Page 162 of Fractured Fate

“It is. I don’t know how he got in, but we have to tell the headmistress so she can inform Blackthorn Security their safeguards are compromised.”

He tried to tell himself her fear of the rogue Vasirian wasn’t a generalized fear of his kind, but that ugly black feeling in the back of his mind became harder to ignore when he felt her apprehension on a visceral level.

Charlotte said she didn’t see him as a monster after seeing him at his most primal—had shown him she accepted him—but did she harbor lingering hesitation about his world? She didn’t balk at their consumption of blood. Didn’t seem opposed to a lot of their way of life. But when faced with his fangs, the prophecy in action, and the violence of the rogues, would she still keep such confidence in her ability to handle it? He had to trust her the way she trusted him.

Hoping to ease her mind, he said, “They won’t get to you here. I don’t know how he got on campus to deliver that, or if he had someone deliver it, but I won’t leave you.”

She blinked several times in rapid succession. “Um. Hate to break it to you, but a rogue bit me before and Riley was right there.” Her mirthless laugh made him tense. “What makes you think the stalker won’t get to me?”

His voice hardened. “Because I won’t leave your side until that piece of shit is found.” The thrum of his pulse increased as his blood pressure rose. Did she think he wasn’t capable of keeping her safe?

Charlotte flinched at his tone, and his spine stiffened.

“I’m sorry.” He turned away and stalked across the room before he said something in anger he would regret. He collapsed in his chair and sighed when the bathroom door closed behind him.

Tugging the note from his pocket, he shook his head. He didn’t get a chance to talk to her about it. Tossing it on his bedside table, he pulled out his phone and called Lukas. “We have a problem,” he said before Lukas even said hello.

“Charlotte?”

“Her stalker.”

“Isn’t he dead?”

“I thought so, but there was a note and rose left at our door for her.”

Lukas cursed, and Aiden heard movement before Lukas said, “I put it on speakerphone. Blaire, Riley, and Seth are here.”

“What’s going on?” Riley asked.

“Charlotte got a rose and a note from her stalker. At least I think it’s him. The rose was pink, fitting the stalker’s MO. I don’t think the rogue I killed was the guy.”

“The fuck?” Seth said, his voice incredulous.

Blaire asked, “What’s the note say?”

He grabbed the note and read it to them before tossing it back on the bedside table.

“Who’s J?” Riley asked.

“That’s what I want to know. I need to ask her,” he said, rubbing a hand over his face as he tilted his head back.

Lukas muttered, “I want to know how they got on school grounds.”

“Did you call the headmistress?” Seth asked. “Riley, stop moving. I’m about to fall off the bed.”

“I’m trying to get close enough to listen.”

“You can hear just fine right there.”

Aiden couldn’t even find amusement in the back-and-forth between Seth and Riley. His fingers scraped through his hair, and he tugged at the crown of his head in frustration. “I think the rogues are trying to get to Blaire through Charlotte.”

“It sounds that way from what the note says,” Lukas said.

“Though it sure sounds like one of them has taken an extra liking to Charlotte.” Riley’s words made sense. The additional words of love and obsession weren’t necessary if this was all about Blaire.

“I haven’t showed Charlotte the note yet, but when I do, I think we should take it to Headmistress Velastra.”

Riley asked, “Why haven’t you shown her?”