Chapter 46 Mysterious door.

Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Mysterious door.

Killian stared at the door, his hands resting against his jaw as if deep in thought. The expression on his face suggested he was piecing together something important, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"Are you guys noticing this image on the door, or am I tripping?" he asked. From where he stood, it looked like a black goat being chased away from a field of white rams. The scene was illuminated brightly, almost glowing under some unseen light, giving it an eerie yet vivid quality.

Eugene moved closer to where Killian was standing and peered at the door. He squinted, scanning the surface carefully, but saw nothing unusual. "Nothing. I can’t see anything," he stated flatly, stepping back with a shrug.

"Come try, Ash, and see if you notice it," Killian said, his voice carrying a casual warmth.

Noah felt a faint blush creep up his cheeks at the nickname. It was one associated with his alternate identity as Ashton, and strangely, he was starting to get used to it. In fact, it felt almost comforting—perhaps the only positive thing about the whole Ashton situation. Not wanting to be caught blushing like some hopeless fool, he walked over to the spot where the others stood and looked at the door. What he saw made him gasp sharply.

"What the actual fuck..." Noah muttered, turning to Killian. The other boy looked equally shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"That goat is staring right at us now," Killian said, his tone uneasy. He didn’t feel good about staying there, especially with Noah present. Something about the image felt too personal, too watchful.

Eugene, who had been lingering nearby, finally stepped forward again. This time, as he examined the door more closely, the image appeared. "Jesus Christ! I could have sworn I didn’t see that there when I looked earlier. How the fuck is this happening?" He rubbed his eyes, then glanced around, shifting his weight as if searching for some hidden pattern or trick of the light.

The place was undeniably weird. There was an energy connected to it, something ancient and deliberate. Noah felt a growing conviction that he had been brought here for a reason, though he couldn’t yet grasp what it was. "I might have been brought here to solve something," he said aloud. "How else do you explain us appearing here right on my birthday? It doesn’t make sense."

Eugene wasn’t convinced. "So you’re saying we got trapped in a hole for a good reason? Is that what you’re explaining?" His voice carried a mix of frustration and concern.

Noah shifted his stance, crossing his arms. "I never said that. Don’t misquote me." He shot Eugene a warning look, and the other boy groaned in response.

"I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get hurt," Eugene admitted, his expression softening.

"This isn’t only about me," Noah replied, rubbing his temples. "We three are trapped here, and the people back at school might be in trouble too. Why should it revolve only around me?" He was growing tired of their protective instincts, the way they tried to play heroes. It wasn’t going to win him over faster. If anything, it made them seem reckless. "Just one tip, guys: in whatever happens, never risk your life to save someone if there’s even the slightest chance of escape. Take it. Don’t act like dumb heroes."

Of course, as the male leads in this strange story unfolding around them, they probably wouldn’t listen. But Noah had to try.

Killian brushed a strand of hair back from his face and paused. His eyes fell on Noah’s hands, which were bleeding and dripping with an unnatural black blood. "Ashton, what is wrong with your hands?" He hurried over immediately, gently lifting Noah’s palms to inspect them under the dim light. "When did you get hurt? This wasn’t here when we were... together earlier." His voice trailed off with quiet worry.

Noah shrugged, genuinely puzzled. He didn’t know how the injuries had appeared, and oddly enough, he hadn’t felt any pain at all. It was as if the wounds had materialized without warning.

Eugene, who hadn’t been focused on them, was tracing his fingers along the edge of the door. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Oh shit, I think I know where that blood went. Or more like where it came from." He pointed, and the other two turned to look. There, at the edge of the door, was a round carved wooden sigil surrounded by blood. It pulsed rhythmically, like a living human heart.

"Did you hear that?" Noah asked, inching closer. The others nodded, their faces tense. A low, steady thump echoed faintly, syncing with the sigil’s movement.

"Oh shit, this is getting out of hand," Eugene declared. "I think we’re messing with something dangerous here. We have to leave now."

Noah looked at him pointedly. "If you can point out the door we could exit from, be my guest." That effectively silenced Eugene’s protests, and he kept quiet.

As they watched, the door’s latch clicked audibly and swung open on its own. All three adjusted their positions, bodies tensing in preparation for whatever might emerge. Killian and Eugene positioned themselves protectively in front of Noah, their magic pulsing visibly around them, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice.

"I want to see what’s inside," Noah insisted, trying to peer around their tall frames. The alphas’ height blocked most of his view, but as the door opened fully, their jaws dropped in unison. Nothing they had braced for came out. Instead, they were greeted by a breathtaking forest—beautiful and magical, straight out of a fairy tale.

"Okay, what is going on here? Why is the door leading to another forest? This isn’t the school, right?" Noah asked, his voice filled with astonishment. The two alphas nodded, equally stunned.

Stepping through felt like crossing into another universe. They couldn’t linger in the original room anyway; no one knew what other threats might be lurking there. The moment they entered the forest, a wave of natural scents washed over them—fresh, sweet, and undeniably magical. Towering trees surrounded them, birds soared freely across an open sky, and various animals moved about peacefully, as if untouched by any danger. Strangely, the creatures paid them no attention, ignoring the newcomers completely.

"This is so unreal," Noah commented softly. In the real world, untouched wilderness like this was rare. Humanity had altered so much of nature, but here everything felt wide, fresh, and innocent. Wildflowers bloomed vibrantly, and yet, stepping into the land stirred a deep longing in Noah’s heart. It was strange, almost as if he were connected to this place on a fundamental level.

"Guys, I feel like I’ve been here before," he revealed, his voice tinged with confusion. "I don’t know why."

Eugene, walking just behind him, tilted his head thoughtfully. "It shouldn’t be possible. Maybe... I don’t know. Fuck, I can’t explain any of this. It all feels so irrational." The same thought had crossed Noah’s mind.

Killian stepped forward slowly and took Noah’s hands in his own. "Shouldn’t we look at the wound?" But when Noah turned his palms upward, the injuries had vanished completely. His skin was smooth again, as if nothing had ever happened.

"That’s crazy. There was definitely a wound there," Eugene said, confirming he had seen it too. All of them had witnessed the black blood. None of it made sense, and the confusion weighed heavily on Noah.

Right in front of them stood a massive tree with striking red leaves—a red oak whose roots seemed to spread throughout the entire forest, anchoring everything in place. "Did we see this tree when we first arrived?" Noah asked. The others shrugged; in the chaos, none had paid close enough attention. Behind them, the door had vanished entirely, leaving no way back.

Noah took a cautious step forward and reached out to touch the tree. The instant his fingers made contact, a powerful force jolted through him. He gasped and collapsed to the ground. In that moment, everything shifted, and he found himself awakening beside a shimmering lake. A figure stood there—not a woman, but a young man with hair the same purple shade as Noah’s own. He was beautiful, ethereal, and he grabbed Noah’s hands tightly.

"What are you doing here?! You shouldn’t be here," the man urged, his voice urgent. "Take your mates—four of them—away from that school. You’re the last of us. You shouldn’t be there. Avoid him, the devil’s son. Don’t let history repeat itself again. Don’t choose him as your mate; he will cause havoc."

Noah struggled to process the words. "Please, I don’t understand. Make me understand—who am I? Why am I experiencing this? And what do you mean by four mates?"

The young man’s face suddenly turned pale with fear. "Go now. He is here. He can’t know you came to me. Your mates are now five, with the devil’s son included. Please don’t choose him. Leave that school with them. Leave!!" He screamed the final words, and Noah felt himself vanishing once more. He gasped sharply, snapping back to reality where Eugene and Killian were desperately trying to wake him.

They looked terrified, their faces etched with fear. A sudden cry nearby made them pause. "You’re back," Killian said, pulling Noah close into a tight hug. He held the smaller boy in his lap, his voice cracking slightly. "I was so scared. Please don’t do that again." He sniffed, relief flooding through him.

Eugene stood up and looked around, then gasped. "Guys, we’re right back at Marcus and Damien’s lodge." The other two scrambled to their feet immediately, alert and hurried.

It was true—they had returned to the academy grounds. But the sound of someone crying drew their attention. They rushed toward it and found Marcus on the floor, shaking uncontrollably. Noah ran forward and hugged him from behind. Marcus, recognizing the familiar chamomile scent, turned and fell into his arms, crying even harder.

"What happened here?"

NOTE: Weekend mass release como by next time. Love you all.