Chapter 5: Mate??

Vae

My heart slammed against my ribs. Crown Prince Ryker- is my mate???

I broke eye contact first. If I kept looking at him, I’d lose control.

The pull still burned, but at least I could breathe again. I glanced sideways. Nyx was still locked on the stage. No one seemed to notice. Good. I needed to stay low. For now.

Thoughts crashed through my head one after another. The mission. Kill him. That was why I was here. The Black Lotus Guild had given the order and I’d taken it without hesitation. Because of what Ironfang had done.

I used to be a princess. Silvermoon was my home. My parents ruled it. Then Ironfang came. They massacred them, claiming we broke the moon treaty, calling us traitors. I still remembered the smoke and the screams. I was only a child when I ran. Escaped through the forest with nothing but the clothes on my back. The Black Lotus found me half-dead in the woods. They took me in. Trained me. Turned me into a blade. From that day I carried only one truth: Ironfang killed my parents. Ironfang stole my kingdom. I would make them feel the pain.

When the guild handed me the mission to kill the crown prince of Ironfang, I said yes before they even finished speaking. Get close. Use him. Cut the heart out of the kingdom that destroyed mine.

But now the mate bond sat between us like a living thing. It didn’t care about my parents. It didn’t care about Silvermoon or the years of pain. It only wanted him. The scent. The pull. The way my wolf leaned toward him even while my mind screamed no.

Hatred and the bond collided hard. One side wanted his blood. The other wanted to crawl into his arms and never leave. My hands started shaking. I shoved them inside my jacket. Every breath made it worse. If I stayed in this hall one more minute I would do something stupid.

I stood slowly.

Nyx glanced at me. “Vae, where are you going?”

“Bathroom.” My voice sounded wrong even to me. “I need air.”

I stepped into the aisle and walked toward the side exit. No one stopped me. All eyes were still on the platform. The principal had started speaking again, but the words washed over me without meaning. The only thing I felt was the bond tugging at my back, trying to turn me around.

The second I cleared the auditorium doors I broke into a run.

I didn’t know where I was going. I just ran. The path led into trees. Thick ones.

The guild. The bond. My mother’s face as she died protecting me. My father stabbed from behind. Blurring images, one after another.

I pushed harder. Branches scraped my sides. I didn’t care. Hatred and the bond were tearing me apart. And Lora—she was furious, clawing for control. I couldn’t let her. She’d go straight to the enemy.

I ran until the trees grew denser and the academy sounds faded. Sweat ran down my back. My legs shook. Still I didn’t stop. If I stopped I’d have to face what just happened. I wasn’t ready.

The path narrowed. Roots crossed the dirt. I jumped one and kept going.

A strong hand yanked me from the side.

I slammed into a hard chest. The impact knocked the air from my lungs. One arm locked across my back. The other pinned me tight against a solid body. I struggled for half a second on pure instinct—then the scent hit full force.

Rain-soaked cedarwood. Wild honey warmed by dark amber. Him.

Lora surged, trying to take over. I held her down hard.

His heartbeat thundered against me. Mine answered just as loud. The scent was stronger this close. He held me like I might vanish any second.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “Why are you trying to hurt yourself?” His voice was deep, rough, edged with something that sounded almost angry.

The bond roared louder than my senses. I shoved him back and staggered away. Shock flashed in his eyes for a second. I turned on my heel, ready to run anywhere but here—

I hadn’t taken two steps before he pulled me in again.

The mate bond slammed through me so hard my vision blurred. Every nerve lit up. The need to get closer, bury my face against his neck, stay right here—crashed over me like a wave. My wolf surged forward with one clear word that filled my entire head.

Mate.