The corridors of Nightbane Academy buzzed with the usual noise of students shifting between classes, but Selene Rivers felt as if she were moving through a storm. Every step she took seemed heavier, as if the very walls whispered her shame and her secret. She could feel the weight of the stares—the cold, sharp eyes tracing her like a predator assessing its prey.
Talia and her clique had been waiting, as predictable as the changing seasons. The leader of the pack—Talia, a tall, sharp-eyed girl with blonde hair that gleamed under the flickering hallway lights—had never liked Selene. It was no secret that Talia wanted Lucien's attention, and the fact that Selene had stolen it—if only briefly—was a wound she refused to let heal.
Selene's heart pounded in her chest, threatening to betray her calm. She kept her gaze steady, focusing on the floor just ahead as she approached the lockers, trying to avoid direct eye contact. But it was impossible to escape Talia's piercing gaze or the smirks of the girls flanking her.
"Well, well, if it isn't the rejected mate herself," Talia's voice rang out, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. Her words were coated in venom, sharp and deliberate. "I have to admit, you have guts showing your face here after what happened."
Selene's throat tightened. The "rejected mate" label was a brand searing her skin, one she wished she could scrub off. She kept silent, unwilling to dignify Talia's insult with a response.
One of Talia's followers, a slender girl with ice-blue eyes named Marissa, stepped forward, voice cold and mocking. "You think just because Lucien spent time with you that you belong in this academy? Newsflash, Luna. You're still an outcast."
The word 'Luna' hit Selene like a slap. Luna—mate—meant fate bound, a destiny supposedly shared with an Alpha. But she was rejected. Publicly. Humiliated.
A low growl rumbled in Selene's chest, a dark pulse that made her fingers twitch involuntarily. Her wolf stirred deep within, ancient and fierce—stronger than anything she'd ever known—but it was hidden, asleep. At least, that was what she believed.
She clenched her fists, willing the primal surge to subside. No matter how much the wolf wanted to lash out, she couldn't risk losing control here. Not now. Not in front of everyone.
Talia's eyes gleamed as she took a step closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Come on, show us what you're really made of. Or are you just all bark and no bite?"
The hallway seemed to close in around Selene, breaths growing shallow, heart beating like a war drum. The wolf's claws scraped just beneath her skin, itching to break free, to roar back.
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.
"Enough."
The crowd fell silent. The usual chatter hushed, replaced by an almost tangible stillness.
Kyren Blackthorn stepped forward, tall and imposing, every inch the Alpha Prince. His dark eyes were cold and unreadable as they fixed on Talia, his presence sending a wave of unease through the group.
Talia's smirk faltered. "This isn't over, Luna," she spat, voice laced with spite.
Kyren's gaze didn't waver. "Back off, or you'll regret it."
The air thickened with tension. Even Talia's clique hesitated, intimidated by the power radiating from Kyren. Slowly, they backed away, the echoes of their footsteps fading into the distance.
Selene let out a shaky breath, muscles trembling with the effort of restraint. Her eyes flickered with an amber glow for just a moment, but she swallowed it down quickly, willing herself back to calm.
Kyren's gaze lingered on her, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression, as if he saw past the quiet girl into the storm beneath.
Before Selene could process what was happening, footsteps approached briskly from behind.
Lucien.
His dark hair was tousled from the rush, his sharp eyes immediately taking in the scene—Kyren standing protectively close to Selene, the residual tension thick in the air.
Lucien's jaw tightened slightly, a flicker of something raw crossing his face—jealousy, frustration, and something deeper, more complicated.
He approached, voice teasing but edged with something more serious. "Getting cozy with the Prince, are we?"
Selene's cheeks flushed despite herself. She met his gaze, a small, teasing smile playing on her lips. "Someone has to keep me safe."
Lucien smirked, but the fire in his eyes did not dim. "Don't get too comfortable. I'm not going anywhere."
The three of them—Selene, Kyren, and Lucien—stood there in the middle of the hallway, an unspoken storm swirling between them.
As the school day dragged on, Selene found herself replaying the incident over and over. The wolf inside her throbbed with restless energy, demanding release, threatening to break free.
Later that evening, in the quiet solitude of her room, she allowed herself a moment to breathe.
Her reflection stared back at her from the cracked mirror—soft brown eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
The wolf was awakening, and soon, no one would be able to ignore her.
Selene's fingers traced the faint cracks in the mirror as if seeking answers hidden beneath the glass. The dim light of her room cast soft shadows across the walls, but inside, her mind roared with a thousand questions she had no answers to.
Why had her wolf remained dormant for so long? Why now, after all this time, did it stir with such fierce hunger? And most importantly—what did it want from her?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on her door.
"Selene? Are you okay?" Lucien's voice was cautious, filled with concern.
She turned quickly, surprised to see him standing in the doorway, his usually confident demeanor softened by worry.
"I'm fine," she said, though her voice wavered slightly. "Just... a lot to think about."
Lucien stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I saw what happened earlier. Those girls... they're going to keep coming for you."
She nodded. "I know. I'm tired of running."
He took a step closer, lowering his voice. "You don't have to face them alone."
Selene looked up, meeting his intense gaze. There was something raw and unguarded there, a vulnerability she rarely saw.
"Why do you care so much?" she asked softly.
Lucien shrugged, but the flicker of a smile tugged at his lips. "Because someone's got to keep you grounded when your wolf decides to throw a tantrum."
She laughed—a light, genuine sound that surprised them both.
For a moment, the walls between them fell away.
Lucien continued, "You're not just some shy girl with a secret. You're stronger than you think. And whatever's inside you, I'll help you figure it out."
Selene's heart fluttered, a warmth spreading through her chest.
But just as hope blossomed, the moment shattered.
A sudden, sharp knock came from the door. Before either of them could react, Kyren's deep voice called out, "Lucien, I need to speak with Selene."
Lucien's jaw clenched. "I'll leave you two alone."
Selene watched him go, a pang of confusion knotting in her stomach.
Kyren entered quietly, his presence commanding yet strangely gentle.
"I wanted to make sure you're alright," he said, eyes searching hers.
She hesitated. "Thank you. For earlier."
He nodded, his expression unreadable. "You're not alone in this. But be careful. The pack politics here are more dangerous than you realize."
Selene swallowed hard. "I'm ready."
Kyren's eyes flickered with something like respect—or was it caution?—before he turned and left.
Alone again, Selene sat on her bed, the weight of the day settling heavily on her shoulders.
Her wolf howled softly in the silence, promising a storm that was only just beginning.