LOGINJulianna POVThe door slammed open. Two guards shoved me through like trash being taken out. My feet dragged against the concrete, and my skin still stung from electricity. Every nerve in my body trembled. The room spun in front of me metal walls, flickering lights, the smell of chemicals and burnt magic.They didn’t care.They threw me into my cell.I hit the floor hard, coughing as the cold surface sent a spike of pain across my bruised ribs. My legs refused to move. My mana was gone. Drained. The shock collar around my neck buzzed faintly—silent but always present.I tried to stand.My body said no.“Put her there,” one guard barked.They dragged someone else in.Renna.Her wrists were bound, her dark hair tangled, face pale and bruised. The faint shimmer of fairy magic lay dormant under her skin but the collar on her neck was flashing.“Turn the inhibitor off,” a guard ordered.The other pressed a switch. Renna gasped as her collar powered down. A faint glow returned to her hands.
Lyra POVLily led us down the hallway to the dorm room next door. The whole time my mind felt heavy, like the air itself was warning us. Something about the silence of this corridor felt… wrong.“Who exactly is this friend?” I asked.“You’ll see,” Lily replied quickly. "She's... unique."“What’s she like?” Lila asked, curious. "Does she bite?"“She’s… more of a sleepy type.”“That’s your description?” Scott said flatly.Lily ignored him and stopped in front of the next room. The door looked old, vines of dust clinging around the handle like a forgotten relic. Lily knocked.“Selene! It’s me. Open up!”Silence.Scott shrugged. “Maybe she’s not home.”“No. She’s home. She is always home.” Lily placed her palm over the doorknob.Before I could speak, wind surged from her hand and blew the door off its lock.My heart nearly stopped. “Lily! You can’t just break into someone’s room!”“It’s fine,” she said walking in. “She gave me permission last year.”"She gave you permission to break into
Julianna POVThe cold metal chair bit into my wrists and ankles as they wheeled me down the corridor. The restraints were cold too cold as they glowed with faint blue light, like they drained more than warmth. Every rattle of the wheels echoed down the long, metallic hallway.Two guards marched me through the narrow hallway. The smell hit me first.Burnt fur.Chemical disinfectant.Blood, old and new.Then the screams began.At first, I thought they were echoes. But no—each cry was different, desperate, raw.We turned a corner, and I saw the source.A werewolf—massive, silver-furred, twice the size of Kaid in wolf form was strapped to a tilted metal slab. A thick collar crackled with blue lightning around his neck. Every time he snarled or tried to move, electricity surged through his body. His fur singed. His claws scraped helplessly against the restraints.His eyes met mine—wild, terrified, begging.I swallowed hard. “Kira… what is this?”She didn’t answer.Next cage.A vampire floa
Lyra POVThree days.Three whole days since Julianna left for “home,” and the bed across from mine still looked like it had never been touched. Sheets tucked tight. Pillow perfectly fluffed. Her pendant wasn’t on the nightstand. Her boots were still by the door.But the silence… that’s what bothered me.I sat up, rubbing my face. “Julie… you were supposed to be back yesterday.”Still nothing.A sharp stab of dread shot through my chest.I threw on my clothes and headed downstairs. Maybe she came back late last night? Maybe she was in the cafeteria? Maybe—The moment I stepped into the dining hall, Scott walked through the opposite door. His hair was a mess, eyes tired, like he hadn’t slept either.“Lyra.” His voice was low, urgent. “Is Julianna back?”I exhaled shakily. “Scott… she’s been gone for three days.”His jaw tightened. “And she didn’t come back last night?”I shook my head.Scott swore under his breath. “Something’s wrong.”“I know.” I tried to steady my breathing. “She alwa
Julianna POVMonths after the Elven Kingdom incident, Paranormal High finally felt alive again.The academy’s halls buzzed with laughter, chatter, and the clatter of boots against polished floors. New banners hung from the ceilings, the courtyard gardens were replanted, and the massive training arena gleamed with reinforced runes and new spell-absorbing walls.Things were normal again.…Or close enough.Lyra and I walked side-by-side down the marble staircase leading to the combat fields.“So,” Lyra said, hands behind her head, “combat training today. Aren’t you excited?”“Excited is a strong word,” I said, smiling despite myself. “But… I’ve been practicing.”Lyra snorted. “Oh please don't be so modest—you’ve gone from pass-out-if-you-sneeze-too-hard to actually controlling your mana. That’s improvement.”“Well, someone had to keep up with you,” I teased.Lyra grinned proudly as we approached the newly rebuilt Combat Arena. Its ceiling stretched upward like a coliseum, with magically
Julianna POVSix months had passed since the Elven Kingdom incident.Six months since the Sacred Tree shattered.Since Fianna almost died in my arms.Since Vaelen and Elaria…Since the snow, the screams, the ice.Paranormal High was back to its loud, chaotic, absolutely normal self.And yet every crackle of magic, every rush of cold wind still sometimes made my heart skip.Lyra nudged me with her elbow as we walked down the stairwell. “Julie, you good? You spaced out again.”“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just tired.”“And I’m a vegan.” Lyra snorted. “You’re still having trauma flashbacks don’t deny it.”I would’ve argued, but a loud BOOM echoed through the building.Then shouting.Then crying.Lyra and I exchanged a look.“Oh, come on,” she sighed. “We literally just got out of class.”We rushed to the lower hallway, and immediately saw it, a first-year werewolf pinned to the wall by black, writhing shadows.His feet dangled off the floor as darkness choked around his throat.A group of older







