Chapter 2

KIRILL

There’s always been something unnerving about Althea Monroe.

Picture-perfect. Top scholar. Scholarship trash. Yet she acts like she’s better than everyone.

I curse the day she came to my school.

Atherton is for elites.

Children from noble, well-to-do families and somehow she found her way into the school, and she’s made it her mission to irritate me. Everything about her annoys me. I wish it were simple, but I can’t stand the girl. She’s bad luck. Even my heart starts to act up whenever she’s close. I’ve damn near had three heart attacks this year alone, all thanks to Althea Monroe. Even her name leaves a funny feeling in my stomach. It’s like my body rejects every single little thing about her.

Althea always had so much pride, so I knew something was off. I knew it was an act, and last night, Last night, my brother handed me something I could finally use against her. Her mother is a whore. Give her enough money, and you’ve got yourself a deal. He and his friend got her on camera, then he came to me to gloat.

I recognised the sofa from the images Althea posts on her socials. I knew it would crush her. All I had to do was send the pictures to everyone at Atherton and finally wipe that pride off her face.

It was a perfect plan, a working plan until she followed me home and touched me.

My wolf surged forward the second she touched me. I’ve always been able to control my wolf, but in that moment I was fighting for control. The bond stole the air out of my lungs, and when my wolf whispered “Mate” I just about stumbled to the ground. Physically, I stood steady, but mentally, I was on a roller coaster.

Being bonded to Althea feels like a blade to the chest. I’ve spent six years tearing her down, hoping she finally leaves, and the goddess somehow convinced herself that this was the girl she’d made for me.

Althea is not in the plans I have for myself. I’m supposed to choose Kimora, a pure-bred shewolf with Alpha blood in her veins. Not a runt with no wolf and a family full of secrets. I can feel the tremors in her fingertips like it’s happening to me.

I look at her, ready to break the bond that should never have been. “I, Kirill Volkov of—”

“Kirill?” Someone calls.

The heavy familiar tone makes me freeze. I look around and see my Dad approaching.

“Alpha Aleksander,” Althea gasps, taking a step back.

For a moment, I fear he’s about to make this a long conversation later, but instead of the usual stern look that he gives my friends, his face softens when he sees her. “Oh, you’re with a friend.” He says, “Althea Monroe, is it?”

“Yes, sir—Alpha.” she stutters, lacking even the proper way to address her Alpha.

“How are your studies?” He asks with a smile. I frown, staring between them. “Still topping your class?”

She nods, “Yes, Alpha.”

“Smart girl.” his smile widens, staring at her with something a little close to pride. “You have been giving my son a run for his money,” he tells her, smiling still. “My boy works harder now to beat you.” Konstantin. Not me. I’m in a different class, and I top mine. Still, all he cares about is Kostya. “Good to see you, Althea.”

“Did you need something, Dad?”

“No, it can wait.” He waves me off, his smile falling when he turns to look at me. “Carry on with your friend.” He says. “I didn’t know you had such friends. Why don’t I see her around?”

My brain stutters.

I don’t know what’s happening right now, but the man in front of me is nothing like the man I call Dad.

“Get her home safe,” he tells me. “It’s late.”

I’m too stunned to speak, so I just nod, watching him walk away. My father and I don't along. He thinks I don't understand duty, and that I lack humanity. A trait I will wear like a badge of honour until the day I die. It’s something I can’t fix, but what if…

“Kirill, please,” she whispers.

My gaze shifts back to her.

I’ve never thought her useful to me before now, it seems the goddess has handed me exactly what I need. A poor, wolfless fated mate my father already adores.

I don’t have to mark her. I only have to keep her close until the council makes its decision. If I accept her now, my father will see what he wants to see. Once the Alpha title belongs to me, I can reject her and return to the life I planned with Kimora.

“You’re my mate,” I say, still very confused about that bit.

“There must be some mistake,” she says. “It—I can’t be.”

“You’re mine,” I tell her.

She takes a step back, putting some distance between us. “I don’t have a wolf, so I can’t say for certain what I felt.”

“I can,” I say, closing the distance between us. “That was the matebond,” I affirm, my voice softer now.

Her gaze narrows, “Why aren’t you angry?” she asks. “You hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, Althea.” I shake my head. Hate is too simple a word for what it is that I feel for her. “It’s impossible to hate one’s mate.”

She pauses, her eyes searching mine for something she won’t find. “I don’t understand.”

“Please don’t judge me on my past,” I sigh. “I am ashamed of how I treated you.”

“What?” She frowns, staring as if I'm no longer speaking English.

“I did what was expected of me, and I realise how wrong I was over the break. I had a lot of time to self-reflect,” I tell her. “That’s why I came to your house today. To check on you because you weren’t at school,” I say, and it’s not entirely a lie. I did in fact go to check on her for an entirely different reason.

She frowns, “You came to tell me about my mom.”

I take my phone out and delete the pictures in front of her.

“Why are you doing this?” she frowns.

Because my father smiled at her.

Because the council needs to believe I can care about someone.

Because I will not let Konstantin take what belongs to me.

But I go with a simpler answer, one she’d like to hear. “Because you’re my mate,” I say, reaching for her hand again. The bond burns through me, stronger this time. My wolf pushes against my control, demanding that I drag her closer. “I'm not rejecting you, Hellcat. We—”

“Althea?” Someone calls her, and we both turn. It’s my cousin. Ruelle, the one girl who decided Althea was worth committing social suicide for.

Althea pulls her hand away, not bothering with a goodbye as she runs to meet my cousin halfway.