I took one furious step forward, ready to pound on the door until it splintered or someone finally answered me.
But then I remembered my mother's words... those cold, familiar words she had repeated like a mantra throughout my life.
"Your anger does nothing but ruin things for you, Nyx."
Something i haven't even experienced yet but It's better not to cause trouble.
So I stopped.
My fist hovered in the air, trembling with unreleased rage, before slowly lowering to my side.
Because deep down, beneath the blazing anger, a colder, quieter voice whispered the truth I had been desperately trying to ignore all day:
Even if I broke the door down… what then?
They already believed I was cursed. They already believed I was a murderer. Breaking their door would only confirm every horrible rumor they had heard about me. It would paint me exactly as the monster they expected, the wolfless, dangerous leftover who brought death wherever she went.
I stood there, soaked to the bone and trembling from both cold and fury, staring at the closed grey door with its faint, mocking glow. The last threads of my control frayed dangerously thin, threatening to snap at any second.
The night air felt heavier now, pressing down on my shoulders like the combined weight of every accusation, every rejection, every death I had been forced to witness today. The cold water still dripped from my hair and clothes, each droplet a stinging reminder of how thoroughly unwelcome I was.
And somewhere in the back of my mind, a small, exhausted part of me wondered how much more I could take before I finally stopped begging, stop getting scared of something I don't even know…
…and started fighting back for real.
But I laughed.
A short, breathless, bitter sound that surprised even me.
"Wow," I said softly to the empty path, my voice barely above a whisper. "At least they're honest. And… creative."
I wiped my face roughly with my soaked sleeve, committing the grey door to memory. Every detail. Every cruel word. Every sound of that slamming door.
Then I turned and walked toward Gold.
Gold…
I knocked.
The door creaked open.
A boy stared at me like my mere existence personally offended him, his lip curling in clear disgust.
"No space."
"I can sleep on the floor," I offered, my voice weaker than I wanted it to be. "I don't snore… I think."
He stared harder, eyes narrowing as if evaluating whether I was even worth the breath it would take to reject me again.
"I snore," he said flatly. "And I hate sharing air."
The door closed with finality.
I stood there, stunned into silence for a moment.
"…That was impressively selfish," I murmured to the closed door, shaking my head in disbelief.
White was next.
By the time I reached it, my body felt heavier than it should have. My head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. My limbs moved slower, like I was wading through thick, invisible water. Exhaustion had settled deep into my bones, making every step feel like a small victory against collapse.
But I was still determined.
We all belonged to this academy now. They couldn't just lock me out for no reason.
Could they?
I knocked with what little hope I had left.
The door opened.
A boy stood there, smiling softly.
Relief flooded my chest so fast it almost hurt, warm and fragile.
"Hi," I said quickly, the words tumbling out. "I just need a place to sleep. I won't cause trouble. I promise. I'll stay out of everyone's way."
His smile didn't fade. He only tilted his head slightly to the side and shook it, gentle but firm.
"Find somewhere else."
He closed the door like he was closing a book he wasn't interested in reading.
Something inside me snapped.
Before he could shut it fully, I thrust my hand out and held the door open with all the strength I had left.
"I deserve this room just like you all do," I said, stepping forward with the stubborn courage of someone who had already lost everything else today. My voice shook, but it didn't break. "I'm a student here too. You can't just..."
I didn't even make it fully inside.
Someone screamed.
The sound hit like a weapon... sharp, intentional, laced with power.
The next thing I knew, I was flying backward, an invisible force slamming into my chest and sending me crashing into a stone pillar hard enough to steal the breath from my lungs. Pain exploded across my back, sharp and blinding, far worse than the distance should have allowed. I hit the ground with a dull thud, the impact rattling my teeth.
I lay there for a second, stunned, gasping for air.
That scream wasn't fear.
It was intent.
That person had just used their power on me.
If they didn't want to share space, they could have used words.
They chose violence instead.
That left Green.
The last building.
My last option.
I stood in front of it, shoulders slumped, head pounding, exhaustion clawing so deep into my bones that even breathing felt like effort. The night wind cut through my soaked clothes, turning every droplet into a tiny blade against my skin.
"Please," I murmured to the door before I even raised my hand to knock. "Just one bed. Or a corner. Or a floor that doesn't want to kill me."
I knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Silence.
I knocked again, harder this time, the sound echoing into the quiet night.
No answer. No voice. No movement.
I tried the knob. Locked... by key or by power, I couldn't tell.
My chest tightened painfully.
Slowly, I slid down the wall, my back hitting the cold stone as I sank to the ground in front of the Green dorm. The rough surface scraped against my already aching spine, but I barely felt it anymore.
"So this is it, Nyx," I murmured to myself, voice hoarse and defeated. "Survived a blood-drinking rope. Survived almost being executed in front of an entire courtyard. Survived watching strangers die because of me…"
I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, letting out a shaky breath that misted in the cold air.
"Defeated by doors."
I hugged my knees tightly to my chest, resting my forehead against them. The fabric of my ruined dress was icy against my skin, but the cold inside my chest felt worse.
"If I die from exposure tonight," I muttered bitterly, "I'm haunting this entire academy. Every single one of you."
And that was how Nyx Valoria, daughter of Alpha Rhygar and Luna Thalira, the cursed, wolfless girl from Bloodcrest ack spent her first night at Altheris Academy.
Curled up on the cold stone steps in front of the Green dorm, soaked, exhausted, and utterly alone.
I felt like crying.
But when had tears ever helped me before?
So I didn't.
I just sat there, hugging my knees tighter, listening to the distant wind and the faint hum of magic in the air.
Let's just hope I didn't die from the cold.