Chapter 7

I was sprawled across the worn-out sofa in the common room, the glow of my phone casting a soft light on my face. The chatter around me was a familiar symphony, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter or the clink of mugs on the coffee table. It was one of those rare evenings where the weight of impending exams hadn’t yet suffocated the air with tension.

My fingers scrolled mindlessly through my feed, a stream of memes and magic theory debates, when a pair of names sliced through the noise, snagging my attention—Xavier and some beta boy whose name I didn’t catch. I tried to shut out the voices, to focus on the triviality of my screen, but curiosity gnawed at me, sharpening my senses to the conversation unfolding behind me.

“Did you see them last night?” one of the girls asked, her voice dripping with a mix of awe and envy. “Xavier and that new beta, they were practically having sex right in front of everyone.”

A knot twisted in my gut, and I felt the irrational surge of jealousy, hot and unwanted, course through my veins. It was a ridiculous reaction, I knew. Xavier’s conquests were as recurring as the phases of the moon. Yet, there was something about the image of him with another male beta that set my teeth on edge. The thought of Xavier’s hands, warm and sure, on someone else’s skin—it was like a poison I couldn’t expel.

I’d always been the steadfast one, the unshakable rock beside Xavier’s tempest. Girls, they were a dime a dozen in his world, but another guy? That was a different game entirely. It was as if they shared a kinship I couldn’t breach, a silent understanding that left me on the outside looking in.

With a muttered excuse, I extracted myself from the sofa, leaving the warmth of the common room behind. The cool, quiet solitude of my dormitory was a balm to my frayed nerves. I threw myself into my studies, the pages of my notebook filling with equations and incantations, anything to keep my mind from wandering back to Xavier and his latest fling.

The room was bathed in the soft glow of a desk lamp, its light pooling over textbooks and scattered notes. I buried myself in the intricacies of elemental magic, tracing the lines of runes with my finger, feeling the residual energy pulse beneath my touch.

As the hours slipped by, my thoughts gradually untangled, the jealousy that had taken root earlier now nothing but a whisper at the back of my mind.

The door to my dorm room flew open with the subtlety of a rampaging bull, and in strolled Xavier, the picture of mischievous delight. His scent, a heady mix of orange and clove, cut through the staleness of my room, and I couldn’t help the way my heart gave a traitorous thump.

“Carter, my man,” Xavier announced, flopping onto my bed as if he owned the place. “I’ve got the most exquisite plan for our dear Xiomajesty.”

I arched an eyebrow, folding my arms across my chest. “Does it involve lighting her textbooks on fire again?”

Xavier laughed, a sound that always seemed to shake the very walls around us. “No, no, nothing so… incendiary. This time, we’re going to slip into something a bit more fun.”

I rolled my eyes but felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards in a reluctant smile. “Alright, I’ll bite. What’s the plan?”

As Xavier laid out the details, a low thrill of anticipation hummed through me. The prank was elegant in its simplicity, a perfect blend of our elemental affinities. I’d weave a net of concentrated air just above the ground, a feat that would require a delicate touch and a considerable amount of energy. Xavier, with his affinity for water, would then coat it with a layer of slickness, ensuring that Xiomara’s feet would find no purchase.

“You know, this could backfire,” I mused. “Xiomara’s not exactly delicate when she’s angry.”

Xavier waved a dismissive hand. “That’s half the fun, G. Besides, we’ll be long gone before she even realizes what’s happening.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re insane, you know that?”

“Insanely brilliant,” Xavier replied with a cheeky grin.

As we set to work, the room buzzed with our combined energies. I could feel the air element responding to my call, its presence like a whisper against my skin. Xavier, meanwhile, had his eyes closed in concentration, his fingers delicately tracing patterns in the air as he coaxed the water element to do his bidding.

Watching him, I was struck—not for the first time—by how effortlessly beautiful he was. The way the light played across his features, the determined set of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead… It was enough to make my breath hitch in my throat.

I had to look away, focusing instead on the task at hand. I wove my magic into the air, crafting a trap so subtle, so devious, that even the ever-suspicious Xiomara wouldn’t detect it until it was too late.

Xavier’s laughter filled the room, rich and vibrant, as I narrowly dodged his attempt to soak me with a carelessly tossed water sphere. “Careful, G. Wouldn’t want to reveal your hidden beta squishiness,” he teased.

I shot him a mock glare, the corners of my mouth betraying my amusement. “Squishy? Please, I’m more agile than half the elemental aces on this campus.”

“Agile, huh?” Xavier smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Then why did it take you three tries to dodge that?”

I rolled my eyes, refusing to concede the point. “Just warming up. You know, to make sure you don’t look too bad when I outshine you with my part of the prank.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “In your dreams, Carter. When have I ever not been the star of the show?”

“In your dreams, Sinclair,” I retorted, mirroring his own jab back at him. “I seem to recall a certain Alpha getting knocked on his ass during our last sparring session.”

Xavier’s smirk only widened. “A temporary setback. Besides, I let you win. Didn’t want to bruise that fragile beta ego of yours.”

I scoffed, my own smile growing. “Let me win? You wish that were the case. Admit it, you’re just sore because I’ve got moves that you couldn’t even dream of.”

As I worked my magic, weaving the air into a subtle trap, I couldn’t help but watch Xavier out of the corner of my eye. The way his brow furrowed in concentration, the tick of a muscle in his jaw—it was a sight that sent a jolt right through me. He was raw power and grace, a storm barely contained within the vessel of his body.

I felt the pull of him, like gravity, an irresistible force that I was helpless to resist. It was a risk, this thing between us, a game of chicken where the stakes were impossibly high. But as I watched him, the play of light and shadow across his features, I knew I was in too deep to back out now.

“Alright, G,” Xavier said, breaking me from my thoughts. “I think we’re just about ready to give our dear Xiomajesty a little surprise, don’t you think?”

I nodded, forcing my attention back to the task at hand. “Just about. Let’s make sure everything’s set.”

Together, we double-checked the enchantments, ensuring that every detail was perfect. Xavier’s scent, a heady mix of orange and clove, curled around me, a subtle reminder of the line we were treading.

“You know,” Xavier said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “sometimes I think you enjoy our little pranks a bit too much.”

I shrugged, a smirk playing on my lips. “What can I say? You bring out the best in me, X.”

He laughed, the sound echoing in the room. “The best, huh? Well, then I guess I’m just that good.”

I rolled my eyes, but the warmth in my chest was undeniable. “Keep telling yourself that, Sinclair.”

With a final nod of satisfaction, we stood back to admire our handiwork. The room was alive with the energy of our combined magics, a testament to the bond we shared—a bond forged in laughter and sealed with the promise of mischief.

“Ready to see this plan in action?” Xavier asked, his eyes alight with anticipation.

“Born ready,” I replied, the thrill of the pending prank sending a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.