ghost town lately. I supposed that everyone was hiding in their rooms after last night. After what happened to that girl. Julie. Freckles.

I tried not to think about it too much, but it wasn’t easy. Every time I thought about her, I would also think about how Bianca had clearly had something to do with it but had let her other “friend” take the blame.

Then, I would think about how Callum had just stood there after, staring at her in shock. And how he probably didn’t even question her.

These were all speculations, of course. But if it walked like a duck and quacked like a duck…

I shook my head and sipped my coffee, studying Zane again. He was leaning his forehead against the windowpane now, still staring at the horizon.

“Are you pretending to be in an emo music video or something?” I asked.

“Hm? Oh.” He lifted his head and snorted. “No, I’m just…” He sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll admit it. After last night, I’m even more worried about Bella.”

My brows shot up. “Really? You haven’t mentioned her since she disappeared. I almost wondered if you were relieved that she couldn’t stalk you anymore.”

“Sort of.” He laughed. “She’s pretty crazy. But it’s not like I ever wanted to see her get hurt.” He turned his head to look at me fully. “What if she’s not really gone?”

I spotted him that night. I knew I should have stayed up to watch, and I was glad I did.

It was around one in the morning that it happened. A dark figure crept across the ledge against the wall of the dorms, then hopped down the trellis and into the grass. I saw Zane’s form moving quickly toward the forest, dressed in all black.

I didn’t hesitate. I went after him. My feet found their path on the ledge easily now, and I barely needed to grip the trellis to get down.

I caught up with him not far into the woods. He was about to shift, like that would make any of this better. Like he still wouldn’t be outnumbered by bloodthirsty rogues who were looking for me.

“Zane.”

He jumped again at the sound of my voice, but this time, he didn’t smile.

“What are you doing out here?” he hissed.