Page 7 of Secrets and Shadows

Tony manages a smile at my attempt to cheer him up. “You know, my whole family is made up of Predators. Even my mom. Predators do a lot of running, though… I’m not sure how that’s going to work for me.” His voice trails off, clearly worried.

Tony has that gentle, nurturing energy Preys are known for, and even though everyone secretly wants to be a Predator, there’s nothing wrong with being a Prey. They play a crucial role in maintaining the Balance, especially during times of war.

“My dad’s side of the family has always been Predators too,” I confess. “And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a Prey… I kind of hope I get to carry on the family legacy—”

Before I can finish my sentence, one of the older students barges past us, deliberately bumping into Tony’s shoulder. Hestumbles back from the impact. The guy has at least six inches on both of us—he has to be about 6’5”, all arrogance and attitude.

“What the hell is your problem?” I call out, my voice sharp with irritation.

He doesn’t even bother to apologize. In fact, he doesn’t even turn around, as if my words don’t exist.

“Hello? I’m talking to you!”

Still no response. He keeps walking like we’re invisible.

Oh, hell no. I’m not in the mood for entitled assholes today. Without even thinking it through, I hurl my book at him. It flies with surprising precision and smacks him right on the back of the head before landing with a heavy thud on the stone floor.

He stops. Turns around slowly—very slowly.

And now I’m staring into icy blue eyes that could freeze me on the spot if I wasn’t already so fired up. A crimson pin on his chest marks him as a Predator—because of course, he is. He looks older, with a sharp jawline dusted with stubble. There’s a brief pause before he bends down, picks up my book, and stalks back over to me in a few short strides

He shoves the book into my hands, eyes hard. “The fuck is your problem?” he snaps.

I step in front of Tony, who’s wide-eyed and glancing nervously down the corridor like he’s ready to bolt.

“Can you not hear? I asked what the hellyourproblem was.” My voice comes out louder than I intended, but I’m too pissed to care. I gesture around the hall, and a few passing students glance over. “You can’t just bump into people and not apologize. It’s called basic manners.”

“Manners?” he scoffs. “You’re the one who threw a book at me.”

“An eye for an eye,” I say with a shrug. “If I thought I could’ve caught up with your gargantuan ass and shoulder checked youwith the same force you hit my friend here with, I would’ve. You’ve been rude and impolite twice that I know of, and I’ve only been here for a day, meaning this definitely isn’t the first time you’ve pulled this on someone. So, yeah, all signs point to bad manners.”

He arches an eyebrow. “Mm. And what if Idohave bad manners?”

“Then I’d say your parents should’ve done a better job raising you.” The words slip out before I can stop them. For a second, I regret it, but it’s already too late—so I stand my ground.

I can’t stand bullies, and this guy? He’s the walking definition of one.

“You’ve got a sharp tongue for someone who just arrived at the academy,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. Idefinitelydon’t notice how broad and muscular he is… nope, not at all.

“Well, would you look at that? Some of us have sharp tongues, and some of us have bad manners. Guess we all have our flaws.”

His irritation melts into amusement, which only makes me hate him more. Nothing about this situation is funny.

“Seriously, Lilith, it’s fine,” Tony mutters behind me, tugging lightly on my sleeve. But I’m already too deep into this to back down now.

“You should listen to your little friend,” the guy—whose name I still don’t know—says with a casual shrug. It only makes me want to punch him right in his smug, annoyingly attractive face.

“My Gods, you’re insufferable. Clearly, no one taught you how to act in public. I can’t imagine anyone willingly spending time with you.”

His lips twitch, like he’s holding back a grin. “Yet, here you are... in my presence.” He steps closer, towering over me. Mybreath hitches, but I try not to let it show. Judging by the way his eyes drop to my lips, I’m not doing a great job.

“Against my will,” I retort, though his gaze is still fixed on my mouth. “And let me be clear—you’re an ass.”

There’s a glint of amusement in his eyes. “You’re lucky, you know. Say things like this to the wrong person, and you might not get away with it.”

My tongue darts out to wet my suddenly dry lips, and I notice his gaze track the movement with a predatory gleam. “There’s a simple fix for all this,” I say coolly. “Apologize to my friend, turn around, leave, and never think of me again.”

A part of me can’t believe his audacity, but the rest of me is not surprised at all. Obsidian Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the realm, so I expected to encounter students who think they’re better than everyone else.

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