~Jane~I shifted in my seat, heat thundering. The question wouldn't leave me alone. My fingers tightened around my pen until I finally lifted my hand, startling even myself. "Yes, Miss Foster?" Mr. Nelson's brows rose, his tone encouraging. I swallowed, nerves twisting in my chest, but forced the words out. "Mr. Nelson... is it possible for someone's wolf to awaken, even for just a moment, before they've reached their seventeenth year?" A few students glanced my way, curious, but Mr. Nelson only gave me a measured look, as though he'd been waiting for someone to ask. "That is... an unusual question, Miss Foster." He leaned against the desk, folding his arms. "In all of our history, there are no recorded cases of a wolf awakening before the age of maturity. The Moon Goddess set that boundary for a reason. The bond between human and wolf must be strong enough to bear the connection." My stomach sank. No recorded cases. Then what had happened to me? "But," Mr. Nelson added, more car
~Jane~My lungs still burned as I left the mat, every breath heavy with the effort of the sparring match. My arms ached, my legs trembled, and my shirt clung to me with sweat. But underneath all of that, a strange warmth settled in my chest- something I hadn't felt in a long time. Pride.I sank onto the bench, grabbed the towel someone had passed me, and wiped my face. My muscles screamed, but I couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at my lips. I wasn't perfect, not even close, but I hadn't run. I hadn't backed down."Alright, ladies and gentlemen- lockers!" Couach's voice carried across the gym, firm but not unkind.Inside the locker room, the air cooler filled with the sharp scent of deodorant and shampoo. The chatter of the girls filled the space as everyone began peeling off sweaty clothes and tugging on jeans, skirts, or whatever they had for the rest of the day. I slid onto a bench in front of my locker, pulling my bag closer.As I changed back into my regular clothes, I let my m
~Jane~The gym smelled faintly of sweat and rubber mats, a sharp reminder that this wasn't just a school subject- this was where people pushed themselves, where they learned how to fight. My heartbeat picked up as my sneakers hit the polished floor.Students were already scattered across the space, some girls laughing as they stretched together, a few boys sparring lightly in the corner, their movements quick and sharp. The thud of fists against pads echoed through the room. They all looked confident, and I felt like a child stepping into a room full of warriors. Jay trailed a few steps behind me, hands in his pockets, but his eyes were sharp. His presence calmed me more than I wanted to admit. Even standing across the gym, he was watching everything- watching me. "Alright, Jane." The girl who had helped me earlier clapped her hands once, pulling my attention. "We'll start simple. Stretching first, then I'll run you through the basics." "Okay," I said, trying to sound braver than I
~Jane~I stayed in Nathan's lap a moment longer, resting my head against his chest, letting the steadiness of his heart anchor me. His earlier words replaying in my mind, quiet but powerful: "One day... you'll know, Jane. And when that day comes, everything will make sense." With everything in me, I wanted that to be true. No- needed it to be true. Nathan was already my everything, the center of my world. I never wanted to let go of that. I wanted to share a life with him, to one day be claimed by him as his mate, to promise myself to him completely. My heart, my soul- everything I am- would belong to him and only him. But even as those thoughts filled me, fear and doubt tried to creep in, slipping through the cracks no matter how tightly I tried to close them. They always found a way to ruin moments like this, whispering that it could all be taken from me. I refused to let them in. Not now. Not when I needed this moment more than air. I shoved them deep down for now. After another
~Nathan~I watched her rest against the window, her gaze following the blur of the passing world, and a tug of longing stirred deep in me—a mix of hunger and relief, fierce and quiet all at once.This lunch had been perfect. Every moment together felt like a step toward something I’d been waiting for my entire life. She was letting me in, even in the smallest ways, and I could feel her trust weaving between us, fragile but real.My hand hovered near hers on the console, wanting to reassure her without words. Even though I could sense whispers of doubt lurking at the edges of her mind, I refused to let them darken the time we had. Not now. Not while she was right here.She was mine. Our mate.The school parking lot came into view, and my chest tightened at the thought of leaving her, even for a short while. I pulled into a space, setting the car in park, my hand brushing hers on the center console, a gentle squeeze asking her to linger a moment longer.“Want me to walk you to your next
~Nathan~I glanced over at Jane as we drove, a soft smile tugging at my lips. "Do you have an idea of where you'd like to eat today?""I'm not sure—you choose, Nathan," she said, offering a small smile.My chest tightened. Even a week since last night, even after every kiss and touch, just being near her made my heart pound like it wanted to escape. Every second apart felt impossible.We pulled into a small café, sunlight filtering through the windows, casting golden patterns on the table. I reached out and took her hand as we stepped inside, Jay close behind as always.We found a corner table, tucked away enough for privacy but with a view of the world outside. I pulled out her chair, my fingers brushing hers for a brief moment, and felt her body tense slightly before relaxing into the seat."What are you craving?" I asked, scanning the menu without really seeing it."I'm not sure," she admitted, glancing at me."Choose whatever you like, Jane. This place has good food," I said, tryi