Chapter 4: Claimed in the Arena

Raven’s POV

The whistle shrieked, cutting through the rink.

Coach Martin shouted something about hustle, but all I felt were eyes. Everyone was staring at me like I was suspicious, including my new teammates.

“She’s not one of us, I overheard it” a boy muttered near the back. His tone was filled with contempt, and a ripple of agreement followed.

Heat rushed through me. They couldn’t know what I was. But I wasn’t Ridgeway-born, and every wolf here could smell it.

“Transfers are supposed to be from the Ridgeway packs,” another boy said, loudly. “She doesn’t belong.”

The ice felt thinner beneath my skates, like it might crack under me.

Before I could fire back, someone stood in front of me, shielding me. Ethan.

He stood between me and the rest, shoulders broad, and sharpened look. “Back off.”

“Why?” someone challenged.

“Because she has every right to be here,” Ethan said, with a hard voice. “My father brought her for me.”

And there was silence instantly, making my stomach tightened. 

I didn’t fully understand what that meant yet, but the way everyone froze told me Ethan had just played a card bigger than I could wrap my head around.

And then—

“She’s my mate.” 

The words rang across the rink. They didn’t sound forced, they sounded final.

Everything sounded, and my knees wobbled, making my breath trapped in my throat. Mate? Fuck I’m doomed.

“What?” The word tumbled out of me silently for him alone to hear.

No one laughed nor shifted. Every boy’s eyes were locked on Ethan like he’d just declared war.

“Since when?” a scoff broke the silence.

“Since now,” Ethan shot back. “You want to question it? Question me.”

That shut them up. I saw Luca, who always looked curious falter for half a second. 

Dante’s mouth hung open. Axel’s jaw ticked, his whistle biting between his teeth like he was holding himself back.

And me? My skin burned. The rink titled for a second. I wanted to rip Ethan’s words out of the air, shove them back into his mouth.

But the damage was done.

The next second, I shoved past him, skating hard until I hit the bench. My gloves shook as I stripped them off, yanking at my helmet like it was choking me. 

I stormed off to the locker room, and slammed the door behind me.

I braced against the bench, bent over, my lungs heaving. I tied and untied the knot of my skate laces so hard it cut into my skin.

The door creaked open.

“Raven.”

I looked around, it was Ethan. He leaned on the wall, arms folded, calm as ever, like he hadn’t just detonated a bomb on the rink.

“What the hell was that?” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. I jabbed a finger at him. “You… claimed me. In front of everyone.”

His expression didn’t shake, “I saved you.”

“Saved me?” My laugh came out harsh. “Ethan, you branded me. Do you even realize what that means?”

He pushed off the wall, stepping closer. “It means they’ll stop questioning you. No one challenges a mate bond. You’re untouchable now.”

“Untouchable?” I hissed. “You don’t get to decide that for me.”

“They were ready to tear you apart.” His voice rose, finally sharp. “You wanted me to just stand there? Let them drive you out?”

My lungs burned with every inhale. The worst part was, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

I dragged both hands through my hair. “Now they’ll expect things,” I muttered. “Things that aren’t true.”

He stopped inches from me, his eyes keeping me in place. “Not everything about it was a lie.”

The air stuttered in my lungs. “What do you mean?”

His jaw flexed. For the first time, he looked… unsure. “When they circled you, my wolf shoved forward. It wasn’t something I planned. It felt… real.”

My skin prickled hot. I shoved at his chest before I could think, hard enough to make space. “You don’t get to play hero with my life, Ethan.”

And before he could answer, I grabbed my bag, shoved past him, and bolted into the snow.

Snow crunched under my boots as I stormed away, my breath puffing white into the air. My heart still hadn’t slowed. 

Ethan’s words echoed in my head, louder than the whistle that had silenced the rink.

She’s my mate.

I wanted to scream. He had no right. No right to bind me to him with a claim I hadn’t chosen.

I kept walking, head down, ignoring the curious stares from students. My skin ached, my chest felt tight, and I needed to get away before the walls closed in on me.

“Running away again?”

I froze.

The voice was smooth, and unmistakably mocking. It was Luca.

I turned, and there he was, hands shoved casually into the pockets of his jacket, shoulders relaxed. His sharp eyes tracking me like a hawk circling prey.

“You’re following me,” I accused, clutching my bag strap tighter.

“Not exactly.” His lips curved, but it wasn’t a smile. “You stomp when you walk. Kind of hard to miss.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Or observant.” He shrugged, stepping closer. 

His boots crunched steady against the snow. “And you don’t look like someone who wants to be alone.”

“Well, I do.” I snapped, quickening my pace.

He matched me easily. “Interesting. That’s the second time today you’ve run from someone.”

My jaw tightened. “Do you always make it your business to annoy people?”

“Only when I’m curious.” His tone was mild, but there was an edge to it. A warning.

I stopped. He stopped too, standing just close enough that I could see the steam of his breath mingling with mine.

“Curious about what?” I asked, even though I didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Ethan.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “And his little performance back there. That was fast.”

Heat flushed my cheeks. “It’s none of your business.”

“Maybe not.” His head tilted, studying me. 

“But everyone’s talking. You walk in out of nowhere, Ridgeway’s golden boy calls you his mate, and we’re supposed to believe it?”

My breath caught.

“Sometimes things don’t add up,” I said flatly.

“Or sometimes they’re fake.” His gaze sharpened, piercing straight through me.

My throat dried. He couldn’t know. He couldn’t.

I forced a scoff. “Why do you care? You planning to write the gossip column?”

“Because you’re not like them.” His voice dropped low, the teasing stripped away. “And I’m not the only one who noticed.”

My pulse thundered in my ears as Luca leaned in slightly, too close. 

His eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. “This place doesn’t accept outsiders. Ridgeway takes transfers, yes. But only from Ridgeway bloodlines. And you…” His gaze flickered, sharp, suspicious. “…you don’t smell like Ridgeway.”

My breath caught.

“Careful,” he added softly. “Secrets don’t last long here.”

I swallowed hard. My palms were damp inside my gloves, and the urge to bolt clawed at me.

“Maybe,” I forced out, my voice steadier than I felt, “you should learn to mind your own business.”

And before he could push further, I shoved past him and broke into a run, the snow scattering under my boots.

I didn’t look back.

But I could feel Luca’s gaze on me long after I’d disappeared into the dorms.

Then I froze. Someone had stepped into my path. Heart racing, I realized… it wasn’t Luca. “Jeez… who… ?”