Chapter 7 Long Way

Damian's Pov

The drive to school was suffocating.

Evi sat in the passenger seat, her body pressed as close to the door as physically possible. She stared out the window, her arms crossed, her jaw tight. She hadn't said a single word since we'd pulled out of the driveway.

I couldn't blame her. I didn't know what to say either.

The bond hummed between us, a constant reminder of what we were trying to hide. I could feel her emotions like they were my own, the fear, the anger, the stubborn, defiant pride that refused to break. She was stronger than she looked. 

But strength wasn't enough. Not against my father, not against the hunters. Not against the world that wanted her dead.

"You missed the turn," she said suddenly, her voice flat.

"I didn't," I replied, just as flatly.

She was right, of course. I'd intentionally taken the long way, the winding road that snaked through the forest. I needed time to think. Time to figure out how to keep her alive.

The silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable. I could feel her tension through the bond, the way her muscles were coiled like a spring ready to snap.

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

She turned her head toward me. "What?"

I didn't look at her. I just kept driving, my hands steady on the wheel. "Do you think people can actually change? Or are they just stuck being whatever they've always been?"

She was quiet for a moment. I could feel her surprise through the bond, the way she had been bracing for something sharp and got something unexpected instead.

"I think people can change," she said slowly. "If they want to. If they really want to."

"What if they've done terrible things? What if they've spent their whole life being one kind of person, and then one day they wake up and realize they don't want to be that person anymore? Is that even possible, or are they just lying to themselves?"

She didn't answer right away. I glanced at her, just for a second, and saw that she was staring out the windshield with an expression I couldn't read.

"I think it depends on why they want to change," she said finally. "Some people change because they're scared of getting caught. That's not real change. That's just self-preservation. But other people change because they've seen something that made them realize they were wrong. Because someone showed them a different way to be." She paused. "Those people can change. I have to believe that."

"Why?"

"Because if people can't change, then what's the point of anything? What's the point of trying to be better? What's the point of forgiving anyone?" She turned to look at me, and her eyes were steady and serious. "I've done things I'm not proud of. I've been weak when I should have been strong. I've let people hurt me and I've hurt people back. If I didn't believe people could change, I would have given up a long time ago."

I didn't say anything. The road stretched out in front of us, dark and empty, the trees blurring past the windows.

"Why are you asking me this?" she said.

I shrugged. "Just something I've been thinking about."

She didn't say another word.

We arrived at school in tense silence. The parking lot was crowded with expensive cars and students who looked like they'd stepped out of a magazine. I pulled into my usual spot and cut the engine.

Evi got out before I could say anything, her head high, her shoulders back. She was trying to look confident, but I could feel her fear through the bond. It was like a knife twisting in my chest.

I followed her toward the entrance, keeping my distance. We were supposed to hate each other. We were supposed to be strangers.

And then I saw Natasha.

She was waiting by the doors, her dark hair perfectly curled, her green eyes gleaming with possessive satisfaction. The moment she saw me, she launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her lips to mine.

I let her. I had to. Playing the doting boyfriend was part of the act.

But through the bond, I felt Evi's reaction. A flash of something sharp and painful like jealousy, maybe, or disgust. I couldn't tell. And I couldn't care.

"What are you doing here so early, baby?" Natasha purred, threading her fingers through my hair. "You didn't text me back."

"I was busy," I said flatly.

She pouted, but her eyes had already drifted past me to Evi. "Who's this?"

I glanced at Evi, forcing my expression into cold indifference. "I don't know her."

The words were like a slap. I could feel them land, the way Evi's shields went up, the way she drew back into herself. I hated myself for saying it. But I had to. For her safety.

Natasha's smile widened. "Oh. That's your new stepsister, isn't it? The charity case."

"Something like that."

Evi's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw the hurt behind her carefully blank expression. Then she turned away, walking past us into the school.

I watched her go, the bond tugging at my chest like a leash.

"Lost?" Natasha purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

Evi didn't respond. She just kept walking, disappearing into the crowd.

I wanted to follow her. I needed to make sure she was okay but I couldn't. Not with Natasha watching. Not with my father's spies everywhere.

So I stayed, playing my part, hating every second of it.

The first period passed in a blur. I couldn't focus on anything except the bond, the constant thrum of Evi's emotions in my chest. Fear. Anger. Desperation.

And then, halfway through second period, I felt something else. Something worse.

Panic.

I shot out of my seat, ignoring the teacher's protests, and ran through the halls. I didn't know where she was, but I didn't need to. The bond was pulling me, dragging me toward her like a magnet.

I found her in the hallway, surrounded by a crowd of students. She was backed against the lockers, her arms raised to shield her face. Someone had thrown a tissue at her. A bottle cap. Someone else was screaming, "Witch! Get out of our school!"

My wolf surged, and I was moving before I could stop myself. I shoved through the crowd, grabbing the nearest student and throwing him against the wall.

"Back off," I snarled, my voice dropping into a growl. "All of you. Now."

The crowd scattered, terrified. I turned to Evi, my heart pounding. She was on the floor, her body trembling, her palms glowing with faint orange fire.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. "What happened?"

"I don't know," she gasped. "They just, they started."

I didn't wait for her to finish. I dragged her into the nearest classroom, slamming the door shut behind us.

"Your hands," I said, grabbing her wrists. "They're glowing."

She looked down, her eyes widening with horror. "I can't control it. It's too much."

"Breathe," I said, my voice low and steady. "Just breathe. You're okay. I've got you."

She met my eyes, and for a moment, the fear faded. There was something else there. Something that made my chest tighten with an emotion I didn't want to name.