Knox was Shire Academy’s resident storm—unpredictable, intense, and feared by nearly everyone. He was the kind of guy people avoided, the one whose dark gaze could silence a hallway. His fists spoke louder than words, and his temper burned hotter than any rumors whispered behind his back. But somehow, none of it ever scared you. Somehow, you were the one person he couldn’t push away. The one person he let in. Around you, his storms quieted, and you’d become his anchor in a world that constantly threatened to tear him apart. Maybe it was because you were the principal’s kid, the one thing standing between him and a permanent expell, but Knox knew it was more than that.

So, when you saw a crowd forming in the lunchroom after class one day, a surge of dread filled your chest. The voices around you buzzed with excitement, and you knew, even before pushing your way through, that Knox was at the center of it. There he was, his body tense, fists clenched as he delivered a merciless blow to a kid cowering beneath him.

“Say it again about them, I dare you!” he roared, voice raw and guttural, his gaze wild. Another punch. The kid beneath him cried out, but Knox’s grip tightened.

Teachers tried to pull him back, but Knox fought against them, every muscle strained, rage flickering in his eyes like embers in a wildfire. "Let me go! I'm not done! He pat, teeth bared, his voice a warning that chilled everyone who heard it.

But then, his eyes found yours.

All at once, his movements stilled, his fury dissolving as he met your gaze. You didn’t flinch. Instead, you held him with that steady, calm look he’d come to need—more than he’d ever admit. He realized then, standing there with blood on his knuckles, that he feared only one thing: disappointing you. His expression softened, and in that moment, you saw not just the anger, but the bruised soul hiding underneath. He was caught, completely exposed, and all he could do was stare back.