Chapter 7.

Sage was finally at the front of the class, with her heart thudding hard against her ribcage. 

She turned to face the students to see all eyes piercing into hers, judging her without mercy, telling her she was not supposed to be here. She wished the ground could open up and swallow her. 

"Over here, Sage..." Master Thomas called out to her. She nodded and stepped further next to him and returned her gaze to the students. 

Her eyes unfortunately landed on Selene's. A smug smile tugged gently at her lips, her eyes mocking, silently saying she knew Talia couldn't do it. 

"Come on, Sage. The class is waiting... If you can't do it... Then you say so" Selene's voice cut through the air. 

Talia broke eye contact with her and her gaze suddenly rested on Damon, who was looking at her seriously, questioning her with his gaze.

"If you can't even try to use your wolf hearing... are you sure you're supposed to be here at all?" Selene blurted out, and the students began to murmur, but they all sounded faintly to Talia. 

"I..." Talia could barely hear herself with her heart, thudding too loudly against her ribcage. 

"I can do it! I never said I can't" Talia spoke, shutting everyone up. Her hands were visibly shaking, so she hid them behind her back.

"I want to go first, Master Thomas!" A voice cut through the air as everyone's attention was averted. It was Damon. 

He stood up from his seat and began walking to the front of the class as Talia swallowed hard, her eyes locking with his, her lips pressed together into a thin line. But this time, he was the first to look away. 

"What?!" Selene stood up before she could stop herself as everyone turned their heads in her direction. 

"I mean..." She cleared her throat, then gently sat back. "Master Thomas specifically asked Sage to try it out" her voice was no longer as sharp as it was. 

“Sage wasn’t here during Master Thomas’s last class... I think it would be fair if someone else demonstrated while she watched.” Damon was staring at Master Thomas who was nodding slowly, and gently. 

"But---" Selene tried to speak, but Derek's voice cut her mid sentence. 

"I think Damon is right"

Soon, other students joined and murmured in agreement, some nodding along. 

Bella nodded too, but received a glare from Selene, and she stopped, swallowing hard. 

"Alright, Damon. Let's get your demonstration" Master Thomas said, slightly tired of the noise the students were making over a minor issue. 

"I hope you don't mind, Sage?" Damon was looking straight into her eyes now.

She swallowed the bile rising in her throat before dropping her lashes and stammering a response.

"No... of course... I-- I don't mind" 

Damon flashed her a quick wink and nodded toward her seat and she instantly took the hint and scurried to her seat, as if it were her safe haven. 

When she was settled in her seat, the class went completely silent as Damon faced them with his eyes closed. 

He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to concentrate as he picked different heartbeats at the same time. But he was listening for one heartbeat. 

'Selene' he mumbled in his head as he tried to filter her own heartbeat out. 'Felix' he closed his eyes tighter, until he got what he was looking for. 

This heartbeat was hammering sporadically, ready to fly out of the chest.

 "Sage" He mumbled under his breath and opened his eyes, his gaze locking with Talia's. 

She was staring right back at him, and at that point, it was only her heartbeat he could hear. 

He did it. 

*.*.*

It was lunch break, the students walked in pairs and groups with trays of food while they picked seats with their friends. 

Talia stepped into the canteen with her own tray. For once, she was relieved that the students weren't staring at her. 

They were busy with what they were doing and for once, she could breathe without anyone giving her questioning looks.

"Hey! Sage, over here!" Derek, seated at a corner with his food, waved at her. 

Talia smiled and began walking toward him until her gaze met with Damon's, who was also watching her keenly with his food at a corner, alone. 

She paused midway while Derek watched her, and, as if drawn, she changed her route and began heading toward Damon's seat. 

"Hi" she said and swallowed, then dropped her tray on the table and sat opposite him, while he was chewing gently, his eyes on his food in front of him. 

"I..." She paused and bit her lower lips.

"I wanted to thank you for... what you did-- in class" she stopped when he raised his gaze to look at her. 

His eyes softened with longing, before his expression turned unreadable.

"I don't know who you really are, Sage. What kind of wolf you have or why my--" he paused. 

"If you can't cope here, you have to leave before you get yourself killed. This school doesn't spare the weak. It crushes them" with that, he grabbed his tray and stood up, then he turned to leave, only to meet Selene's eyes.  

Her expression was unreadable, and he just resumed walking, out of the canteen while Sage stared into space. 

She knew he was right, but she couldn't leave. Alpha Crest Academy was the only safe place for her.

With a sigh, she ran her hand through her hair and turned her head, only to meet the gaze of Big Joe who had his lower chin bandaged.

He was watching her. 

*.***

THE BOY'S DORM

Talia lay face up on her bed as she read a book she had recently borrowed from the library about Omegas. 

Damon was fast asleep, facing the wall while the window was left open, with peach dark clouds, slowly rumbling as if calling the rain. 

Only the sound of Talia turning the pages of the book could be heard, while the wind outside became chaotic. 

A cold breeze blew past the windows, into the room and raindrops splashed on the frames. The chandelier in the middle of the room shook gently, as though stirred by the wind.

With a sigh, Talia dropped the book on the table and slipped out of the bed. 

Upon getting to the window, she closed the window just when the storm and rumbling was increasing and the wind intensified. 

At that moment, the lights went off and the room became pitch dark. She squinted, barely able to see anything.

"Oh no" she whispered under her breath.

She stretched out her arms in the dark, trying to locate her bed when she heard a soft whimper from Damon's bed. 

"Sage? Are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here" she responded, still trying to get to her bed, but she stumbled against a stool and fell. 

"Ouch!" She grunted and stood up. 

"Could you... please come to my bed and stay? I... I'm afraid of the dark" Damon's voice came again, sharp and urgent. 

"O..kay" Talia squeezed her face, surprise taking over her expression. 

"Could you hurry?" His voice came again.

"Yes... I'm here... I'm here" her hand touched a bed and she searched, her fingers brushed against someone who flinched and moved away. 

"It's me... It's Sage" she mumbled, as if trying to soothe him and finally climbed on the bed. 

Damon clung to her tightly, as if

letting her go would make her disappear.

Talia held her breath, afraid he may notice how unsettled her heartbeat was spiking.