Chapter 40

The next morning, Eve woke up in his own bed, and not in the hidden room. But he was still baffled about everything that happened yesterday. His reality was blurred between believing the sinister secrets he encountered last night, or that he's now a part of those horrifying secrets.

He doesn't want to believe that it's impossible to escape the suffocating darkness of Sunford.

He stood in front of the mirror as the memories of the previous night's kiss with Alpha made his heart race. He knew Alpha wouldn't be back for another six days, but what he didn't understand was why he wanted him to be here. It was extremely overwhelming how he believed that he's safe as long as he's with Alpha.

A pair of intense sapphire eyes stared back, and he could see past and future tragedies in them. That piercing gaze seemed fragile and treacherous at the same time.

He got a chilling feeling to enter inside again. He didn't get to look around properly last time, but he was too scared to do so. However, it felt like something really tempting and exciting was calling his name, making him want to enter and find out more.

He gulped and extended a trembling hand, but a frightening expression of a certain Satan crossed his mind, and he flinched, retreating his hand back to his chest.

No...I shouldn't do something that could possibly get me in trouble.

He shook his head, but if he stayed longer in this room, he knew he'd do something ridiculous.

Leaving his dorm, he heard two shocking news while walking through the silent crowd of students. First, that he's now Alpha's bitch and prey for the whole year, meaning no one could try to pick on him. He's now in Alpha's possession and protection, and no one except Alpha could hurt him, or it'd mean they're trying to challenge Alpha.

And the second one, well, it wasn't news, but the raucous of students who were running towards the back building. Curiosity and fear also drove him to the crowd near the tree. And Eve noticed how everyone tried to avoid him like a plague.

He felt as if his heart skipped two to three beats at once, his breath catching in his throat, as he wasn't able to believe the gruesome scene he was looking at.

"F-Fuck...! I'm gonna puke!"

"I-I'm feeling dizzy!"

"Tell me this is a dream. Pinch me, no no! Punch me instead!"

The sight of the slaughtered body hanging on the tree sent shivers down everyone's spine, fear sucked them in. They were all in disbelief because the mutilated body belonged to none other than Marco.

How...this is...The ground seemed to crumble away underneath his feet, and his mind struggled to process what he was seeing.

A brutally butchered body swayed on the old Oak tree. Its intestines were used to choke him, its eyeballs were plucked out, and lilies were stuffed there as well in his mouth, as if to at least gave him a funeral. Its arms were barely attached to the body and about to detached and fell on the ground. Trails of blood dropped on the muddy ground in a rhythmic tone.

Eve couldn't look away, the sight was scary and disgusting yet hypnotising. He didn't turn around but heard all sorts of whispers around him.

"Alpha killed Marco because he tried to harass him."

"Shhh..he's standing there keep your voice low. If he heard you and snitch to Alpha, you would be next."

"Does that mean he's Luna now?"

"What's so special about him?"

"I know right, he's just a giant with a pretty face."

"Look how closely he's glaring at Marco without blinking, he's definitely enjoying it."

Just as panic threatened to overwhelm him, a reassuring hand landed on his shoulder, causing Eve to startle. He turned to see Sage, his only friend in this twisted world.

"You'll get used to this sight. It happens every month," Eve was shocked how calm Sage's voice was, similar to his face, emotionless. His words were matter-of-fact, as though he was discussing the weather and not a dead body which only deepened Eve's bewilderment.

"But...how can you be so unfazed by this?" he couldn't help but ask in disbelief.

Sage's lips curled into a faint, sad smile. "Probably because I have seen numerous bodies like this," he replied casually. "You become accustomed to things that once seemed unimaginable."

Eve's confusion grew as he struggled to process Sage's words. "Who could do something like this?" he finally managed to choke out, talking about the dead Marco.

Sage's expression darkened, his brows furrowing. "Of course Alpha. Who else?" he stated flatly. "It's always Alpha behind these murders. Didn't I tell you that already?"

Eve's mind reeled, he pondered for a while but something wasn't matching. "But...but he was in the dorm the whole night." He looked up at Sage who was watching him with a puzzled expression. Suddenly, his cheeks burn upon remembering that kiss. "I mean...he didn't leave the dorm until morning-"

"Eve!" Sage shook his arm, his eyes widening in horror. "Do you have any idea what you are saying? Does him helping you mess with your head?" He checked Eve's head for any fever. "Are you really trying to defend him? Eve, Alpha is the one who killed Marco. Never forget that. Alpha has a way of manipulating reality, don't let him play with your head."

Eve's heart raced as the memories of yesterday hit me and his blush deepened. "No I'm not defending him," he insisted, desperation increasing in his tone. "He was with me all night and only left in the morning. Also, I'm telling you because I'm certain he didn't kill Marco. Look at that body, it doesn't look like it was killed in the morning."

"Shhh..." Sage looked around and shushed him, dragging him away from the crowd. If anyone heard him saying that it'd be a disaster. "So, you're saying Alpha didn't do that-wait!" He inquired cautiously but stopped before suspiciously narrowing his eyes. "How did you come to the conclusion that Marco wasn't killed in the morning?"

Eve's eyes widened slightly before he avoided Sage's questioning gaze. His breaths shallow as he hesitated. "I...I mean, look at all that dry blood it looks like...I'm not sure but it looks like it has been hanging for a longer time now. And if he was with me, how could he have...?"

"Alpha is cunning, and incredibly fast. Even if he was with you, it doesn't mean he couldn't have committed this murder."

Eve, still wasn't ready to believe it but for Sage's peace of mind he nodded. "Okay."

"Let's go now," Sage sighed. Eve nodded again, glancing back at the lifeless body, he walked away.

As they walked, Eve asked. "Where's River?" It's unusual to see Sage alone. River never leaves his side.

"He is still sleeping. He spent a great deal of energy protecting me throughout the night. I didn't disturb him, he needed the rest," Sage smiled.

As they approached the cafeteria, Eve's eyes swept over the familiar faces of the students, only to be met with averted gazes and hushed conversations. He noticed how the atmosphere in Sunford had changed. At this time, one could usually witness fights, laughter, and bullying everywhere, but that seemed to have faded now.

Watching them both, three boys swaggered towards them. They stood around Eve, a playful sneer on their faces. "Congratulations for getting rid of Marco. Now you are the Luna. How about you join our group?"

Eve didn't answer, remembering that these were the same boys who had helped Marco rip his clothes in front of everyone. However, Sage rolled his eyes. "How about you leave him alone?"

The boys' attention shifted to Sage. "Oh, look who's playing protector now while River is away," one of them taunted, a malicious grin twisting his lips. His disgusting gaze scanned Sage up and down before he licked his lips. "What's the matter, sissy? Found your voice that you seemed to have lost last night while hiding behind your owner. But you're lucky though, you've got both his dick and protection."

"You know Marco is hanging there for a reason," Sage stated, earning a glare in return. "And if you don't want to end up like him, mind your own business." He threatened, grabbing Eve's hand and walking away, only for a fierce blow to connect with his jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Hey!" But before they could strike Sage again, Eve's fist collided with one boy's face in a wild and desperate punch. The impact was so forceful that the crowd gasped. Another boy attempted to hit him, but Eve's body moved instinctively, dodging the attack. In one fluid motion, Eve delivered a swift, well-aimed kick to his stomach, knocking the boy off balance.

Eve watched them writhing in pain, but when he felt Sage's gaze on him, he froze. His eyes widened as he regained his senses. The crowd fell into stunned silence. Sage got up, looking shocked and disbelieving. "How did you know...how to fight?"

Eve's breathing was ragged, his knuckles bruised, and his heart raced. "Sage, I-"

Shit! What should I say now? Eve's mind raced. Will he believe me if I come up with an excuse?

"I-umm..."

"Ziggy?!"

Before he could come up with an excuse, River's desperate arrival saved him.

The trio of troublemakers wasted no time, disappearing as River's angry presence drew near. Once in front of Sage, he scolded, "Where on earth were you roaming?! Do you know how worried I was when I woke up and didn't find you beside me?"

"I...I needed some air," his mind remained preoccupied with Eve as he mumbled.

River's grip tightened on Sage's arm, concern engraved on his forehead. "You should have woken me up then," he groaned.

When Sage didn't respond, River's expression softened a bit. "Never mind, let's go back," he said, taking Sage's hand and leading him towards their dorm.

"But Eve-" When he looked back at River, Eve was no longer in his spot.

"He's gone, let's leave as well," River declared, but Sage's unease only grew. I wasn't dreaming. I saw him fight effortlessly, so all this time-

His train of thought was interrupted when River suddenly stopped. Looking up, his eyes met a familiar figure. Nick stood in the hallway.

River's mood darkened further, irritation simmering within him. He attempted to lead Sage away as quickly as possible, but Nick's sudden grip on Sage's other hand was a whole different story.

"Can we talk? I need to discuss something with you," Nick asked Sage in the softest and gentlest tone. His eyes shine as he looked at Sage, as if he were gazing at a rare jewel. Then, his gaze shifted to River's and Sage's joined hands, and his expression hardened. He looked at River with a furious gaze. "Alone. I'd like to speak alone with him. I would appreciate it if you could leave without causing a scene."

River's glare could have frozen lava, his protectiveness and possessiveness on full display. He seemed ready to lash out, to hide Sage from Nick's reach. The tension between them was like a burning fire, the unspoken rivalry made Sage uneasy.

River chuckled in dry humor, his grip tightening on Sage's hand until it hurt. He took a step closer to Nick and glared directly into his eyes, their faces inches apart. "You're really bold to think I would leave him near a crazy asshole like you. Did you already forget the humiliation from last time? Want me to remind you again?"

Nick scowled and took a step back, the memory of their previous encounter seemed to ignite a new fire within him. Sensing it, River smirked and pulled Sage's hand out of Nick's grip before leading him away once more. But they had barely taken a few steps when Nick's voice cut through the air again.

"Wait, Sage. Do you want to know about your past? You might not remember me, but I know you from your past."

They both stopped, though River didn't allow Sage to turn around. River's heart thundered in his chest, and for the first time in a long while, River felt extreme fear, trembling in his body. Sage frowned, looking up at River's anxious state. He was stunned because he had never seen River so frightened of anyone, let alone from some words that wasn't for him. So, what exactly in Nick's words scared him.

Sage's instinct was to turn around, to face Nick and demand answers, but River's grip on his hand tightened, a silent plea not to turn around. Not to turn to someone else. This left Sage even more bewildered. He neither comprehended Nick's words nor understood the reason for River's fear.

Seeing Sage unresponsive, Nick clenched his fist and yelled again. "Something big is coming, Sage. And only I can keep you safe. Not even your roommate can protect you. So, if you want to be safe, leave him and come with me."

"Don't talk nonsense," River yelled back, but Sage noticed how his voice was breaking.

But as River began to leave, Sage remained rooted in place, much to River's dread. Sage wanted to talk to Nick because he wanted answers, he wanted to know whether Nick was telling the truth about knowing him from his past.

But River wasn't ready to leave him alone. Not with Nick, not with anyone. He didn't want Sage to discover the truth about himself that River had fought so hard to hide.

An overwhelming urge to kill Nick consumed River but he decided to forcefully drag Sage away.

Nick smirked as he watched them leaving.

Meanwhile, Eve returned to his dorm. He cursed himself for almost exposing himself in front of Sage. And now he needed to come up with something to tell Sage.

Flopping onto the bed, he sighed. He remembered the kisses he shared with Alpha, and suddenly he began to miss him. He clutched his heart, wondering what was happening to him.

His mind was full of questions that felt like a storm, each one making him feel more unsure. He really wanted to understand where Alpha had gone and if he really killed Marco. Where must he be right now, and what would he be doing?

Suddenly, he left his bed and stood in front of the mirror. He saw someone who was struggling with his feelings. He took a deep breath and finally decided to open the mirror. Pressing it three times, it opened. And he entered the other side.

But little did he know how big of a mistake he had made.