You must be mistaken. There's no way the Alpha heir is my mate.

The words screamed in my head, but I couldn't make my mouth work. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think past the single word echoing in my skull like a death sentence.

Mate.

Darius's hand clamped around my wrist before I could process what was happening. He yanked me up from the table, his grip hard enough to bruise.

"Outside. Now."

Celeste started to stand. "Hey, wait—"

"Stay out of this," Darius snapped, and she sat back down like she'd been slapped.

He dragged me through the dining hall. Every head turned. Every conversation stopped. The blonde girl at the Alpha table looked furious, her perfectly glossed lips pressed into a thin line. Students whispered behind their hands, their eyes tracking us like we were the night's entertainment.

My feet stumbled to keep up with his pace. "Let go of me."

He didn't respond. Didn't even look back. Just hauled me out the doors and into the courtyard, away from the main pathways, toward the shadows near the training building.

When we were finally alone, he released me so suddenly I almost fell.

I caught myself against the stone wall, my wrist throbbing where his fingers had been. "What the hell is your problem?"

He turned on me, and the look on his face made my stomach drop. Rage. Pure, barely controlled rage.

"My problem?" His voice was low, dangerous. "My problem is that the universe just played the cruelest joke in existence."

I straightened, ignoring the tremor in my hands. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me." He stepped closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off him. His wolf was right there, just beneath the surface, fighting to break free. "You felt it too. I know you did."

I wanted to deny it. Wanted to tell him he was insane. But the pull was still there, thrumming beneath my skin, trying to drag me toward him like gravity.

"It's a mistake," I said, forcing the words out. "There's no way you're my mate."

"You think I want this?" He laughed, bitter and harsh. "You think I want to be tied to someone like you?"

The words hit like a physical blow.

"Someone like me," I repeated slowly.

"Weak," he said, ticking off each word like a list. "No wolf. No lineage. No power. You're barely more than a human, Elara. What kind of mate bond is that?"

My hands curled into fists. "I didn't ask for this."

"Neither did I." He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. "Do you have any idea what this means? What people will say when they find out the future Alpha's mate is a wolfless nobody?"

"Then reject me," I shot back. "Break the bond. Walk away. I don't want you either."

He stopped pacing. Turned to face me. And for just a second, something flickered across his face. Something that looked almost like pain.

But then it was gone, replaced by that cold, cruel mask.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said quietly. "Rejection doesn't work that way. The bond doesn't just disappear because we want it to. It'll eat at both of us until we either accept it or one of us dies."

My breath caught. "You're lying."

"I wish I was."

Silence stretched between us. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear laughter from the dining hall. Normal students living normal lives while mine fell apart.

Inside me, something stirred.

It started as a whisper. A flutter. And then it grew, spreading through my chest like wildfire.

My wolf.

After eighteen years of silence, after a lifetime of being told I was broken, incomplete, wrong—she was finally here.

And she was furious.

She howled inside my mind, loud and desperate, reaching for the bond that connected us to Darius. Reaching for him like he was air and she was drowning.

Mate. Ours. Need him.

No.

I shoved her down, fighting against the instinct with everything I had. My pride screamed louder than she did, reminding me of every insult, every cruel word, every time I'd been told I wasn't enough.

I would not let this bond define me.

I would not let him define me.

"I don't care what the bond says," I told him, my voice steadier than I felt. "I don't want you. I don't need you. And I sure as hell won't beg for scraps of affection from someone who's spent his entire life making mine hell."

Darius's jaw tightened. "Careful, Elara."

"Or what? You'll reject me?" I stepped closer, meeting his glare head-on. "Do it. Save us both the trouble."

For a moment, I thought he might actually do it. Thought he might sever whatever twisted connection had formed between us and let me walk away.

But then I heard them.

Footsteps. Whispers.

I turned and saw shadows near the corner of the building. Students. At least three of them, peeking around the edge, watching us like we were a reality show.

"Is he really going to reject her?"

"She doesn't even have a wolf. This is insane."

"Janessa is going to lose her mind when she finds out."

Janessa.

My sister.

His fiancée.

God, I'd almost forgotten about her. Perfect, beautiful Janessa with her golden hair and her flawless wolf and her picture-perfect life. The girl who'd always been everything I wasn't.

And now I was her worst nightmare.

Darius must have heard the whispers too because his expression darkened even further. He grabbed my arm again, gentler this time but still firm, and leaned in close enough that only I could hear.

"Listen to me very carefully," he said, his breath warm against my ear. "You will not tell anyone about this bond. Not Celeste. Not your family. No one. Do you understand?"

I jerked away from him. "You don't get to give me orders."

"I'm trying to protect you," he hissed.

"From what? The truth?"

"From them." He gestured toward the students watching us. "From the pack. From every wolf who will see you as a weakness to exploit. You think it's bad now? Wait until they find out the future Alpha is bonded to someone who can't even shift."

His words cut deeper than I wanted to admit.

Because he was right.

I'd spent my entire life being the outcast. The disappointment. The girl who didn't belong. And now, instead of escaping that, I was tied to the one person who could make it a thousand times worse.

A memory surfaced, sharp and unwanted.

I was seven. My cousin had just shifted for the first time, and the whole family celebrated. My aunt threw a party. My uncle gave him a silver pendant shaped like a wolf. Everyone cheered.

And I stood in the corner, watching, wondering why I was broken.

That night, I'd made myself a promise. I would never depend on anyone. Never let someone else have power over me. I would survive on my own terms, even if it killed me.

I looked at Darius now, standing there with his perfect face and his perfect life, and felt that promise burn inside me all over again.

"I don't need your protection," I said coldly. "And I don't need you."

Something flickered in his eyes. Surprise, maybe. Or respect. I couldn't tell.

But then it was gone.

He stepped back, putting distance between us, and when he spoke again, his voice was ice.

"Good. Because I don't want you."

The bond screamed in protest. My wolf howled, clawing at my insides, begging me to stop him, to fix this, to make him stay.

But I stood there and watched him walk away.

The students scattered as he passed, disappearing into the shadows like they'd never been there. But I knew they'd spread the news. By morning, the entire Academy would know that Darius Fenrir had dragged me outside. They'd speculate. Gossip. Tear me apart piece by piece.

And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I leaned against the wall, my legs suddenly too weak to hold me up. My wolf whimpered, hurt and confused, not understanding why I'd let our mate leave.

Because he's not ours, I told her silently. He never will be.

But even as I thought it, I could still feel him. The bond stretched between us like a tether, pulling tight every time he moved farther away.

Celeste found me a few minutes later.

"Elara?" She approached cautiously, like I might bolt. "Are you okay?"

I pushed off the wall and forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Good thing I'm not trying to convince you."

She studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Whatever just happened with Darius... it's not your fault. He's always been a jerk."

"Yeah." My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Always."

We walked back to the dorms in silence. Students stared as we passed, but I kept my head up, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.

When we reached my door, Celeste hesitated.

"If you need anything—"

"I'm fine," I repeated. "Really."

She didn't look convinced, but she nodded and left.

I locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the bed. My wolf paced restlessly, whining, searching for the bond we'd just severed.

He doesn't want us, I told her. And we don't need him.

But the bond hummed beneath my skin, calling me a liar.

I stared at the ceiling, exhaustion pulling at my edges. Tomorrow, I'd have to face the whispers. The stares. The inevitable confrontation when Janessa found out.

Tomorrow, I'd have to pretend this didn't hurt.

But tonight, alone in the dark, I let myself feel it.

The rejection.

The loss.

The cruel twist of fate that gave me a wolf and a mate in the same breath, only to rip both away before I could even understand what they meant.

And somewhere across campus, I could feel him too. Darius. The bond stretched between us, thin but unbreakable, a constant reminder of what we both refused to accept.

He didn't want me.

And I would survive that.

I had to.

By morning, everyone knew the Alpha heir had rejected his mate.

I heard the whispers before I even opened my dorm room door. Low voices carried down the hallway, punctuated by giggles and gasps. My wolf stirred uneasily inside me, still raw from last night, still confused about why we'd let our mate walk away.

He's not our mate, I reminded her. He made that clear.

She whimpered in response.

I grabbed my bag and stepped into the corridor. The conversation three doors down cut off immediately. Two girls I didn't know stared at me, their eyes wide with poorly concealed shock.

"Morning," I said flatly.

They scattered like I'd growled at them.

Great. This was going to be a fantastic day.

The walk to the main building felt like running a gauntlet. Students lined the pathways, clustered in groups, all of them watching. Their voices followed me like a shadow.

"That's her."

"Can you believe it?"

"Pathetic."

"I heard she actually thought he'd accept her."

"Unwanted by her own mate. That's got to sting."

I kept my chin up and my eyes forward. My wolf wanted to snarl at them, to show teeth and make them back down. But I didn't have fangs yet. Didn't have claws. I was still learning how to even feel her presence without panicking.

So I walked. One foot in front of the other. Pretending their words didn't cut.

The courtyard was worse. More students. More stares. A group of Alphas near the fountain stopped mid-conversation to watch me pass. One of them, a guy with a scar across his jaw, whistled low.

"Rejected before she even shifted properly," he said loud enough for everyone to hear. "That's got to be a record."

His friends laughed.

My hands clenched around my bag straps. Keep walking. Don't react. Don't give them the satisfaction.

But my wolf snarled inside my head, furious and protective even if I wouldn't let her be.

I made it to the main entrance before I saw him.

Darius stood near the doors, surrounded by his usual crowd. The blonde from last night clung to his arm, all smiles and perfect hair. He looked completely unbothered, like last night hadn't happened at all.

Like I didn't exist.

The bond tugged painfully in my chest. My wolf whined, wanting to go to him, wanting to fix whatever was broken between us.

But I forced myself to turn away. Forced my feet to carry me past him without a word.

"Elara!"

I stopped. Turned.

Celeste jogged up to me, slightly out of breath. "Hey. I've been looking for you."

"Why?"

She fell into step beside me as I headed toward the academic building. "Because I figured you could use a friendly face after... you know."

"After everyone found out I'm the wolfless loser who got rejected by the Alpha heir?" I kept my voice neutral. "Yeah. Subtle, aren't they?"

"They're idiots." Celeste glanced over her shoulder, then lowered her voice. "For what it's worth, half of them are just jealous."

"Jealous of what? Being humiliated?"

"Jealous that Darius even noticed you in the first place." She shrugged. "Most of these girls have been throwing themselves at him for years. The fact that the bond chose you? That's got to drive them crazy."

I didn't know what to say to that. The bond hadn't chosen me. It had cursed me.

We climbed the stairs to the second floor where my first class was supposed to be. Students crowded the hallway, switching books at their lockers, laughing with friends. Normal Academy life.

Except everyone went quiet when they saw me.

The whispers started up again.

"Is that really her?"

"She doesn't even look like much."

"What did Darius see in her?"

"He didn't see anything. That's why he rejected her."

Celeste tensed beside me. "Ignore them."

"I am."

But it was harder than I wanted to admit. Every word felt like a tiny knife, slicing deeper than the last. I'd spent my whole life being invisible, being overlooked. Now I was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.

We reached my classroom, and Celeste squeezed my shoulder. "You're stronger than this. Don't let them break you."

"I won't," I said.

But even as I said it, I wondered if I was lying.

The morning dragged. Every class was the same. Stares. Whispers. Professors who pretended not to notice but definitely did. I sat in the back, kept my head down, and counted the minutes until I could escape.

Lunch was going to be a nightmare.

I considered skipping it entirely, but my wolf was restless and hungry, and I needed to eat if I was going to survive the afternoon. So I made my way to the dining hall, bracing myself for round two.

The noise hit me first. Hundreds of voices echoing off the high ceilings, silverware clattering, chairs scraping. I grabbed a tray and loaded it with food I probably wouldn't eat, then scanned the room for somewhere safe to sit.

Celeste waved from a table near the windows. Alone, thank god.

I wove through the crowd, ignoring the looks, and dropped into the seat across from her.

"Survived the morning?" she asked.

"Barely."

She pushed a bottle of water toward me. "It'll get better. Give it a few days. They'll find someone else to talk about."

"Or Darius will do something else humiliating and they'll never shut up."

Celeste winced. "Fair point."

I picked at my food, not really tasting it. Across the room, I could see Darius at the Alpha table, the blonde still glued to his side. She laughed at something he said, touching his arm, leaning in close.

The bond twisted painfully.

My wolf growled.

"Stop looking at him," Celeste said gently.

"I'm not."

"You are. And it's only going to make it worse."

She was right. I forced my eyes away, focusing on my tray instead. But I could still feel him. The bond hummed between us like a live wire, impossible to ignore no matter how hard I tried.

"Strength is my only answer," I muttered.

"What?"

I looked up at Celeste. "Strength. That's all I've got. If I let this break me, I'll never survive here."

She studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Then don't let it break you."

"I don't plan to."

But even as I said it, I felt the weight of every stare, every whisper, every cruel word pressing down on me. How long could I keep pretending it didn't hurt?

After lunch, I had a free period. Most students used it to study or hang out in the common areas, but I needed air. Space. Somewhere I could breathe without feeling like the walls were closing in.

I headed outside, following a path that led away from the main buildings toward the forest edge. The campus backed up against miles of protected wilderness, and students were allowed to walk the perimeter trails as long as they didn't go too deep.

The trees provided cover. Shade. Privacy.

I found a bench near a small clearing and sat down, letting the quiet settle over me. My wolf stretched inside my mind, testing her boundaries, getting used to existing.

Can we run? she asked.

Not yet. We haven't shifted.

When?

I don't know.

She huffed, frustrated. I didn't blame her. I was frustrated too.

The sound of footsteps on gravel made me tense.

I turned, half expecting to see Celeste or some nosy student who'd followed me. But the figure emerging from the tree line wasn't someone I recognized.

He was tall. Broad-shouldered. Dark hair fell across his forehead in calculated disarray, and his smile was sharp enough to cut. He wore the Academy uniform, but something about the way he carried himself screamed danger.

My wolf perked up, wary.

He leaned against a pillar near the trail entrance, arms crossed, watching me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

"You're Elara Bennett," he said. Not a question.

"And you are?"

His smile widened. "Gideon Wicke. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I'm guessing you've had enough false pleasantries for one day."

I stood slowly, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "If you're here to gawk at the rejected mate, you're late. Everyone else already got their fill this morning."

"Actually, I'm here because I think you're interesting."

"Interesting." I repeated the word like it tasted bad. "Right."

He pushed off the pillar and walked closer. Not threatening, exactly, but deliberate. Like he knew exactly how much space to take up to make me notice.

"You stood up to Darius," he said. "Twice, from what I heard. Once in the courtyard when you first arrived, and again last night when he dragged you outside."

"Word travels fast."

"Always does when it involves the Alpha heir." Gideon stopped a few feet away, still smiling that sharp, dangerous smile. "Most people would have rolled over and shown their throat. But you didn't."

"Is there a point to this conversation?"

"Just making an observation." He tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle he wanted to solve. "You're not what I expected."

"And what did you expect?"

"Someone broken. Someone weak." His eyes glinted. "But you're not, are you? You're angry."

My wolf bristled. He was too perceptive. Too aware.

"I don't have time for this," I said, moving to walk past him.

He stepped into my path.

Not blocking me, exactly. Just... there. Close enough that I could smell the faint scent of pine and something darker. Close enough that my wolf sat up and paid attention.

"What if I told you," Gideon said softly, "that Darius isn't the only wolf at this Academy worth knowing?"

"I'd say I'm not interested in knowing any wolves right now."

"Not even one who could make him regret what he did to you?"

That made me pause.

Gideon's smile turned smug, like he knew he'd caught my interest. "Darius Fenrir thinks he's untouchable. The future Alpha. The golden boy. Everyone bows to him, scared of what he might do if they don't."

"And you're different?"

"I'm not scared of him." Gideon leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to something almost conspiratorial. "And I don't think you are either."

He was right. I wasn't scared of Darius. I was hurt. Angry. Humiliated.

But not scared.

Gideon straightened, his expression shifting to something almost friendly. "Look, I know you've had a rough couple of days. I'm not trying to add to that. I just think you could use an ally. Someone who isn't going to pity you or treat you like you're made of glass."

"And you're volunteering?"

"I'm offering."

I should have walked away. Should have told him to leave me alone and gone back to my dorm. But there was something about the way he looked at me. Like I was a person, not a mistake. Like I mattered.

It had been a long time since anyone looked at me that way.

Gideon extended his hand toward me, palm up. An invitation, not a demand.

"Walk with me, Elara," he said, his smirk softening into something almost genuine.

My wolf growled a warning.

But I looked at his hand, then at his face, and wondered if maybe, just maybe, he was exactly what I needed right now.

An ally.

Or a distraction.

Or something far more dangerous than I realized.

His smile was sharp enough to cut.

I stared at Gideon's outstretched hand for a long moment, weighing my options. My wolf was still growling warnings in the back of my mind, but honestly? I was tired of listening to instincts that had gotten me nowhere.

"One walk," I said finally. "That's it."

"One walk." He didn't lower his hand. "I promise I don't bite. Well, not on the first walk, anyway."

Despite everything, despite the horrible morning and the whispers and the rejection still burning in my chest, I almost smiled.

Almost.

I ignored his hand and started walking down the trail. He fell into step beside me easily, hands shoved in his pockets, looking completely relaxed.

"So," he said after a moment. "How does it feel to be the most talked-about person on campus?"

"Fantastic. Really living my best life."

He laughed. Actually laughed, like I'd said something genuinely funny instead of bitter. "See, that's what I like about you. No pretense. Most people would try to play it off, act like they don't care."

"Who says I care?"

"The tension in your shoulders. The way you haven't looked at me directly since we started walking. The fact that you're gripping your bag strap hard enough to leave marks."

I loosened my grip immediately. "You're observant."

"I pay attention." He glanced at me sideways. "Especially to interesting people."

"There's that word again. Interesting."

"Would you prefer 'fascinating'? 'Intriguing'? I can use a thesaurus if it makes you more comfortable."

This time I did smile. Just a little. "You're annoying."

"I've been called worse."

We walked in silence for a bit. The path curved along the forest edge, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. It was actually peaceful out here, away from the stares and whispers. Away from Darius.

The bond tugged faintly in my chest, like it was checking to make sure I hadn't forgotten about him.

As if I could.

"Can I ask you something?" Gideon said.

"You're going to anyway."

"True." He kicked a stone off the path. "Why did you come here? To the Academy, I mean. You had to know it would be rough. Wolfless girl in a school full of predators."

"I'm not wolfless anymore."

"You know what I mean."

I did. And the truth was complicated. My family had pushed for me to come here, hoping the Academy's training might trigger my shift. My aunt had called in favors with the council. My uncle had practically begged.

But the real reason?

"I needed to get away," I said quietly. "From home. From people who looked at me like I was broken."

"And how's that working out for you?"

I shot him a look. "You tell me."

He grinned. "Fair point."

We reached a small bridge that crossed over a stream. Gideon leaned against the railing, looking out at the water. I stood beside him, grateful for the excuse to stop walking.

"For what it's worth," he said, "I don't think you're broken."

"You don't even know me."

"I know you stood up to Darius Fenrir. Twice. That takes guts." He turned to face me, one elbow still resting on the railing. "Most people are too scared to even look him in the eye, let alone tell him off in front of half the dining hall."

"Maybe I'm just stupid."

"Or maybe you're exactly what this place needs." His expression shifted, something darker flickering behind his eyes. "Someone who doesn't worship the ground he walks on."

There was an edge to his voice when he said Darius's name. Old anger. Old hurt.

"You don't like him much, do you?" I asked.

"That's putting it mildly."

"Why?"

Gideon was quiet for a moment, his jaw tight. Then he shook his head. "Long story. Not a good one. Let's just say Darius and I have history, and it didn't end well."

I wanted to ask more, but something in his expression told me to let it go. For now.

"So what's your deal?" I asked instead. "Why help me? You barely know me either."

"Maybe I like the underdog." He pushed off the railing and started walking again. I followed. "Or maybe I just enjoy watching Darius squirm. Either way, seems like a win-win situation."

"I'm not a weapon you can use against him."

"I'm not asking you to be." He glanced at me. "But if you happen to make his life a little more complicated just by existing? Well, that's just a bonus."

We crossed back onto the main path that led toward the quad. Students were scattered across the lawn, studying or tossing a frisbee. Normal afternoon activities.

Except the moment they saw me walking with Gideon, everything stopped.

Again.

Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Heads turned. Eyes tracked our movement like we were the day's entertainment.

"Here we go," Gideon muttered. "Three, two, one..."

The whispers started.

"Is that Gideon Wicke?"

"Why is he with her?"

"Did she move on already?"

"This is going to make Darius lose his mind."

My wolf stirred uneasily. She didn't like the attention. Didn't like being watched like prey.

"Ignore them," Gideon said softly.

"Easy for you to say."

"Actually, it's not. But you fake it long enough, eventually it gets easier."

We were halfway across the quad when I felt it. That familiar, overwhelming presence that made my wolf sit up and take notice.

Darius.

I didn't have to look to know he was there. The bond told me exactly where he was, standing near the library entrance with his arms crossed and his eyes locked on us.

On me and Gideon.

The fury radiating off him was almost tangible.

"Don't look," Gideon said quietly. "Keep walking."

"I wasn't planning to."

But I could feel Darius's stare burning into my back. Could feel the bond stretching tight between us, vibrating with his anger. My wolf whined, confused and distressed by his emotions.

He rejected us, I reminded her. This shouldn't bother him.

But it clearly did.

Gideon steered us toward a bench near the fountain, deliberately choosing one in full view of where Darius was standing. He sat down and patted the space beside him.

"Are you trying to start something?" I asked.

"Me? Never." His smile was pure innocence. "I'm just tired from our walk. Can't a guy rest?"

I sat down, more out of stubbornness than anything else. If Darius wanted to glare, let him glare. He didn't get to reject me and then act like he had any claim over who I spent time with.

"That's the spirit," Gideon said, reading my expression. "Show him you're not waiting around for him to change his mind."

"I'm not."

"Good. Because he doesn't deserve you."

The words should have felt hollow. Meaningless. But something about the way Gideon said them, casual and certain, made me believe he actually meant it.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, watching students pass by. The stares continued, but they felt less suffocating with Gideon beside me. Like having someone in my corner made the weight of their judgment a little lighter.

"So," Gideon said eventually. "What are your plans for surviving this place?"

"Keep my head down. Graduate. Leave."

"Boring."

"Practical."

"Where's the fun in that?" He stretched his arms along the back of the bench. "You could make waves instead. Show everyone they were wrong to underestimate you."

"And how exactly would I do that?"

"Training. Prove you're not weak just because your wolf came late." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I could help, if you want. I'm pretty good in the arena."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because watching you kick ass would be incredibly satisfying." He paused. "And because, like I said, I think you're interesting."

There was that word again. But this time, it didn't sound like a lie.

My wolf was still wary of him, still uncertain. But she wasn't growling anymore. That had to count for something.

"I'll think about it," I said.

"That's all I ask."

Movement caught my eye. Darius had shifted positions, no longer leaning against the library but walking toward the quad. Toward us.

His expression was stone. Cold. Furious.

The blonde from earlier rushed to catch up with him, grabbing his arm. He shook her off without looking at her.

"Incoming," Gideon murmured.

"I see him."

"Want to leave?"

I thought about it. Thought about running, avoiding the confrontation, making this easier on everyone.

But then I remembered the rejection. The humiliation. The way he'd looked at me like I was nothing.

"No," I said. "I'm not running."

Gideon's smile widened. "There's that fire. Hold onto that."

Darius was only a few feet away now. Close enough that I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands were clenched into fists. The bond screamed between us, a mess of anger and hurt and something else I couldn't name.

But he didn't come all the way to the bench. Just stopped. Stared. The silent fury in his eyes spoke volumes.

The blonde caught up to him, tugging at his sleeve. "Darius, come on. Let's go."

He ignored her.

Gideon leaned back casually, completely unbothered by the Alpha heir's rage. "Problem, Fenrir?"

"Stay away from her," Darius said, voice low and dangerous.

"Why?" Gideon's smile was all teeth. "You made it pretty clear you don't want her. So why do you care who she spends time with?"

"That's not your business."

"Actually, I think it's Elara's business. And she chose to sit here with me." Gideon looked at me. "Unless you want to leave?"

All eyes were on me now. Students had stopped pretending not to watch. This was the drama they'd been waiting for all day.

I met Darius's gaze and saw the conflict there. The wolf that wanted to drag me away from Gideon. The pride that refused to admit he'd made a mistake.

"I'm fine where I am," I said quietly.

Something flickered across Darius's face. Pain, maybe. Or anger. I couldn't tell.

The blonde tugged harder on his arm. "Darius, please. You're making a scene."

He finally looked away from me. Looked at her instead, and whatever he saw there made him step back.

"This isn't over," he said.

Then he turned and walked away, the blonde hurrying to keep up.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"Well," Gideon said cheerfully. "That was fun."

"Fun is not the word I'd use."

"Exciting? Dramatic? Weirdly satisfying?"

Despite everything, I laughed. Short and sharp, but real.

Gideon turned to look at me, and his expression softened into something genuine. "You handled that well."

"I didn't do anything."

"Exactly. You didn't give him what he wanted. That's everything."

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the quad. Students were packing up their things, heading to dinner or back to their dorms.

Gideon stood and offered me his hand again. This time, I took it.

He pulled me to my feet, and for a second, we were standing closer than I expected. Close enough that I could see the flecks of amber in his dark eyes. Close enough that my wolf took notice and sat very, very still.

"He'll regret rejecting you," Gideon said softly, his voice pitched just for me. "I'll make sure of it."