00003.

Ravenna’s POV.

I woke up in a bed that wasn’t mine, my heart pounding as I sat up fast. The sheets were soft beneath me, the pillow still warm where my head had been resting, and beside me was a man. He was still asleep, his face calm and completely unaware that I was staring at him with a rush of panic building inside me.

I pulled away quickly, clutching the sheet against my chest as memories from the night before came crashing down. I remembered the room, the ropes, the rogues, and the drug.

I remembered his face, how he had come for me, how he had cut me free, and how I had clung to him, shaking and burning and begging.

And then I remembered what I had done.

I was the one who touched him. I was the one who kissed him. I had begged him to help me because my body felt like it was on fire and I didn’t know what else to do. I had pressed myself against him, had asked for comfort, for touch, and he had been gentle. He had held me and kissed me back.

I covered my face with both hands, shame curling around me like thick fog. But beneath it was something else too—confusion, disbelief. How had I crossed that line? How had I let it happen?

My chest tightened with a sick ache and I wanted to disappear.

He saved me, and I seduced him.

Carefully, I slid out of the bed and searched the floor for my clothes. My dress was wrinkled and smelled like smoke and something else I didn’t want to name, but I put it on anyway. My shoes were by the door—I grabbed them, holding them tight in my hands as I gave the stranger one last look.

He was still asleep, peaceful, like none of it had touched him. So I slid out of the door and when I got outside, I ran.

I didn’t stop until I got to my house. I paused outside the door, trying to catch my breath. My palms were damp. My heart was still racing, not just from the run, but from the fear of what waited inside.

I opened the door.

My mom was standing right there, her arms crossed, and her face tight with worry.

“Where have you been, Ravenna?” she asked.

“You didn’t call. You didn’t come home. You don’t have any friends you sleep over with. So where did you go?”

I forced a smile and walked past her, hoping she wouldn’t push.

“I stayed behind to help clean up the mating hall,” I said quickly. “After the ceremony. It got messy, and I thought I’d stay and help.”

She followed me into the kitchen, her eyes narrowing.

“With whom? Lucas?”

I nodded too fast.

“Yes. We were there. We stayed late. Then we… We spent time together. He left early though.”

I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t tell her that Lucas humiliated me in front of everyone. I couldn’t tell her that he betrayed me and then sold me to rogues, causing me to spend the night with a stranger.

She already had so much on her plate. The last thing I wanted was to break her heart more than life already had.

She sighed, then checked her watch.

“You’re going to be late. It’s your first day at college, and I won’t have you missing it after all the work we’ve done to get you there. Go clean up. I’ll drop you off on my way to the hospital.”

I nodded and headed to my room.

The moment I shut the door behind me, I collapsed on the bed.

Everything that happened last night kept playing in my mind. The way his arms felt around me, the way his lips touched mine, and the way I wasn’t scared of him, even though I had every reason to be scared of everyone right now. He had looked at me like I wasn’t broken, like I was human.

And instead of being ashamed, I wanted to feel that again.

I buried my face into the pillow and forced the thought out. I didn’t want to want him, I didn’t even know who he was, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how he made me feel like I was safe again, even for just a moment.

Then Lucas’s voice echoed in my head. That smirk on his face, that betrayal in front of the pack. And then, worse, selling me to rogues like I was nothing and just something to pass around.

Anger rose in my chest, hot and heavy, but it didn’t last long because the fear quickly took its place. I was nothing now without Lucas’ protection.

Now everyone in the pack would come for me. I was weak and unwanted. I was already hated because of who my father was, and Lucas had been my only shield. Now I had no one.

My wolf was still silent inside me, like she didn’t exist at all. I had never shifted or felt her and it was as a result of my father’s betrayal, I was punished for it. And I remembered what my mother once told me—that the pack priestess said at my birth that only a Lycan mate could awaken that part of me. Only mating with a Lycan could unlock my wolf and give me strength and when I meet one, I would know immediately.

But that was impossible. Lycans and our pack were enemies. They didn’t cross into our land, and we didn’t step into theirs unless we wanted to die. I had to just accept my fate of being wolfless the rest of my life.

So college—and probably the rest of my days from now on—was going to be hell. I knew it, but I couldn’t stay home.

My mom needed me to go to college. She had worked so hard to get me in, and I couldn’t let her down. Even if I had to walk through fire, I had to go.

I took a deep breath and went to the shower.

By the time I stepped out, dressed and ready, my mom was already by the car. She smiled at me, holding the passenger door open.

“Be a good girl,” she said. “Don’t let anyone push you around.”

I nodded, pretending to be okay, and smiled at her.

“I’ll be fine, Mom.”

She kissed my forehead, climbed into the driver’s seat and drove off.

During the drive, I stared out the window, fidgeting with my fingers in my lap. My stomach twisted with dread the closer we got to school. I forced myself not to cry, swallowing it down.

The moment I stepped out of the car when we got to the college, she drove off after making me promise to do as she had asked.

I turned around, ready to head toward the entrance, when I heard laughter. Loud. Familiar. It made my skin crawl before I even saw them.

Something hard hit the side of my head. I winced and looked down. A small bag had landed at my feet.

I turned and saw Sandy standing at the corner with three other girls. They were all laughing.

Sandy’s voice rang out loud.

“Did that hurt? Good.”

But knowing I was no match for her, I turned around, deciding to walk away. I didn’t want to cause trouble on my first day.

But before I could take another step, Sandy stormed forward and grabbed me by the collar. My heart jumped into my throat, and my hands trembled at my sides. I didn’t know whether to run or brace.

“Don’t you dare ignore me,” she spat before slapping me across the face.

I cried out, the sting sharp and hot on my skin. I turned to fight her off calmly, when a deep but familiar voice interrupted us.

“Let go of her.”

Sandy froze.

I turned toward the voice, my heart suddenly racing for a different reason.

There he was.

The stranger from last night. Standing just a few feet behind us, watching, not smiling, his eyes unreadable.

What was he doing here? The question slammed into my thoughts like a wave. My breath caught as everything from last night rushed back in full.

I opened my mouth to speak, wondering if he had come to confront me—if he was here to take responsibility for what happened between us. For what I had done.

Sandy blinked quickly, then straightened her clothes and gave him a shy smile.

“Good morning, Professor Green.”

I stopped breathing.

Professor Green?

The infamous, terrifying, untouchable man everyone at the college feared.

My knees almost gave out beneath me. A sharp chill rolled down my spine, and my hands turned cold where they clenched at my sides.

And I had spent the night with him.

What was going to happen now?