The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 378

Callum’s POV

“Hey, what’s the answer for number twelve?”

“I’m not giving you the answers, Drake.”

“But it’s just homework. Not like it’s a test or anything.”

“Okay. It’s D.”

Drake looked up. “Are you sure? That doesn’t seem right.”

“It’s not, but you shouldn’t expect correct answers when you decide to cheat.”

My friend huffed and returned to his work, shaking his head. I had just closed my textbook, stretching, when I felt it.

I couldn’t explain it. It came out of nowhere and went away just as quickly, but I knew as well as I knew my own name exactly who it belonged to. A brief, intense pang of anguish unlike anything I had ever felt before suddenly shot through my chest, making me gasp, and then it was gone.

Liora.

I shot to my feet and whirled toward the window, breathing hard. The pang was gone now, but I felt it. I knew I’d felt it. And it was coming from the direction of the forest.

Drake lifted his head again. “You good, Callum? Look like you saw a—”

“We have to check on her,” my wolf hissed. He didn’t need to tell me twice. Whatever that just was, it wasn’t normal. I didn’t know how I felt it or why, but I knew one thing: Liora needed me. Now.

I moved on instinct, ignoring Drake’s confused questions. I had just made it down the stairs and was halfway to the exit of the dorms, my heart pounding wildly now, when Bianca’s shrill voice shouted after me.

“Callum! Help!”

I froze.

For a moment, I just stood there, my hand on the doorknob. A growl rumbled low in my chest as my wolf pressed beneath the surface of my skin, urging me to follow Liora’s trail.

I thought about everything. The dates. The list. Bianca. The baby. The contract.

Liora and I couldn’t be together. I was still hurt by what I’d found. And yet… How could I just sit here, when I knew something was wrong, and not go to her?

I stood. Bianca’s eyes shot open. “Callum, where are you—”

“I’ll be back,” I said, moving toward the door. I needed to see. Just to be sure. I needed to see Liora and know she was safe.

“Callum! Callum, wait!”

I didn’t stop. I ran and I didn’t stop running until I reached the forest.

The smell of blood hit me first, sharp against the calming scents of damp soil and fresh spring flowers. My pulse spiked, wolf pressing harder and more urgently. I picked up my pace and followed the scent trail. There were footprints in the muddy path—smaller ones, female. Alone.

Then, halfway down the trail, I saw several larger sets. Male. They seemed to circle the smaller ones, and then there was an obvious struggle.