The werewolf heir

Aria’s POV:

By the time I make my way to my last class of the day, I’m officially exhausted. Not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Whoever designed Ebonveil Academy clearly had something against elevators. I swear I’ve climbed at least six thousand steps today. At this point my legs are one inconvenience away from filing a formal complaint. I drag myself up another stone staircase with a groan, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

“This place is trying to kill me,” I mutter.

No one disagrees. Mostly because no one’s around. Thank God. Unfortunately, being alone means my brain immediately decides to torture me instead. Specifically with the words of Headmaster Ravenwood. You will choose a house by the end of the day. Right.

Because apparently being kidnapped into a supernatural academy wasn’t enough trauma for one day. Now I also had to decide where I belonged.

Witch house.

Vampire house.

Fae house.

Werewolf house.

Each ruled by one of the Sovereigns. The terrifyingly beautiful group of supernatural royalty everyone here seems clinically obsessed with. Seriously. The rumors I’ve overheard today are insane.

Apparently girls practically throw themselves at the three male heirs constantly. Begging for attention. Begging to be noticed. Begging to hook up with them. It’s unbelievable. I mean..Okay. If they all look like Jasper Ashwyck, I understand the hysteria a little. The fae heir looked like an actual fantasy come to life. But still.

Some dignity would be nice.

Then there’s Lorie Hawthorne. Who somehow sounds even scarier than the heirs themselves. From what I gathered, she’s convinced one of them will eventually choose her as their mate because of her status and power. And apparently if any girl gets too much attention from one of the heirs Lorie threatens them. Because clearly that’s healthy behavior.

“Completely insane,” I mutter under my breath.

Unfortunately, Ebonveil seems full of insane people. And somehow I’m starting to fit right in. I finally reach the classroom and immediately want to cry in relief.

The room is quieter than my earlier classes, dimly lit by floating lanterns drifting near the ceiling. Long tables replace desks here, each seating two students. Most are already occupied. Of course they are.

The second I walk in, conversation lowers slightly. Seriously, this school needed a hobby. I ignore the staring and make my way toward the back where one empty table sits untouched. Perfect. I drop into the chair with a relieved sigh. Every eye in the room suddenly shifts behind me. Oh no. What now?

Heavy footsteps echo through the classroom. Slow. Confident. Controlled.

The atmosphere changes instantly. Power rolls through the room in steady waves so strong I feel it before I even turn around.

My stomach tightens instinctively.

Then I see him. He’s tall…very tall. Broad shoulders stretching beneath a black shirt that fits a little too well. Muscular in a way that feels dangerous rather than decorative. His short brown hair looks as if he ran his hand through it multiple times. Perfectly sun kissed skin with forest green eyes that pierce my soul. He looks like the kind of person built for violence. And somehow,

that’s not even the most intimidating thing about him. Power radiates off him naturally.

Effortlessly. Like breathing.

The entire room goes quieter as he walks directly toward me, towards my table. My pulse starts climbing. He stops directly in front of me. Those sharp green eyes lock onto my violet ones, air leaves my lungs instantly. Like something deep inside me recognizes him before I do.

Magic buzzes painfully beneath my skin.

For one horrifying second, I forget how to speak. Then he does it for me.

“You’re in my seat.” His voice is rougher than I expected.

I blink up at him. Then glance at the completely empty chair beside me.

“There are two seats here,” I say slowly. “Just sit in that one.”

A sharp gasp sounds somewhere behind me. Oops. My stomach drops immediately.

Another heir. Definitely another heir. For half a second, he just stares at me. Like no one has ever spoken to him that way before.

Honestly? Probably because no one has.

Something unreadable flashes across his face. Surprise maybe. Disbelief. Then a quiet huff leaves him. To my complete shock he sits down beside of me reluctantly, like the decision physically pains him.

The entire classroom watches us openly now. Whispers immediately erupt around the room. I catch pieces of them.

“Did she just..”

“No way..”

“He actually sat down.”

Fantastic.

I’d been here less than a day and apparently already committed social suicide. The professor starts talking eventually. Honestly, I absorb absolutely none of it. Sitting beside this guy feels like being trapped beside a live wire.

Every inch of me is hyperaware of him. The heat radiating from his body. The overwhelming power pressing against my skin. The way my magic won’t calm down.

It reacts constantly to his presence. Buzzing beneath my skin almost chaotically. Like it wants closer. Which is insane. I don’t even know him.

I risk one glance sideways. Big mistake. He’s already looking at me.

His expression is tight and controlled, like the quiet before a storm. His jaw flexes slightly before he finally looks away. Like even that tiny interaction took effort. What the hell is happening to me?

The entire class crawls by painfully slow. Every second that goes by, the more on edge I become. By the time the bell finally rings, I nearly jump out of my seat in relief.

I grab my bag quickly and stand too fast, immediately trying to escape the overwhelming tension sitting beside me.

Unfortunately, my panic makes me clumsy.

I turn too quickly and slam directly into him.

Except hitting him feels less like running into a person, and more like running into a wall.

A very muscular wall.

“Oh my God!”

The words die instantly. The second we touch magic explodes through me. A sharp rush of power surges beneath my skin so intense it steals my breath completely. Heat follows immediately after. My entire body reacts before my brain can catch up. Warmth floods through me, curling low in my stomach hard enough to make my face burn instantly.

Oh my God.

Humiliation slams into me immediately after.

My cheeks go scarlet. Please kill me now. I couldn’t be anymore horrified at my bodies response to him. But then something changes.

The guy in front of me goes completely still, his head tilts slightly to the side, as he inhales deeply. The effect is immediate. His bright green eyes flash unnaturally, glowing wildly. Oh shit.

Realization hits me instantly. He is definitely the werewolf heir. A dangerous sound rumbles low in his chest. Not quite a growl.

Definitely close. Every instinct in my body screams run. So I do.

I stumble backward immediately, horrified, mortified, deeply questioning every life decision I’ve ever made.

“Sorry,” I blurt out uselessly before turning and practically sprinting toward the door.

I don’t look back, not even once. I can feel eyes following me the entire way out, feel the tension snapping tight behind me. But I refuse to stop running until I’m halfway down the hallway.

My heart pounds violently as I brace my hands against the wall, trying to breathe. Trying not to die from embarrassment. Trying not to think about the way touching him felt.

“This day needs to end,” I whisper to myself.

Immediately.

Violently.

Preferably with me unconscious.

At least there is absolutely no way tomorrow can possibly get worse…Right?