Chapter 60 Unexpected heats and ruts

Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Unexpected heats and ruts

10 Minutes Ago

Most people would have ignored it.

At first, it was the warm, gentle breeze that Noah felt brushing against his skin. Then it became something more. A strange warmth filled his nostrils, lungs, and every inch of his body, sending goosebumps across his skin.

Before he could move, something tightened around his legs, holding him firmly in place.

And then there it was again.

That whisper.

"You’re going far away from me, Noah, and I don’t like it. Why are you running? Don’t you know we were made for each other?"

He shuddered.

The voice seemed to curl around him, slipping straight into his ears. At the edge of his consciousness, he felt a hand brushing lightly against his neck and shoulder.

"I miss you, love. Call for me and I am yours. I want to make you completely mine. Only then can I finally rest. The world is a dangerous place, and I don’t want you to die again."

Noah’s expression tightened.

Even with the voice speaking directly to him, he stubbornly kept his eyes shut, refusing to acknowledge it.

"I’m Lysander. I’m here to help you reach your full potential. Don’t trust them. I’ve told you that before, and still you refuse to listen."

Noah remained silent.

If this strange man thought he could manipulate him so easily, then he was mistaken.

Unfortunately, the voice only became bolder.

A hand traced through his hair before sliding lower, brushing against his cheek. Fingers gently tilted his jaw upward.

"I’ve been alone, burning in hell for so long that I lost count of the days because I couldn’t reach you, my love. Why won’t you look at me?"

The voice softened.

"Look at me, Noah. I’m here."

Finally, Noah’s eyes snapped open.

The first thing he saw was chaos.

All four Alphas surrounded him, each occupied with something different.

Mr. Harold was hurriedly collecting bottles that had fallen from a shelf. Several books had been thrown across the room, their pages scattered everywhere.

Eugene was crouched down, gathering them.

Killian remained by Noah’s side, watching him carefully.

Damian was fixing several paintings that had nearly fallen from the walls, especially the glass-framed ones before they shattered completely.

"Did something go wrong in there?" Killian asked softly.

Noah stared blankly at him.

His thoughts were scattered.

The voice.

The touch.

The warmth.

None of it felt real.

Slowly, he looked around the room again.

The large table at the center had overturned completely.

That wasn’t normal.

The thing weighed too much for someone to casually knock over.

Yet there it was.

Lying on its side.

Noah swallowed.

"What in the world happened here?" he demanded.

"What did I do?"

The room immediately fell silent.

Mr. Harold exchanged looks with the others before walking closer.

"At first I thought it was a normal tremor," he began carefully. "But then something shook beneath the school grounds. The entire office was hit by a violent surge of wind unlike anything I’ve ever experienced."

He grabbed Noah’s trembling hands.

"You tapped into two separate forces that went extinct centuries ago."

Noah’s breath hitched.

"What?"

"They shouldn’t exist together. Yet somehow you awakened both at the same time."

A chill crawled down Noah’s spine.

"And that might have awakened something else within this school."

Fear immediately settled inside him.

"What does that mean for me?" Noah asked quietly.

His breathing became uneven.

"Am I evil? Is this some kind of curse?"

The panic in his voice was obvious.

Before anyone else could speak, Killian rushed forward and wrapped an arm around him.

"You’re not cursed."

His voice was firm.

"You’re unique. We don’t even understand your abilities yet, so don’t jump to conclusions."

Killian gently rubbed circles against his back.

"You’re scaring yourself for no reason."

Damian suddenly stepped forward.

"Move over, Killian."

Killian narrowed his eyes.

Damian ignored him completely.

"I’m not stealing him."

With that, he carefully took Noah’s hands into his own.

"If anyone here is cursed, it’s me."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"So trust me when I say you’re nothing like that."

Noah stared at him.

Wasn’t that exactly what Damian had said before learning about his own curse?

The irony wasn’t lost on him.

"I’m sorry," Damian continued.

"Maybe I pushed you too hard. I shouldn’t have forced you to perform magic."

He sighed before turning toward the window.

"I’ll go outside and check if anything around the school was damaged."

Then he froze.

His eyes narrowed.

"Wait."

Everyone looked at him.

Damian pointed toward the cemetery visible through the office window.

"Is it just me, or is someone moving over there?"

The others immediately followed his gaze.

A dark figure moved between the gravestones.

For a brief second, it disappeared behind a monument before appearing again.

Mr. Harold frowned.

"And is that an open tomb?"

Noah’s heart nearly stopped.

Immediately, he remembered the stranger’s words.

I am trapped.

Release me.

Cold sweat covered his back.

What if that was what had happened?

What if he had unknowingly freed something?

And that voice...

The touch...

The warmth...

They all belonged to the same person.

Lysander.

As Harold started moving toward the door, Noah suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Don’t."

Everyone turned toward him.

"Ash?"

Eugene frowned.

"Are you okay?"

Marcus looked equally concerned.

Noah laughed bitterly.

"No."

The room fell silent.

"I’m not okay."

His voice shook.

"I’m tired of pretending that I am."

He looked directly at Harold.

"I know you’re a sorcerer."

Then he swallowed.

"And probably a very ancient one."

Harold visibly tensed.

"So I need answers."

Noah clenched his fists.

"Who is Lysander Valmont?"

The reaction was immediate.

Harold’s face lost all color.

His entire body stiffened.

Eugene blinked.

"Wait."

His eyes moved between them.

"You know that name?"

Marcus stepped closer.

"Who is Lysander?"

Killian and Damian abandoned everything they were doing and joined them.

All attention shifted toward Harold.

The older man took several steps backward.

It looked as though he wanted to scrub the name from his ears.

"That name shouldn’t exist anymore."

His voice came out barely above a whisper.

"It was supposed to disappear from history."

Noah instantly regretted asking.

He hadn’t expected such a reaction.

After all, it was only a name.

Wasn’t it?

"Please tell me," Noah insisted.

"I need to know."

Damian gently wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Maybe we should stop."

He glanced at Harold.

"He looks terrible."

Noah shook his head.

"No."

Not now.

Not when he was finally close to the truth.

He couldn’t stop.

Not anymore.

Harold took a shaky breath.

"It’s okay."

Marcus handed him a bottle of water.

After drinking some, he finally spoke.

"Lysander Valmont..."

His voice trembled.

"...is the devil’s son."

The room instantly turned cold.

Noah felt his blood freeze.

"What?"

"Unlike ordinary supernatural beings who possess a single affinity, Lysander possessed all affinities."

Nobody spoke.

Even Eugene looked stunned.

"He became the strongest being to exist after the Pure Bloods."

Noah blinked.

The Pure Bloods.

He had read about them before.

Ancient beings who were supposedly extinct.

"But the Pure Bloods disappeared centuries ago."

"Exactly."

Harold nodded slowly.

"Which means Lysander is currently the strongest being in existence."

The revelation struck everyone like lightning.

Then Harold delivered an even greater shock.

"He is also the reason the Five Heroes failed."

The room erupted.

"What?"

"No way."

"That’s impossible."

Harold nodded.

"According to the stories, he killed four of them himself."

A chill spread through Noah’s body.

The Five Heroes were legends.

How could one person kill them?

Then another realization hit him.

"The school incident..."

Everyone looked at him.

"The fire that almost killed Damian."

His voice grew quieter.

"Was that him?"

Harold didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

The silence was enough.

Noah’s stomach twisted.

"And I think..."

His voice trembled.

"I think he’s using my roommate’s body."

Everyone froze.

"Philip."

The room became deathly silent.

Harold’s eyes widened.

"He’s here?"

His voice cracked.

"That isn’t possible."

"He was sealed away."

Noah suddenly felt dizzy.

The room spun.

Heat flooded through his body.

His breathing became uneven.

Then came the headache.

A sharp pulse exploded behind his eyes.

His pheromones burst out uncontrollably.

The effect was immediate.

Killian stiffened.

Damian inhaled sharply.

Marcus cursed under his breath.

Even Eugene’s expression darkened.

Their pheromones responded instantly.

The scents collided violently inside the room.

Noah gasped.

"I..."

His knees weakened.

"I don’t think..."

Mr. Harold’s eyes widened in realization.

"Oh dear."

The room went silent.

"Noah."

He swallowed hard.

"I think you’re entering your heat."

Noah froze.

Then he looked around.

All four Alphas looked equally uncomfortable.

Their eyes had darkened.

Their pheromones were becoming unstable.

Realization struck him like a truck.

"No."

But it was already happening.

The Alphas were entering rut too.

"How is that even possible?"

Before anyone could answer, Noah’s phone suddenly rang.

Mr. Harold picked it up.

The voice on the other side sounded panicked.

"Reports are coming in from every dormitory. Students are suddenly entering unexpected heats and ruts."

Everyone went still.

The voice continued.

"The entire academy must be placed on immediate lockdown."

The call ended.

Mr. Harold lowered the phone.

His expression had become frighteningly serious.

For several seconds nobody spoke.

Then he sighed.

"Sorry, boys."

His gaze shifted toward the four Alphas.

"You aren’t leaving."

The Alphas immediately understood.

Mr. Harold pointed toward the visitor quarters.

"All of you are going to the visitors’ room."

And judging by the dangerous amount of pheromones filling the air, none of them had a choice.