Violet

I blinked, processing the information.

Am I her? No, and I was certainly no ex of a Lycan Prince. I would rather take a swim in my own vomit than get myself involved with such a person.

“Stop bothering her, Amy,” the other girl with the braids, Trinity, spoke up. She gave me a welcoming smile, her eyes much softer and kinder than Amy’s sharp, piercing gaze.

“Chrystal has red hair, remember?”

I touched my blonde locks self-consciously, noticing the pink-haired girl's face soften. Then I closed the door behind me.

“I’m Violet, nice to meet you.”

“Hi, Violet,” Trinity stepped forward, helping me with my suitcases. “Chrystal is a Lycan of noble blood, her Dad is the beta of the Lycan King of the kingdom of Lupyria, and she’s our roommate. I’m in here, Chrystal there, Amy in there—and this is your room," she said, pointing and leading the way.

So our other roommate was of noble blood, living in the biggest of the three Lycan kingdoms, no big deal. Another blow to my confidence, just what I needed.

I scanned the room with my eyes as Trinity placed my stuff by the bed. “Here you go, and you’re welcome,” she said.

“Thanks.”

The room was mid-sized, and still empty besides a double bed, an empty window and a small walk-in closet.

"We have to share a public bathroom. It’s on the first floor,” Trinity explained.

Amy joined us, leaning against the door frame. "Don’t you think that’s disgusting though? I mean, I don’t want someone to give me, like… green toes?"

Trinity chuckled.

"Oh, you mean athlete’s foot?" I jumped in.

Trinity and Amy exchanged a look, then turned back to me.

"Tinea pedis? Fungal infection?" I elaborated, only to get even more confused looks in return.

"Never mind—anyway, it’s nice to meet you, and I hope we’ll get along," I switched up quickly, making a mental note to avoid saying anything too nerdy around anyone.

My brother, Dylan, would occasionally tell me to stop being such a smart ass and that it made me ten times more unlikeable. He was the biggest nerd in existence so coming from him, it must’ve meant something.

“Quick question, are we all going to the Starlight Festival tonight?” Trinity beamed, wiggling her brows playfully.

Nope.

I turned to unpack my stuff, pretending not to hear. The Starlight Festival was held in the woods just outside the school gates.

It always took place on a full moon to welcome new students, and was especially a hot event among unmated werewolves who were desperate to find their mate.

The thought of being connected to someone, only to lose them, terrified me. The feeling I felt after losing my parents was one I never wanted to feel ever again.

"We should go. Everyone is going to be there—and I heard tons of students find their mate there," Amy said.

My stomach twisted with anxiety. I really didn’t want to go, but I also didn’t want to be that one person who only came to the academy to study although that was the truth.

I wanted to fit in but also wanted to stay true to myself, but I guess the one thing I truly wanted was to be different from the Violet back home.

"Have you guys found your mates yet?" Amy asked.

"No—Violet?" Trinity answered, and I looked at her, slowly shaking my head.

"So, you’ll be coming with us then?"

"I’ll sit this one out. Besides, I don’t even have a dress for that," I said, hoping that would end the conversation.

"So? I’ll let you borrow something," Trinity offered immediately. I knew she didn’t have any bad intentions as she had been kind to me from the start. She just couldn’t take a hint.

I felt trapped, knowing if I would decline, it would set the tone for my relationship with my roommates for the entire four years. Besides, it was just one night. What's the worst that could happen?

"That’s nice of you—thanks!" I said, forcing a smile.

Trinity clapped her hands, smiling, then bumped Amy’s shoulder. "See? Problem solved."

Amy chuckled, folding her arms. It was silent for a moment before Trinity opened another topic. “So what do your parents do?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. Just as with Nate, this was supposed to be the moment where I would usually say my parents were dead—only I didn’t. Again.

Trinity answered her own question, "My dad is an Alpha, Amy’s dad is a Beta—"

“Mine is also an Alpha!” I announced before she could say anything else. Now that she got her answer, I desperately hoped she would shift the topic.

Amy slightly rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, same old—everyone here comes from status. Anyway, where is Chrystal?"

From the moment I had met her, she had almost seemed obsessed with Chrystal. All she could talk about was that Lycan girl.

"I’m sure we’ll meet her soon. She’s probably with Kylan and Nate,” Trinity said.

"Nate? From the student council?" I asked, surprised.

Amy’s eyes lit up. "Have you met him? He’s Chrystal’s twin brother and Kylan’s future Beta."

I nodded, remembering the handsome guy from earlier. So he was a Lycan, a future Beta of noble blood—and my roommate’s brother.

"Can you imagine? The Beta to the future Lycan King? Maybe he is my mate," Amy sang, and the two girls giggled. “I’m not counting on it to be the Lycan Prince, but I’ll take the second best.”

My face paled as I slowly put two and two together. The guy who had called me four-eyes was indeed royally. He was that Lycan Prince they were gushing over. That’s why Nate had called him ‘the Prince’.

I decided right then and there to stay away from him. If he could bully me after bumping into me, I didn’t even want to know what kind of damage he could do without facing any consequences.

He was a Lycan, after all—ten times stronger, ten times faster.

"We should go—the RD is expecting us in ten minutes," Trinity spoke, glancing on her phone.

"What for?"

"She’s giving us a tour," Amy replied.

“Then we should probably head out.”

~

As we reached the main hall in the healer’s building, a large group of freshmen were already waiting and talking among themselves. Esther, the woman who had introduced herself earlier, stood on a platform.

The second I entered the room, her gaze landed on mine and she gave me a friendly nod, which I returned. I was waiting for her to turn away, but she never did. For some reason, Esther kept staring at me. I squinted my eyes, cracking my brains over the reason.

"Look, that’s Chrystal!"

Amy nudged my shoulder, and I turned away, following her eyes. They landed on a gorgeous tan girl with long, straight red hair, standing with a group of girls. Chrystal was dressed in a short pink tennis skirt and a pink top, by the looks of it expensive.

Just by one look, it was clear she hadn’t been in the dorm to welcome us because she had her own crowd and standards. She had probably already decided her roommates were not good enough for her without getting the chance to get to know any of us.

Her energy was completely different from her brother, Nate, who looked so kind and approachable.

"I’ll go and say hi. I’ll see you guys later!" Amy said before walking off toward Chrystal.

Trinity chuckled as we watched her tap Chrystal’s back, attempting start a conversation. "And then there were two.”

"Don’t you want to meet her?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Trinity pulled a disgusted face, shaking her head. "She might be of noble blood, but that doesn’t mean she can treat us like trash. If she really wanted to meet us, she would’ve been at the dorms."

I smiled, agreeing with Trinity. "Yeah, you’re right. It’s nice to meet someone who sees things the same way."

"Attention!" Esther called out.

The voices in the hall slowly faded as everyone turned to look at her. "Welcome, everyone, to Starlight Academy. I’m Esther, your Resident Director, and one of the Grand Masters in healing. It’s my pleasure to welcome you to what I hope will be the best four years in your life."

Everyone around me clapped, so I awkwardly joined in.

"Starlight Academy is a place where you will learn, grow, and build life-long friendships—and I know many of you are nervous," Esther continued, making eye contact with me. I looked away.

"But I want you to know my office is always open, no matter what."

Trinity whispered, "They always say that but never keep their word."

I giggled, once again agreeing with her. It was always like that. They had everyone’s backs until someone’s family couldn’t pay the f*e anymore.

"Now if you’ll all follow me," Esther instructed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amy walking with Chrystal. It looked like Chrystal had taken her under her wing, which made sense given Amy’s excitement about meeting her.

Esther led us on a full campus tour, explaining that this week would be about exploring and learning the basic rules. We weren’t allowed to spend the night in the male dorms, there was a strong curfew meaning no leaving the dorms after ten, no unauthorized shifting or any other kind of use of power, and especially no fighting unless it was on the training grounds with a teacher present.

Three strikes, and you’re out.

"I might as well have applied for prison," Trinity muttered, making me laugh as we walked with a few more freshman we had made along the way.

The tour ended in the academic hall. "Look around some more, enjoy your week—and I will leave you girls to it," Esther said.

Everyone thanked her in unison, but once again her eyes were on me. I still wondered what her deal was, why she seemed to be paying me so much attention.

After she was out of sight, I tried to join the conversation with the girls, but they were already in it too deep.

"He literally just walked past us. Apparently, he’s a sophomore CSL major," one of the girls said excitedly.

"CS-what?" I asked, feeling lost.

"Combat Strategy and Leadership? They’re talking about the Lycan Prince again," Trinity explained.

"Ah…”

The topic wasn’t all that interesting to me. All everyone seemed to be talking about was that damn Lycan Prince. The conversation continued without me, and it bored me so much, I felt a sudden urge to pee. "Does anyone know where the restroom is?" I asked.

Trinity pointed in a direction. "I think it’s that way—do you want me to go with you?"

"No, I’ll manage. Thanks!”

Following Trinity’s instructions, I eventually stood in front of two closed doors with unclear symbols.

“Sure, why not?” I mumbled, trying to make a decision. One looked vaguely like a dress, so I guessed that one was for women.

As I entered the restroom, I saw it was empty and headed for one of the stalls. After finishing my business, I went to sink, rubbing the soap between my palms before washing it off. But

as I turned off the tap, I heard a sound from around the corner.

My heart skipped a beat. How had I missed a whole part of the restroom?

Curious, but more so fearful because I knew I had screwed up—I peeked around the corner, seeing exactly what I had been expecting to see.

To my horror, I saw urinals, and a guy with his back turned against me, zipping up his jeans.

I swallowed my breath, panicking, and I knew I had to leave quietly before he noticed me.

Carefully, I took a step back, only for my foot to hit the bin, followed by the sound of a loud clatter.

Shit.

The guy turned around swiftly, his expression tense and his jaw clenched. My stomach dropped. Even though this was the first time I had seen his face, I recognized his build immediately.

It was the Lycan Prince, Kylan, and he was walking toward me with a gaze so cold, it could kill. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he stepped closer, and closer—until he stood in front of me, leaving no more than a few inches between us. Nervously, I bit my bottom lip, dreading whatever would come out of this.

I was so embarrassed, the sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my eardrums. The prince’s eyes bore into mine, and he looked pissed.

I was frozen, my mind blank, unsure of what to do or say next.

Violet

His face shifted from an angry gaze to a smirk, then back to furious as he stood in front of me, the Lycan Prince.

I felt as if I couldn’t breathe, unsure if it was from the complete embarrassment of walking into the male restroom or from his intimidating presence as he hovered over me.

He was tall, with jet-black hair that framed his chiseled face perfectly. His eyes were almost as dark as his hair, beautiful and terrifying. My eyes wandered to his lips which were tightly pressed together, almost as if he were holding back a comment or perhaps a laugh.

"Lost, four-eyes?" he said, calling me by that same nickname he had called me before. His voice was low and deep.

I was still frozen, staring up at him as no words were able to leave my mouth. This was humiliating.

I stammered. "I-I think I made a mistake.”

Kylan scoffed. "You think? Or you know? Because it seems pretty obvious to me.”

That’s it. I was not going to argue with this guy.

I rolled my eyes, trying to leave, but he blocked my path by slamming his hand to the wall behind me. I was trapped between his body, and he had no intention of letting me go. "This is clearly the men's room," he said, tilting his head. "Or did you just want an excuse to see me? Are you also one of my stalkers?"

Stalkers?

I knew my face was turning red. "No, of course not. I didn't realize—"

"Sure you didn’t," he cut me off. "For what do you even need those glasses if they’re not doing anything about that bad sight of yours?"

I clenched my fists, my embarrassment turning into frustration. The glasses were a sensitive topic to me, especially since I wasn’t wearing them for my eyesight. Now he had pushed it.

"I said it was a mistake, now move!”

I tried to go past him for a second time, but he pushed me back, stopping me in the process as his jaw slightly twitched with anger.

"Four-eyes—"

"I have a name.”

"Then what is it?" he demanded.

"Violet," I replied, loud and clear.

“Four-eyes,” a smirk appeared as he refused to roll my name off his tongue. “I’m sure you know who I am, and where I come from no one raises their voice at me.”

"Funny. Where I am from no one raises their voice at me either,” I shot back.

Hearing those words from a Lycan Prince’s mouth were supposed to scare me, and they did—but I wasn’t going to let him win this time.

Back home, no one dared to disrespect me because of my Uncle, even though they thought I was a bit odd. I had given the prince a pass when he pushed me to the ground, but that was as far as I would go.

Kylan looked surprised and speechless as if he hadn’t expected me to talk back.

"Now if you’ll excuse me," I said, brushing past him and succeeding this time. Then I quickly left the restroom without so much as a glance back.

As I hurried through the halls, I could finally release a breath, processing what had just happened. The Lycan Prince…Kylan tried bullying me again, but I had stood my ground.

I had managed to do it this time, but I knew all too well that he wasn’t one to play around with, so I would just let it be that time.

It would probably be better for everyone’s sake to avoid him for real.

I rejoined the group, and Trinity noticed my flustered state.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

I nodded. "I’m fine. Anything happen while I was away?"

Trinity locked our arms together. "No. I was just talking about how we should get ready for the party."

I furrowed. "But the party is hours away?"

"Exactly, and we need to look perfect just in case we do find our mates," Trinity’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

~

Trinity wasn’t joking. As soon as we got back to the dorm, she had pulled out a dress for me to wear.

I stood in front of the large mirror in her room as she held the dress in front of me. It was a short, strapless royal blue dress, stopping just beneath my thigh.

Imaging a scenario where I would suddenly have to bend over, I shook my head.

“No.”

“No?” Trinity gasped. “You mean, yes!”

“No.”

“Yes!”

“Trinity,” I gave her a look, playfully singing her name.

“Violet,” she sang back, making me laugh in response. I felt so comfortable around her, it was strange to imagine we had only met a few hours ago.

“You got nice boobs,” Trinity noted with a wide smile. “Show them off…because I know I will.”

It had only taken me ten minutes to find out there was no point in arguing with Trinity. She was the type of person to keep pushing until she would get her way.

“Alright, alright, I’ll wear it,” I said, finally giving in.

Trinity squealed before pulling me into a back hug, her head resting on my shoulder. She held the dress in front of my body. “And you’ll look great in it.”

Just at that moment, we heard the front door open. We shared a quick look, then walked to the front to see who it was.

It was the girl with the pink hair, Amy. I looked behind her, wondering if perhaps she had come with Chrystal, but she closed the door behind her.

“Hey guys,” she mumbled, walking straight to her room.

Once again, Trinity and I exchanged a confused glance.

“Amy,” Trinity called after her, “we were just getting ready for the party. Do you want to get ready with us in my room?”

“No,” Amy walked out again, carrying a few dresses and shoes, along with what seemed to be a vanity case. “I’m just here to grab my stuff. I’m going with Chrystal and some of the sophomore girls—but you guys have fun!”

“Then I guess we’ll see you at the pa—” Trinity words were cut off by the sound of our door, and Amy was gone.

“Okay,” Trinity pulled a weird face, and we burst out laughing. “Now what the help was that.”

“I don’t know,” I cackled. She slung her arm over my shoulder, leaning into me.

“Thank God you’re my roommate,” she said, grinning, probably referring to Amy’s odd behavior. I wasn’t one to judge people, but it would’ve been a lie to deny that Amy left a bad taste on my mouth from the moment I’d met her.

Another person to stay away from.

Trinity and I spent the next couple of hours doing our hair and makeup. When Trinity finished curling my hair, she turned her attention to my glasses.

"Okay, let's take these off," she said, reaching for them. “You can’t wear those with those cute heels.”

I quickly pulled back. "Oh no, not the glasses. You can’t!"

Trinity looked at me, puzzled. "Why not? You’ve got beautiful eyes, Violet. You shouldn’t be hiding them behind these."

I sighed, realizing I had to explain at least part of the reason otherwise she would never get off my back. After a while the ‘I can’t wear contacts’ excuse wasn’t cutting it anymore. "They’re special to me,” I put on my saddest voice. “My mom gave them to me before she passed away. I promised her I would always wear them."

Trinity opened her mouth to speak, then released a small gasp. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized. “I had no idea—“

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” I chuckled, looking into the mirror.

It wasn’t all a lie. The glasses were special to me and given to me by Mom. That part was true.

Many years ago, I used to have strange nightmares, sometimes even prophecies. I heard voices in my sleep, sensed people that weren’t there—would wake up screaming. It wasn’t unusual for healers to have some kind of abilities, but mine were too dark, too terrifying.

Only my parents, Uncle, and Dylan knew about it, and I had promised never to reveal it to anyone. Mom had always feared someone exploiting my powers for their own gain—and even when she had passed, I still honored her wishes.

I wasn’t that big on shifting either, mainly because that was also something that had to be done without my glasses.

That’s why I liked being a healer, and was proud of it. It was a way for me to avoid shifting, it kept me grounded—I got to keep my glasses on.

“You know what, the glasses aren’t even that bad,” Trinity looked at me through the mirror. She squinted her eyes as if she was trying to read my thoughts. I hated that. People staring at me, like they could see more than I wanted to share.

“I-I saw the Lycan Prince in the restroom,” I said the first bit of nonsense that occurred to me. “I accidentally entered the boys room? Very stupid.”

Trinity’s eyes widened. “You saw Kylan? What is he li—“

“Rude!” I stated. “He called me a stalker, and four-eyes.”

Trinity looked down, trying to hold back her laughter.

“Not funny, by the way!” I added. The nickname was stupid, corny, out-dated, and he could’ve done a lot better.

“You’re right, nothing to laugh about,” Trinity smiled, pursing her lips. “Although you should be flattered.”

“Why?”

“I heard he ignores everyone on purpose because he doesn’t think they’re worth his time,” she explained. “But he saw you, paid attention to you, so maybe…”

“No,” I pulled a disgusted face. “I’d rather spit on the Moon Goddess then getting involved with him.”

“Oh wow,” Trinity blinked. “Spitting on the Moon Goddess is like spitting on your mother. Is it that serious?”

“It is that serious,” I nodded. “He’s a bully, a Lycan, a prince, I hate him and I also don’t think Chrystal would appreciate me fighting for her ex-boyfriend’s attention.”

“Probably,” Trinity hummed. “I heard they got a long past. Something about their Dads wanting them together to strengthen the royal bloodline, and Kylan breaking her heart before it could get too serious because he has attachment issues.”

“He’s got issues, alright!” I agreed, thinking about the cold, but annoyingly handsome Lycan Prince who had humiliated me. Twice.

“Anyway,” Trinity chuckled, looking at her phone. “We should head to the party.”

“We should.”

“Catch!” Trinity tossed a pack of gum my way. I blinked, startled, and sniffed my own breath, suddenly self-conscious.

“Is there something wrong with my breath?”

“Of course not, silly,” Trinity grinned. “You’ll need it just in case you find your mate tonight.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Oh no, I’m not counting on any of that.”

Just the thought of finding my mate all while trying to finish school sounded like a drag.

“Yeah, but you never know,” she replied, winking.

“No, I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

Our banter continued all the way down the hall until Trinity had to go to the restroom. With nothing better to do, I wandered through the empty halls. My eyes were instantly drawn to the portraits of the healing majors from over the years. As I looked at them, I thought of Mom. A well-respected Alumna.

Would her picture also be there?

Determined, I went on a mission to find her year.

I scanned the faces in each frame, and after a few minutes of searching—I finally found her year. My heart raced as I looked at every row, trying to spot her among the sea of faces.

A smile appeared on my lips as my eyes landed on Mom. There was something so familiar about the glow on her face. She had her arms wrapped around another’s woman’s waist.

The two looked close to the point they were even wearing matching clothes. I took a better look, but failed to recognize the girl standing next to her.

I glanced at the names below the photo and read my mom’s name, Claire. The girl hugging her was called Adelaide.

Adelaide…

That was the same name Esther had called me. I leaned in closer, trying to get a better look at her face—but it was turned just enough that I couldn’t make out her features.

If only…

“Done!”

Out of nowhere, Trinity appeared and slammed her arm over my shoulder. “What are we looking at?”

I shook my head, brushing it off. “Nothing special. Just old pictures.”

We began walking. “Just imagine,” Trinity beamed. “In four years, our pictures will be there!”

We left the building and made our way to the woods. After a while of walking, we could already hear the sound music and chatters.

“Everyone is here,” Trinity said in awe as we approached. In the center of the woods, there was an open space where students were talking, laughing, dancing.

The trees were decorated with twinkling lights, the only source of light. Red cups were scattered on the grass, and the scent of a substance that definitely wasn’t allowed, lingered in the air.

All of it made me feel uncomfortable. We had just arrived, but I already wanted to leave.

There were so many people…drunk people…it just wasn’t not my scene.

Trinity nudged me playfully. “Remember, keep an open mind. You never know what might happen tonight.”

I scoffed. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up if I were you.”

Violet

“Don’t just stand here. Let’s go!” Trinity grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor, where most of the students were.

I tugged at the hem of my dress, nearly falling over. “Are you sure I look okay?” I spoke over the loud music.

Trinity grabbed two drinks from a passing tray, handing me one. “Of course you do. You look hot,” she shouted.

I let out a sigh, disagreeing as my eyes scanned the crowd. I didn’t feel hot—I felt stupid and out of place. All these girls looked good because they had the confidence to go with it.

Trinity wrapped her arms around my neck and swayed from side to side, forcing me to move with her.

“There you go!” she said, and I gave her a small smirk in return.

A loud, exaggerated laugh pierced through the music. I looked to the side to see where it was coming from, and it was no one other than our roommate who was more so like a ghost—Chrystal.

She was standing with Kylan, Nate and Amy. A weird feeling went through my body as my gaze fell on the Lycan prince.

Chrystal said something, placing her hand on Kylan’s leather jacket—but he had no reaction.

His face was just as stony as it had been in the restroom. When I first met him, his shoulder-length hair had been loose, but tonight it was pulled back into a bun.

Cold, yet undeniably handsome. That would be a good way to describe him.

Chrystal looked gorgeous. She wore a pink mini dress that hugged her body, and her red hair fell beautifully over her shoulders.

They matched perfectly, and were both attractive. One could easily understand why they used to date.

Why was I even observing these people?

I tried to look away, but failed miserably. My eyes remained glued to them.

“If you’re not interested, stop staring at him,” Trinity sang, nudging me playfully.

I dragged my eyes away, annoyed at myself for exposing myself. I truly wasn’t interested, and I truly didn’t care. “I wasn’t staring.”

Trinity shot me a sarcastic look. “Don’t try to understand. I’ve heard this is what they do. They break up and get back together like every other week.”

“Good for them,” I said with a shrug. “But I barely know the guy, and he’s not exactly the nicest—so I really do not care.”

Trinity raised her eyebrows, unconvinced. “You know what? I can name ten guys hotter than him,” she spoke as she glanced around the crowd. “Take him for example!” her finger pointed to a guy walking past.

I followed her gaze and nearly choked when I saw who she was pointing at—my brother, Dylan. I gagged to myself, trying to shake the image from my head.

“You didn’t even see his face,” I argued. “You only saw the back.”

“Yes, and?” Trinity blinked. “He has broad shoulders, dark hair, a good fashion sense, and that’s all I need to know.”

I laughed at her conclusion, and focused on the music. After several more drinks, I finally let loose and was able to let go of everything.

My worries, insecurities, the pressure of trying to fit in.

For the first time in years, I actually felt like I was having fun.

All was good, until the music suddenly cut off. It was replaced by a loud uncomfortable sound, followed by several taps coming from a microphone. The crowd turned their attention to the source, and it was Nate, standing on a small platform.

“Test, test—can everyone hear me?”

People cheered in response.

“It’s going to happen!” Trinity squealed.

“Great! Welcome everyone to the annual Starlight Festival!” Nate pumped up the crowd, getting the same energy in return. After the cheer died down, he continued speaking.

“I could give you all a long, boring welcome speech…” he grinned, “but we all know what you really came for.”

The students let out a gasp as Nate pulled out something which appeared to be a small potion bottle from his pocket. He raised it high in the air, showing off the silver glow swirling inside the bottle.

“Violet—that’s the Moon Goddess’ breath,” Trinity whispered.

I frowned. “The Moon Goddess’ what?”

“As you all know, once I open this potion, it might just be that you find your mate at this very moment.”

The students reacted, everyone was pushing each other to get closer—but I was in no hurry. By chance, I caught Chrystal wrapping her arm around Kylan, leaning into him with a big smile. He rolled his eyes, and pushed her away.

“Whatever happens next,” Nate continued, and I turned my head again. “Please take it to the dorms, remember nobody wants to see your business—there are condoms in every building. Let’s not make any fur babies tonight!”

The crowd laughed while my stomach twisted with unease. This whole thing was becoming too much. Mates, magic potions, fur babies…

Could we not just skip this part and focus on the academy?

“Five—“ Nate started counting down, the crowd joining in. “Four, three, two, one!”

He opened the bottle, and seconds later a large cloud of smoke traveled to the dance floor.

The music kicked back in, but the fog grew thicker, even reaching my glasses. I could barely see anything, and my attempt to wipe them clean only made it worse.

“Trinity!”

No answer.

“Trinity!” I called out again, but she was gone. Due to the heavy fog, I had lost her in the crowd.

To make matters worse, my body suddenly felt like it was on fire. Heat spread from my cheeks, to my core, even down to my limbs. Lumia growled inside my head, her voice louder than usual.

Something was happening.

Was it my glasses?

I needed to get out of here.

I panicked as I pushed through the crowd, still unable to see anything. “Sorry!” I muttered as I bumped into people, only I couldn’t see who I was apologizing to.

Once I finally made it off the dance floor, I grabbed a napkin and wiped my glasses, careful not to take them off.

The glasses weren’t the issue. They couldn’t be.

My heart was still raising, body fuming, and the tip of my fingers tingling.

‘Follow!’ Lumia growled, growing urgent. She had never been like this.

“Follow what?” I whispered, confused.

I spotted a guy disappearing into the woods, moving away from the festival, and without thinking, I followed. My body moved on its own.

I had no idea what was happening to me, but honestly, I wasn’t even sure if it was really me anymore. I was losing control, and that was the one thing I feared most.

As I stumbled deeper into the woods, the music faded behind me. The guy in front of me moved faster. He knew I was following him, I wanted to stop—but I couldn’t. Lumia wouldn’t let me.

I began to realize what was happening to me. The potion, the smoke—Lumia.

That guy must be my…

After a while, the guy finally stopped. His back was still turned to me. I froze, catching my breath before a loud ringing sound filled my ears. At that moment, all I could see was him, standing there in the dark woods.

Slowly, the figure turned. My breath hitched.

It was Kylan.

His cold eyes stared right at me. His gaze was dark, dangerous—and my stomach twisted.

He took a step forward me, his eyes never leaving mine.

He didn’t get too close. He kept just enough distance between us as if he was repulsed by the sight of me.

“Why are you following me?” he growled in fury.

I didn’t move a muscle. My heart slammed against my ribs as I took in his anger. He knew why. He must have felt it too, that strange feeling that had dragged me into the woods.

“I—I don’t know,” I whispered.

Not getting the answer he suspected, Kylan roared in frustration. Before I could ever think clearly, he moved at an incredible speed and shoved me hard against a tree.

I released a soft yelp, my back slightly burning, but all I could focus on were those dark eyes. They were angry, confused…hungry. His face was inches away, so close I could feel his breath against my skin.

And there it was again. That burning sensation spreading through every part of my body, and this time it was ten times more intense.

I tried to fight it, I really did—but before I could stop myself, the horrible words I had hoped not to speak for at least a few more years, slipped past my lips.

“Mate.”

The moment the word left my mouth, Kylan’s released a sharp breath. His eyes were still full of anger, but his hand moved to my face. He traced two fingers from my cheek to my lips, and when I parted them, he moved them to my chin.

It was almost like a warning.

I lead, you follow.

How could someone I hated so much stir something so powerful inside me?

To my surprise, Kylan leaned closer until his lip where inches from mine. His gaze turned a bit softer, more confused, and for a moment—I really thought he’d kiss me.

The thought was supposed to terrify me. I was supposed to pull away—but I didn’t. I couldn’t, and neither could he.

I could only hear the sound of our heavy breaths filling the woods. Time stood still…and then his lips crashed into mine.

The kiss was rough, almost desperate, like he was trying to prove that this would be the first and the last time. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and I melted into him.

I gasped into his mouth as his hands began to roam my body, and his tongue found its way between my lips.

The kiss deepened, and without thinking, I grabbed the collar of his leather jacket. I grabbed it tightly, holding on as if I never intended to let go—and strangely enough, I didn’t want to.

Kylan released a low growl, pushing me harder against the tree. The way his lips felt on mine made everything else disappear.

I lost myself in him.

Lumia was calm again.

But then, Kylan pulled away. He kept his eyes close, his forehead resting against mine as we both gasped for air.

That was my first kiss…

What the hell just happened?

As if snapped back into reality, his cold eyes opened again. He gripped my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his.

I wanted to speak, to ask what this meant, what his intentions were—but before I could say anything, Kylan’s lips twitched in anger.

“You…” he spat out in disgust, “…are a pathetic, low-rank puppy.”

My heart shattered into pieces. The fire I had felt during our kiss had been fully extinguished. My mind cleared again. Our first meeting, when he had knocked me over, had already set the tone for our relationship—and nothing could change that. He hated me, and I hated him.

“You are no mate of mine,” Kylan tightened his grip on my chin, making me wince. “Never.”

Then he walked away…