His Erasthai

Scholars

KILLAN POV:

"Where have you been?"

Francesca stood with her brows furrowed, hands on her waist.

"Out."

"To where?"

"Outside," I said nonchalantly.

I was losing patience with this woman. If it weren’t for my father, I wouldn’t bother entertaining her.

She didn’t seem affected by my attitude, so I turned back to the document I was reading.

"Your father expects us to attend the welcome ceremony for the scholars. He wants you to do it on his behalf."

"I can’t. I’m busy."

"Then make time. It's next month."

Francesca didn’t give me a chance to argue. She walked out of my office without another word.

That brat.

A few moments later, I suddenly remembered the woman I met earlier.

I didn’t realize my lips had curled into a smile until I saw my reflection in the mirror across the desk.

Immediately, I composed myself and returned my focus to the report.

But then... her face haunted me.

There was something in her eyes that told me she wasn’t an ordinary human. And yet... I couldn’t catch her scent. Humans always have a distinct smell. Even werewolves and us Lycans carry scents that identify our bloodline. But with her? Nothing.

That intrigued me.

My attention was no longer on the document.

I haven’t seen her before either. She must be new. No long-time student would dare speak to me the way she did. She even called me a pervert.

That woman...

"Who is she?"

-------------

SAMANTHA POV

I was currently listening to Rida’s story about her first day here. At first, I’d been apprehensive about having a roommate. I wasn’t used to it.

Madison had clearly told me that no one would ever want to share a room with me. I secretly shook my head, trying to block out the past.

I smiled to show Rida I was paying attention—when in reality, my mind was wandering.

She was... talkative, to say the least. She’d been going on non-stop for nearly an hour. As someone who prefers silence, I found it hard to keep up. So my thoughts drifted back to what happened earlier—when I met her before my class.

Flashback:

"Hi. I’m Rida, your roommate. Are you also a scholar like me?"

"Hi. I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam. And yeah, I’m also a scholar."

"Great! I thought I’d never have a roommate again. I’ve been here for years, all alone in this room. Oh, Goddess! I finally have someone to talk to. Talking to myself wasn’t helping anymore!"

She had said that dramatically, and I smiled.

She seemed nice. I hoped she wasn’t like Madison.

"Hey, Sam. Are you still with me?"

She waved her hand in front of my face.

"Oh, sorry. I just remembered something. What were you saying again?"

We were sitting on the couch. There was no doubt I wouldn’t get any homework done at this rate.

"I asked if you’ll attend the welcome ceremony next month—the first week."

"Welcome ceremony? What for?"

"Yep! It’s for scholars like us. Every four years, they hold a welcome ceremony for all full scholarship students. And this year’s the fourth. They don’t give out scholarships every year, so you’re lucky you got one. Otherwise, you’d be stuck paying the insane tuition fee—something I definitely couldn’t afford."

"I guess I am lucky."

"You bet! So... will you attend?"

"If it’s not mandatory, then I’d rather not."

"Oh, girl, you should go! It only happens once every four years—and once in a lifetime, really. You’ll see all the people behind the school’s success. Trust me, they’re like gods and goddesses. Their aura alone will make you want to bow down. It's overwhelming... in a good way."

"I suppose you’ve attended before." I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t believe half of what she was saying—it sounded like a fantasy.

"Hahaha! Yep! Twice!"

"Wait... so you’ve been here for eight years already?!"

"Hahaha! Nope! A decade, actually."

"What?! But how? You don’t look old. Did you drop subjects or fail classes or something?"

Rida burst into laughter.

"What’s funny?"

"Sam, I’m taking a second course here. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work four years ago. Now I’m taking a BS in Forestry."

"Wow. That’s amazing. And honestly, you don’t look like you’ve been here ten years."

"Haha, thanks. But this is my dream. When I got accepted again with a full scholarship, I didn’t think twice. I’ve always wanted to help nature and the ecosystem. I want people to value the forest, the trees... all of it. I want to learn how I can conserve and protect it."

"Wow. I’m honestly speechless. You’re amazing, Rida."

"Thank you. Anyway, about the ceremony—it’s not mandatory, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet them."

"Them?"

"The people you see in the school handbook. And I heard Killan will be there too."

"Killan? Who’s that?"

"He’s the owner of this school. He has a younger brother too, but no one’s seen him. Although I heard he also studies here. Still, I’ve never seen him—not once. But Killan? He shows up at every school event. And oh, girl, all the girls swoon over him. He’s the most handsome, most daunting man I’ve ever seen! The catch is, you won’t find any of his photos. Not even of his brother. They're extremely discreet."

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. The way she described him—her eyes literally sparkled. But I mentally disagreed. There was only one man I could think of who fit that "most good-looking in the universe" title.

"Oh... okay," was all I said, letting Rida drown in her fantasy.

Later, I excused myself and told her I needed to pee—but honestly, I just needed to get away for a bit.

I still wasn’t interested in attending the ceremony. But if it became mandatory, I’d have no choice.

Ugh. I should loosen up. I shouldn’t let the past control my present... or my future. I was on my own now. No support. No love. No family.

A pang of sorrow engulfed me.

I’d been an obedient daughter. I did everything they asked—even sacrificed my own happiness to please them. I left nothing for myself. Not even a sliver.

My mood darkened, so I lay on the bed. I began to recall all the painful memories I’d tried to bury. The nightmares I could never seem to escape. They still haunted me.

Then I felt the warmth of tears running down my face.

I hadn’t even noticed I was crying—just from thinking about the past.

"Pull yourself together, Samantha. You’re free now. So learn to be happy."

I told myself that... before sleep finally took over.

While Samantha slept, a strange fog began to form inside her room.

And soon... a voice began calling her name.

"Samantha... You're back..."