Marked by Midnight

Chapter 8

An Unwanted Attention

I woke up that morning with the strange feeling that something was about to happen. I couldn't explain it.

Nothing had happened yet. The Hayes residence was unusually quiet, the morning light coming through the curtains as I got ready for school. Everything looked normal. But somehow, I didn't feel normal. Maybe it was because of the eastern wing.

Ever since I had seen that locked door, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I still didn't know who was behind it or why Ravina had been so quick to pull me away.

There was something Alaric wasn't telling me. There was something everyone wasn't telling me.

And I was beginning to hate that feeling.

"You're going to be late."

Seraphine's voice came from outside my room.

I grabbed my bag and opened the door.

"Coming."

I left my room and found her waiting in the hallway. She looked at me for a moment, her eyes moving over my face as though she was trying to figure out how tired I really was.

"You look like you didn't sleep."

"I slept," I replied, forcing a small smile.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"That wasn't my question."

I smiled faintly.

"I've just got a lot on my mind."

Seraphine sighed, but there was a small smile at the corner of her lips.

"Then stop thinking so much."

I gave her a look as we started walking downstairs.

"If only it were that easy."

She laughed, and I couldn't help smiling with her as we headed downstairs.

After breakfast, we left the Hayes residence for Moonridge Academy.

The academy wasn't a place I lived in. It was simply where I went for classes, and after everything that had happened with the mate ceremony, I was honestly grateful for that. I didn't want to wake up surrounded by people who were constantly watching me.

Unfortunately, going to school didn't mean I could escape them. The moment we entered the academy grounds, I noticed the looks. Whispers followed us through the courtyard.

I tried to ignore them.

Seraphine didn't.

"They're still talking about it," she said, glancing around at the students who quickly looked away whenever she caught them staring.

"I know."

She shook her head, clearly irritated.

"You'd think they'd find something else to discuss."

"They will eventually," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

Seraphine looked at me.

"Are you sure?"

I gave her a small, helpless smile.

"No."

That made her laugh.

I smiled too, but the sound didn't last long.

The mate ceremony still hung over me.

Three mates. Three rejections.

Kyle Draven. Damon Ravencroft. Lucian Vayna.

Even thinking their names made something uncomfortable twist inside my chest. I hated that.

They had rejected me. I shouldn't care what they thought.

I shouldn't care whether they looked at me or walked past me. And I definitely shouldn't care about what happened next.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

Classes passed slowly. By lunchtime, I was ready to leave the classroom.

"I'm starving," Seraphine said as we walked down the corridor, placing a hand over her stomach as if she hadn't eaten in days.

I glanced at her.

"You said that before breakfast."

She gave me an offended look.

"That was hours ago."

I raised an eyebrow.

"It's barely lunchtime."

"Exactly." She spread her hands dramatically. "I've suffered long enough."

I laughed.

We entered the refectory together.

The room was already crowded.

Students filled most of the tables, and the noise of conversations echoed around us.

I looked towards the food line.

Then I stopped.

They were there.

The three of them.

Kyle sat with Damon and Lucian at a table near the far side of the room.

I immediately looked away.

I didn't want them to notice me.

That was probably the worst thing I could have done.

Because when I looked back a few seconds later, Damon was already looking at me.

Our eyes met.

He smiled.

I turned away.

"Don't," Seraphine said beside me.

I looked at her, confused.

"Don't what?"

She gave me a knowing look.

"Whatever you're thinking."

I tried to keep my expression innocent.

"I'm thinking about food."

"Sure," she replied, her tone making it obvious she didn't believe me.

We joined the line.

I tried to concentrate on anything except the three men behind us.

After collecting our meals, we searched for an empty table. There weren't many.

"Over there," Seraphine said, pointing towards a table near the windows.

I followed her.

The refectory was crowded, and students kept moving around us. Someone brushed against my shoulder, and I stepped aside.

Another person moved in front of me.

I took another step backwards.

My heel caught against the leg of a chair.

Everything happened so quickly.

My balance disappeared.

My tray tilted in my hands.

I reached out instinctively.

There was nothing to hold on to.

Then an arm wrapped around my waist.

Another hand caught my wrist.

I froze.

For one terrifying second, I thought I was going to fall in front of everyone.

Then I realised I wasn't falling anymore.

I looked up.

Kyle.

He was holding me steady.

His face was close to mine, and there was something in his expression that I couldn't understand.

Concern.

Real concern.

"Are you hurt?"

His voice was quieter than I expected, and his eyes searched my face as if he was trying to make sure I wasn't hiding an injury from him.

I swallowed.

"No."

He didn't move immediately.

His gaze stayed on me, his expression still serious as though he wasn't completely convinced.

"I'm fine," I repeated, trying to reassure him.

His arm slowly left my waist.

The warmth disappeared with it.

I straightened myself and adjusted my grip on the tray.

"I had it."

One eyebrow lifted.

"You were falling."

"I know."

Kyle stared at me for a moment, his expression almost amused now.

"So?"

I stared back at him.

He stared back.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he took the tray from my hands.

"I'll carry this."

I blinked at him.

"You don't have to."

"I know."

He said it so calmly that I didn't even have time to argue.

He walked towards the table before I could say anything else.

I stood there for a second, watching him leave with my tray.

Seraphine came closer. Her eyes were wide, and there was an obvious smile she was trying very hard to hide.

"What?" I asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Nothing."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Seraphine."

She pressed her lips together, clearly fighting a laugh.

"Absolutely nothing."

I followed Kyle.

He placed my tray on the table and looked at me.

"Careful next time."

I frowned.

"I was being careful."

Kyle's mouth twitched slightly, and there was something almost playful in his voice.

"Clearly."

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away.

I watched him return to his table.

My chest felt strange.

Why had he done that?

He had rejected me.

He had stood in front of everyone and told me he couldn't accept me.

Yet when I fell, he hadn't even thought twice before catching me.

I didn't understand him.

And honestly, I didn't want to.

I sat beside Seraphine.

She leaned towards me, a knowing expression already spreading across her face.

"That was interesting."

I gave her a warning look.

"It wasn't."

"He caught you."

"Because I fell."

She gave me a look that said she wasn't buying my explanation.

"He could have let you fall."

I turned towards her, pretending to be offended.

"You're supposed to be my friend."

She smiled innocently.

"I am."

"Then stop making this weird."

She laughed.

I picked up my spoon and tried to focus on my food.

It didn't work.

I could feel someone watching me.

I looked up.

Damon.

He was staring at me from across the room.

This time, he didn't smile.

His expression was different.

Almost thoughtful.

I quickly looked away.

Then I noticed Lucian.

He was watching too.

Unlike Damon, he didn't look amused or irritated.

He simply observed me.

That somehow made me more uncomfortable.

Why were all three of them suddenly paying attention to me?

Hadn't they already made their decision?

Before I could think about it any further, the refectory doors opened.

Ravina walked in.

Two girls followed closely behind her.

She looked around the room.

Her eyes landed on me.

Then they moved towards Kyle.

I watched the change in her expression.

It was small.

Almost invisible.

But it was there.

She walked towards us.

"Elena."

I looked up.

"Ravina."

She smiled.

It was polite.

Too polite.

"I heard you had a little accident."

"I'm fine."

She studied me for a moment before giving a small nod.

"I can see that."

Her eyes moved towards Kyle.

Then back to me.

"He caught you, didn't he?"

I nodded.

"He helped me."

Ravina's smile tightened. The change was subtle, but I noticed the way her lips pressed together before she spoke again.

"Kyle has always been very helpful."

There was something about the way she said it that made me uncomfortable.

I didn't know what to say.

She leaned closer, lowering her voice.

"Just don't misunderstand his actions."

I frowned.

"I wasn't."

"Good."

She straightened, her polite smile returning as though the conversation had been perfectly normal.

"Because sometimes people can mistake kindness for something more."

I looked at her, trying to understand what she was really warning me about.

"I don't think I did."

She smiled again.

"Then we're clear."

She turned to leave.

Then she stopped.

Without looking back, she said, "You should be careful, Elena. Not everyone here is as patient with you as they pretend to be."

My stomach tightened.

I watched her walk away.

"What was that supposed to mean?" I asked, turning towards Seraphine.

Seraphine shook her head, but her expression was more serious now.

"I don't know."

But she did.

Or at least, she had an idea.

I looked towards Kyle.

He was talking to Damon now.

Lucian sat beside them, quiet as always.

None of them were looking at me.

At least, not anymore.

I lowered my eyes to my food.

I wanted things to go back to the way they were before the ceremony.

Before three men had been revealed as my mates.

Before they rejected me.

Before everyone started watching me.

But deep down, I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Something had shifted.

I didn't know what it was yet.

I only knew that Kyle's reaction had been different.

Damon was watching me differently.

Lucian was noticing things I couldn't understand.

And Ravina had just made it very clear that she didn't like any of it.

I took another bite of food, trying to convince myself that none of it mattered.

But for the first time since the rejection, I wondered if the three men were beginning to regret their decision.

And that thought scared me more than I wanted to admit.