Two minutes.
I grab a freshman by his shirt, steering him toward the side exit. “Go. Party’s over. Get out before you get arrested.”
He stumbles out and I grab two more, repeating the process. Jasper’s doing the same on the other side of the room, physically herding people like cattle.
One minute.
The fight’s reaching its peak. A DSN brother slams an OCK sophomore against the wall and someone else throws a punch that connects with someone’s nose—blood sprays. It’s brutal, convincing, exactly what we need.
Thirty seconds.
I’m still counting in my head when I smell it.
Smoke.
Someone near the basement stairs screams, “FIRE!”
And just like that, everything changes.
The word ripples through the crowd faster than the flames. People stop fighting, heads turn, and someone points at smoke beginning to curl up from the basement stairwell.
“FIRE! GET OUT!”
Panic replaces violence. The fight dissolves as survival instinct kicks in. DSN and OCK brothers alike surge toward exits, the carefully maintained chaos becoming real chaos.
“EVERYONE OUT! NOW!” I bellow.
The crowd stampedes. Bodies push and shove toward every available exit. I stay near the main door, Jasper at the side, Talon at the back, making sure everyone gets out.
The smoke’s getting thicker. I can see flames now—orange and hungry, licking up the basement stairs, spreading faster than I expected. CJ wasn’t kidding about the accelerants.
Knox grabs my arm. “Dredyn! Everyone’s out. We’re clear!”
“You sure?”
“Did a count. Everyone’s accounted for. All OCK brothers are safe.”
“Then go. Get out of here.”
He runs and I do one last sweep of the main floor—empty except for overturned furniture and spilled drinks. The fire’s spreading up the walls now, consuming everything it touches.
This house where I lived for three years. Where I became who I am. Where I fell in love.
Going up in flames.
I turn and run.
Outside, the lawn is packed with people—students coughing, shouting, filming on their phones. The DSN brothers are already scattering, disappearing into the night like Sable promised they would. In the distance, sirens wail, emergency services responding.
Right on schedule.
I find Talon and Jasper near the edge of the property, both covered in soot but uninjured.
“Everyone out?” Talon asks.
“Everyone.” I pull out my phone, already vibrating with notifications.
CJ:
