Page 24 of Whispers of Wisteria

“I just…” My voice wavered. “I don’t want anyone else getting dragged into this.”

“You don’t get to make yourself disposable.” Brayden’s voice was different now—deeper—and when I looked up, my heart skipped.

“I already told you—” His face was like stone, and his smile was gone. “I won’t let you do this to yourself. You have people who want to protect you. Let them do their job.”

“But…” I wrapped my arms around myself. “If anyone gets hurt for me, I’ll never be able to make it right.”

“It’s not like that.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Besides,someonewill probably make the decision for you anyway,” he said, resigned. “So… please, just try to get used to the idea that you’re worth protecting.”

I didn’t respond—I’d said what I needed already. The silence stretched further.

I hated this. Brayden was the good brother. I didn’t want to fight.

Brayden was the first to cave.

“I, uh…” he started nervously, then gestured towards the table. “Saved your spot.”

He pulled out my chair, looking at me in that serious way that made something strange settle in my stomach. “I’m still your brother, even if you’re mad at me. And I’ll always protect you, even if you hate me for it.”

“Thanks,” I said. I tried to ignore the heat on the back of my neck as I sat down.

“I…” I stared at the pages in the open book. The words blurred together. “I don’t hate you.” My words came out softer than I wanted.

“That’s good.” Brayden petted my hand. “I like you too. So let’s make sure you stay safe, okay?”

“O-okay…” I replied, pulling at a piece of my hair. I stared until the ink blot on the corner of the page began to blur.

Miles POV

I found Damen sitting, defeated, in a corner of the headmaster’s office under an arched window overlooking the campus.

Dean Abernathy, Damen’s father, was at his desk on the other side of the elaborate, white-walled room. He looked up from his paperwork as I stood in the doorway.

“Miles,” he greeted with a nod. He gestured at a seat across his desk. “Don’t lurk like you’re unwelcome. Come in.”

“Hey.” I closed the door behind me. My attention returned to Damen. “Everything okay?”

Damen’s expression was masked. “You heard.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.” I sat.

There was no way not to. It was all everyone in my public policy class talked about—Damen Abernathy being seen taking energy from Bryce Dubois’s mysterious, dreamy wife.

They were both too popular for this to stay hidden. Plus, Bianca was acquiring her own fans too, even if she didn’t notice.

“Kind of hard to miss,” I replied, noting how his shoulders slumped further.

“Can their attention be misdirected?” Dean asked.

“Only if they find something more entertaining to talk about,” I replied. Hard to think of anything that’d do the trick outside of exposing who Bianca really was. But I did what I could.

“I’ve got them doubting what they saw,” I said. The expression on their faces when I reminded them that Damen was strong enough to kill them without trying, even withouttaking energy, had been enough to make them pause. “But it won’t last forever.”

Dean hummed under his breath.

“Maybe she should stay home for now?” I mused. “Just until the rumors die down.”

“No.” Damen looked up. “She’s here because she’s trying to figure things out. I’m not going to isolate her.”