Alea believed in kindness.In quiet mornings. In helping strangers.In keeping her head down and her heart safe.
She didn't believe in gangs.Or boys with sharp smiles and louder egos.Especially not the ones who lived on violence and called it loyalty.
So when her friend dragged her to a student market near the West Bridge campus that afternoon, she already felt uncomfortable.
Too many bikes.Too many boys with eyes like wolves.
And then—One of them winked at her.
She frowned.
Rayzen.
He leaned against his motorbike like he owned the street. Tattoos peeking through his sleeves, dyed hair a mess, and that smirk—ugh. That annoying smirk.
"Hey, angel," he called out, casual. Like they'd met before.
She kept walking. Didn't even flinch.
His friends laughed. One whispered, "Oof, rejected."
But Rayzen? He looked even more interested.
Later that day, she saw another face.Colder. Stiller. Watching her like he was calculating something dangerous.
Kael.
She'd heard about him. Everyone had.Quiet. Ruthless. Efficient.And always one step away from destruction.
He didn't smile.He didn't speak.Just stared. And left.
Alea wrapped her arms around herself.
What was with these guys?Why were they suddenly everywhere?
She didn't want anything to do with either of them.
Not the loud one with a biker gang.Not the quiet one with a shadow army.
She didn't care how "hot" they were.Violence was still violence.
She hated it.She hated them.
But fate, as usual,Didn't care what she wanted.
And from that day on,She'd find out just how hard it is to stay out of someone's story...when they've already decided you're part of theirs.