*Episode 4: The Evacuation

The hallway was chaos.

Students shoved past each other toward the exits, backpacks flying, voices echoing off the lockers. The fire alarm kept blaring, mixing with the howl of the wind outside.

Kael kept his hand on Lena’s elbow, steering her against the flow of the crowd toward the staff hallway instead of the main doors.

“We’re not going outside,” he said, cutting through her questions with a single look. “Not in this.”

Lena stumbled to keep up. “The alarm said evacuation—”

“It’s a false alarm.” Kael’s jaw was locked tight. “Someone pulled it to get everyone out of the classrooms.”

Lena stopped cold. “Why would someone do that?”

Kael didn’t answer. His eyes kept scanning the hallway, sharp and assessing, like he was hunting for something that didn’t belong. The storm made the windows rattle, and every few seconds a gust of wind threw snow against the glass hard enough to make Lena flinch.

They reached the empty staff room and Kael shut the door behind them, locking it with a soft _click_.

“Stay here,” he said. “Don’t open it for anyone except me or Principal Hayes.”

Lena crossed her arms. “I’m not five, Kael. You can’t just lock me in a room and leave.”

“I’m not leaving.” He leaned against the door, arms crossed, posture blocking it completely. “I’m keeping you here.”

Lena stared at him. Up close, she could see the tension in the line of his shoulders, the way his fingers kept flexing like he was holding himself back from something.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “You’re scaring me a little. What’s really going on?”

Kael was quiet for a long time. The only sound was the wind and the muffled shouts from the hallway.

Finally, he said, “There are things in those woods that aren’t human, Lena. And on the full moon, they don’t play by human rules.”

Lena’s breath caught. “You mean… like wolves?”

Kael’s eyes snapped to hers. Not cold this time. Just sharp. Assessing.

“What do you know about wolves?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Lena said quickly. Too quickly. “Just… wildlife. I grew up near the Rockies. You hear stories.”

Kael studied her face like he was trying to decide if she was lying. The silence stretched so long Lena started to feel like she was being dissected.

Then the lights cut out completely.

The room plunged into darkness, except for the faint blue glow of the storm light outside. Lena’s heart jumped into her throat.

Kael moved instantly, stepping in front of her. “Stay behind me.”

“Lena?” It was Jace’s voice from the hallway. “Kael? You in there?”

Kael didn’t answer. He cracked the door open a fraction, peering out.

“Power’s out campus-wide,” Jace said, his voice low. “Dad wants you at the ridge. Now. The rogues are testing the perimeter.”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Tell him I can’t leave. Not yet.”

Jace hesitated. Then his voice dropped. “Kael. It’s her, isn’t it? The girl from the hallway.”

Kael didn’t deny it.

Jace swore softly. “You know what Dad will do if he finds out.”

“I know.” Kael’s voice was ice again. “Which is why you don’t tell him.”

Jace was quiet for a beat. Then: “Fine. But you have until the moonrise. After that, I can’t cover for you.”

Footsteps retreated down the hall.

Kael closed the door and leaned his forehead against it for half a second, eyes closed. When he turned back to Lena, his expression was back to stone.

“We’re leaving,” he said. “Through the basement. It’s the only exit that isn’t monitored.”

Lena frowned. “Why are we leaving? I thought you said to stay here.”

“Because if the rogues get into the school, the staff room won’t hold them.” Kael grabbed her parka from the chair and held it out to her. “And if they catch you out there alone during the full moon…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.

Lena took the parka, her fingers brushing his. The contact was brief, but it sent a jolt up her arm that had nothing to do with the cold.

Kael pulled his hand back like he’d been burned.

“Let’s go,” he said, and this time his voice didn’t leave room for arguments.

---

_Jace confirms Kael’s reaction to Lena. The rogue pack is moving, and Kael’s choosing to protect Lena over pack orders — for now._

Ready for *Episode 5: The Basement Passage*, or do you want to slow down and build more of Lena’s suspicion about Kael first?

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***