The rumors spread through the hallways before Nyra even appears.

What’s worse is that she walks through the hallways still smelling like him. Her body had unconsciously soaked up his scent from this morning. Now it only makes the whispers worse.

This time, Nyra doesn’t bother to correct them. She lifts her chin and walks to class, pretending like she can’t hear every vile word they throw at her--though it doesn’t hurt as much as Adrian’s words this morning.

"You can never be her."

After a lifetime of being compared to Anna, Adrian’s words cut deeper than she would like to admit.

Meanwhile, class is another hell for Nyra. She can hear every whisper about her--how someone like her shouldn’t have ended up with Adrian.

Nyra squeezes her pen so tightly it snaps in half. The teacher frowns at the sound, turning to her. "Any problem?"

"I need to use the restroom."

The teacher sighs at the disturbance. "Okay. You can go."

Nyra immediately shoves all her things into her bag before storming out of the classroom. She doesn’t stop walking until the voices and stares fade behind her.

Her feet carry her to the oldest staircase in the academy, the one students barely use anymore.

Finally, some peace and quiet, she thinks, sinking down onto the cold steps.

Barely five minutes after sitting there, she hears a series of deep laughs from the steps above, making her stiffen immediately.

Adrian’s disgusting friends. What are they even doing here? Don’t they have a private lounge in the seniors’ building?

"...I’m serious," one of the boys snorts loudly. "The whole school’s been talking about it since this morning."

They’re talking about her too? Oh God. She buries her face in her hands, wishing the staircase would just swallow her whole.

"...Honestly, Adrian," one of the boys snorts. "I never thought you would actually touch that defective girl."

"Anna’s going crazy," another laughs. "She nearly clawed Macy’s face off for joking about it."

"It was nothing."

"Nothing? Then why do you still smell like her, dude!?" This voice Nyra recognizes--John’s.

Adrian scoffs. "I had to do it because she threw herself at me. You know I would rather die than touch her."

They all laugh, and hurling more insults at her.

She threw herself at him? Is that what he’s been telling people?!

She almost jumps to her feet, ready to march upstairs and confront Adrian, but forces herself back down. They’re not worth it.

They continue chatting and smoking, but someone’s lighter slips from his hand and lands beside her sneakers.

Before she can blink, one of them rushes down to pick it up--Jason.

Unlike Adrian’s darker look, Jason has softer features, pale skin, messy brown hair that constantly falls into warm amber eyes, and a smile charming enough to get him out of almost anything. Tall and broad-shouldered, he is easily the second most attractive boy in Moon-Crest.

He freezes when he sees her sitting there, his gaze flickering between her and the boys upstairs. He realizes she must have heard everything.

But instead of the usual mockery she expects, he just shoots her an apologetic look before reaching for the lighter. She hands it to him wordlessly, ignoring the way their hands brush.

Then he goes back upstairs. She doesn’t hear a single word about her anymore, and they leave soon after.

Jason’s effort to spare her is short-lived, because right before field practice, she runs into the group again.

The moment John opens his mouth, Nyra knows he’s about to spill absolute nonsense.

"Looking for your mate?" he asks, and Nyra frowns at the question. Why on earth would she be looking for Adrian?

"Because I just saw him with Anna... down in one of the empty classrooms."

*What are they doing there?* The question buzzes unwantedly through their mating bond. Her wolf is jealous-- but Nyra shoves it down.

"I don’t care about either of them." She tries to leave, but he blocks her again. "Move!" she snaps.

"I’m only trying to look out for you..." John grins devilishly. "Just don’t go near any of the empty classrooms down the hall."

Nyra rolls her eyes. "Maybe you should be more bothered about your mate who rejected you."

Silence. Deafening silence. It’s not really a secret that his mate from a neighboring clan rejected him last year. And with his attitude, it’s not really a surprise.

If only the Moon Goddess would let her break the bond with Adrian too.

She walks past them without looking at their faces, somehow finding herself in the hallway where there are a few empty classrooms.

What am I even doing here? Nyra thinks, clutching her bag tighter. Somehow, John’s words must have gotten to her, and she came here without thinking.

She turns to leave before anyone can see her, but the unmistakable rhythmic sound of skin slapping against skin starts to echo from one of the empty classrooms, followed by a high-pitched moan--unmistakably Anna’s.

Her wolf whimpers in pain, but Nyra ignores it. It’s the wolf’s fault that she even came here in the first place, it had been curious to see what exactly it’s mate was up to.

Adrian’s groan follows, loud and taunting Then he presses kisses inti her neck, muttering how much he loves her. How she’s the only woman he would ever want.

Her eyes start to sting with unshed tears, which she absolutely refuses go let fall. It’s her own fault for even letting his filthy hands touch her this morning

*Never again* she swears under her breath.

---

Nyra makes an effort to stay clear of Adrian, his friends, and Anna the entire day until the last bell finally rings.

Back at the Blackwoods’ mansion, Nyra refuses to go up to his room as a silent protest. They either let her move into the guest room, or she goes back home.

Eventually, that evening, Luna Selene and Alpha Darius walk in with smiles that don’t promise anything good.

"We have good news..." she says, turning to the housekeeper, Miss Roseline. "Tell Adrian to come downstairs."

"The young Alpha is not around, Luna," Miss Roseline, the housekeeper, reports. "He hasn’t come home since this morning."

Nyra envies him in that moment because clearly, whatever "good news" they’re about to tell her, judging by the glint in their eyes, is not going to be good.

Luna Selene barely reacts to Adrian’s absence, though Alpha Darius’ jaw tightens slightly.

"He’ll return eventually," she says dismissively, her bright eyes settling back on Nyra. "What matters is that we’ve finally made a decision regarding your living arrangements."

Nyra straightens instantly on the couch.

Living arrangements?

"I won’t stay in his room anymore," she says immediately, trying to steady her voice. "If that’s what this is about, I’d rather go back to my parents’ house."

The words taste bitter because, despite everything, she would still rather sleep in that cold house than keep sharing a room with Adrian after everything.

But the Luna waves her off dismissively. "Oh, Goddess, absolutely not." She smiles warmly. "That arrangement was only temporary."

Nyra relaxes slightly, but it doesn’t last as Luna Selene continues.

"The Alpha and I have decided to gift you both one of our condos near the academy."

Nyra blinks once. "...What?"

Alpha Darius finally speaks. "Pack law requires bonded pairs to live together once the mating ceremony is completed. It’s customary."

Nyra almost chokes. Right, they think she and Adrian had sex. Still, aren’t things moving far too fast?

Luna Selene doesn’t let her speak.

"The bond has already deepened enough. Besides," her lips twitch knowingly, "the entire mansion could smell you two this morning."

Nyra wants the ground to swallow her whole. Even Miss Roseline suddenly becomes very interested in dusting the shelves nearby.

"But there’s no reason for us to live together. Alone," she emphasizes, because staying in the mansion where there are other people is definitely much better than staying alone with that monster.

Luna Selene’s expression softens sympathetically. "Sweetheart, I understand this is overwhelming. But resisting the bond will only make things harder on both of you."

Nyra looks away. No one is fucking listening, or asking her what she wants.

"The condo is only fifteen minutes from the academy," Alpha Darius adds calmly. "Fully furnished. You’ll have privacy and independence away from pack interference."

"We hate each other," Nyra says weakly.

Luna Selene actually laughs softly at that. "Most young mates do at first."

No, they really don’t.

Nyra opens her mouth to argue again just as the front doors finally open. Adrian walks in looking exhausted, hair askew, silver eyes immediately narrowing when he sees the small meeting in the living room.

He doesn’t even glance at Nyra. "What now?" he mumbles.

Luna Selene is still smiling.

"Perfect timing. We were just telling Nyra about the condo."

Nyra is half relieved, expecting Adrian to shut down the proposal instantly, but instead he hums and nods.

"How many rooms?"

"Two. But..." Luna Selene adds before Nyra can exhale fully, "The second room is for guests. We know young people like having friends over, and you need space. BUT we expect to see you two sleeping together anytime we come by."

Come by? Nyra already dreads the unexpected visits.

Adrian, however, doesn’t argue. He doesn’t try to make them see reason.

"Okay." He nods.

Nyra huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. He didn’t even ask what she wanted or if she’s okay with the arrangement.

And when Adrian leans in to collect the keys, she smells it--musk and dark coffee--flooding her senses, making her head swim. Then another softer, feminine scent. She would recognize Anna’s scent anywhere.

Nyra looks away, trying not to let what she overheard in that empty classroom affect her anymore. She already a ten minutes long talk with her wolf-- technically with herself-- about minding her business until they find a way to break the bond.

The climb up the stairs is tiring. Nyra dreads being alone in the same room as him again, even for a second, but she needs to get her things.

On the bright side, she can hate him openly without the Alpha or Luna breathing down her neck every second, trying to make them "proper mates."

The second the door to Adrian’s room closes behind them, he turns to her with an expression that doesn’t promise anything good.

"Look!" he says firmly, his voice cold. "If we’re going to be staying together, we need some rules."

"Rules? why do we need..." Her brows furrow for a beat, then relax when she remembers that she’s dealing with a wild animal. "You know what... I agree."

"Good."

"Good." She crosses her arms over her chest as he starts.

RULE ONE: No entering each other’s room without permission.

"We are going to have separate rooms. I don’t care what my parents say, I’m not staying in the same room with you."

"Same here." She rolls her eyes. "We can just pretend when they come over."

He doesn’t respond, just continues.

RULE TWO: No touching unless absolutely necessary in public.

Like I was planning to touch you, Nyra thinks, but doesn’t comment.

RULE THREE: No discussing the bond outside the apartment.

"Outside, we’re strangers."

Says the one ranting about us to his friends like some kindergartner who just got his first hit. Still, she doesn’t say it out loud. He’s not worth it, Nyra decides.

RULE FOUR: No acting jealous over Anna.

"She’s the mate I choose, so expect to see her often." Adrian says it so carelessly, as if they aren’t bonded by the Moon Goddess herself.

This one makes Nyra’s heart sink slightly. Not because she cares, but because she’s somehow still trapped with the sister who had spent years making her life a living hell.

Adrian doesn’t wait for her approval.

RULE FIVE: You can only bring known people to the condo.

"Does that includes you?"

He nods. "Yes. I also won’t bring strangers over."

"Good."

RULE SIX: We are not a real couple, so don’t get attached.

Nyra’s scoff is so loud that Adrian’s face turns sour.

"What?"

"Nothing. It’s just...you’re far too high up in your head if you think I’ll ever get attached to you."

Adrian stares, like he wants to say something...but then she shakes his head glancing back down at the document.

RULE SEVEN: Once the bond can be broken safely, we go our separate ways.

"And if there’s no way out?"

"There’s always a way out."

Nyra shrugs. "I have some rules to add."

RULE EIGHT: Stay completely out of my business, like I stay out of yours.

Her jaw tightens. "And tell your friends and Anna to stay the hell away from me when they come over."

He nods. "Fair. Agreed"

"Agreed." Nyra repeats.

Then Adrian pulls out a small document, like he’d already expected this to happen.

He slides a pen toward her.

"Sign it."

Nyra stares at the paper for a long moment. Right. She somehow still ended up with a contracted mate.

She exhales loudly, grabs the pen, and signs her name beneath his, sealing their fate together.

The real trouble is just beginning...