[ZEPH]

The last few days had been a descent into a new kind of terror.

Just as I suspected, Lyra, armed with the knowledge of that repulsive master/slave tether, made my life a living hell at the Academy.

Every glare, every sharp word, every purposeful bump in the hallway felt like a potential shockwave of pain. It had gotten to the point where I was afraid to attend classes, convinced her cruelty could reach me even across the campus.

Part of me screamed to tell Alpha Stone and Luna ...