Chapter 6: Ryker have a fiancee

Julian was already halfway out the door when he paused, unable to shake the curiosity tugging at him. He turned back to Aiden, who was still seated on the edge of his bed, fiddling with his Academy badge.

"Hey," Julian said, arms crossed. "I've been wondering—how did you even get into this school? You're human. That shouldn't be possible."

Aiden blinked, surprised by the sudden question. He looked up, expression just as confused as Julian felt. "Honestly… I have no idea," he admitted. "I mean, I applied because I want to meet someone, but I didn't think I stood a chance. The application asked for a blood sample, which I submitted, and a few weeks later, I got a letter saying I was accepted."

Julian frowned thoughtfully, slowly stepping back into the room. "So they accepted you after seeing your blood," he muttered. "That means there's magic in your blood. There has to be. You wouldn't have made it through the screening otherwise. And your badge—if you weren't magical, it wouldn't have reacted to you."

Aiden's brows knit together as he stared at the badge glowing faintly in his palm. "But that doesn't make sense. I'm human. My parents are human. No one in my family is magical. Me having magic is… insane. Completely absurd."

Julian leaned against the wall, arms still crossed. He eyed Aiden like he was trying to see through him. "And yet, here you are. Which begs the question…" He paused, letting the silence weigh heavy before asking, "Who are you, really? Because you don't give off any supernatural scent. You reek of plain human. I just don't get it."

"Because I am human," Aiden said, a little exasperated. "That's the whole point. You're talking like I'm hiding something on purpose, but I swear I'm not. If I'm really magical, I don't even know about it myself. But then again… if I don't have magic, why was I admitted? And why does the badge react to me like this?"

He lifted the badge as if it would somehow answer them both.

Julian exhaled sharply through his nose and slowly approached, looking Aiden up and down like he was trying to piece together a puzzle. "Now that I really look at you…" he said slowly, "If we ignore your scent and just go by appearance, you don't look fully human. Not entirely. You actually resemble a Fae more than anything else."

Aiden recoiled slightly, confused. "Fae? No way. I don't think so."

"Why not?" Julian challenged. "Witches and wolves look human too when they are not using their power—I'm a witch, for example. But Faes, they're the ones known for having distinct, beautiful human forms. And you… you fit that mold."

Aiden frowned. "I don't have pointed ears."

Julian waved a hand dismissively. "Not all Faes do. That's a stereotype. But have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately? You're beautiful in an otherworldly way—silver hair, golden eyes. That's not just some quirky human mutation. That's Fae. Or something close to it."

Aiden laughed a little, trying to brush it off. "My mom has golden eyes. Her hair's black, but still—maybe I'm just a unique human."

Julian rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "Yeah, yeah. Keep gaslighting yourself, sunshine."

Aiden snorted at that, but the mood shifted quickly when Julian added, "You mentioned earlier that you came to Skyline looking for someone. Who, exactly?"

The question caught Aiden off guard, and a flush crept up his cheeks before he could stop it. "Ryker Kane," he said, unable to hide the tiny smile that accompanied the name.

Julian's face dropped. His easygoing demeanor vanished, replaced by a tight expression, almost like someone had punched him in the gut. His eyes darkened. "Ryker Kane?" he repeated, as if the name itself tasted sour in his mouth.

Aiden tilted his head, immediately sensing the change. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Julian narrowed his gaze, noticing the way Aiden had lit up just from saying the name. But instead of jumping to conclusions, he held back and asked, "Why are you looking for him?"

Aiden shifted, suddenly shy. "He… saved me once. Back home. I was walking back from the bookstore late one night, and some guys tried to jump me. He came out of nowhere and fought them off like it was nothing. Then he just disappeared. I never even got to thank him properly. When I heard about Skyline and the Kane family name, I figured… maybe he'd be here."

Julian ran a hand through his hair, clearly torn. He let out a slow breath and said, "Look… whatever delusion you've got in your head about you and Ryker, I'm telling you now—drop it. You don't want to get involved with him. That circle? It's not for you."

"But I came all this way for him," Aiden argued, his voice small but firm. "I can't just give up now."

Julian turned away, staring at the floor, shoulders tense. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, softer this time. "Let me tell you a story about this school. About how things really work around here. And after that, if you still want to go chasing Ryker Kane, then that's your choice."

Aiden looked at him, heart beating faster. "Is it really that bad?"

Julian finally met his eyes. "Worse than you think. This place looks like a school, but it's a battlefield in disguise. And Ryker… he might've saved you once, but that doesn't mean he's someone you want in your life. You don't know what you're walking into."

The room was silent again, tension thick in the air. Aiden gripped his badge a little tighter, feeling more lost than ever—but also more determined.

"I still want to hear it," he said quietly.

Julian nodded slowly. "Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Julian leaned against the bedframe, his expression turning serious as he looked at Aiden. "This school," he began, "isn't your average magical academy. It's built on a foundation structured by three main species—wolves, witches, and Fae. Sure, you'll find a few other magical beings wandering the halls, but they don't usually stay long. The school finds ways to place them elsewhere. This place was designed specifically for the big three."

Aiden stayed quiet, absorbing every word. Julian continued when he saw the boy's eyes fixed on him.

"The wolves are the muscle. They're warriors—Alphas, Betas… There used to be Omegas too, but they've gone extinct for a long time now. The witches bring intellect and are known for their magical control—they're the brains. And the Fae…" Julian chuckled softly, "They have the power, the beauty, and that deadly charm that can mess with your head if you're not careful And they are great healers too. Most people forget,but fae are also terrifying in a fight when provoked."

Aiden raised a brow, clearly intrigued. Julian took it as his cue to keep going.

"Each of these groups—wolves, witches, and Fae—has a student leader. Not elected by school staff, mind you. Chosen by their own kind. These leaders are the top of the food chain in this academy. The rest of the students look up to them, follow their lead. And that's where Ryker and and the student groups come into the picture."

Julian moved from leaning to sitting beside Aiden on the bed. His tone softened, but there was something weighty behind his words now.

"The Fae leader is Zane Cross. Beautiful, powerful, and the kind of guy who can make you spill your darkest secret with one stare. The witches? Seraphina Sinclair—she's terrifying in a regal way, like a queen who'd smile while burning down your house and she's also known for being extremely wicked. And the wolves… they don't mess around with elections or debates. Wolves always have an Alpha. That's Ryker Kane. He's not just their leader—he is their law."

Aiden tilted his head slightly. "So Ryker's basically in charge of the wolves?"

"Not just the wolves," Julian said. "Those three—Zane, Seraphina, and Ryker—formed a student union. They oversee everything in the academy. Any issue—big or small—goes through them first. The staff only steps in if it's something out of their reach. And Ryker… he has more influence than you'd think. His lineage is one of the founder of this school, and even on paper ryker's father owns this school. That gives him more power than some of the actual adults running things."

Aiden let that settle in for a moment before saying, "I get it… but I still don't see why that means I should stop trying to talk to him. Or be around him."

Julian gave him a look—one that silently said, You sweet, clueless thing. "Hold on," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not done yet."

He stood and started pacing slowly, as if trying to line up his thoughts.

"The student union is made up of nine members: three wolves, three witches, three Fae,that oversee the whole body. These students are stricter than the teachers. And believe it or not, they have more power than most of the staff. If someone breaks a rule, it's usually the union that dishes out punishment, not the school administration."

Aiden blinked. "Wait, students are allowed to punish other students?"

"Technically?" Julian said with a smirk. "No. But unofficially? Absolutely. And no one questions it. They run this place like a tight ship. Step out of line, and they'll make sure you know exactly who you've offended."

Aiden looked a little uneasy now. Julian sighed and dropped back onto the bed beside him, elbows resting on his knees.

"Look, Ryker is… complicated. He's not evil or cruel. Actually, most of the time he doesn't give a damn about anyone or anything. But that's part of the problem. He doesn't let people in. And when he does, it's not just friendship. It's political. It's dangerous."

"I still don't see—"

Julian cut him off, this time more gently. "Aiden. Ryker has a fiancée."

Aiden blinked.

"A what?"

"A fiancée," Julian repeated. "Seraphina Sinclair."

The name hit Aiden like a splash of ice water. He remembered the name from earlier—leader of the witches. The one Julian described as terrifying.

"She's brilliant, powerful, and—between you and me—completely unhinged when it comes to Ryker, she's completely crazy. She sees everything. She hears everything. If she suspects even a flicker of interest between Ryker and someone else…" Julian let out a breath, "Let's just say, people have mysteriously transferred out before and some students have mysteriously died before. Some don't even remember why they left."

Aiden's expression darkened. "So… you're telling me to give up?"

"I'm telling you to be careful," Julian replied. "I know he saved you. I know that moment probably meant a lot to you. But to him? It might've just been Tuesday. I'm not trying to crush you, I swear. I just… I don't want you to get hurt."

Aiden looked down, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. "But I followed him here… I left everything behind."

Julian's voice softened. "I get it. Really, I do. But just because he saved you doesn't mean you owe him your whole future. Or your heart."

The room fell into silence. Aiden stared at the floor, heart pounding in his ears. Julian waited patiently, not pressing further.