Oakridge High had always been loud, chaotic, unpredictable. But today… it was eerily silent, the kind of quiet that made Aarvin's stomach twist. Whispers followed him down every hallway, curling around lockers and bouncing off the walls like shards of ice.
"Did you see him drop Liam?"
"Is he hiding strength?"
"No way—he's Riyan Hale's brother. Maybe it runs in the blood."
Each sentence hit him like a brick. He didn't want this attention. He didn't want a reputation. He didn't want the fight. But Oakridge High didn't care what he wanted.
The Wolves Stir
When Aarvin entered class, Liam was absent—as expected. But the Iron Wolves were there, six boys seated like kings on a throne, eyes sharp, unreadable. At the centre, Zane Lockhart rested his elbows on his desk, gaze fixed on Aarvin the moment he stepped in. Not hostile. Not angry. Just evaluating.
The room moved in slow motion as Aarvin lowered his head and edged toward his seat.
"Aarvin." The voice cut through the tension like a razor.
Aarvin froze mid‑step. He turned. Zane didn't blink. Didn't soften. Didn't smile.
"You hit Liam yesterday," he said.
Aarvin's mouth went dry. "I—I didn't mean—"
Zane raised a hand, eyes flicking to the back of the room, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I didn't ask why." He leaned forward, voice level, calm, precise.
"My people pick their fights carefully… but if someone outside our group lands a blow, fake or real—" He paused. "—I need to know what they're capable of."
Aarvin felt his pulse spike. "I'm not capable of anything," he whispered.
Zane tilted his head. "That's what you think."
The Storm Arrives
Before Aarvin could respond, the classroom door swung open with a soft, ominous creak. Riyan Hale. Oakridge High's most feared name. Every eye flicked up; some even flinched. His gaze didn't linger on anyone. Only one target: Aarvin.
"Aarvin." The single word froze him. Not here. Not in front of the Wolves. Not in front of the whole class.
Riyan strode toward him, each step deliberate, heavy, controlled.
"What happened yesterday?"
Aarvin's heart threatened to stop. Someone knew. Someone had told him.
"I… nothing happened," he whispered.
Riyan exhaled slowly, the sound sharp, measured, dangerous. He turned to the Iron Wolves.
"Who touched him?"
Silence. Absolute.
Zane rose slightly. "No one touched your brother," he said smoothly. "He defended himself."
Riyan's jaw tightened. "Is that so?"
"Liam provoked him," Zane continued, voice calm, untouchable. "And your brother reacted—instinct, not intention."
Riyan's stare cut through the air, ice in motion, before he stepped closer.
"Tell Liam I'll talk to him."
"He isn't here," Zane replied evenly. "He'll come back when his jaw stops hurting."
A few students gasped. Riyan finally looked at Aarvin.
"Come with me."
Concrete. That's what Aarvin's legs felt like as he followed his brother out of the room.
A Truth Unwanted
The stairwell was empty, silent but for the faint hum of ventilation and the soft echo of their footsteps. Riyan stopped, expression unreadable.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
Aarvin swallowed, throat dry. "Because… I didn't want trouble."
"You are my brother," Riyan said, eyes narrowing, cold and piercing. "Trouble comes for you first."
Aarvin looked down. "I didn't win because I'm strong. I just… panicked."
Riyan's fingers dug into Aarvin's collar, firm enough to make his chest hitch.
"Listen to me," he said, voice sharp, low. _"You carry the Hale name… even if you're weak, even if you're scared, people will come for you."_
Aarvin's eyes stung. "I don't want that name… I never did," he whispered.
Riyan froze, expression cracking for a brief heartbeat—not anger, but something like… hurt.
"You're my brother," he said quietly. "You don't get to throw away blood."
He released Aarvin, exhaled slowly, deliberately.
"Stay close to me. Don't go anywhere alone. And if anyone tries anything—" His eyes sharpened, ice‑cold. "I'll end them."
Aarvin didn't know if it was promise or warning—maybe both. As he walked back toward class, one thought hammered in his mind: He wasn't just Aarvin anymore. He was Riyan Hale's brother. And Oakridge High would never let him forget it.
_To be continued…