“You called me princess,” Alexandra said, storming toward Agor, her eyes blazing. “What are you trying to pull?”
Agor leaned lazily against the tree, his silver-gray eyes scanning her with a mix of amusement and something darker. He looked utterly unbothered by her anger. His black leather jacket clung to his broad shoulders, and his dark hair fell messily over his forehead as if he had just walked out of a photoshoot.
“Relax,” he said, his deep voice calm. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“That’s not an answer,” Alexandra snapped, her fists clenched. “If you know something about me, you’d better start talking.”
Agor smirked, straightening up. He was tall—much taller than Alexandra—and the way he towered over her made her pulse race, though she wasn’t sure if it was from anger or something else entirely.
“Don’t worry,” he said smoothly, stepping closer. “You’re safe. For now.”
“For now?” she repeated, her voice rising in frustration. “What is that supposed to mean?”
But before she could press further, Agor brushed past her, his hand grazing her arm as he walked away. “See you around, princess.”
Alexandra stood frozen, fury bubbling in her chest. What was his deal? And why did he seem to know so much about her?
Agor’s presence became impossible to ignore. Wherever Alexandra went, he always seemed to be there—watching her, trying to talk to her, or just lingering nearby with that maddening smirk.
One afternoon, Alexandra was sitting on the steps outside the library, trying to focus on a textbook, when Agor appeared.
“You seem tense,” Agor said, his smooth voice cutting through the quiet of the library steps as he dropped into the seat next to her.
Alexandra’s eyes snapped up from her textbook, narrowing. There he was again, casually invading her space as if he had every right to be there. His black leather jacket hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, and his dark hair fell messily over his forehead, giving him an air of effortless danger. She hated how it made her pulse race.
“Maybe because someone keeps following me,” she shot back, trying to keep her voice steady. She didn’t bother to look at him again, forcing her eyes to stay glued to the open book in her lap.
“I’m not following you,” Agor said, leaning back with infuriating ease, his arms draped across the bench like he had all the time in the world. “I’m keeping an eye on you.”
Alexandra snapped her book shut, the sound echoing in the quiet space. She turned to him, glaring. “That’s literally the same thing. You show up everywhere I go. Yesterday you were outside my dorm. Before that, you were in the coffee shop, just sitting there, watching me.”
Agor didn’t deny it. Instead, he grinned, his silver-gray eyes gleaming with something dangerous and playful all at once. “You’ll thank me one day.”
Alexandra blinked, her jaw tightening. “Thank you? For what? Making me feel like I’m in some creepy stalker movie?”
Agor chuckled, leaning closer. “If I wanted to be creepy, you’d know it.”
Her stomach churned at the implication, and she clenched her fists to keep from throwing her book at him. “Do you think this is funny?” she snapped.
“Not funny,” he said, his smirk fading into something more serious. “Necessary.”
“Necessary?” she repeated, incredulous. “What does that even mean?”
Agor shrugged, his silver eyes scanning the courtyard like he was looking for something—or someone. “Let’s just say, I’m making sure the wrong people don’t get too close to you.”
Her heart skipped a beat, the weight of his words sinking in. “What are you talking about? What wrong people?”
Agor’s gaze snapped back to her, and for a moment, his playful expression disappeared entirely. His jaw tightened, and something cold flickered in his eyes. “You’ll understand soon enough.”
Alexandra’s chest tightened. She couldn’t tell if he was warning her or taunting her—or both. “You’re insane,” she muttered, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Agor didn’t move, watching her with that same infuriating calm. “Stay safe, princess,” he said softly, his voice carrying just enough weight to make her stomach twist.
Alexandra froze mid-step, her body going rigid. “Don’t call me that,” she hissed, not turning back.
Agor’s grin returned, though this time it was sharper. “Oh, but it suits you.”
“Hey!” Liam’s voice cut through the air like a knife. Alexandra turned to see him striding toward them, his hazel eyes narrowing as they locked on Agor. His sandy blond hair was slightly ruffled, and his leather jacket shifted with every purposeful step.
“What do you want?” Liam said sharply, stepping between Alexandra and Agor.
Agor didn’t flinch. If anything, his smirk widened. “Just having a friendly conversation.”
Liam scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, I’ll bet. Why don’t you leave her alone?”
“Why don’t you stop pretending you can protect her?” Agor fired back, his tone calm but deadly.
“Enough!” Alexandra said, stepping between them. “What is wrong with you two?”
But Liam ignored her. He grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her to her feet. “Come on, Alex. Let’s go.”
As they walked away, Alexandra tried to pull her arm free, but Liam wouldn’t let go.
“Liam, what the hell was that?” she demanded.
Liam stopped, turning to face her. His usually warm hazel eyes were dark with frustration. “I don’t trust him, Alex. He’s hiding something.”
“You barely know him,” Alexandra said, exasperated.
“And neither do you,” Liam retorted. His tone softened as he added, “I’m just looking out for you. Can’t you see that?”
Alexandra sighed, the fight draining out of her. “I know you are. It’s just… he’s so weird, Liam. I don’t understand why he’s so interested in me.”
Liam’s jaw tightened. “That’s exactly why I don’t trust him. People don’t act like that for no reason.”
She nodded slowly, feeling torn. Liam was always so protective, so safe. But there was something about Agor—something she couldn’t quite explain.
The next day, Alexandra tried to avoid Agor altogether, but he made it impossible. He found her in the hallway after class, leaning casually against a locker as if he belonged there.
“You can’t avoid me forever,” he said, a teasing lilt to his voice.
Alexandra groaned. “What do you want, Agor?”
He tilted his head, his silver eyes studying her like she was some unsolved mystery. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” she snapped.
Agor stepped closer, his tone softening. “You have no idea who you really are, do you?”
Alexandra’s stomach churned. His words felt heavy, like they carried some truth she wasn’t ready to face. “Stop talking in riddles,” she said, her voice shaking.
But before he could answer, Liam appeared again, his face stormy.
It happened at the end of the day. Alexandra had stayed late in the library, and as she walked out, she saw Liam waiting for her near the steps.
“Hey,” he said, his voice warm. “I thought I’d walk you back to your dorm.”
“Thanks, Liam,” Alexandra said, smiling.
But her smile faded when Agor stepped out of the shadows, his eyes locked on her. “We need to talk, Alexandra,” he said, ignoring Liam completely.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Liam said, stepping in front of her.
Agor’s smirk disappeared, replaced by a cold, dangerous expression. “You’re not her keeper,” he growled.
“And you’re not her friend,” Liam shot back, his voice rising.
The tension between them was suffocating. Agor’s fists clenched at his sides, and Liam looked ready to throw a punch. Alexandra, caught in the middle, felt her patience snap.
“Enough!” she shouted, stepping between them. “Why can’t you both just leave me alone?”