Chapter seven

Astrid

There's a knock on the door.

"I come with peace offerings!" Eva curtsies dramatically when I open the door.

I giggle at my new friend’s performance and step aside. Her steps are hurried, hands wrapped around her stomach, clutching the bottom of her folded pullover as she walks—no, runs—to my bed. And just when I'm about to ask what's up, she unfolds her arms and a rain of candies, chocolates, and gummies pour.

"You're welcome," Eva winks and plops on my bed.

"Wow." I stare at the colourful, diabetic-prone display. This is contraband, but that's not what bothers me—it’s how she got those.

She meets my gaze, a sly smirk on her face. "I've my ways. Come on, it's all yours. The diet here isn't this colourful."

I've only had two meals so far, and I agree.

"I noticed. Thanks for this, but you didn't have—" my sentence dies halfway when Eva arches an unimpressed brow and rolls her eyes.

"What are you, Joan of Arc?"

"Joan of Arc? Humour me," I giggle lazily, ripping off a piece of chocolate. I'm about to take a second bite when I notice Eva grinning at me.

“l know . Everyone says that .So..." Eva kicks off her shoes, pulling a pillow to her chest. "Why’d you transfer this late?"

Ah! That question—the one I still haven't found a perfect answer to.

"What do you mean by late?" I deflect, biting into a huger chunk of chocolate.

"You see, most of us in Moon Crest either enrolled in the first year or second. You, Astrid, came in the third, which is really, really unusual—except you're an Alpha or very skilled in combat. Your combat sucks."

Right.

I nibble on my lower lip. What do I tell her? I'm a nepo baby with a leaked sex tape and a mother-knows-best mother?

"Thanks for the reminder—" my phone pings right on time, diverting my attention. When I glance at the screen, it's a text from Aiden: "Get your ass here, Mouse." My nose crinkles as I glare at the screen. How original. Mouse... Who the fuck does he even think he is?

"Fucker," I mutter under my breath and toss my phone aside. "You're not even Alpha yet and you're already a big dick," I spit.

"Big dick, 'unh?" Eva wiggles her brows and leans closer. I swear this girl is like a gossip hound.

"Yeah—I mean no. He's a dick, not a big one. Since I suck at combat and Aiden's a dropout in the making, he's taking me on extra combat." A heavy sigh slips past my lips and I suck in a sharp breath.

My phone pings with another notification and I'm glad to see it's not Mr Obnoxious, but something else catches my attention. My training doesn't start till another thirty minutes... That dude is so full of himself he doesn't check the time?

"Yeah, and now he wants us to start thirty minutes earlier." I flip my middle finger at the air and groan.

"That's Aiden for you. If you don't show up soon, he's going to leave. Another bit of advice you'll need—don’t let him get into your pants. He thinks he's the Moon Goddess' gift to the universe because my stupid gender wants a taste of his dick."

The thought of anything sexual with a mate who not only rejected me but is cocky as shit makes my lips twitch—an almost smile. I plan on lying low, not the other way around.

~~~~~

It’s so cold outside, I have to rub my bare arms and clutch my stomach to shield it from the whipping chill. Why did I even bother wearing a sports bra? A vest would’ve been better.

Aiden’s been calling me Mouse the entire session, like he’s forgotten I have an actual name. Or maybe he just likes the sound of it– a way of inflating his obnoxious ego.

He’s good. Too good. Not just with the speed and reflexes, but the way he moves — every strike he throws is fluid, almost beautiful, in a terrifying way. His eyes don’t miss a thing, and it’s like he knows I’m about to fail before I even move.

And I am failing. Over and over.

"Again," he barks, stepping into my space.

I swing as hard as I can and he counters my move. A spin, a pivot, and I’m flat on the ground again. Goddess , my tailbone’s going to need holy water.

“Damn it!” he growls, towering above me. “How on earth are you this slow?”

I groan. “Maybe because you keep knocking me on my ass?”

He leans down, grabbing my arm — but he doesn’t pull right away. His hand lingers. Heat seeps into my skin. His fingers are strong, calloused. I feel it through my bones.

Then I smell him — sandalwood and pine, sharp and clean. My breath hitches in my throat.

Our eyes lock.

There's a faint crease between his brows, like he's fighting something. My gaze drops to his lips. They're parted slightly, sculpted like they were made for trouble. There’s a hint of pink at the center, and—

My tongue flicks over my parched lips and Aiden, who has been staring at me the whole time, cocks a full brow, blue eyes glinting in amusement

“You’re staring,” he says coolly, still not letting go.

“You’re holding me.”

His smirk lifts. “Maybe I'm curious about how long you can blush like that.”

My cheeks flame hotter. Asshole. I wrench my hand back and push to my feet, but my legs wobble like jelly making me stumble forward — and crash straight into his chest.

He doesn’t move. Doesn’t flinch.

I, on the other hand, am hyper-aware of everything — the rise and fall of his chest, the press of muscle against my skin, the way his breath ghosts over the top of my head.

“Still slow,” he mutters, looking down at me. “You’ll need more practice.”

“Or a better teacher,” I shoot back.

A dangerous light flickers in his eyes. “Careful, Mouse. You’re starting to sound proud.”

“And you sound like you enjoy this too much.”

He steps back, his gaze raking over me slowly. My body tightens under the scrutiny and my wolf stirs.

“Hit me,” he says, folding his arms. “Come on.”

I don’t wait. I lunge.

He sidesteps, grabs my waist, and flips me again. I land on my back with a grunt. His hand comes down beside my head, balancing himself, pinning me under his gaze.

He’s on top of me now. Not touching — but close. So close.My breathing is a mess. My thighs instinctively press together. My pulse pounds in my ears.

"Get up!" he barks, pulling me out of the daze, and I jump to my feet, blinking.

Without sparing me a glance, he moves over to a bench partially covered by a tree and lights a cigarette.

My mouth falls open as I stare at him... Where does this guy get his balls from? The Moon Goddess herself? I read Moon Crest's handbook like a fucking magazine, and I know smoking is expulsion ASAP.

"You shouldn't be smoking," I frown.

"You should mind your business," he offers dryly, still looking at me through a half-lidded stare, white rings of smoke hovering around his face.

"Because you can get caught," I continue, tipping my chin higher.

"Or because you'll tell on me? Or the trees can speak? Which?"

"The first." I should really mind my business, but I'm still pissed with how he treated me during practice to give a fuck about stepping on his Alpha toes. In a few strides, I'm barely two feet away, but he doesn't seem to care—at least that's what I think until he stops smoking.

"What was it you said you were going to do again, Mouse?" Whatever amusement was in those ocean eyes is gone. He leans closer, instantly closing the space between us, his cold gaze pinning me down. My breath quickens and I press my thighs together.

I'm supposed to be frightened, but I'd be a liar if I said the heat from his body didn’t make me want to do something crazy. I bite my bottom lip hard when my wolf—who, by the way, has still refused to speak with me—purrs. She wants him. My body does too.

I lick my lip and step forward…