Page 99 of Teacher's Pet

"Are you threatening me, kid?" His voice is lethal.

Walker chuckles, but there’s something darker in his expression now.

"Depends," he shrugs. "You see, I’ve been doing some digging of my own, and funny enough, ‘Noah Ackerman’ didn’t exist until you stepped foot into Spokehaven. It’s like your entire life began here only a few short years ago. New social security, new birth certificate. No trace of where you came from."

My pulse skyrockets.

I grip the door tighter, my fingertips tingling with unease.

Noah? Not existing before Spokehaven?

Noah smirks, but there’s nothing amused about it.

His eyes gleam with something dark, something unhinged.

"If that truly is the case," he murmurs, "perhaps you should stop digging before you figure out what I was outside of Spokehaven."

Walker’s smirk falters, just for a second.

Then, he laughs, shaking his head.

"Oh, you think I’d come after you?" His amusement is forced now, his posture a little too stiff.

His gaze snaps toward the door, toward Cole, who I hadn’t even noticed lingering in the threshold.

The second I see him, my vision blurs with rage.

Cole.

Fucking Cole.

Walker grins, too pleased with himself.

"Oh, Noah. I'm not an idiot. No. Anastasia, on the other hand… she has a lot riding on being here. Sick daddy and that little incident on prom night. A lot could go bad for her very quickly… right, Cole?"

The room plummets into silence.

Noah’s shoulders go rigid, his fists clenching at his sides.

"Only if she opens her mouth," Cole mutters, his dead-eyed stare locking onto Noah. "She hasn't said anything to you, right?"

The room feels suffocating.

Noah’s chest rises and falls in steady, controlled breaths.

Then, his voice drops, lethal.

"No." His eyes are like steel. "Anastasia is only a student. Whatever quarrel you have with her can be settled with admin, not in my goddamn living room."

The energy shifts.

Noah is bigger, stronger, and unlike Walker and Cole, he doesn’t flinch.

Walker and Cole step back instinctively, but Noah doesn’t move.

He’s waiting.

"We were only checking in, Mr. Ackerman," Walker exhales, fake as ever. "Ana's friends are worried about her. Perhaps I’ll have the doorman check the cameras. I’ll see you in class-"

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