(Nova POV)
I arrived at the squad complex right after classes ended again, the same backpack slung over one shoulder, the same nervous thud in my chest. Yesterday had been brutal—group drills, cold orders from the sidelines, Damien refusing to look at me directly. Today felt heavier. The bond had been humming since morning, warm and restless, like it knew exactly where I was going. I told myself it was just training. Just combat. Just another afternoon. But my cheeks were already warm before I even stepped inside.
