Agatha’s footsteps echoed in the hall as she walked toward her classroom, a flutter of excitement in her chest. Today was the day. She couldn’t wait for her friends to meet Koray.

It felt like a small victory, a moment of normalcy in the chaos. Koray was, after all, her family—the one person she trusted most. Sharing him with her friends would mean they could see the other side of her world, the one they didn’t even know existed.

As she rounded the corner, she saw them already gathered at their usual spot. Ezra, leaning back on a couch, looked like he was in the middle of telling one of his awful jokes. Allison was nodding along, a half-smile on her face. And Connor was on his phone, smiling like a crazy person. She loved them so much.

“Hey guys!” she called out, walking over with a grin. She sat down next to Ezra, her usual cool composure replaced by a contagious, excited energy. She practically glowed, her smile stretching from ear to ear. Her voice was light and carefree, as she greeted them, and the way her eyes sparkled made it clear she was thrilled. It was a version of Agatha none of them had really seen before, a version that didn’t hold back, not even a little bit.

“I’ve got some news!” she announced, drawing the attention of her friends in an instant. “My brother agreed to meet you guys! He’s coming after class to meet us here!”

Alisson blinked. “Wait. Are you serious?”

Ezra clapped a hand over her mouth. “Shhh. Let it happen.”

“I am!” Agatha beamed at them—a rare, genuine smile that none of them had ever seen before. She looked happy, like nothing in the world could drag her back into her bad mood.

Connor just smirked in that way that made it clear he was about to tease her. “Whoa, whoa, Agatha—is that a real smile?”

Agatha laughed, a genuine, unguarded sound, which only made the moment feel even more unbelievable. “Oh, shut up, Connor,” she replied, her eyes twinkling with an excitement that was hard to hide. “It’s not that weird.”

They spent the rest of their time chatting and joking. The atmosphere was light, the kind of conversation that made Agatha forget about the usual weight of her world.

Sadly, the once-in-a-lifetime moment ended for Allison and Connor when they finally felt the pull of class. “Okay, we’ll see you later then?” Allison asked with a pout, she didn’t want to leave.

“Definitely,” Agatha said, her smile still lingering as they parted ways for their respective classrooms.

Agatha was practically glowing, her thoughts far from Donovan and all the mess that had been clouding her mind. She was so focused on the excitement of introducing Koray to her friends that she barely noticed how deeply she was paying attention in class. Her teachers exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what to make of her unusually calm behavior. Ezra, of course, couldn’t help but tease her about it.

“Is this some sort of new Agatha?” he whispered across the desk, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. “You’re acting all... normal.”

She shot him a playful glare, but her lips couldn’t suppress the smile that had been there since that morning. It felt like her usual world had shifted just a little, and everything seemed... lighter.

Hours passed, each one dragging by slowly until finally, it was time. Koray was coming. She could hardly wait to see him and introduce him to her friends, the idea of it making her heart flutter with excitement. It was finally happening. She was buzzing with excitement, her thoughts lingering on the plan she and her brother had made.

She walked toward the group’s usual spot near the library, the shaded table by the trees offering the perfect place to sit and chat. The warmth of the sun made everything feel brighter, and she could practically feel her pulse quicken as she got closer. She dropped her bag on the table and sat down, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. It was almost as if the weight of the past few weeks had melted away.

Ezra, however, seemed to notice her joy a little too much, raising an eyebrow in exaggerated annoyance. “Alright, stop it,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a grin that was too knowing. “You’ve been sparkling like sunlight all morning. Enough!”

But Agatha barely registered Ezra’s teasing. Her breath caught in her throat, her entire body freezing as her gaze locked onto something across the lawn. Donovan.

It was as if time had stopped, the noise of the world fading into a hollow buzz. Her chest tightened, and her heart lurched painfully in her ribcage. There he was—sitting across the lawn, so still and yet so incredibly... present. His eyes were locked onto them, and in that moment, she felt the weight of his gaze like a suffocating pressure. Every instinct in her screamed to look away, but she couldn’t.

The smile on her face faltered just slightly, her stomach twisting in an instant. He was sitting across the lawn, perched on a bench like he had nothing better to do.

Her mind went blank for a moment, as if the sight of him had short-circuited her brain. She had forgotten. For a fleeting moment, she had allowed herself to be distracted by the thought of Koray meeting her friends, of everything going smoothly. But now—now she was reminded. Donovan was always there, lurking in the background, watching.

What had she been thinking? What if bringing Koray to meet her friends was a terrible idea? What if someone recognized him? Worse, what if Donovan did? The last thing she needed was Donovan remembering that night.

She swallowed, trying to calm the sudden rush of panic that shot through her veins. What if her brother’s presence triggered his memory in him, reminding him of that night? She felt dizzy with the onslaught of possibilities, none of them good.

Her breath hitched, and she pulled out her phone, fingers trembling as she unlocked it. She needed to call Koray. She needed to warn him. He couldn’t come here—not with Donovan so close. Not with that stalker-boy watching them.

But before she could dial, she felt the heat of anxiety settle in her chest, making it hard to breathe. No, she couldn’t stop it now. She had made the decision to bring Koray, and backing out would make it worse. And yet, every instinct screamed at her to call him and stop him, to somehow keep her brother away from the mess her stalker had created.

The pit in her stomach deepened. Donovan was staring them down like a hawk, and every decision seemed risky at that moment. But, somehow her friends hadn’t noticed. Neither Donovan nor the panic clawing at her insides.

How had they not noticed Donovan? He was always there, lurking in the background, staring. It was almost as if he was gathering material for some twisted report to the police, as if he wanted to expose the people who’d traumatized him that night. And that was something Agatha couldn’t allow.

The Dauntless Shadows were her life, her everything—and she would do whatever it took to protect them. Even if that meant silencing Donovan for good. Killing him off, cutting his tongue—she didn’t care. Agatha just needed to keep him quiet.

In that moment, Agatha couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of gratitude for her ability to act, a skill she’d learnt from her brother. She could bury it all, mask every ounce of fear, and make it seem like nothing was wrong—just as he had taught her. But once she excused herself and walked far enough away, the façade began to crumble. Her heart raced, her mind spun in chaos. She needed to call Koray.

Her fingers shook violently as she fumbled to dial his number, almost dropping the phone in her panic. The ringing seemed to echo in her ears, each second dragging longer than the last—until he finally picked up.

“Agatha? Everything okay?” His voice, always so calm, so steady, sent a brief ripple of relief through her. But the relief was short-lived. The words stuck in her throat, a weight pressing on her chest as a wave of dread washed over her.

She hated feeling like her fears were starting to take control. But the reality of the situation hit her all at once. Donovan could never see Koray again. Not after that night.

Not ever.

It was too dangerous for both of them. What if he went to the police? What if—

“Agatha, breathe.” Koray’s voice softened, grounding her. “What’s going on? You okay?”

“I-I don’t know,” she stammered, her mind spiraling, but she had to stay calm. She had to focus. “He’s watching us, Koray. Donovan. He’s—.”

Koray’s tone shifted, a flicker of concern breaking through. “Donovan? Why are you worried about him?”

She hesitated, biting her lip as her heart hammered in her chest. “I’m worried he might remember something about that night if he sees you.” Agatha closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, but the panic was suffocating.

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Koray’s voice softened, the usual calmness lacing his words. “It’s okay. He’s harmless.”

Agatha’s grip on her phone tightened, forcing herself to focus on Koray’s voice, trying to calm the storm in her mind. He was right. They’d faced worse—ruthless gang members, undercover cops, and countless obstacles over the years.

Donovan was just a stalker, nothing more. But that thought didn’t settle her. He watched them too much. He could learn so much if he kept it up. And the worst part? She had no evidence to stop him from getting too close.

Koray’s tone shifted, becoming even more relaxed, like he was reassuring her from a distance. “It’s impossible that he noticed anything that night.” He let the silence hang for a beat, then added casually, “Plus, we can always keep an eye on him. And don’t forget—I’m the one who made him blackout.”

Agatha felt the weight of Koray’s words settling into her chest, grounding her, easing the tension that had coiled so tightly in her. She knew her brother, knew how he worked. Koray would never leave a job half-done. He wouldn’t stop until everything was perfect—he was a perfectionist, just like her. And right now, she could trust that he had done his job. Asher, the bartender, and Koray had both ensured her of that, and that knowledge steadied her.

“It’s just that he’s so persistent. And I don’t know what to do about it. If I make a move, I’ll probably just escalate everything. I can’t exactly... just get rid of him, right? That would make everything ten times worse.” Agatha admitted, her voice strained as she tried to sound more collected.

“And I’m just… feeling a bit off about all this.” Agatha hesitated, her voice faltering as she rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I don’t know. He’s a new kind of threat, one I’m not used to dealing with.” She let out a quiet, frustrated sigh, her words heavy with uncertainty.

Koray was silent for a beat, and Agatha could almost feel the sharp focus in his silence as he processed everything. When he finally spoke, his voice was decisive, a shift that settled her nerves just a little. “Alright,” he said, sounding more assured now, like he had already mapped out the next steps.

“Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll keep an eye on him today. See what he’s after, figure out if he remembers anything. If he starts pushing for answers, we’ll shut it down—but we’ll be ready. We’ll stay ahead of him.”

It was a simple plan, but it was enough to settle Agatha’s nerves, even if just a little. “You’d do that?”

Koray’s lips curled into a slight smirk, though she could hear the faint edge of amusement in his voice. “I’m your brother. It’s what I do.”

“Thanks, Koray. You are the best, you know?” Agatha’s voice softened, the lingering anxiety starting to fade as she forced a small smile.

“Of course I’m the best!” Koray’s tone was light, but she could hear the faint edge of amusement. “Aaaaaand, I’ll see you soon. Be ready for your amazing brother!”

Agatha couldn’t help but roll her eyes, but there was a relief in his teasing. She was starting to feel more grounded, the panic ebbing away. “Ugh, don’t make me regret this for a whole new reason. Pleaseeee, don’t embarrass me in front of my friends.”

Koray’s laugh on the other end of the line was warm, almost too confident. “You should know by now that I live to make an impression.”

She bit her lip, but the tension in her chest loosened just a little more. “I swear, if you do anything remotely cringe-worthy, I’ll—”

“I’ll keep it cool. Promise. Besides, I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.” His voice turned more serious for a moment. “And remember, Agatha, we’ve got this. We’ve got each other’s back.”

“Yeah, always,” she whispered, her heart still racing but steadier now. “Thanks, Koray. See you soon.”

She hung up, slipping her phone back into her bag, her thoughts racing once more. She could do this. Agatha took a deep breath before heading back to her friends. The moment she rounded the corner, their worried gazes landed on her, and she immediately felt guilty for the brief panic attack she’d hidden from them.

“Agatha, you okay?” Ezra asked, his brow furrowed with concern. “You looked... off for a second there.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Agatha quickly replied, forcing a smile. “I just remembered something I left at home. I called my brother to bring it over.”

Her friends exchanged skeptical looks. Of course, they didn’t believe her. The excuse was flimsy, but they knew better than to push too hard when she was in one of those moods.

“Uh-huh, sure,” Connor said, his tone playful but tinged with uncertainty.

She remained quiet, just listening to her friends’ conversation until she finally felt like the anxious version of herself had faded, replaced by something a little more collected.

Still, the irritation that Donovan was still lurking just on the edge of her vision, was impossible to shake. She wanted to focus on her friends, to forget how much she wished she could just blind Donovan for a little while. Not permanently—just enough to get him to stop staring for a few days. But Koray was coming soon, and that thought alone was enough to pull her mood back up. Everything was about to get better.

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Hiiii Iris Shadow here! Sooo, the next chapters are marked as mature because Donovan has 18+ thoughts, but nothing quite explicit happens... They are relevant to the plot so please don't skip them :( Although feel free to do so if you feel uncomfortable.

Hope you are enjoying the story so far 💕