The Dark Prince

I stopped breathing. What the hell was that supposed to mean?! The black-haired stranger kept his eyes on me, his smirk turning into a menacing grin.

“Kara, are you OK?” Sora nudged my arm, snapping me out of my bewilderment.

I turned to her, smiling nervously. “I'm… I'm fine,” I muttered before shifting my gaze to the podium.

I was determined not to look Mr. Golden-Eyes way again. But my heart kept hammering, and wave after wave of heat crashed over my senses. What the hell was wrong with me? Why did I react to his scent this way?

Exhaling slowly, I drew my trembling fingers through my hair. Some primal urge coaxed me to look for him once more, as if I were under a spell. Control had always been my strong suit, but now, I was digging my nails into my palms, hoping that pain would stop me from doing something utterly stupid.

“Now you may pick up your class schedules and go to your dormitories!” called out a woman in combat uniform, Professor Graves, if I remembered correctly.

My restraints snapped, and I turned to seek this strange man again, but the crowd gathered on the steps was already leaving the square, and my stranger was nowhere to be found. A part of me was disappointed, but the rest of me was relieved. It was better this way. I sure as hell wasn't looking for trouble on my first day…

***

It was fortunate that Sora led the way; otherwise, I would have gotten lost on the paths between the main building, called the Gray Tower, and our dormitory. Sora and I had been assigned to the same group, the ninth. There were fifteen groups in the first year, but we all knew that more than half of us would be cut off during the first tests. Honestly, I did my best not to think about it.

Thirty minutes later, I finally entered my dormitory room. I placed the books and schedules on the table and sat on the bed while my mind kept racing. I was certain it had been the same man I'd seen in the capital. But who was he? What did he want from me? Was he dangerous? What if he was a murderer and he'd just chosen me as his next victim?

I began to pace around the room, breathing deeply, trying to soothe my nerves. Nothing worked. After another ten minutes, I finally gave up. I stepped out of my room and knocked on Sora's door. She opened it with a smug grin. “I was wondering when you'd show up.”

My brows inched up. “You… suspected I'd come visit you?”

She shrugged, then gestured for me to enter. “You seemed worried and distracted since the opening ceremony.”

“Well…” I stepped inside and turned to her. “I saw someone, and… it was weird. There was this guy, and…”

Sora hurriedly closed the door behind her and led me to sit on her bed. “Who did you see? A professor? A student?”

“How should I know?” I groaned. “I don't know anyone here… except for you and those who stood on the podium.”

Sora sighed. “Fine. Then describe him.”

A nervous smile curved my lips. “He had raven hair, golden eyes, and he was… hot.”

Sora's eyes narrowed. “And where did you see him?”

“He was standing on top of the steps with the second- and third-year students," I explained.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement. “A dark and dangerous type built like a sex god?”

A nervous laugh slipped through my lips. “Well, that's one way to describe him.”

“Then you're talking about Kane Ravencroft,” she said, her smile widening.

I blinked. “Am I supposed to know who he is?”

Sora's brows climbed up her forehead. “You seriously haven't heard of him?!”

“Nope.” I shook my head.

Sora grabbed my hands and inched closer. “But you do know who Thornfields are, right?”

“Of course I do.” I smiled wryly. “I'm from Blue Moon Pack, and I grew up in the capital.”

Sora studied me for a moment, then smirked. “And what if I told you that Alpha Lucien shouldn't be the one who sits on the throne?”

I frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

She leaned over me before whispering, “Have you heard about the Silver Valley's Peace Treaty?”

I shook my head again.

Her lips curved wryly. “Can't say I'm surprised. There were times when even mentioning it sent you straight into prison.”

My frown deepened. “That's impossible. You're saying it like Alpha Lucien was some kind of dictator.”

She fixed her eyes on mine. “If I tell you this, you need to promise you won't tell anyone.”

“I promise,” I said without thinking.

Sora moved even closer, keeping her voice low as she began, “A little less than three decades ago, King Sirius of Altheris and King Theron of Noctaris signed a peace treaty to end the war between Lycans and werewolves. I don't know all the details, but I know that it became possible because the werewolf princess and the future Lycan king turned out to be mates. She was supposed to take over the throne of Altheris, and he was about to claim Noctaris. After their official marriage, two kingdoms were supposed to become one.”

I stared at her as my mind processed everything she told me. This would have been huge. The war between our kingdoms had been draining both sides for nearly a century, and what she'd just said sounded like a beautiful fairy tale.

“Are you sure it's not one of the stories villagers tell each other while drinking beer? And what does it have to do with Kane?”

Sora's eyes fixed on me. “I'm telling you it truly happened, and Kane is allegedly this mated couple's son.”

“What?” I almost shrieked.

Sora's lips formed a thin line. “No one knows why this piece of our history has been erased. The only thing I'm certain of is that the rightful rulers of both kingdoms are currently dead, and their son has been stripped of his royal lineage.”

My heart began to thunder. “But erased by whom? If this could end the war, then—”

“There are those who enjoy their current positions.” She gave me a crooked smile. “Surely, a new ruler would remodel a lot of lives…”

Shivers rushed down my spine. “You think that the Thornfields are behind this?”

“It's either that or someone from Noctaris Kingdom.” She grabbed a bowl of peanuts from the table and put it between us. “The current Lycan king is surely in no hurry to step down from his throne.”

Absentmindedly, I grabbed a few peanuts and shoved them into my mouth. If those rumors were true, then I could bet Kane wasn't exactly fond of anyone living in the capital. Was that why he had been wearing a hood and hiding his identity? But what had he been doing in Auroris in the first place? And why did he live in Altheris without his proper status?

I nibbled on my lip, then asked, “What else can you tell me about him?”

Sora chuckled. “Fell for the Dark Prince already?”

My cheeks heated. “What?! No!” I vehemently shook my head. “I-I don't even know him!”

A wicked grin stretched her lips. “You surely don't need to know him to crave him. You can join the club, literally. More than a half of female shifters studying here would have done anything for one sweet moment with Kane.”

My face became even redder. “I'm… not like that. I mean… he surely is fine, but—”

“You're a virgin.” This was a statement, not a question.

There was no sense in denying it, so I gave her a flat smile and nodded.

Smirking, she patted my shoulder. “Fortunately, there's a cure for that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not having sex was my choice. First of all, I had other priorities, and second, I was saving it for someone… special.” This last word sounded particularly bitter.

Sora's smile instantly faded. “So… who's the asshole?”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

She sighed. “I have a gift, you know. I can sense intense emotions in one's voice, and in yours just now, I felt pain.”

A faint smile curved my lips. “Great gift.”

“And useful.” She winked at me. “I can always sense liars and dumb bitches.”

My smile turned wry. “Now I'm envious. I could use such a power.”

“I'm happy to help whenever you need it. And now…” She leaned closer. “Who's the asshole?”

I drew a deep breath. “Someone I loved. Someone who turned out to be my mate. He… rejected me and humiliated me. But what was even worse, he didn't let me accept his rejection…” A humorless laugh slipped free. “He's one of the reasons I'm here, in Winterbourne instead of Evermore.”

Sora studied me for a moment, then grabbed my hands in hers, and announced smugly, “Then I guess I should thank him for making you choose the better college. And now, you'd better tell me, where is that piece of shit, and when do we end him?”

I burst into laughter. This was the first time I'd laughed so fully and honestly since the night of the Blood Moon. Perhaps choosing Winterbourne truly was the best choice I could have made. “Well, for now, I'll say that he's miles away from us, but… thanks.” A wide grin stretched across my face. “And I have a feeling we'll become besties in no time.”