The midday sun beat down on the pavement outside Wolven High, but Ren felt cold.
She walked into the infirmary, her steps heavy and uneven. Her usually pale face was flushed with an unnatural red, and her breath came in short, hot gasps. She didn't say a word, just headed straight for the water cooler, her movements sluggish.
Dr. Luke looked up from his desk and frowned. "Ren? You look terrible."
Alpha Juan was sitting on the velvet sofa, flipping through a stack of medical files. He held an unlit cigarette between his fingers, his posture lazy and relaxed. But the moment Ren walked in, his hand paused.
He looked up. His dark eyes narrowed instantly, scanning her form.
She was wearing her school blazer zipped all the way up to her chin, despite the heat outside. Her eyes were glazed over, lacking their usual sharp, predatory edge. She looked like a wolf that had been left out in the snow—shivering and vulnerable.
"I'm fine," Ren muttered, her voice raspy. She poured a glass of water, her hand shaking slightly. "Just a cold."
"A cold?" Luke stood up, walking over to check her forehead. "Ren, you're radiating heat like a furnace."
Ren tried to wave him away, but she swayed on her feet.
Before she could fall, a hand grabbed her arm. It wasn't Luke.
Juan was suddenly there. He moved with a speed that defied his lazy persona. He guided her to the sofa, his grip firm but surprisingly gentle.
"Sit," Juan ordered. His voice was low, leaving no room for argument.
"I have class..." Ren protested weakly.
"Sit," Juan repeated. He turned to Luke. "Get the thermometer and the IV drip. Saline and antipyretics."
Ren sank into the plush velvet sofa. It smelled of him—winter cedar and tobacco. For some reason, the scent made her dizziness settle.
She let Juan place the thermometer in her ear.
"39.5 degrees Celsius," Juan read the display, his brow furrowing. "You're burning up."
He crouched down in front of her, rolling up her sleeve to insert the IV needle. His fingers were cool against her burning skin. He found the vein instantly—a skill likely honed on the battlefield, not in a hospital.
"Does it hurt?" Juan asked, taping the needle down.
Ren shook her head, her eyes half-closed. "No."
Juan stood up and walked to the kitchenette. He returned a moment later with a glass of warm water. He had dissolved a lump of rock sugar in it.
"Drink," he said, handing it to her.
Ren took a sip. It was sweet. The warmth spread through her chest, soothing the ache in her throat.
She finished the water and leaned back. The drugs began to work quickly, pulling her into a heavy sleep.
The infirmary went quiet.
Juan sat on the edge of the desk, watching her.
Asleep, Ren looked different. The sharp, aggressive edges of her personality had softened. Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks. She looked small, curled up in the corner of his large sofa.
His gaze drifted to her exposed wrist, where the sleeve had been rolled up. There was a tattoo there—a flame-red mark that looked like a blooming flower or a burning sun. It stood out starkly against her pale skin.
Juan stared at it for a long time.
He felt a strange tug in his chest. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in years. Curiosity? possessiveness?
He reached out, his finger hovering over her sleeping face, tracing the air above her cheekbone.
"You're trouble," he whispered to the sleeping girl. "But I think I'm starting to like trouble."
***
Ren woke up two hours later. The fever had broken, leaving her feeling light and empty.
The IV bag was empty. A bowl of warm porridge was waiting on the table, covered to keep the heat in.
Juan was gone, but Luke was there, typing on his laptop.
"You're awake!" Luke grinned. "Master Juan had to leave for a meeting, but he told me to make sure you ate this."
Ren looked at the porridge. It was cooked perfectly, with shredded chicken and ginger.
"Thanks," she said softly.
She ate quickly, adjusted her uniform, and headed back to class.
The afternoon classes were a blur. The Biology teacher handed out the results of the weekly quiz.
Ren got a 24.
"Improvement!" Joey cheered from the next desk, slapping her back. "Better than zero, right?"
Ren just pulled her hood up and went back to sleep.
***
School ended at 6:00 PM.
Ren didn't go home. She walked out of the school gates, ignoring the crowd of students waiting for their luxury cars. She headed straight for the milk tea shop across the street where she worked part-time.
As she stepped onto the sidewalk, she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall.
It was **Noah**, her cousin from the slums. He was wearing a washed-out school uniform, his face cold and expressionless.
"Here," Noah said, shoving a stack of notebooks into her hands.
Ren blinked, sniffing. "What's this?"
"Notes," Noah muttered, looking away. "I borrowed them from the top student in the Alpha Stream. You said you wanted to go to the Royal Academy."
Ren looked at the notebooks. They were meticulously copied. She knew Noah was a genius, but she also knew he hated wasting time. For him to do this for her...
"Thanks," Ren said.
"Don't thank me," Noah turned to leave. "I just did it for my mom."
"Wait." Ren grabbed his arm. "I have something for you to take back to Aunt Nora."
She ran into the milk tea shop and came out a minute later with a large paper bag filled with expensive supplements she had bought yesterday.
As she handed the bag to Noah, a sleek black car pulled up to the curb. It wasn't just any car. It was a modified military-grade sedan, its engine purring like a tamed beast.
The window rolled down.
"Hey!" Dr. Luke leaned out, grinning. "Student Ren! Why are you still here?"
The back door opened.
**Alpha Juan** stepped out.
The sunset painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, but Juan seemed to absorb all the light. He wore a long grey coat over his black shirt, his hands in his pockets. His messy hair and lazy expression gave him an air of dangerous elegance that made every student on the street stop and stare.
He walked over to Ren, ignoring the whispers of the crowd.
"Are you going somewhere?" Juan asked, his voice low and husky.
"Just giving this to my cousin," Ren gestured to Noah.
Juan glanced at Noah. His eyes swept over the boy's worn clothes and the fierce, protective look in his eyes. Juan nodded once, acknowledging him, then turned back to Ren.
"Get in," Juan said. "I'll drive you."
Across the street, two girls stood frozen with their bubble tea.
One was **Mia** (Ren's other cousin), and the other was her friend, **Lisa**.
"Oh my god," Lisa gasped, clutching Mia's arm. "Mia! Look! That's the new school doctor! The one everyone is talking about! He's even hotter in person!"
Mia stared, her mouth open. She had never seen a man like that before. He looked like he stepped out of a movie poster—rich, powerful, and devastatingly handsome.
"Who is he talking to?" Lisa squinted. "Wait... is that Ren?"
Mia's heart sank. It was Ren. And the handsome man was standing so close to her, looking down at her with an expression that was... indulgent?
"Is that her boyfriend?" Lisa asked, jealous.
"No," Mia stammered. "Ren... Ren is a dropout. How could she know someone like that? Maybe... maybe she's in trouble."
But then they saw Ren get into the car. The handsome man even held the door for her.
Mia felt a strange mix of envy and confusion. Ren was supposed to be the family failure. Why did she have all these powerful friends?
***
Inside the car, the air conditioning was cool.
Ren leaned back against the leather seat, closing her eyes. She still felt a bit tired from the fever.
Juan sat next to her, scrolling through news on his tablet.
"You're working at a milk tea shop?" Juan asked without looking up.
"Yes," Ren replied.
"You're short of money?"
"Yes."
Juan paused. He turned to look at her. "You made fifty million last night. And you're still working for minimum wage?"
" Debts," Ren said vaguely. "Expensive medicine."
Juan didn't pry. He liked that about her. She was a mystery wrapped in a riddle.
Suddenly, Ren's phone rang.
She pulled it out. The Caller ID flashed: **Vera**.
Ren sighed. She answered, putting the phone to her ear.
"What?"
Vera's voice exploded through the speaker, loud enough for Juan to hear in the quiet car.
"Ren! Are you trying to kill me with anger?!" Vera screamed. "I heard from Faye! You got a 30 on your English exam! Thirty! Do you have no shame? I told you to study! How are you going to get into university with a 30?"
Ren pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing.
"Is that it?" Ren asked calmly.
"Is that it?!" Vera shrieked. "I'm setting up tutors for you! You will go to cram school every weekend! I won't let you embarrass the Lin family anymore! If you don't—"
*Beep.*
Ren hung up.
She tossed the phone onto the seat next to her.
The car was silent.
Juan was looking at her. There was a faint smile playing on his lips, amused by her ruthlessness.
"Your mother has strong lungs," Juan commented.
"She's noisy," Ren rubbed her temples. "She thinks a score on a paper determines my worth."
"Does it?"
"No," Ren looked out the window at the passing city lights. "I know what I'm worth."
She turned back to him, her eyes sharp and clear, the feverish haze completely gone.
"By the way," Ren said, changing the subject abruptly. "Your assistant mentioned his laptop was still having issues recovering the data fragments."
Juan raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Luke is panicking."
"I can fix it," Ren said. "Do you have a spare computer?"
**[Chapter 14 End]**