Things Mara Was Beginning To Suspect

Mara returned from the cafeteria carrying three coffees and a growing sense that Larkin College might secretly be a psychiatric experiment.

The line downstairs alone had nearly caused violence. One finance student had looked moments away from stabbing another over cinnamon. Rich people were deeply unwell.

She balanced the drinks carefully while weaving back through the library corridors lined with towering shelves and amber light. Halfway there, she slowed. Because voices drifted faintly from around the corner ahead. Male voices. Dave’s and Alaric’s.

Mara would not have stopped intentionally. That sounded unethical. Unfortunately, curiosity frequently overpowered ethics when boredom got involved. “You’re slipping,” Dave said quietly. Mara blinked. Well. That sounded dramatic. Alaric answered after a pause. “I’m aware.” “You looked ready to tear Ethan apart that day.”

Mara slowed further. That seemed excessive. “He touched her.” The words landed low and cold enough to make something strange move beneath Mara’s ribs. Not fear but awareness...Again. Dave exhaled sharply. “She’s human, Alaric.” Silence. Then, “I know exactly what she is.”

The intensity behind the sentence unsettled her unexpectedly. Mara frowned slightly to herself. There was that weird thing again. That feeling that conversations around Alaric contained missing pieces everyone else understood except her. Like walking into the middle of a movie thirty minutes late. “…You need distance,” Dave continued carefully.

A soft sound followed. Not quite laughter. “From my mate?” The coffees nearly slipped from Mara’s hands. Mate? Her brain immediately supplied the only logical explanation. Ah. British rich people terminology. Probably. Like boarding schools and emotional repression. Still weird though.

Dave sounded exhausted now. “I’m serious.” “So am I.” Something about the quiet certainty in Alaric’s voice made Mara’s pulse stumble traitorously. Which was ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. She barely knew this man. Granted, her body reacted to his voice like it had personally developed poor decision-making skills, but still.

She shifted slightly. One of the coffee lids squeaked and silence slammed into the hallway instantly. Oops. Mara considered fleeing. Unfortunately, both men rounded the corner before escape became emotionally available. Dave looked startled but Alaric looked directly at her. Not surprised but focused.

Mara held up the coffees slowly. “Well,” she said. “This suddenly feels awkward professionally.” Dave recovered first. “How long were you standing there?” Mara considered lying, then remembered she was terrible at it. “Long enough to conclude rich people discuss relationships like medieval war treaties.”

Dave choked on absolutely nothing. Alaric, meanwhile, had gone very still. “Mara,” Dave began carefully, “the word mate doesn’t mean...” “Oh, I know what it means,” she interrupted. “I grew up around farmers, remember? Animals exist in the countryside.” Dave physically rubbed a hand over his face. Alaric’s expression shifted faintly. And unless Mara imagined it… He almost looked relieved.

Which raised several new questions she did not currently have the emotional energy to unpack. She handed Dave his coffee. Then held the last cup toward Alaric automatically. The moment his fingers brushed hers taking it....Warmth exploded up her arm. Mara jerked slightly. Not visibly enough for most people. Unfortunately both men noticed instantly.

Dave’s eyes narrowed and Alaric’s gaze darkened. The air between them changed again. That weird silent masculine communication thing they kept doing. Mara was beginning to hate it profoundly. “You all need therapy,” she informed them. Neither answered. Which honestly felt ruder than arguing.

Mara started walking again toward their table and both men followed automatically. She stopped mid-step and turned slowly. “No.” Dave blinked. “No what?” “No following me around like suspiciously attractive security guards.” “We’re walking to the same table.” “You’re walking with weird energy.” “That sentence means nothing.” “It means exactly what I said.”

Alaric sipped his coffee calmly, then immediately frowned and Mara noticed. “See?” she said, pointing triumphantly. “Even your face knows the coffee is terrible.” “It tastes burnt.” “It tastes like despair and bark.” Dave laughed hard enough nearby students glared openly again.

Mara resumed walking. This time the boys stayed slightly behind her. Which somehow felt even more obvious. As they returned to the table, several students glanced up subtly. Or not subtly but Mara noticed that too now. People watched Alaric constantly. Like prey animals tracking weather patterns. And whenever he stood near her…The attention doubled.

Mara dropped into her chair with a sigh. “I miss normal people.” Dave sat beside her again. “You threatened three students this week.” “I said normal people. Not harmless people.” Alaric settled across from them. The movement alone caused a nearby first-year student to immediately relocate tables.

Mara stared after him. “Okay, seriously.” Dave looked wary already. “What?” “Why does everyone act like he’s one bad day away from conquering Poland?” A dangerous silence followed. Dave nearly inhaled his coffee wrong. Alaric remained perfectly composed. Which honestly looked suspicious at this point.

Mara narrowed her eyes slowly. “There’s definitely a cult.” “No cult,” Dave said immediately. “Mm.” “Mara.” “You all behave like emotionally complicated secret agents.” “We really don’t.” “Dave,” she said patiently, “I watched a girl apologize to Alaric yesterday because he looked at her briefly.” Dave looked toward Alaric. “Okay that one might be fair.”

Mara pointed sharply. “Thank you.” Across the table, Alaric watched her with that same impossible intensity again. Not cold. He was never cold toward her and that was what disturbed her most. Everyone else received the controlled, intimidating version of him. Mara somehow got the quieter one.

The one who watched her like every expression mattered. Like every sentence she spoke rearranged something inside him. It made her nervous in ways she deeply disliked examining. “You keep doing that too,” she muttered. Alaric’s gaze didn’t shift. “Doing what?” “Looking at me like you misplaced something valuable.”

The words escaped before Mara could stop them. Silence followed instantly. Dave froze and Alaric went utterly motionless. And suddenly Mara had the horrible feeling she accidentally said something important. Wonderful...She hated when that happened.

Slowly, very slowly, something changed in Alaric’s expression. Not visible emotion exactly, but restraint suddenly looked harder. Like holding himself together required active effort. “Mara,” Dave said carefully, “maybe don’t phrase things like that around him.” She frowned. “Why?” Neither man answered immediately. Which again, was very concerning.

Mara leaned back in her chair slowly. “You know what? I’m deciding right now that all rich people at Larkin are insane.” “That feels discriminatory,” Dave muttered weakly. “I’m comfortable with that.” A tiny smile appeared briefly at the corner of Alaric’s mouth. That devastating almost-softness, again.

Mara hated how much less frightening he looked when he nearly smiled. It made him feel human. And somehow that was far more dangerous. Because monsters were easier to avoid when they looked like monsters.