The school halls had never been kind to Elyra, but now they felt downright hostile. After Dain's fight with Jason, rumors spread like wildfire. Whispers followed Elyra wherever she went, and Jason's group had made her their primary target. The next morning, she found her locker defaced with the word "Freaks" spray-painted in jagged red letters. Her heart sank as she traced the ugly slur with trembling fingers. Around her, students snickered, and Elyra felt her cheeks burn with shame. Dain stormed over, his fiery eyes narrowing as he saw the graffiti. "Who did this?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.noveldrama

Elyra shook her head, biting her lip. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me," Dain growled.

Their day didn't improve. In the hallway between classes, Jason and his friends cornered Elyra, knocking her books out of her hands. Pages scattered across the floor as Jason leaned in, sneering. "What's wrong, Moon Freak? Gonna cry?" Elyra bent down to gather her things, refusing to meet his gaze. "Leave me alone, Jason."

Jason grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet. "What's your problem? Too good to talk to us?"

Before she could respond, a shadow loomed over them. Dain was there, his expression cold and unyielding. He pried Jason's hand off Elyra with enough force to make him wince.

"She said leave her alone," Dain said, his voice dangerously quiet.

Jason chuckled nervously, trying to mask his fear. "What are you gonna do about it? You already got in trouble once. You think you scare me?"

Dain leaned closer, his fiery eyes locking with Jason's. "You should be scared. Next time you touch her, I won't hold back."

Jason paled, stepping back as the tension crackled like a live wire. His friends pulled him away, muttering under their breaths, but Jason's retreat was filled with simmering anger. As the hallway cleared, Elyra looked up at Dain. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did," he said simply.

Elyra sighed, feeling a mix of gratitude and frustration. "You're going to get yourself expelled."

Dain shrugged. "Better me than you."

Their eyes met, the moment stretching longer than it should have. Elyra looked away first, her heart pounding. "Thank you," she said softly, before hurrying off to class.

Dain watched her go, his fists still clenched. He didn't regret standing up for her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Jason wasn't done with them yet.

Enhance your reading experience by removing ads:

Remove Ads Now