The Mate Bond.

Davis’s Pov

My fingers hover just an inch away from the wooden door, my chest rising and falling as I wait for Rebecca to open it.

I didn't come down this hallway just to play games. Tonight, standing outside her door, I felt something shift deep inside my bones. For years, my life has been mapped out for me like a chess game—every move planned, every alliance signed, every expectation met.

But ever since Rebecca looked at me with those terrified, angry eyes at the gala, nothing has gone according to plan. She hates me with a passion that defies reason, yet my wolf refuses to settle down, clawing at my ribs every time she is near.

The lock clicks. The door swings open, and Rebecca stands there in the dim light of her room, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, her green eyes flashing with pure fire.

"What?" she snaps, her voice tight and trembling with exhaustion. "If this is another argument about the thermostat or the kitchen trash, I swear I will throw all your expensive clothes out the window."

"Calm down, frostbite," I say, keeping my voice smooth even though my heart is beating a little too fast. "This isn't about the trash. There is one very important rule we forgot to talk about before this arrangement becomes a total disaster."

Rebecca crosses her arms over her chest, glaring at me like I am a bug she wants to step on. "And what rule could possibly be important enough to wake me up at midnight?"

"No romantic partners allowed in the apartment," I say, meeting her gaze dead-on. "No overnight guests, no dates, no bringing people back here. We are already sharing a roof under false pretenses, and the last thing either of us needs is a parade of unwanted company cluttering up the living room."

Rebecca blinks, looking genuinely surprised for a second before her face hardens right back into a scowl. "Fine," she says quickly, not missing a beat. "Agreed. You won't have to worry about me bringing anyone here, because the absolute last thing I want in this life is any kind of romance."

A slow, irritating grin spreads across my face. I can't help it. She is just too easy to tease, and seeing her get so worked up makes my blood rush. "What's the matter, Rebecca?" I ask, leaning in a little closer, lowering my voice into a low, teasing hum. "Are you afraid you might accidentally fall for my irresistible charm? Is that why you're hiding behind all these walls?"

That does it. The color drains right out of her face, and her eyes flash with pure, unadulterated fury.

"Fall for you?" she spits out, her voice shaking with rage as she steps right up to my chest. "Listen to me very carefully, Davis Draven. I would rather date every single arrogant, obnoxious Alpha in this entire university—hell, I would rather date a rabid wolf—than ever, in a million years, touch you!"

"Ouch," I laugh, though the sound feels a little tight in my throat. "That hurts, Rivi."

"Don't call me that!" she hisses, trying to shove past me into the hallway to get away.

In her rush to escape, she misjudges the space, and her shoulder rams straight into mine.

It is just a simple bump. Nothing special. Nothing that should change the entire universe. But the exact second her skin presses against mine, a blinding shockwave rips through my body.

It is like lightning striking a dry forest. A violent, scorching jolt of pure electricity shoots from my shoulder straight down to my fingertips, setting every nerve ending in my body on fire. My breath catches violently in my throat. My vision blurs for a split second, and my wolf lets out a deafening, feral roar that shakes me to my core.

Rebecca gasps loudly, stumbling backward as if she has been physically punched. Her eyes go wide with absolute terror, and she clutches her arm where we touched, staring at me like I am a ghost.

"What... what was that?" she breathes, her voice a terrified whisper.

I can't answer. I can't even speak. My hand is burning where our skin brushed, and my wolf is howling a name it shouldn't even know, thrashing around inside my chest like a wild animal trying to break free. That wasn't a normal reaction. That wasn't just a spark of casual annoyance. That was... that was the unmistakable, terrifying jolt of a mate bond.

No, my mind screams, fighting back against the panic. That's impossible. My fated mate is supposed to be Harper. Everyone knows it. The elders planned it.

Before I can reach out, before I can grab her arm and demand to know what just happened between us, Rebecca panics.

"Stay away from me!" she shrieks.

She leaps backward, slams her bedroom door shut with a violent crash, and twists the lock so hard I can hear the metal mechanism strain.

I am left standing all alone in the dark, quiet hallway. My heart is pounding against my ribs heavily . I slowly lift my right hand, staring down at my palm in the dim light. The skin is still tingling, burning with a heat that won't go away. What is happening to me? Why would my wolf react like that to a woman who claims she hates my guts?

Before I can process the chaos in my head, a sharp, buzzing sound cuts through the silence of the apartment.

I freeze. I look down at my pocket.

The buzzing continues, rhythmic and demanding. With trembling fingers, I reach into my jacket and pull out my phone. The screen lights up the dark hallway with a bright, harsh white glow, displaying a name that makes my blood run instantly cold.

Harper Arquen.

My fated mate is calling me in the middle of the night.

I stare at the glowing screen, my chest tightening into a painful knot. Just an hour ago, seeing Harper's name would have felt normal, expected, part of the script I was born to follow. But now, with my skin still burning from Rebecca's touch, the sight of Harper's name makes my stomach twist with a sickening sense of dread.

The phone keeps vibrating against my palm, demanding an answer, while the memory of Rebecca's terrified green eyes burns behind my eyelids.