Chapter Two

Kian’s POV 

Oh fuck. I really considered just running away at this exact moment but… I would look like a fool. I just wished the ground would suddenly open and swallow me whole right now.

I cleared my throat and turned around to see him with a little smirk placed on his lips.

My heart gave a stupid, hard thud against my ribs. That face.. Those sharp, warm eyes, the line of his jaw I’d carried in my head for years—too familiar, too much, and not nearly enough all at once. My voice came out softer than I meant it to, small, almost meek. “How… how did you find me?”

River didn’t answer right away. He just stood there, looking at me, gaze slow and steady, like he was tracing every inch of my face to make sure I was real. He nodded slowly, almost to himself, like he was still sorting it out too.

“I don’t know,” he said, quiet and sure. “I just… suddenly heard you call my name. Felt it, too. That you were… here.”

The air between us shifted, lighter and heavier all at once. We just stared at each other, and I couldn’t look away—couldn’t even breathe right. Something hummed under my skin, something old and quiet I’d spent so long trying to bury.

“How is that possible?” I whispered, shaking my head a little. “Even for a dominant alpha… that shouldn’t be.”

River huffed a soft, surprised breath, his smile tilting up at the corner. “Right? I’m exactly as intrigued as you are.”

He took a step closer, and my feet stayed rooted to the spot even though every instinct was screaming to run. His scent—warmed cedar and something rich like rain-soaked earth with a mixture of clean musk—wrapped around me instantly, thick and steady and safe..

It was honestly ridiculous how quickly my pulse picked up, how my body leaned in before I could stop it. I gripped the strap of my bag tighter, knuckles white.

I should fucking stop..

We stood there for a long moment, just looking, like neither of us quite knew what to say next. I could feel something thrumming between us, bright and alive, and I didn’t know if it was just me or if he felt it too.

Then someone shouted—“RIVER!”—and the spell fucking broke.

Before I could even turn, two figures appeared beside him like they’d materialized out of thin air.

The first one—tousled messy black hair, bright dark eyes, the shortest of the three—slung an arm around River’s shoulders like he owned the place, grinning wide and unapologetic. “Well, well. Now who is this cutie you’ve been hiding?”

The second was taller, broader, dark auburn hair falling just past his ears, eyes sharp and amused as he looked from River to me and back again. He didn’t say anything at first, just lifted an eyebrow, and I could practically feel the unspoken question hanging in the air—Who is he?

River rolled his eyes but didn’t shake his friend off. “Guys, this is Kian. Childhood friend. Neighbor, to be exact.”

“Neighbor,” the black-haired one repeated, like he was testing the word in his mouth. “Huh. You never talk about neighbors.”

“River doesn’t get close to anyone,” the auburn-haired one added, his voice low and teasing. “Must be special.”

Heat crawled up my neck and settled in my cheeks, and I ducked my head a little, staring at the pavement. “It’s… it’s nothing, really,” I mumbled.

“Nah, don’t be modest,” Messy-Black-Hair said, beaming. “I’m Jax Voss, by the way. This one over here is Hunter Brooks.” He nodded at the other man. “We’re med students with this one.” He jerked his thumb at River. Although, I already know about River being a med student because he talked about it all the time when we were young.

Jax grinned when he saw me glanced at River, and then he continued. “Which means we spend half our lives chasing textbooks and the other half wondering when River’s finally gonna stop being mysterious like our other friend too.”

River just scoffed at him, “You're free to not tell them your name.”

I gave a small, awkward smile. “Kian.”

Hunter and Jax grinned so hard it looked like they won the lottery or something. But River looked.. slightly pissed? Does he not want his friends to know me?

“Nice to meet you, Kian,” Hunter said, his tone warm even as his eyes still held that knowing glint. I felt him release some of his pheromones unintentionally, because he was so excited for whatever reasons, and that made me instinctively glance away for a moment.

When I turned back to them, Hunter and Jax were smirking at River.. again. But the latter simply met my gaze as if.. looking for signs of discomfort. Or maybe I’m merely imagining things.

Jax checked his watch then, and his smile softened into something a little more urgent. “Speaking of—we actually gotta head out, River. Zane and Caleb are already waiting, and you know how those two get when they’re kept waiting.”

Hunter nodded, already stepping back toward the curb. “Yeah. They hate it. Will start sending passive-aggressive texts in three… two…”

River’s jaw tightened, but before he could say anything, he turned his attention fully to me. “You heading back too, Kian?”

My heart gave another stupid little jump. “I—uh, actually I’m going to the bookstore first.”

“Bookstore?” River’s eyebrows lifted. “We can wait. Won’t take them long to drop us off, then we can go together—”

“Absolutely!” Jax chimed in immediately, way too enthusiastic. “We can totally wait! No problem at all—”

Hunter elbowed him hard in the ribs, but then he also nodded, barely holding back a grin. “Yeah. Sure. We can wait.”

Their mouths were already opening like they had so much more to say—like they were about to tease him so bad I’d want to vanish—when River shot them one sharp, silent look. Just one look, and both of them snapped their jaws shut instantly, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter but not a single word coming out.

I blinked, surprised, and then I felt my face heat all over again, hotter this time.

“Really, it’s fine,” I said quickly, my voice climbing higher than I meant it to. I inwardly bit my lip, scolding myself. “It’s… it’s really fun. I mean—nice. It’ll be quick, I promise, you don’t have to—”

Before I could finish, I turned and ran.

I didn’t stop until I’d rounded the corner and was out of their line of sight, my heart hammering so hard it drowned out everything else. To make sure, I even ran over another corner and then at the left.. the right.. wherever my feet would take me.

Oh god. Oh god. Why did I say it’s really fun? Why did I fucking run!?

My face was burning so hot I pressed my palms to my cheeks, slowing down to a hurried walk, replaying every single second over and over in my head.

He wanted to go with me.. Am I freaking dreaming right now?

River wanted to wait. River wanted to go together. With me!?!

I bit my lip, staring at the sidewalk ahead, and a stupid, giddy little smile tugged at my mouth before I could stop it. And then I stopped because..

“Fuck. I ran away from the bookstore.”