Chapter 44 Cupcakes and Strawberries

Kai sat up on the bed, his head bowed, teeth clenched in frustration as his fingers tightened around the sheets.

Cleo placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, her voice soft yet firm. "It's okay, Kai. He's not gone… Have some faith. He'll wake up."

Kai's breath shuddered. "If only I wasn't so weak," he murmured, his voice laced with self-loathing. A single tear slipped down his cheek, quickly followed by another.

Cleo's grip on his shoulder tightened. "Hey… don't do that to yourself. You fought with everything you had. No student could have changed what happened. This isn't on you."

Kai's fingers dug deeper into the sheets. "Is he going to survive?"

Cleo hesitated. Her throat tightened as she searched for an answer that didn't exist. "I don't know…" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But Victor is strong. Stronger than anyone I know. If anyone can pull through, it's him."

She reached up, cupping his cheek, gently tilting his face toward hers. Her crystalline pink eyes locked onto his, searching, uncertain. Her heart pounded. Her breath hitched.

Slowly, she leaned in, her face inching toward his, lips parting slightly.

Kai's hand rose to her shoulder, stopping her. "I'm sorry… I have to go."

Cleo's eyes widened in surprise, then flickered with hurt. Before she could respond, Kai had already grabbed his jacket from the bedside and slipped out the door, leaving nothing but silence in his wake.

She sat frozen, fingers gripping the sheets, her cheeks burning red. Her gaze fell to her lap as she muttered under her breath, "Why did I even do that?"

****

The Recovery Room

Kai pushed the door open slowly, his breath hitching at the sight before him. Victor lay motionless on the bed, his body wrapped in layers of bandages, medical equipment humming softly around him. His face was pale, his breathing shallow.

"Victor…" Kai whispered.

A young woman stood near the bed, her long brown hair flowing over her sleek black dress, her bare arms crossed over her chest. Her brown eyes widened in surprise as she turned to him.

"Kai?" she said, her voice carrying both concern and frustration. "What are you doing here? You should be resting. Where the hell is Cleo? She was supposed to be looking after you! I swear if she—"

"How's Victor?" Kai cut in, his voice firm but weary.

Her expression shifted, the light in her eyes dimming. She averted her gaze, hesitating. "You shouldn't be worrying about Victor right now. You've been through enough. Focus on yourself—get some rest."

Kai clenched his jaw. Her reaction told him everything he needed to know.

"Alright… thanks," he muttered, turning on his heel and stepping out of the room.

The hallway stretched endlessly before him, its emptiness mirroring the ache in his chest. His head hung low, each step heavier than the last.

His mind churned. Anger. Guilt. Helplessness. It all sneered at him, clawing at his insides.

Then—

Thud.

He bumped into a group of students.

The First-Year Alpha Squad.

Despite their worn and bruised appearances, they carried themselves with an unshaken confidence—battle-worn but unfazed.

"Oh, hey guys," Kai mumbled, barely lifting his gaze.

"Hey there, Kai!" Dax's deep voice boomed. His massive arm swung up and came down roughly on Kai's head. "How was the mission?"

Kai's shoulders stiffened. He averted his gaze.

Ryder narrowed his eyes. "What's with that look?" His voice was laced with amusement—until realization dawned. His expression darkened. "You got your ass kicked, didn't you?"

Kai remained silent, his fists clenching at his sides.

Aiden, always the calmest of the group, studied him carefully. His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it.

"Kai… what happened?"

****

Inside an Empty Classroom

Kai sat hunched over a desk, his fingers clenched together as the others gathered around him—some leaning against tables, others standing with arms crossed. Their faces were grim, weighed down by the story he had just shared.

"You know," Freya murmured, breaking the silence, "now that I think about it… the Purification Ritual was never held after the Bloody Halloween event."

"You can't blame us," Damien replied, shaking his head. "All the sorcerers who could perform the ritual were transferred out."

"Yeah? Then where the hell was Zane when all this went down?!" Ryder snapped, frustration leaking into his voice.

"That's Mr. Zane to you," Dax corrected with a lazy smirk.

"Mr. Zane is currently out of town," Aiden answered, his tone even. "He's a busy guy, after all."

DUN!

Kai's fist slammed against the desk. His head was low, his teeth gritted. "It's my fault… If only I could've done something—anything—to help Victor, maybe he wouldn't be in a coma right now."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Then—

PAA!!

A sharp slap cut through the air.

Kai's head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging. His eyes widened in shock as he slowly turned back to face Aiden.

"I'm sick and tired of your damn sob story," Aiden said, his voice cold and flat. His face remained expressionless, pale as ever. "What the hell do you think being a soldier is about, huh? Cupcakes and strawberries?"

Kai could only stare.

"If you aren't strong enough, you don't even get to see the outskirts of this school. And yet, somehow, Mr. Zane managed to put you on real missions," Aiden continued, stepping forward. His presence felt suffocating, his words piercing. "You passed out in the middle of a battle you weren't even involved in. Doesn't that tell you something? Doesn't that tell you just how weak you are?!"

Kai's fingers curled into a trembling fist.

"And instead of doing something about it, instead of trying to get stronger, you're here, sulking. Acting like a damn child."

Aiden's voice lowered, but the weight of it was heavier than ever.

"I've lost people too, Kai. People I cared about. People who didn't get to go home. But have you ever once seen me whine? Have you ever once seen me cry?"

Kai's breath hitched.

"When I saw you train, when I saw you fight, I thought—Is this really the same guy I saved all those months ago? But now?" Aiden paused, his unreadable gaze locked onto Kai. "You look even more pathetic than you did back then."

Silence.

The four of them sat frozen, eyes wide with disbelief. They had never seen this side of Aiden before.

Ryder scoffed, breaking the stunned silence.

"Hey, you know what, Aiden? I think I like this new side of you," he said, amusement slipping into his tone.

Aiden ignored him, his cold, commanding presence still thick in the air. He turned his gaze back to Kai.

"So, what's it gonna be, Kyler?" His voice was sharp, unwavering. "Sit and sob... or stand and fight?"

Kai felt a sudden surge rush through his body, his blood roaring to life. His mind flashed back to the moment he first made a commitment to himself after Caden's death.

"What the hell was I even doing?" he asked himself inwardly.

Slowly, his head tilted up. His eyes burned with passion, his teeth gritting as a grin stretched across his face.

"I'll get stronger… and stronger… and stronger… and stronger—"

"Okay, we get it," Damien muttered.

Aiden gave a curt nod. "Good. Now stand up."

Without hesitation, Kai sprang to his feet, his gaze locking with Aiden's.

Aiden stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Kai's shoulder. His expression remained unreadable, but his words carried weight.

"Welcome back."

Ryder groaned, his grin twisting into a frown. "Ugh… now you're boring again."

"Shut up, man," Damien sighed.

Ryder's head snapped toward him. "What'd you just say to me?"

"Do you really have to yell all the time, heatman?" Freya muttered.

Dax let out a booming laugh, his voice filling the room.

The heavy tension shattered, and just like that… the atmosphere returned to its usual nature.