Chapter 7

Ravenna’s POV

The morning sun streamed through the tall windows of the lecture hall, but I didn't feel its warmth.

 I sat in the middle row, a notebook open in front of me, but my pen hadn't moved in twenty minutes.

At the front of the room, Professor Kael was pacing. He was talking about ancient pack alliances and the geography of the northern territories, his voice deep and steady. But I couldn't hear a word he was saying. My mind was stuck on the bar from last night.

I could still feel the heat of Ronan’s gaze on me. I could see the way his hands shook when he poured my wine. He was smitten. No—it was more than that. He was obsessed. 

The "perfect" Alpha heir, the man who was supposed to be loyal to his mate, was already falling apart because of a girl he didn't even know.

*I have him,* I thought, a cold, sharp smile hidden behind my hand. I’m going to crawl inside his head. I’m going to make him love me until it hurts to breathe. I’ll make him trust me with every secret, every crime, every piece of his soul. And when he’s completely mine... I will rip his world apart from the inside out.

The thought of his destruction felt better than any wine. I wanted to see him lose everything—his title, his mother’s pride, and his own sanity.

"Miss Aleron?"

The voice cracked through my thoughts like a whip. I blinked, my thoughts started coming back into focus. The classroom was silent. Every student was turned in their seat, staring at me.

Professor Kael was standing just a few feet away. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes narrowed. He looked like he could see right through my skull and into the dark plans I was making.

"I asked you a question," Kael said, his voice dropping an octave. "The Treaty of the Silver Moon—what were the three primary conditions of the surrender?"

I felt the blood rush to my face. I looked down at my empty notebook, then back at him. My mind was completely blank. I hadn't heard a single word of his lecture.

"I... I'm sorry, Professor," I stammered, trying to find my voice. "Could you repeat the question?"

A few students whispered and giggled behind their hands. Astrid gave me a worried look from two rows down.

Prof. Kael didn't repeat the question. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. "You seem to be somewhere else today, Miss Aleron. Perhaps the coronation party was too much for you."

"No, sir. I apologize," I said, trying to regain my composure.

"Remain standing," he said coldly. "Since you aren't using your brain, you can at least use your legs. You will stay standing until the end of this lecture."

He turned on his heel and walked back to the chalkboard without another word. I stood there, my legs stiff and my heart pounding with embarrassment. 

It was a long hour. Every time I shifted my weight, I felt his eyes on me, mocking me. He knew I wasn't just tired. He knew I was plotting.

When the bell finally rang, the other students gathered their things and hurried out. I started to pack my bag, ready to escape, but Kael’s voice stopped me.

"Vexley. My office. Now."

I swallowed hard. I followed him down the quiet hallway to his private office at the end of the corridor. 

"Close the door," he commanded, walking toward his desk.

I did as I was told. The door clicked shut behind me. I turned around to face him, my hands trembling slightly. "Professor, I really am sorry about today. I was just—"

"Save it," he interrupted.

 He didn't sit down. Instead, he started walking toward me.

His steps were slow and suspicious. He moved with a predatory grace that made the hair on my arms stand up. I felt small in the large room. As he got closer, I instinctively backed away. One step. Two steps. Three.

My back hit the cold stone wall. I was trapped.

Kael stopped just inches from me. He was so close I could see the golden flecks in his dark eyes. He leaned in, placing one hand on the wall next to my head, looming over me.

"I... I can explain," I whispered, my breath coming in short gasps. "I was just absentminded because—"

"Because you were thinking about the Alpha heir," he murmured. His voice was a low growl that vibrated in my chest.

He leaned down, his lips almost touching my ear. I expected him to scold me again, or to threaten to fail me. But what he said next turned my blood to ice.

"Ravenna..." he whispered.

I froze. My heart stopped. How come? How did he know my real name? 

"The once dead Omega," he continued, his voice full of dark amusement. "The girl who took a knife to the heart and rose from the ashes. You've done a very good job with the face, little wolf. But you can't hide your soul from me."

My breath caught in my throat. The secret I had guarded with my life—the secret Elder Aleron had worked so hard to protect—was gone.

He knew. The monster knew exactly who I was.