Outside the school, the chill of evening made every shadow sharper, every step echo louder.
Theo's hand was wrapped tightly around Eliot's arm, the two glasses-wearing boys pressed together, hearts hammering.
Their breaths came in quick, shallow bursts, eyes darting across the empty courtyard.
Then the bodyguards appeared.
Tall, black-clad, impossibly broad-shouldered.
They moved with the precision of predators.
One stepped forward, voice low and deliberate,
"You. Glasses." His gaze locked on Eliot. "Come. Let's go."
Theo stiffened, tightening his grip on Eliot.
"Wait—" he started, but the guard didn't move.
He didn't need to. His presence alone made the air heavy.
Eliot's fingers fidgeted on his glasses. "We didn't—"
"Quiet," the guard cut him off, stepping closer.
And just like that, the boys were cornered.
Rex and Theo froze beside Eliot, unsure where to move, eyes wide, when a shadow fell over them.
Leon.
Brown hair damp from earlier practice, jersey clinging slightly to his broad frame, eyes calm but blazing with intent.
He stepped between the bodyguards and the three of them.
"You're not taking them," Leon said, voice low, steady, bass like thunder rolling in a calm sky.
One guard moved to step around him. Leon didn't flinch.
The others hesitated.
Leon's stance was deliberate, controlled—but there was no mistaking the threat radiating from him.
A single glance told the bodyguards: this wasn't just a boy; this was four boys protected by one force you don't want to test.
"Go ahead," Leon said quietly. "Try it."
For a long, tense heartbeat, no one moved. Then, slowly, the guards blinked, reevaluating.
Their eyes flicked to the other three—Theo clutching Eliot's arm, Eliot trembling slightly, Rex behind him—and back to Leon.
Finally, one muttered under his breath, "Let's go."
They melted into the shadows, leaving only the quiet hum of the night behind.
Leon exhaled, shoulders relaxing. "Everyone okay?"
Theo clutched Eliot a little tighter, Eliot adjusting his crooked glasses, Rex letting out a shaky laugh.
"Yeah," Eliot whispered. "Thanks… Leon."
Leon gave a faint nod, eyes scanning the perimeter. "Next time… don't get cornered in the first place."
Even in relief, the courtyard felt alive with tension, the taste of danger still sharp in their lungs.
And all four of them knew—this wasn't over.
The bodyguards slipped into their black car, doors shutting with heavy, final thuds.
The engine hummed, lights dimmed inside.
One of them pulled a tablet from his coat.
The screen flickered to life, showing a shadowed room.
Only a voice came through, calm, amused, and sharp.
"We couldn't take them," the guard said stiffly. "You said if they resist, we leave them. And that boy—"
A low laugh cut him off.
Smooth. Certain. Dangerous.
"Yes," the man said. "The force that binds them together."
The guard swallowed. "That boy… he's too… he got away."
Another laugh, quiet, deliberate. "Exactly."
The screen brightened. The image came into focus.
Leon.
Silky brown hair falling just right over his forehead, eyes steady and unreadable.
His head tilted slightly, expression calm yet impossible to read.
His presence alone commanded attention—controlled, self-contained, deceptively quiet.
The man's voice dropped, almost a whisper now, but edged with authority. "I need you to understand. That boy is the center. The one who holds them together. If we get rid of him… the rest will crumble."
The image zoomed in subtly, framing Leon's sharp gaze.
"I need you to get me this boy."
The screen went black.
The car's engine rumbled as it pulled away into the night, shadows swallowing it.
Far away in the woods, Leon's head tilted slightly as he scanned the treeline, completely unaware—yet already, someone had set their sights on him.
They moved fast through the trees.
Eliot squeezed between Theo and Leon, Rex bringing up the rear.
Air wrapped around them, every leaf crunch loud under their feet.
"I… I'm sorry," Eliot muttered, fiddling with his crooked glasses. "This… all of this… it's because of me. I shouldn't have trusted Mira."
Leon's brown eyes didn't flinch.
Head tilted, expression unreadable. "Not your fault. You did what you could."
Rex snorted. "Yeah. You're not the villain. Just… tragically heroic."
Theo tugged Eliot's cheeks, soft but firm. "You're a kind tenth grader. Sweet, helpful. That's her fault, not yours."
Eliot let out a short, shaky laugh, finally relaxing.
Leon exhaled, sharp and quiet. "Alright. Let's get back before Mr. Miller faints from confusion."
Shadows stretched long as they picked up pace.
The school lights appeared through the trees.
Eliot glanced at his friends.
No matter how dangerous it got, they were stronger together.
And that was enough.
--
Later that night, they were packed into Theo's living room.
Theo's house smelled faintly of cookies and warm tea. The lights were low, the world outside safely quiet.
Lunara sat cross-legged on the couch, beanie still on, eyes sharp despite the relaxed posture.
"So," she said, tail practically not wagging but the energy was there. "You're all alive. Start talking."
Eliot swallowed.
Leon leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
Rex flopped into a chair.
Theo sat beside Lunara.
Eliot went first.
"There were bodyguards. Black suits. They were looking for us. For—" he hesitated, then glanced at Leon.
"For him," Rex finished.
Lunara's eyes snapped to Leon. Narrowed. Focused.
Leon didn't deny it. "They tried to take us. We ran. Almost got cornered outside school."
Theo jumped in, fast. "They singled out the glasses first—me and Eliot. Said 'you, glasses.' Leon stepped in."
Lunara's jaw tightened. "Of course he did."
Rex nodded. "Then later… we heard their boss. On a screen." He paused. "They want Leon."
The room went still.
Lunara slowly leaned back, eyes never leaving Leon. "Because you're the anchor," she said. "Cut you out, the rest scatter."
Leon shrugged, calm as ever. "Seems that way."
Eliot clenched his hands. "This is my fault. I trusted Mira. I—"
Lunara shot him a look. "Stop." She reached over and flicked his forehead. "You didn't summon bodyguards. She used you."
Theo nodded. "Exactly."
Lunara stood, coat shifting, wolf energy snapping back into place. "Alright. New rule."
She pointed at Leon. "You don't go anywhere alone."
Then Eliot. "You stop apologizing."
Then all of them. "And whoever's behind this?" Her lips curved into something sharp. "They just made it personal."
Leon exhaled slowly. "Guess the project wasn't the only thing we built."
Theo smirked. "Yeah. We built a target."
Outside, the night stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
And for the first time, Lunara smiled like a wolf who'd found the trail.