Elara's Pov- 35 hours earlier.

If happiness had a sound, it would be the rustling of suitcases and the clatter of shoes on marble floors.

"Careful with that one!" I call out as one of the maids lifts my third trunk, the one with my books and sketchpads. "That's fragile!"

"Yes, Miss Elara," she says, breathless but smiling.

My room looks like a storm of silk and sunlight, dresses everywhere, ribbons scattered, the scent of fresh lavender and excitement in the air. I haven't felt this alive in years. Maybe ever.

Lunacrest Academy.

I whisper the name in my head like a spell.

The place where legends are made. The academy for the strongest wolves of the realm. And somehow, me, Elara Vayne, the girl without a wolf, got in.

"Mother!" I shout, practically running to the mirror to check my reflection. My curls fall in soft waves down my back, and for the first time in a long while, I don't hate what I see.

My mother appears in the doorway, radiant and composed, holding a folded cloak in her arms. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

"Do I?" I spin once, grinning. "Do I look like a Lunacrest student?"

She laughs softly. "You look like my daughter. That's more than enough."

There's warmth in her eyes, the kind I haven't seen since I turned sixteen and everyone realized my wolf wasn't coming.

The day most girls in our world shift for the first time, I didn't. I waited under the full moon, breathless and trembling... and nothing happened.

The whispers started.

The stares followed.

And I started to fade.

For months, I couldn't eat. Couldn't smile. I avoided mirrors. Avoided my own reflection. I was the Beta's daughter who couldn't shift, the pack's quiet shame wrapped in expensive silk.

But today feels different.

Today, I finally get to breathe again.

Lunacrest Academy might be filled with powerful heirs and ruthless Alphas, but it's also my fresh start. No more pity. No more sad smiles. Just Elara, trying to belong.

Mother helps me fasten my cloak. "You know," she says softly, "when your father and I agreed to let you go, I wasn't sure you'd truly want it. But seeing you now..."

"I do," I say quickly. "I need this. I can't stay locked away forever, pretending I'm fine."

She smiles and brushes a curl from my face. "You've always been stronger than you think."

A knock sounds at the door before I can reply. Claude's voice carries through, low and firm. "Elara, we're leaving in five."

I roll my eyes, grinning. "Of course we are. Claude Vayne, punctual as ever."

Mother laughs. "Be kind to your brother. He worries too much because he loves you too much."

"I know," I mumble, but affection warms my chest.

Claude's always been that way, too serious, too protective, too everything. Ever since Father made him Beta-in-training, he's treated responsibility like it's stitched into his bones.

By the time I step outside, our car is waiting, it's sleek black color glinting in the morning sun. Claude stands beside it in his academy uniform, dark silver jacket, crest embroidered in gold, his expression sharp.

"Finally," he says when he sees me. "Do you plan to make a royal entrance, or were you aiming for fashionably late?"

"Maybe both," I tease, bumping his arm lightly.

He exhales, somewhere between fond and frustrated. "You packed half the manor, didn't you?"

"Only the essentials."

Claude gives the driver a look that clearly says 'my sister is hopeless.' Then he turns to me, voice softening. "You sure about this?"

I nod. "Positive."

He studies me for a long second, his silver eyes, so much like Father's, searching for cracks I don't want him to see. Finally, he sighs. "Alright then. Let's get you to Lunacrest."

The journey takes hours, winding roads through forests of pines, the morning air cool and crisp.

Lunacrest sits at the heart of neutral territory, where the great packs send their heirs to learn diplomacy, dominance, and control.

From a distance, the academy looks like a castle carved into the mountain itself, tall spires, glass windows glowing in the sun, banners rippling in the wind.

I press my face to the car window, heart thudding with excitement. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined."

Claude follows my gaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Don't let the view fool you. This place can be brutal."

"I'll be fine," I say. "You'll be here too."

"I'll be here," he confirms, but there's a warning beneath his tone. "Still... promise me something."

I glance at him. "What?"

"Keep your head down. Don't draw attention to yourself. These students... most of them can smell weakness from a mile away. And you..."

"I know," I finish for him. "I don't have a wolf."

He looks pained for a second. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, you did." I smile, not angry. "But it's okay. I'll be careful."

He exhales slowly, running a hand through his hair. "Good. And remember, if anyone gives you trouble, you come to me. Always."

"Got it, Commander."

He chuckles despite himself. "You're impossible."

When we reach the academy gates, everything feels bigger than I imagined, the courtyard busy with students, the sound of chatter and laughter echoing through the hallways. Wolves everywhere, powerful and graceful.

And me, trying not to shrink.

Claude helps me out of the car. "Your dorm's in the south wing," he says, already in responsible big brother mode. "Stay close to the Beta ranks. They'll be friendlier than the Alphas."

"Got it."

"And if anyone asks about your wolf, just say she's... dormant."

"Dormant?" I echo. "That's your brilliant cover story?"

"It's better than 'nonexistent.'"

I laugh. "Fair point."

He glances toward a group of students in dark uniforms, tall, commanding, radiating dominance even at a distance. His expression hardens slightly. "And one more thing. Stay away from the Veyron brothers."

I blink. "Your best friends?"

"Yes, Elara." His tone drops lower. "They're trouble."

I shrug. "You say that about everyone."

"This time I mean it."

There's a flicker of something uneasy in his eyes, but before I can ask, one of his friends calls his name. He sighs. "Duty calls."

Then he turns back to me, hesitating. "There's a ball tonight. A welcome event for the new semester."

"Oh." My heart lifts a little. "Can I..."

"No." His answer is immediate. "You're not going."

I blink, surprised. "Why not?"

"Because these events are full of posturing and dominance games. Everyone trying to prove who's strongest. You'll just draw attention to yourself, and not the good kind."

I cross my arms. "I can handle a few glares."

"Elara." His voice softens. "Please. Just this once. Stay in your dorm. I'll come find you after."

I look up at him, torn between wanting to obey and wanting to live. "Alright," I say finally. "I promise."

He studies me for a moment longer, as if he doesn't quite believe me, then nods. "Good."

He reaches out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear the way he did when we were kids. "You'll do fine, Elara. Just... stay low."

Then he walks away, his back straight, his aura steady and confident, everything I'm not.

I watch him disappear into the crowd, and for a long moment, I just stand there, clutching my bags, staring at the academy gates.

Lunacrest Academy.

My new beginning.

I take a deep breath and step forward.

And yes I'm aware, this is the step that will change everything.

Elara's POV-Present day.

My phone has been vibrating for the past ten minutes, buzzing against the nightstand like it's personally offended. I already know who it is, because only one person calls this early, and only one person uses anger as a ringtone.

When I finally answer, my brother doesn't bother with hello.

"You went to the ball."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Good morning to you too, Claude."

"Don't 'good morning' me, Elara. You promised. You said you'd keep your head down, stay invisible..."

"I did stay invisible," I interrupt quickly, forcing a calm I don't feel. "No one knows it was me."

There's a pause. I can practically hear him grinding his teeth on the other end. "You think hiding behind a silver mask counts as invisible? Everyone's talking about the girl who danced with Alpha Cassian Veyron."

"Exactly," I say softly. "They're talking about the girl in the mask. Not me."

Silence again. A heavy one this time.

He sighs, that long, tired kind that makes guilt crawl up my throat. "Elara, do you even realize what could happen if they find out who you are?"

"I know," I whisper. "And I'm being careful. No one saw me leave. My roommate hasn't arrived yet. I'm fine."

"Fine," he repeats, voice low. "That's what you said before everything went to hell last time."

That stings. I bite my lip, but I don't answer. There's nothing I can say that will make him trust me again, not after last time.

After a moment, his voice softens. "Just... promise me you'll stay out of trouble now. Please, El."

I clutch my blanket, staring at the ceiling. "I promise."

A lie.

A necessary one.

When I hang up, the quiet of my room feels heavier. The sunlight through the window is too bright, my reflection in the mirror too flushed. My hands still remember the warmth of his-Alpha Cassian's-when we danced.

I shouldn't even think about it. I shouldn't want to.

But the memory plays on loop anyway: the way he looked at me like he could see through the mask, the way the world went still when he said my name, no, when he said nothing at all, just stared.

The girl in the silver mask might've been a rumor to everyone else.

But to me, she felt real. Alive for the first time in years.

          *********************

Riven's Pov.

When unusual things happen, it's wise to dig up the roots.

Lucien's words, not mine. He's the one who believes everything has a reason, that if you dig deep enough, you'll find order in the mess.

I don't believe in order.

I believe in punishment.

The boy kneels before us now, shaking, blood magic smeared up his forearms like casual paint. The scent burns in my nose, iron and fear. Stupid. Reckless.

He tried to tamper with the wards during the ball. Thought he could summon something strong enough to make a joke of us.

Now he's about to learn what exposure really means.

Lucien sits across from him, one ankle resting over his knee, arms folded. Calm. Watching. His EarPods are in, music humming faintly, but I know he's listening to every word spoken in this room.

Cassian leans against the wall, that damned grin carved across his face like he's watching a show instead of an interrogation.

The boy stammers, "I... I didn't mean anything, I swear..."

"Don't lie to me."

My voice comes out low, dangerous. The kind of tone that makes even his breath hesitate.

He flinches, eyes darting between us. "I just... I wanted to see what makes you three so different..."

My fist slams into his jaw before he can finish. He hits the ground hard, coughing blood.

Cassian laughs softly. "That's one way to get him to the point."

"Shut up," I growl, grabbing the boy by the collar and dragging him back up. "You wanted to play with blood? Fine. Let's see what it costs."

His pulse races so fast I can almost hear it over the silence. The smell makes Cassian tilt his head, interest flickering in his crimson eyes.

Lucien doesn't move. Just watches. The flicker of candlelight catches his eyes, calm, calculating, unreadable.

"Blood magic disrupts balance," he says evenly. "He meddled with energy that wasn't his. The backlash explains the spike we felt last night."

I tighten my grip. "You're saying he caused it?"

"I'm saying he tried to," Lucien answers. "I did my diggings and this bastard is the one that tried to disrupt our minds."

Cassian chuckles. "How poetic. The boy calls on darkness and finds something brighter instead."

The kid's whimpering now, tears streaking through the grime. "Please. I didn't know it would..."

Cassian moves in a blur. One second he's leaning casually; the next he's behind the boy, hand clamped around his throat.

"You didn't know?" His tone is sweet, mocking. "Curiosity's a funny thing. Do you have your answers now, curious little one?"

The boy chokes, shaking. Cassian leans closer, releasing his fangs slowly until they graze skin, not biting yet, just tracing.

"Tell me," he murmurs, voice almost tender, "what did you see when you looked at us?"

"Monsters," the boy gasps.

Cassian's smile widens. "Good. At least you're not blind."

I take a step forward. "Cassian."

He doesn't look back.

"What? He already knows. Might as well make it memorable."

Lucien sighs, quietly like he already knows what Cassian would do next. "Don't make a mess."

Cassian glances at me over his shoulder, fangs glinting. "Do you want a taste, brother?"

My jaw tightens. I turn to Lucien, who looks absolutely unamused. "That bastard can't control his thirst."

Cassian winks. "Control is boring."

Then he bites. Quiet and sharp.

The boy jerks once, twice, and then goes still. Cassian doesn't drain him fast; he draws it out, a predator savoring his prey.

The color drains from the kid's face until he's pale as chalk, heartbeat faltering, gone.

When Cassian finally lets go, the body drops with a dull thud.

The room goes silent. Even the candlelight seems afraid to flicker.

Lucien removes an earbud. "Satisfied?"

Cassian licks a trace of blood from his lip, unbothered. "Not really. He tasted like regret."

I exhale slowly, trying to smother the burn in my chest. Rage. Hunger. Guilt. They all sound the same when you've lived too long with a curse.

Lucien stands, smooth as ever. "Dispose of him before sunrise. We don't need rumors."

Cassian yawns. "Always so practical."

Lucien's gaze hardens. "Always necessary."

Cassian stretches lazily and strolls toward the door. "You know what I think?"

"What?" I mutter.

He glances back, that infuriating grin still there. "That you two should loosen up a bit. You don't want to leave this world in regret of how you could have lived, you know?"

Then he vanishes before I can respond.

Lucien lingers for a moment, studying the corpse for a minute. Then he looks at me. "Live a little?"

I don't answer. Because the truth is, my way of surviving this curse is through aggression. Living a little would mean, allowing the curse overwhelm me.

And I'd rather lay down my life than be a slave to this curse.  

Elara's Pov.

If peace had a personality, it would be the quiet hum of my phone screen.

I scroll aimlessly, pretending to read, pretending I'm not replaying every second of the ball in my head.

Cassian's hand.

His heartbeat.

That look that felt like a secret I wasn't meant to know.

I shake the thought away and swipe to the next post on WolfNet, nothing but glittering selfies from other girls at Lunacrest. Perfect smiles, perfect marks, perfect wolves. My chest tightens.

Then my door bursts open.

"Elara! Tell me you're not planning to spend the night hiding in here!"

Tessa's voice hits like sunlight. She's my new roommate, curly red hair, loud laugh, more energy than five full moons combined.

I blink at her. "I'm resting."

She stares at my pajamas like they've offended her. "Resting? On combat night?"

"Combat night?" I echo.

She drops her bag dramatically. "Don't tell me you don't know. The Alpha training trials? They're tonight at the field. Only the strongest compete, but the whole academy watches. It's like..." she waves her hands, searching for the word.

"Sounds violent," I interrupt before she can finish.

"It is!" she says brightly. "And we're going."

I groan, sinking deeper into my sheets. "Pass."

"Oh no, no, no." She crosses the room, snatches my phone, and tosses it onto the dresser. "You're coming. You've been acting all ghostly since I got here. You need to exist again."

"I am existing," I mutter. "Quietly."

Tessa opens my closet, muttering to herself. "Quietly gets you nowhere at Lunacrest."

Clothes fly. A shirt. A skirt. A sparkly something I don't even recognize.

Then she gasps. "Found it!"

She turns, triumphant, holding up a black crop top and a tiny pleated skirt. "Perfect."

I stare. "That's not clothing. That's a suggestion."

"Exactly! It suggests confidence." She grins. "Trust me, combat nights are more about who's watching than who's fighting."

"I don't want anyone watching."

"Too late." She thrusts the outfit at me. "You'll thank me when you catch an important person's eye."

I roll my eyes but take the clothes anyway. There's no arguing with Tessa.

Ten minutes later, I'm standing in front of the mirror, trying not to die of embarrassment.

The skirt is short. The top is shorter. My hair falls in loose waves down my shoulders, my lips tinted rose from Tessa's insistence that 'a little gloss never hurt anyone.' I hardly recognize the girl staring back.

"You look..." Tessa whistles, "...absolutely stunning, girl."

"I look like I lost a fight with a tailor."

She laughs, looping her arm through mine. "Come on, Miss Modest. Let's go before you change your mind."

             ********************

The field hums with energy.

Bright lights circle the perimeter, illuminating the crowd. Students fill the stands, wolves from every pack, voices rising in excitement. The air smells of pine, sweat, and strength.

I've never felt anything like it, raw power crackling in the grass, vibrating under my skin.

Tessa drags me to the front, near the edge of the field. "Best view in the house," she says.

I tug at my skirt. "Best chance of dying if someone throws a punch this way."

"Relax," she giggles. "They won't hit the spectators... probably."

The alphas in the ring stretch and spar, muscles glinting beneath the moonlight. Dominance rolls off them in waves, intoxicating and terrifying. Girls cheer. Boys snarl. The whole academy feels alive.

For a moment, I forget to be small. I even laugh when Tessa elbows me, pointing out some Beta tripping over his own boots.

That's when I feel it, eyes on me.

I glance up.

Across the field, a group of Alpha boys lounge near the fence. One of them, tall and smug, grins when our gazes meet. His aura crackles gold, the mark of a strong bloodline.

He saunters closer.

"Oh no," I whisper.

Tessa smirks. "Oh yes."

He stops in front of me, all confidence and arrogance. "Haven't seen you around before," he says, voice dripping charm. "You new?"

"Something like that."

He looks me over, slowly, deliberately. "You don't smell like any pack I know."

I bristle. "Maybe because you don't know enough."

His grin widens. "Feisty. I like that."

Tessa leans toward me. "That's Kade Stormbourne," she whispers. "Alpha heir. Thinks the moon shines out of his..."

"Got it," I mutter before she can finish.

Kade chuckles. "Why don't you tell me your name, mystery girl?"

"Why don't you guess?"

He steps closer, invading my space. The air shifts, too thick. "I'd rather taste it."

My pulse jumps. "Excuse me?"

His fingers brush my wrist, too fast, too bold. "Don't play shy now. You wore the outfit; you knew what it would do."

Anger sparks in my chest. I pull back, voice sharp. "Back off."

He laughs, low and amused, not taking me seriously. "Come on, don't be like that."

He reaches again.

This time I slap his hand away.

The laughter dies. His eyes darken. Around us, a few students glance over, sensing tension.

Tessa mutters, "Oh no. Elara, maybe we should..."

A shadow falls across us.

"Kade," a familiar voice says, smooth and cold. "Is there a reason you're harassing my sister?"

My breath freezes.

Claude.

He stands a few feet away, expression cold and blank, and he's not alone.

Behind him are the triplets.

Alpha Lucien's calm presence hits first, dark suit, eyes that scans the entire field in a second. Alpha Riven beside him radiates barely leashed fury, his power humming against the night. And Alpha Cassian-moon help me-Alpha Cassian's gaze lands right on me.

For a heartbeat, no one moves. Then Kade stammers, "I... I didn't realize..."

"Clearly." Claude steps between us, his aura flaring Beta-strong. "Apologize."

Kade swallows. "I didn't mean any disrespect."

"I didn't ask what you meant." Claude's tone is pure command. "Apologize."

Kade looks at me. "Sorry," he mutters.

"Accepted," I say quickly, though my voice shakes.

Claude doesn't move until Kade retreats into the crowd. Only then does he turn on me. "What are you wearing?"

I wince. "Clothes?"

"Barely."

Tessa clears her throat. "I'll just... go check the field lines." And flees.

Lucien's eyes flick between me and my brother, analytical. "Your sister?" he asks, voice quiet but cutting.

Claude exhales through his nose. "Elara, meet the Veyron brothers. Lucien, Riven, Cassian."

I nod stiffly, pulse hammering. "Hi."

Alpha Riven doesn't respond, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the sparring Alphas like I'm air.

Alpha Lucien studies me, his expression remains blank. "Interesting."

Alpha Cassian, oh gods, Cassian's gaze trails from my face down to my bare legs, lingering just long enough for heat to creep up my neck. His mouth tilts into a grin.

I mange to lift my eyes to his, oh I wish I didn't. Those crimson eyes lock on mine. And for a second, something flashes there. Lust? Curiosity?

I don't have time to process. My throat goes dry. "If you'll excuse me..."

Claude's still scolding, "Elara, we'll talk about this..."

But I'm already backing away. "Later. Promise."

I turn, practically running for the path back to the dorms. I can feel Alpha Cassian's eyes on me as I go, that same charged awareness sparking between us again.

When I finally reach the shadows beyond the field, I breathe out shakily, pressing a hand to my chest.

Nothing.

No heartbeat echo this time.

I should be glad but I can't shake off the nudge in my chest.

I'm falling for him.

But Cassian Veyron is the last person I should want.