𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺.

Twenth six

Nara didn't want to tag along with Amara because she'd still been upset about the whole thing. Amara not seeing her because she was too worried about Akira to even notice her friendship falling apart with someone she's known way longer than Akira. She had to because Amara would've looked like a total idiot coming by herself..she still liked her and couldn't let the person she loved stand alone.

"Thanks for at least..being by my side back there..I guess it's over. Akira doesn't need us anymore." Amara told Nara.

"Well screw her! We don't need her either. We have each other just like it's always been..you're lucky I saved your face back there you know. There's no other person that would be this kind to you!" Nara reminded Amara.

Amara gave a small, weary smile, her gaze fixed on the ground as they walked. "You're right, Nara. I don't know what I'd do without you." She tried to sound grateful, but the sadness in her voice was unmistakable. Losing Akira's trust felt like a hole she couldn't fill, even with Nara by her side.

Nara huffed, crossing her arms. "Amara, seriously, get over her. She was just another phase. She didn't understand us, not like I do." She looked at Amara, waiting for her to meet her gaze. "I've always been here. And I've always had your back, even when you were too wrapped up in her to see it."

Amara finally looked up, guilt flickering across her face. "I know. I'm sorry, Nara. I didn't mean to push you away. I got so... lost in the idea of helping Akira. I didn't realize how much it was hurting you."

Nara softened slightly, though her frustration still simmered. "Just don't make that mistake again. We don't need people like her. We're stronger without anyone else."

Amara nodded, though a trace of doubt lingered in her eyes. "Yeah... maybe you're right."

They walked in silence for a moment before Nara nudged her. "Come on. Let's forget about her. We'll find something better, something that's just for us."

Amara forced a smile, trying to shake the lingering ache. "Alright. Just us. Like it's always been."

Nara grinned, throwing an arm around Amara. "Exactly. We're all we need."

But even as they walked away, Amara couldn't help glancing back, a faint glimmer of regret in her eyes, wondering if she'd truly lost something she could never get back.

What the girls hadn't realized when they unlocked Akira's vampire side was the hidden purpose behind her grandfather's decision to seal it away. He hadn't just kept her human to blend in; it was meant to protect her, and possibly everyone around her. There was a dark, enigmatic force bound within her vampire side—something that would only fully awaken under the cover of night.

Oblivious to this, Akira was adjusting quickly to her new powers. Feeling ready to leave behind her old life, she gathered her belongings from her dorm, preparing to move back in with Rowan and Renetta, just like the old days. The clock had already struck 8:00 p.m., and the sky outside was darkening. Little did she know, as the night deepened, so too would the secrets of her newfound power.

Renetta and Rowan were gathering things to make Akira comfortable and help her transition smoothly into her newly awakened vampire side. As they arranged everything in her new dorm, Renetta couldn't help but notice Rowan's quiet intensity. "Why do you always seem so focused on Akira, even when she's not in trouble?" she asked, giving Rowan a curious look.

Rowan paused, clearly caught off guard. There was a lot more to her connection with Akira than anyone realized. Though she didn't show her feelings openly, her actions spoke for her. She'd always gone out of her way to protect Akira, driven not only by her duty but by something deeper.

Rowan and her brother Kael had been entrusted with Akira's protection by her grandfather himself. They'd been working with him long before he disappeared, following his wishes and helping to keep Akira safe. But Rowan was the only one who remembered why. She hadn't been affected by the memory wipe, unlike Kael and Akira, whose memories had been erased to protect them.

Rowan could still recall the days when Akira would visit her grandfather in Japan, considering whether to move there. Back then, she'd been a young vampire, just discovering her own powers. Her grandfather, intrigued by her unique nature, had wondered if there were others like her in the world—people who were different, perhaps even more unusual than her. Determined to help them find a place to belong, he'd decided to create an academy for the gifted, a place where they could be safe and find community. The academy was built for her, but also for those like her, to ensure no one felt alone.

As Akira grew older, she became dangerous. Her hunger had become uncontrollable, leading to a tragic incident where she had fed on human visitors, unable to stop herself. Horrified by what she'd done, her grandfather had taken swift action to protect her and everyone else. He hired Kael and Rowan—two powerful spiritual guardians. A hybrid and A wolf, they had experience and strength—to watch over her while he searched for a solution to her dangerous side. His answer had come in the form of a witch and a powerful spell that would lock away her vampire nature and powers, allowing her to live as a human, unaware of her past for 17 years.

It was during this time that Akira had met Rowan and Kael. She always felt a natural closeness to Rowan, even if she didn't fully understand it. Rowan, in turn, had felt the same. They shared quiet, meaningful moments, each one deepening Rowan's feelings. But knowing Akira's true nature made it impossible for Rowan to act on those feelings—Akira had been too dangerous. So her grandfather, with the witch's help, sealed her vampire side and powers away, hoping to give her a normal life. But this powerful spell came at a cost, leaving him sick and weakening him. He vanished soon afterward, desperately searching for a cure, but with the satisfaction that Akira was safe and human—at least for a time.

Now, however, her vampire side was unlocked once more. Rowan and Kael were thrust back into their original roles, this time with a greater urgency. She knew that with Akira's powers returning, old dangers would resurface, and Rowan, more than ever, was determined to protect her—not only out of duty but also from a quiet, long-held love that she hadn't dared to reveal.