Eira's POV
The cold Wisconsin morning pressed against the classroom windows, turning the world outside into a blur of gray skies and swaying trees.
I sat quietly near the window, my notebook open in front of me.
But I wasn't reading.
I wasn't listening.
My thoughts kept drifting back to the party.
To Adrian.
To the dance.
To the way everything had felt so perfect for those few minutes.
And then—
The way he had left.
Without a word.
Without an explanation.
Without even looking back.
A chair scraped beside me.
I didn't need to look up.
Jake.
He dropped into the seat next to me and dramatically sighed.
"Wow."
I glanced at him.
"What?"
"You look like someone stole your favorite snack and your will to live."
I rolled my eyes.
"There she is," he declared, pointing at me. "I was beginning to think you'd been replaced by an emotionless robot."
Despite myself, I smiled.
Jake immediately grinned.
"Success."
I shook my head.
Impossible.
Yet somehow Jake always managed to make me smile when I least wanted to.
His expression softened.
"You okay?"
I hesitated.
Then finally asked the question that had been bothering me since the party.
"Why were you acting like that with Adrian?"
Jake's smile faded slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"What happened between you two?"
His jaw tightened.
Just for a second.
"Why did youleave like that?"
Jake leaned back in his chair.
His eyes darkened.
"I know what Adrian did to you."
I frowned.
"What?"
"The way he made fun of you."
"The way people questioned your character because of him."
Something dangerous flickered behind his smile.
"I know all of it."
My chest tightened.
"Jake..."
"So yeah," he said quietly.
"Maybe I don't like him."
The way he said it made it sound like the understatement of the century.
I stared at him.
"That's why you reacted like that?"
His gaze softened immediately.
"Someone hurts you, Eira."
"I'm not exactly going to be their biggest fan."
Something warm flashed through his eyes.
Something protective.
Something I didn't quite understand.
"Besides, the guy smiles about as often as a tax collector."
A laugh escaped me.
"Jake!"
"What?" he said innocently. "Am I wrong?"
I laughed again.
The knot in my chest loosened slightly.
Then suddenly Jake wrapped an arm around my shoulders in a casual side hug.
"There."
I jumped.
"Jake!"
"What?" he laughed. "You looked sad."
I rolled my eyes.
But before I could answer, a strange feeling washed over me.
A chill.
A shiver.
Goosebumps raced across my skin.
The smile slowly slipped from my face.
Something felt...
Different.
Like someone was staring.
Not casually.
Not accidentally.
Watching.
My heartbeat stumbled.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Toward the back corner of the classroom.
Toward the shadowed seat near the wall.
Adrian.
He sat alone as always.
Silent.
Motionless.
Watching.
His crimson eyes were fixed in our direction.
The intensity of his stare sent another shiver through me.
For a moment my breath caught.
I couldn't understand why.
There was something about the way he looked at me that made my pulse race.
Something that made me instantly look away.
My gaze dropped to my notebook.
Why was he staring?
And why did it make me feel like this?
I didn't notice Jake glance toward the back of the room.
I didn't notice the small smirk that appeared on his face when he met Adrian's gaze.
As if silently telling him something..
I was completely unaware of the silent exchange happening over my head.
The classroom door suddenly slammed open.
Everyone jumped.
A lecturer stormed inside carrying a clipboard.
His expression already annoyed.
"Why is everyone crowded in one place?" he barked.
The class immediately quieted.
Then the door burst open again.
"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"
Tessy came running into the room.
The lecturer turned slowly.
"Tessy."
She froze.
The entire class held its breath.
"I overslept."
The lecturer pinched the bridge of his nose.
A few students laughed.
"Sit down."
"Yes, sir."
Tessy hurried to the empty seat beside me.
The moment she sat down, she grabbed my arm.
"Eira!"
"What?"
"I cannot believe we're actually going!"
I blinked.
"Going where?"
She gasped dramatically.
"You forgot?"
Before I could answer, the lecturer cleared his throat.
The room immediately fell silent.
"As most of you know," he announced, "next week the Environmental Studies Department will be conducting a field camp at Silverpine Wilderness Reserve."
Excited whispers erupted around the classroom.
Silverpine Wilderness Reserve.
A massive protected wilderness area surrounded by dense forests, frozen lakes, hiking trails, and wildlife.
Tessy looked seconds away from exploding.
"This is going to be amazing."
Jake groaned dramatically.
"Oh no."
Tessy stared.
"What?"
"Nature."
"And?"
Jake shuddered.
"Do you know what's in nature?"
She blinked.
"Trees?"
"Bugs."
I burst out laughing.
Tessy laughed too.
Several students nearby joined in.
Jake placed a hand over his heart.
"Nobody understands my suffering."
The lecturer continued explaining cabins, schedules, safety rules, and group assignments.
But despite the excitement filling the classroom—
I could still feel it.
That stare.
Every now and then goosebumps would appear on my arms again.
And somehow, without even looking, I knew Adrian was still watching.
Adrian's POV
The moment Jake wrapped his arm around Eira's shoulders, every muscle in my body locked.
The wooden desk beneath my hand groaned.
I immediately loosened my grip before it cracked.
Control.
I needed control.
Years of practice.
Years of restraint.
Years of hiding exactly what I felt.
And right now every bit of it was being tested.
I watched Eira laugh softly at something Jake said.
The sound should have made me happy.
Instead it hurt.
Because she was smiling.
And I wasn't the reason.
Because she looked comfortable around him.
And I hated how much that bothered me.
My eyes remained fixed on her.
On the way she smiled.
On the way she lowered her gaze when she laughed.
Then my gaze shifted to Jake.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
The bastard always noticed.
Slowly, deliberately, Jake kept his arm around Eira's shoulders.
Not because she needed comfort.
Not because she had asked for it.
But because he knew I was watching.
A slow smirk appeared on his face.
A challenge.
A provocation.
A silent message.
Mine.
Every instinct inside me roared.
I wanted to rip that smirk from his face.
I wanted to drag him outside and finish the fight that had started years ago.
Instead I sat perfectly still.
Expressionless.
Silent.
Because Eira was there.
And she had absolutely no idea what was happening.
No idea that I was fighting every instinct telling me to remove his hand from her.
She looked down at her notebook, completely unaware of the battle being fought through glances alone.
Good.
I wanted it to stay that way.
The lecturer's voice pulled my attention back.
Then came the announcement about the camp.
Silverpine Wilderness Reserve.
Excited conversations immediately filled the room.
I barely heard any of it.
My attention remained on Jake.
On the silent game Jake seemed determined to play.
Something wasn't right about his return.
After all these years, he suddenly appeared again.
And I didn't believe in coincidences.
Not where Jake was concerned.
Because Jake William hadn't crossed half a continent to attend college classes
And he certainly hadn't returned without a purpose.
There was something he wanted.
Something he was searching for.
Something important enough to risk exposing himself.
The question was—
What?
Why return now?
Why expose himself?
Why leave his territory after all these years?
The upcoming camp would give me the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on him.
To watch.
To wait.
To learn.
Because one thing was certain.
Jake wasn't here without a reason.
And until I discovered what that reason was.
I wasn't leaving Eira alone with him.
Not for a second.
Especially not when she remained completely unaware of the danger standing .
Completely unaware of the secrets hiding beneath friendly smiles.
At Silverpine Wilderness Reserve, every secret would come to light.