Chapter 56

The few days after my attack were somber, as expected.

The Monday after, I went to breakfast and was the topic of discussion yet again. Though, this time, everyone seemed to be eyeing me with pained looks instead of menacing glares. I swallowed thickly especially when Loren rubbed my back reassuringly.

I sat at my normal table, glancing out at Kairos’s table. I expected him to be glaring at me but his head was cast down, unflinching and sullen. I ate my breakfast and ran off to classes, hiding in the back of the classrooms the whole day.

Tuesday morning, Throne approached Loren and I at breakfast. He sat down at our table without a word. Loren stopped speaking mid-sentence to shoot him a look. He ignored it.

“Zora, I—” Thorne started before swallowing. “I’m so sorry.”

He looked at me with earnest regret in his dark gold eyes. I blinked at him, expecting his look of pity to melt away into anger. But it didn’t, he still was sitting there; pale and sad.

“I should’ve been there,” he said, quietly. “I’m your Knight. It’s my job to protect you. I was at the party. It was at my fucking house I mean—”

He stopped himself and shook his head, as if to keep himself from getting worked up. He gently reached across the table and touched the back of my hand.

“I should’ve been there,”

“It’s fine Thorne,” I said softly, withdrawing my hand so he could no longer reach it. Before it got out of his grasp he stood up and caught it. The sudden movement made me flinch.

Thorne let go reluctantly. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “You probably don’t want to be touched.”

I gave him a sad smile then ducked my head back towards my food. Thorne didn’t leave. Then, someone cleared their throat from next to me. I jerked my gaze up to see Maximus standing near the end of the table. His hair was cropped closed to his skull again. His eyebrow was raised in question at Thorne.

“Can I help you Blythwitch?” he grunted.

“No, you can’t,” Thorne threw back. “Because I was talking to Zora.”

“Noted,” Maximus said with equally as much malice. He sat down at the table across from Loren. The two of us looked at each other, blinking in surprise. Loren glanced between Thorne and Maximus.

“Wow,” she breathed. “Never thought I’d see more than two people at this table. Now we have four!”

“Three,” Maximus corrected before digging into his breakfast. He gestured vaguely towards our second new table member. “Thorne was just leaving.”

Thorne turned to glare at Maximus but the bigger Alpha didn’t seem to care. He went about himself, spooning his oatmeal into his mouth as if nothing had happened. Thorne let out a grumbling noise of frustration before standing up from the table. He gave me a final pained look.

“I’ll be around if you need me,” he said to me.

Before I could open my mouth to protest, Maximus cut me off.

“She won’t,” He replied. “Thanks though.”

Thorne glared down at maximus before giving me one last incredulous look. He stalked back to the table where Kairos was sitting. Neither Kairos nor Petyr seemed to acknowledge his return.

I turned towards Maximus with a smug look on my face. “I don’t need you to speak for me,” I snapped.

Maximus shrugged and continued eating. He ignored Loren and I for the rest of breakfast, only interjecting to say goodbye as he finished. After he left, Loren raised her eyebrows at me. I huffed and looked at her.

“What’re you thinking?”

“Awfully protective, don’t ya think?” she mused before shoving her yogurt covered spoon into her mouth.

“He’s just looking out for me,” I mumbled.

Loren hummed in amusement.

The next day, Maximus sat with us at breakfast again. Thorne didn’t bother coming over but I did see him twist his face in anger when he saw Maximus was. It was the same as the day before, minimal conversation unless addressed and he only interjected to say goodbye.

By Thursday, it was the third time Maximus had joined us for breakfast.

When he sat his tray down across from me, I stopped what I was saying to Loren to purse my lips at him. He looked at me like he was waiting for my question.

“So you eating with us every day now?” I asked.

Maximus shrugged, the blasé bastard. “Do you not want me to?”

“I didn’t say that,” I quipped back.

I’d noticed that since Max had started sitting with us, the other students seemed to ignore or avoid me altogether. It was a nice change from the stares or glares. I didn’t mind Maximus sitting with us, if I didn’t suspect there was some weird ulterior motive.

“So what’s the issue?” Maximus continued.

“There isn’t one,” I grit out from my teeth, frustrated as hell. “Just want to know why the sudden change.”

Maximus sat his spoon down to look me directly in the eyes. I’d almost forgot how piercing his stare was. It shook me down to my core.

“You’ve been fucked with enough, don’t you think?” he said, plainly.

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, unable to speak. “I—”

“I agree,” Maximus dropped his gaze back to his food and continued to eat. He grabbed a grape then held it up to look at me again. “And clearly, your ‘knight’ isn’t doing much about it. So, I’ve stepped in to fill the gaps.”

I scowled at him. “You told me weakness was a plague.”

“It is,” Maximus threw the blueberry in his mouth. His jaw moved as he chewed it, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “So, I’ll start training you this weekend. But until then, I’ll serve as a warning sign.”

He shot me a half smirk, clearly amused with himself. He plucked another grape and popped it in his mouth. The smirk was still burned on his face. He swallowed again then spoke.

“Warning: the dog bites.”

“I do not need some guard dog!” I snapped. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!”

“Of course,” Maximus stood and grabbed his tray to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow and let you know what gym I’ve rented.”

“Max—” I warned.

“Have a good day, Zora,” he said before taking off towards the trash. He deposited his garbage and stalked out of the cafeteria. I was left grumbling at my seat. I looked at Loren, who was trying to stifle a grin.

“What?” I groaned.

“Oh, he so totally likes you,” Loren snickered. “Zora Wolfham is a nice name don’t you think?”

I groaned again before slamming my head onto the table.