The Top Boy Is My Mate

Chapter 6: The warning

Zara’s POV

The first thing that yanked me out of sleep was the bell.

A deep, echoing sound, like some ancient church bell, but louder, and heavier. It reverberated through my bones, dragging me out of whatever restless dream had tangled me in sweat-damp sheets.

Groaning, I rolled over, groping at the alarm on the nightstand. The screen glared back at me: 5:49 AM.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered, voice hoarse with sleep.

The bell sounded again, each strike vibrating the glass of the window. I squeezed my eyes shut. Why the hell was the bell going off at this hour?

Then I remembered, this wasn’t just any school.

This is Blackwood.

Where monsters schooled behind beautiful faces.

Where vampires, I’d overheard, sometimes went for their early-morning hunts, returning before the sun could burn their pale skin to ash.

The bell. It wasn’t for us. It was for them.

I forced myself to sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The floor was cold beneath my feet.

I shuffled to the window, rubbing my arms against the chill. Outside, the grounds were bathed in silver moonlight. The bell tolled again in the distance, and I thought I saw shadows darting between trees, too fast to be human.

A shiver rippled down my spine.

And then I saw it, a mark.

Right at the corner of my windowpane, deep scratches in the glass. At first glance, it looked random, maybe a bird, like I told myself.

But as I squinted, I saw it was deliberate. Three vertical lines, intersected by one jagged diagonal s***h.

My fingers hovered over the cold glass.

Nope. Nope. Not dealing with this right now. I stepped back, drew the curtains, and muttered, “Probably just some bird.”

But even as I turned away, my skin prickled like unseen eyes were watching me.

….

By the time I made it to the dining hall, the place was buzzing, but not in a good way.

Voices were low, urgent, whispering behind hands. I could feel the tension thick in the air as I walked past tables, students huddled in clusters, heads bent together.

I slid onto the bench beside Talia, who didn’t greet me with her usual bright smile. Instead, her brow was furrowed, her eyes darting nervously around the hall.

“What’s going on?” I asked, grabbing a piece of toast I didn’t really want.

“You didn’t hear?” she whispered, leaning closer.

“Hear what?”

She glanced around like someone might be listening. “A student went missing last night.”

I froze, toast halfway to my mouth. “Missing? Like….what do you mean missing?”

Talia shrugged, wide-eyed. “No one’s saying his name. But everyone knows. He didn’t come back after dark. Gone. Poof.”

My stomach twisted. “But, why won’t they say his name?”

Talia shivered. “It’s some kind of unspoken rule. Like saying it out loud will make you the next one.”

I set the toast down. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry anymore.

I looked toward the front of the hall where the staff sat. Even them seemed on edge, their eyes sweeping the room, their faces tight with worry.

Mrs. Thorn stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the stone floor. The chatter died instantly.

Her sharp gaze swept over us all.

“Listen carefully,” she said, her voice echoeing through the silence . “No student is to leave their dorm after dark. Not for any reason. This applies to all students, yes, even vampires.”

A low murmur rippled through the room, but no one dared challenge her.

Her gaze lingered on me for a beat too long, as if she knew I was the type to test the rules.

As the tension seemed to ease, the doors to the hall creaked open.

And in they came. Atlas and his crew.

It was like watching a storm roll in. Every head turned, whispers rising, admiration mingled with unease. The girls at the table beside ours straightened, smoothing their hair, casting hopeful glances.

Atlas didn’t spare them a look. His gaze swept the room and, of course, landed right on me.

That same infuriating, unreadable look.

Dark eyes that seemed to see straight through me.

I scowled and turned back to my plate, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

Talia smirked beside me. “Okay, seriously, what’s with that? You two got some secret beef or something?”

I snorted. “I don’t have beef with him. I don’t even know him.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“I don’t care what Atlas King thinks of me.”

Talia waggled her brows. “You sure? Because the way he looks at you…”

“I’m sure.”

…

Breakfast dragged on, tension rising. I was done pretending to eat, so I pushed my tray away and stood.

Talia’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.

“Zara, wait. You’re not supposed to leave until they leave.” She flicked her eyes toward Atlas’s table.

I frowned. “Why?”

“Because… it’s just how it is. No one crosses paths with Atlas and his crew unless they want trouble.”

I laughed under my breath. “I’m not scared of him.”

Talia looked like she wanted to argue, but I was already stepping past the table.

And that’s when it happened.

The boy sitting opposite me, tall, lanky, with nervous energy radiating off him shifted his foot. Right onto mine.

“Hey,” I said, wincing. “You’re on my foot.”

I reached out, lightly touching his arm to get his attention.

The moment my fingers brushed his sleeve, he flinched hard. His eyes snapped up to mine. Stormy gray, wide with something like fear.

He jerked back like my touch burned him. I stared.

“Sorry,” I said, confused.

He didn’t answer. Just grabbed his tray and left, shoulders hunched, head down.

I stood there for a beat, the weirdness of it all settling over me. Atlas’s gaze was still on me. I could feel it like a fungus on my skin.

I straightened my shoulders, refusing to look at him.

“Come on, Talia,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “Let’s go before this place sucks out my soul.”