Rhett rushed to Slater, waving the paper like a victory flag.
"Look at this! He gets the VIP treatment while we, his supposed best friends, get treated worse than his enemies!"
Since Slater’s hands were wet with dishwater, he couldn’t take the paper. "What does it say?" he asked.
Rhett cleared his throat dramatically and began reading in an exaggerated voice.
"Chore number one: Put the dishes in the sink after eating. Chore number two: Put your clothes in the laundry basket and chore number three—oh, this is rich—ask me for anything you want!"
Slater’s mouth fell open before he burst into delighted laughter. "Are you kidding me? That’s not a chore list, that’s the kind of list you get when you go on vacation to an expensive resort. I’m so jealous. Kael’s treating Eamon like royalty."
"I feel betrayed," Rhett said, dramatically clutching his chest. "We’re supposed to be your best friends, Kael! Why didn’t we get this soft, doting version of you?"
Kael ignored them. He was done with the dishes, so he removed his apron and hung it on a hanger near the kitchenette.
"Kael!" Rhett called out, falling to his knees with both hands clasped in front of him. "Please, I’m begging you—adopt me! I promise, I’ll be a good roommate!"
"Me too!" Slater joined in, abandoning the dishes he was drying to kneel beside Rhett. "I’ll even do my own laundry!"
Kael still ignored them, though the tips of his ears were burning red.
He crossed the room to where I stood, watching Slater and Rhett and asked quietly. "Are you done packing?"
I nodded, still fighting back a smile.
Without a word, Kael went to his wardrobe and retrieved a thick, navy-blue jacket. He returned to my side and held it open expectantly.
"Wear this, it will be chilly later." He said softly.
I smiled my gratitude and tried to reach for the jacket, only for him to shake his head and say, "Arms up."
I couldn’t refuse, so I turned my back to him, offering my arms as he slipped the jacket over my outstretched hands, adjusting the fit around my shoulders and smoothing down the collar with an intimacy that made my breath catch.
"Perfect fit," Slater observed behind us with a smirk.
"Our Kael is so thoughtful," Rhett added, his voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness. "Such a caring, nurturing soul."
"Wonderful!" they chorused together, breaking into applause. "Our Kael is in love!"
Kael’s jaw tightened, but he refused to be affected by their response. Instead, he reached for my hand and pulled me closer to his side.
"Come on," he said, leading me toward the door. Over his shoulder, he called to the boys with forced casualness. "Don’t forget to lock my door, fools."
"Use protection!" Rhett called after us, his laughter echoing down the hallway as we left the room.
Outside, I couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across my face. The morning air was crisp and clean, and Kael’s hand in mine felt like an anchor to something real and good.
"Are they always like that?" I asked, giving him a side glance.
"Yes," he nodded. "They derive pleasure in teasing me. One day, I might die from it."
I chuckled. "Really? But the first time I saw you and Rhett, you guys almost fought? I didn’t imagine you were friends with each other."
"We are not friends, Eamon." He turned his head slightly, meeting my eyes before facing front. "We are cool around each other but not friends, and the fight with Rhett was real, at least. The boy gets on my nerves every day."
"But there’s this good rapport between you three, Rhett says he shares breakfast with all of you..."
"Yeah," Kael agreed. "But that doesn’t make us friends. The only thing we know about each other is our names and maybe Rhett’s illness, which is not general knowledge, but I think you made us closer."
"I did?" I turned to him, surprised. "I don’t think—"
"It’s true, Eamon," he stopped now, turning to look at me. "There’s something about you that brings out one’s protective instinct. It’s just there, and it isn’t easy to explain. The only reason why we’re in each other’s space, laughing and teasing one another, is because of you."
We resumed walking while I pondered his words. After a while, I asked quietly again. "Is it a good thing? For me to make you all feel this kind of way?"
Kael didn’t answer, he just held my hand protectively as we walked, only reluctantly letting go when we reached the main walkway where other students might see.
Before we parted ways, he turned to face me again, his expression turning serious. "Be careful today," he said quietly. "Ravenshore is a..." he trailed off "Not a very good place. Everyone here is spoilt, have no manners, no..." he trailed off again.
I lowered my face, trying to hide my smile. Kael’s attempt at a speech sounded ridiculous. Without being told, I could tell he wasn’t the kind of person who gave speeches.
"Just," he started again. "Stay away from trouble. That’s all you need to survive here. Always be at the right place at the right time. Don’t concern yourself with people’s business, and if anything feels wrong, anything at all, call me immediately."
He reached into the cross-body bag he had on and pulled out a sleek, brand-new smartphone, still in its packaging, and spent a few moments programming it before handing it to me.
"You can set this up, right? I’ve put my number in there, along with Rhett’s and Slater’s," he explained. "Just call me whenever you need something okay? Even if it’s stupid, call. We’ll meet later today when the student council comes for official introductions, and find me during lunch, okay? We’ll eat together."
"I nodded; my throat tight with emotion. The phone felt heavy in my hands, not because of its weight but because of what it represented. Care, protection. Someone who wanted to be reachable for me.
"Thank you," I whispered, tears gathering in my eyes despite my efforts to hold them back.
No matter what complications lay ahead, I’d been treated better here at Ravenshore in the last few weeks than I had in my entire life at home.
Kael scratched his head awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with my emotional response. "Don’t cry," he said gruffly. "You’ll make me think I did something wrong."
I let out a wet laught and said, "After what happened last night, I thought you’d still be angry with me."
"I was angry," he admitted softly. "But I was never going to let you leave with Rhett when he was in that state. I was the one who called his security detail to come get him."
I laughed through my trears. "That explains why you were so calm."
His lips quirked in the smallest of smiles. "Now go to your class before you’re late."
I nodded and turned to leave, but after walking only a few steps, I glanced back to see him still standing there, watching me.
"You’re not leaving?"
"No yet. I’m making sure you get to your class first, then I’ll go," he replied quietly as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
The innocence in his words broke something loose in my chest. Overwhelmed, I ran back to him and threw my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.
I felt him freeze for a moment, clearly surprised by the sudden contact, before his arms came up to embrace me back. He smelled like soap and made my wolf stir restlessly.
It seemed to do that a lot more when I am with Kael.
I pulled back and without thinking, I reached up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his in a soft kiss.
"You deserve so much more than a kiss," I murmured against his mouth, meaning every word.
As I tried to pull away, Kael’s hands tightened on my waist, pulling me back up to him. This time, his kiss was deeper, hungrier, filled with a need that made my knees weak.
I could feel his heart racing against my chest, could sense he was holding back his desire in the way his hands trembled slightly against my back.
When I finally broke the kiss, breathing hard, I could see the raw want burning in his dark eyes. My body had responded to him in ways that felt different from Slater’s.
I stepped away reluctantly, removing his hands from my waist and noting how his gaze followed my movements. My wolf was stirring restlessly now—that was strange.
The restless stirring only occurs occasionally and never lasts more than a few seconds.
He tried to reach for me again, but I touched his chest, grinned and said, "Calm down, soldier. Classes..."
With a playful smile, I blew him a kiss and turned away, skipping towards my class.
For the first time in months, I felt light, happy and genuinely hopeful about what the day might bring.
And then, there was this odd feeling that didn’t leave me guilty even though I’d just kissed Slater moments ago.