POV: Otto MoorlandTwenty minutes later, we escaped.The continued stares and whispered conversations had made dancing feel more like performing, so when Desi suggested we find somewhere quieter to talk, I followed her gratefully through the crowd toward a side exit that led to one of the academy's smaller courtyards.The autumn night was crisp and clear, stars scattered across the sky like diamonds on black velvet. The sounds of the ball faded to a distant hum as we walked along a stone path lined with late-blooming roses that filled the air with sweet perfume."Thank you," I said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us. "For what you said back there. You didn't have to defend me.""Yes, I did," she replied without hesitation. "Because you're important to me, and people don't get to talk about someone I care about like that."The casual way she said 'someone I care about' made my heart skip, but I tried not to read too much into it. Desi was naturally c
POV: Otto MoorlandShe said yes.The thought kept circling through my mind as I led Desi Whitmore onto the dance floor, my palms sweating despite the cool autumn air drifting through the Great Hall's open windows. Three hours ago, asking her to dance had seemed like the most terrifying prospect in the world. Now, with her hand warm in mine and her smile bright enough to power the floating lights overhead, it felt like a miracle."You look surprised," she said softly as I placed my other hand on her waist with careful reverence, like she was made of spun glass and might shatter if I held too tight."I am surprised," I admitted, trying not to step on her feet as we began moving to the orchestra's gentle waltz. "Half the Alpha heirs in the room have been trying to get your attention all evening.""Maybe I don't want an Alpha heir's attention," she replied, her brown eyes sparkling with something that made my heart skip erratically. "Maybe I want Otto Moorland's attention."The simple st
POV: Tybalt Capulet"You know who he is," I said quietly, the words scraping raw from my throat. "You know exactly who he is, and you're still choosing to stand with him."Juliana's chin lifted with the stubborn determination I'd seen countless times throughout our childhood—the same expression she'd worn when defending injured animals or standing up to pack bullies who thought her gentle nature made her weak."I know who he is," she said steadily. "And I know who I am when I'm with him."The statement hit me like a slap. She wasn't denying the mate bond or claiming ignorance about pack politics. She was acknowledging the full scope of what she'd chosen and declaring it worth the consequences."A Montague, Juliana," I said, unable to keep the pain from bleeding through my anger. "You were dancing with a Montague. You were letting him touch you like..." I couldn't finish the sentence. Speaking it aloud would make the betrayal too real to rationalize away."Like someone who cares about
POV: Tybalt CapuletThe scent of deception hung thick in the Great Hall, and my wolf was restless with unease.I moved through the glittering crowd of pack nobility with predatory grace, my formal wear immaculate despite the tension coiled in every muscle. To the casual observer, I appeared to be simply another young Alpha enjoying the Autumn Equinox Ball. In reality, I was a weapon disguised as a gentleman, scanning for threats to my family's honor with the single-minded focus of a born protector.Juliana was somewhere in this maze of political networking and teenage romance, and keeping her safe was more than duty—it was the purpose that had defined my existence since we were children.I paused near the refreshment table, accepting congratulations from various pack dignitaries while my attention remained fixed on the crowd's movement patterns. Three Montague pack members had been spotted entering the academy grounds despite not appearing on the official guest list. Two had been ide
POV: Juliana CapuletDancing with Ronan Montague was like stepping into a fairy tale that I knew would end in tragedy.He moved with the confident grace of someone born to lead, but his touch was gentle as he guided me into a slow waltz under the star-scattered sky. The music from the ballroom below provided our soundtrack, but we created our own rhythm—something intimate and timeless that had nothing to do with the political pageantry happening inside."You're different than I expected," I said as he spun me gently, my silk dress flowing around us like water."What did you expect?" His voice carried genuine curiosity mixed with something that might have been vulnerability."Someone harder. More arrogant. Less..." I searched for the right word while trying to ignore how perfectly we fit together. "Less human."His laugh was warm and real, the kind of sound that made me wish we lived in a world where pack names didn't matter and centuries of hatred could be overcome by simple attractio
POV: Ian GrecoThursday morning brought the perfect opportunity to test my preliminary work as I found Otto sitting alone in the library's quiet study section, staring at his phone with the expression of someone who'd just received unwelcome news.I approached with coffee and pastries from the campus café, the universal peace offering of stressed students everywhere."You look like you could use caffeine and sugar," I said, settling into the chair across from him. "Rough morning?"Otto glanced up with obvious surprise, then managed a weak smile. "Ian, hey. You didn't have to...""Consider it fuel for brilliant minds," I replied, pushing the coffee toward him. "Besides, I was hoping to pick your brain about something, and bribery seemed like the polite approach."The attempt at humor earned me a genuine laugh, and Otto's shoulders relaxed slightly as he accepted the offered caffeine."What's on your mind?" he asked, taking a grateful sip."Actually, it's about your research project. I'