An Unexpected Encounter

Amaryllis 

"Stay calm, Amaryllis."

Di'ja's voice is a low growl in the back of my mind, her presence a steadying force against the storm brewing inside me. I take a deep breath, trying to hold back the rage surging through me. Every instinct tells me to turn back, track down Rita, and demand my necklace, but I know I can't rush into this without a plan.

"Don't make a scene on your first day," Di'ja warns again, and I reluctantly agree. The last thing I need is to blow my cover over this, even though the necklace is everything to me.

“Fine,” I mutter under my breath, my hand tightening around the key. “I’ll drop my stuff first.”

I slide the key into the lock and turn it. The door creaks open slightly, and before I can even step inside, I hear a soft voice from the other side.

“Hello?”

The door opens fully, and I come face-to-face with a petite girl with long, curly black hair. Her wide, green eyes blink at me from behind dark glasses. She’s wearing a baggy sweater, the sleeves falling past her hands, and her expression is cautious but kind.

“Hi,” I say, forcing a small smile despite the tightness in my chest. “I’m Ymir. I think this is my room?”

The girl’s eyes brighten in recognition, and she steps back to let me in. “Oh! Yes, this is it. I’m Carol. Nice to meet you, Ymir.”

“Nice to meet you too,” I reply as I step inside. The room is small but comfortable—two twin beds on opposite sides, each with a desk beside them. One side is already set up, with posters covering the walls and books piled on the desk. I assume that’s her side.

I drop my backpack on the empty bed and glance at Carol again. She seems a bit nervous, her hands fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater, but there’s something about her that puts me at ease. Maybe it’s the way she doesn’t dominate the space, or maybe it’s her quiet demeanor. She seems like the type of person who prefers to blend in rather than stand out—someone who knows what it’s like to keep to herself, just like me.

“So,” I start after a few moments of silence as I begin unpacking. “Do you know a girl named Rita?”

The effect is immediate. Carol freezes, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk, and I can practically feel the tension radiating from her. Slowly, she turns to look at me, her expression wary.

“Rita?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nod, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Yeah. Tall, blonde… clearly enjoys making people’s lives difficult?”

Carol hesitates, then lowers her gaze to the floor. “She… she’s been in Solstice for a year now. Ever since she got here, she’s been… well, let’s just say she likes to make people miserable. Especially people like me.”

I sit down on the edge of my bed, watching her carefully. “She bullies you?”

Carol winces, her shoulders sagging slightly. “Yeah. She started not long after she arrived. She’s popular, you know? A lot of people like her or are too scared of her to do anything, so she gets away with it.”

I nod slowly, digesting the information. Carol seems fragile, almost breakable, but I can tell there’s more to her than what meets the eye. “She stole something from me today,” I say after a pause, my voice low. “My necklace. It’s the only thing I have left of my parents. I’m going to get it back.”

Carol’s eyes widen in alarm, and she quickly shakes her head. “No, Ymir, you can’t. It’s not worth it. If you go after her, she’ll make your life a living hell. She does that to anyone who crosses her.”

I meet her gaze, my expression hard. “I don’t care. She’s not keeping my necklace.”

Carol stares at me, clearly conflicted. After a moment, she sighs in defeat. “I get it. But just… be careful, okay? Rita has friends. People who’ll back her up no matter what. You don’t want to get on her bad side.”

“I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Where can I find her?”

“She’s usually hanging around the faculty blocks around this time. Probably with her friends.”

I nod, standing up and grabbing my key from the desk. “Thanks, Carol. I appreciate the heads-up.”

Carol gives me a small, hesitant smile, though worry still lingers in her eyes. “Good luck, Ymir.”

I leave the dorm room and make my way toward the faculty blocks, my anger simmering just below the surface. The hallways are quiet, most students already heading back to their dorms or classrooms, leaving me alone with my thoughts. 

As I approach the faculty blocks, the air feels heavier, quieter, almost too still. I slow my pace, listening for any sign of Rita or her group, my body tense with anticipation. My wolf, Di’ja, stirs inside me, urging me forward.

And then I hear it.

Soft, rhythmic sounds—barely audible at first, but unmistakable the closer I get. I stop in my tracks, my ears straining to catch more. The noise is coming from one of the classrooms up ahead, and I can feel my pulse quicken with each passing second.

I move toward the sound, careful not to make any noise. As I near the door, the sounds become clearer—moaning, soft gasps, the slap of skin on skin. My heart skips a beat, and my instincts scream at me to turn around, but I can’t stop myself from looking through the small window.

What I see makes my blood run cold.

Inside the classroom, Rita is bent over a desk, her clothes discarded and scattered across the floor. Her head is thrown back, mouth open in a silent moan, as she writhes beneath a tall figure. His raven-black hair falls over his face, shadowing his features, but the way he moves is relentless, primal. He’s slamming into her with a savage rhythm, his hands gripping her hips so hard his knuckles are white.

Rita’s moans fill the room, shameless and desperate, as she clutches the edges of the desk for support. Her body arches with every brutal thrust, and she’s completely lost in the moment, oblivious to everything around her.

But it’s the man that holds my attention.

There’s something terrifying about him—something dangerous. His movements are controlled, but there’s an undercurrent of cruelty in the way he takes her, as if he’s punishing her with every motion. His body is lean but muscular, every line of him carved with precision. The air around him seems charged, like a predator stalking its prey, and even from the doorway, I can feel the raw power radiating from him.

I should turn away. I should leave before they notice me, but my feet are frozen to the floor. I can’t tear my eyes away from him, from the way his muscles ripple with every movement. There’s something magnetic about him, something dark and compelling.

And then, as if sensing my presence, he looks up.

His eyes—sharp, piercing, a shade of green so vivid they almost glow in the dim light—lock onto mine. My breath catches in my throat. For a moment, time seems to freeze as we stare at each other through the small window.

His lips curl into a slow, wicked smile. It’s not a smile of surprise or embarrassment, but one of pure amusement. He knows I’m watching, and he doesn’t care. If anything, he enjoys it.

Rita’s moans grow louder, but I can’t focus on her anymore. All I can see is him—his predatory gaze, the cruel twist of his smile, and the dark glint in his eyes that promises danger. 

I take a step back, my heart pounding in my chest, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s still watching me, even as I retreat. His eyes never leave mine, even as he continues his ruthless pace with Rita. The look he gives me is one that sends a chill down my spine—a silent promise that this isn’t the last time I’ll see him.

My legs finally move, and I turn away, hurrying down the hallway as fast as I can without breaking into a full run. The sounds of their encounter echo behind me, but all I can think about is the way his eyes pinned me in place. 

I don’t know who he is, but I know one thing for sure.

He’s dangerous.