Chapter 26 Two alphas in his room

Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Two alphas in his room

The academy had fallen silent, almost like a graveyard, in the aftermath of the horrifying event from the previous night. It was clear that no one wanted to talk about it. With everything that had happened, Noah figured incidents like this probably had never occurred before at the school.

But if it truly was unprecedented, what could have triggered it? He couldn’t wrap his head around why a full moon would be connected to that nightmare, or whether Damian himself had played a direct role. The questions kept circling in his mind without clear answers.

He remained deeply conflicted about the whole situation. No one could know where the creature had come from, let alone that he had helped one. If that truth ever got out, he couldn’t even imagine the scale of the scandal it would ignite.

"Aren’t you going to the assembly?"

The voice startled him. It was one he hadn’t heard much since arriving at the school. Turning in surprise, Noah saw it was his stocky, usually quiet roommate. He didn’t bother asking what had suddenly prompted the conversation and simply nodded.

"By the way, I wanted to say thank you. The news of your heroic actions is all over the school. An affinity as rare as yours is going to help a lot of people. I’m Philip, by the way."

Philip stepped closer and extended his hand for a shake. Noah accepted it. The other boy’s palms were heavily calloused, the kind of rough, strong hands typical of someone who worked hard physically. They felt so large that Noah half-wondered if he might get injured just from the grip. And why the hell were they that huge?

"Okay, I guess that’s how things turn out," Noah muttered.

Normally, people would expect him to be thrilled. He had finally gained the kind of dream power he used to fantasize about. But this wasn’t anything he had wanted. The sudden flood of attention from across the entire school felt dangerous. He could already picture the endless questions coming his way: how his powers had awakened, where he had disappeared to with the creature, and whether he had seen who transformed into the monster. Rumors were already swirling that the beast had been a student from their own academy—which, technically, was true.

Oh damn. He was already getting headaches just thinking about it.

"Aren’t you happy about how things turned out? You’re becoming a legend. When you leave, people might actually remember you and how you saved them."

Noah scoffed at Philip’s words. That was the basic hero fantasy, sure, but he was certain it wouldn’t happen for someone like him. Heroes were remembered when they were rich, connected, or powerful—not some homeless beggar who had scraped his way in.

"For people like you, maybe. But I’m completely out of the equation." He paused, wanting to shift the topic. "Anyway, can we drop the discussion about me? What about this emergency assembly? Do you have any idea what they’re going to discuss?"

Philip thought for a moment, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall any details. "Maybe about Marie’s death. I heard she was heavily mutilated. Gosh, I can’t imagine the kind of pain she must have endured."

The casual way he spoke about death, lingering on the violence and blood, started to feel creepy to Noah. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Philip, that’s disgusting. Please, let’s not talk about someone’s death like that anymore. It makes me really uncomfortable."

Philip quickly apologized, bowing his head slightly before walking away. "Sorry about that. See you at the main hall—it’s not in the garden, but the big hall this time."

As Philip left, Noah’s eyes stayed fixed on his back. Why had he suddenly become so nice? This kind of popularity felt off, wrong in a way he couldn’t quite explain—especially with a killer possibly still walking free among them.

Speaking of the killer, who had really murdered Ashton? For so long, everything had pointed toward the Moonlight Alphas. But what if they weren’t responsible? What if they had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and someone else had committed the act? That opened up an entirely new set of problems. Or maybe one of the Alphas was a sadistic type hiding in plain sight.

"Oh God," Noah whispered to himself. "And one of them is literally a monster. Isn’t he supposed to be capable of killing like that thing?" Damian’s name joined the growing list of suspects in his mind. Exhausted, Noah collapsed onto his bed. He had left his friends behind to get some rest, but his skull felt like it was pounding, as if something inside was trying to claw its way out. On top of everything, his body still felt foreign after the recent changes. He was adjusting, slowly, but today it seemed like something new was wiring itself through him. The sensation was terrifying.

Click...

The sound from the window made him look up sharply. There stood Damian and Marcus, preparing to enter.

"What?! In broad daylight? Aren’t you guys even a little scared you’ll get caught?" Noah opened the window anyway, and the two of them climbed in, nearly collapsing on top of him. He shifted aside just in time.

"Good thing there was only one entrance, or I would’ve gotten smashed," Marcus laughed. Noah saw nothing funny in the close call.

"Oh, I didn’t mean to laugh at that. It’s just your face—I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone look so cute when startled." Marcus winked, and Noah stared at him in disbelief. Had he really come all this way just to flirt?

"Just tell me why you’re here. I left my friends to rest and try to process everything. I haven’t experienced anything this terrifying before." Noah addressed both of them, but only Marcus responded at first. The alpha’s dark hair was tousled, his ember eyes burning bright like living fire. Surprisingly, he was listening attentively, a far cry from the cocky attitude Noah had first encountered.

Remembering how Marcus had nearly crushed him in their earlier confrontation made Noah wince involuntarily.

"Okay, I’m sorry we showed up like this without warning," Marcus said, his tone more serious now. "I wanted to talk to you and fill you in on what’s happening." He glanced toward Damian, encouraging him to speak, but the other boy had turned away, staring at the bed as if ashamed of himself.

"I killed too many people that night. Probably hundreds." Damian’s voice was low.

Noah nodded grimly. "I think it might have been thousands," he added quietly.

Marcus shot Damian a warning look before turning back. "You’re supposed to help him, please. I don’t want him to stay like this. He hasn’t eaten anything. He’s miserable, and people are already asking questions. Seeing you... it made him withdraw even more."

Hearing that he might be partly responsible for Damian’s state made Noah’s eyes widen. "How am I part of this? This is getting ridiculous, Marcus. You can’t treat me like garbage and then show up expecting me to fix your problems. I’m not a magician. In case you haven’t noticed, I have my own issues too. But none of you care. You only show up when it benefits the Moonlight Alphas."

He sighed heavily and moved to sit on the edge of his bed, almost facing Damian but refusing to fully engage. "We didn’t mean it that way," Damian finally spoke up. His voice sounded cracked and exhausted.

"I’m sorry we gave you that impression—especially me," Damian continued. "I wasn’t used to you or... your obsession back then. But now I really need your help."

It was a decent apology, Noah had to admit, but it still felt like they were trying to use him. After everything, he wouldn’t be surprised if the blame eventually got pushed onto him.

"I’ve already gotten into enough trouble by associating with all of you. I just want some peace of mind. Please. Go to your precious Sylvia—I’m sure she’d gladly help." Before he could turn back to his bed and finally relax, Noah added one last remark. "Hmm, one more thing before you disappear. Next time, come through the door. You’re not thieves."

Yawning deeply, he fell back onto the mattress. He was too tired and fed up to deal with any more of this.

Damian and Marcus stared at him in stunned silence for a moment.

"Let’s go," Marcus said eventually. "He’ll come around before the day ends. He’ll help us."