Page 5

I pulled on my Vanderwood hoodie, simply because it was the closest thing to my hands, and headed downstairs to see if everything was all right, when I almost crashed into Alarik on the staircase.

“Bayla.”

His hair, speckled with melting snowflakes, was its usual mess, and under his dark, matte olive-green jacket he wore a navy-blue sweater, from under which the slightly crooked collar of his white shirt peeked out.

His expression was unreadable, which intensified my confusion. He stared at me just like he had at the winter ball. His emerald eyes glazed over.

I wanted to ask him what he was doing here, but everything happened too fast. With his heated hand he grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me upstairs.

“I don't understand...” I heard my mother whisper from downstairs, then she too rushed up the stairs.

“Where's your room?” he asked in a calm voice, as if he didn't want to scare me, and I saw his gaze linger on that one damn door. Suddenly, he looked ashen.

“There...” I pointed to the open door, and Alarik didn’t wait and rushed forward as if something had stung him.

I followed him, annoyed that I hadn’t tidied up and now my English professor – for whatever reason – was standing in my messy room.

And while I stood there, still trying to piece everything together, he reached for my backpack and held it out to me.

“Pack your things.”

When I didn't take the backpack right away, but looked at Alarik in bewilderment instead, he moved closer and pressed the bag against my chest.

“Now.”

His eyes were filled with tension.

What was going on here?

Mum stepped into the room behind me. “No, Alarik. Damn it. If Gloria sees you here...”

“That's not my problem,” he snapped at her and ripped open my wardrobe.

This was going too far.

With heat exploding in my face, I rushed to the wardrobe, started cramming random clothes into my backpack in a hurry and, with growing overwhelm, slammed my bra drawer shut.

Without even looking at me, Alarik turned from the closet to my mother, completely focused on her.

“You should never have kept from me...” He paused and looked between me and Mum. “...that she’s one of us.”

My eyes widened.

What was he doing?

“Hurry up, Bayla. We have to get you out of here,” he added with a contrite expression.

“I don't understand...” I turned around to him and Mum, completely overwhelmed by the whole situation. “Why exactly do I have to leave now? And Gloria? What does she want from us?”

The last time I had seen this woman was at the winter ball. Her icy stare had sent shivers down my spine.

Alarik stared at me for two seconds before he took a deep breath and checked his watch.

“Someone has exposed you.”

The realization hit me like a slap in the face.

Vivienna.