Chapter 2

SELENE'S POV

By the time Ethan and I got home that afternoon, I was still furious with him.

What bothered me most was that Ethan had gotten himself suspended because of me.

The moment we stepped through the front door, I turned toward him.

"Do you realize how much trouble you're in? Our parents are going to kill you when they find out."

Ethan kicked off his shoes and glanced at me with an irritatingly calm expression as he headed toward the stairs.

"They'll get over it."

"They'll get over it? Ethan, you punched another student in front of the entire academy. You were suspended for two weeks, and you still don't seem to understand how serious this is."

"I understand perfectly."

"Then why are you acting like you don't care?"

"Because I don't."

I followed him up the stairs, still complaining about how reckless he had been, but the words died on my lips when he pushed open the door to his bedroom.

My eyes immediately landed on the bed.

Several suitcases were neatly arranged across it, along with a large black duffel bag that looked completely packed.

I stopped in the doorway.

"Are you travelling? Why do you have so many bags packed?"

Ethan glanced over his shoulder before stepping farther into the room.

"I was going to tell you. I only received the confirmation letter for the National Inter-Pack Hockey Championship and my Beta training yesterday, and I leave in two days."

"Two days?" I stared at him. "Why the rush?"

He sat on the edge of the bed and began checking one of the bags.

"The Northern Territories selected our team to represent the region at the international championship in Spain. I'm the assistant captain, so I'll be

representing Mooncrest."

My expression softened slightly.

I was proud of him, even if I was still annoyed.

"How long are you going to be there?"

Ethan hesitated.

"It's not just Spain."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"The competition involves several stages, and there's the Beta leadership training I've been selected for, along with official pack assignments and diplomatic events. I'll be moving between territories throughout the season."

I walked closer to the bed, still trying to understand what he was telling me.

"Okay, but why are you avoiding my question? Ethan, how long will you actually be gone?"

He finally looked at me.

"Six months."

My eyes widened.

"Six months? That's half of senior year!"

"I know."

I stared at him, trying to process what he'd just said.

"How do you expect me to survive without you for six months? I might be dead before you even come back."

A small laugh escaped him as he stood and walked toward me, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry. Everything is under control."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Ethan gave me a small smile.

"Kade is going to take care of you."

I had been terrified at the thought of Ethan leaving me alone for six months, but suddenly, there was something that frightened me even more.

I was going to spend most of my senior year with Kade Voss.

Ethan had always been there, hovering over every part of my life like an overprotective shadow.

No boys, no parties, no dating, no sneaking out, no staying out late, no questionable friends, no alcohol, and absolutely no unnecessary trouble.

Sometimes, I wondered if having an older brother like Ethan had been both my greatest blessing and my biggest curse.

He had protected me from everything.

Unfortunately, that included having a life.

While other girls had gone to parties, fallen in love, kissed strangers, made mistakes, and collected embarrassing stories, I had spent most of my teenage years buried in books and following Ethan's rules.

And now that I was finally an adult, he was apparently planning to continue supervising me from wherever he happened to be.

That thought should have terrified me.

Instead, something dangerously close to excitement fluttered through my stomach.

Because Kade Voss was not just Ethan's best friend.

He was the future Alpha of Blood Moon Pack, the captain of Mooncrest's hockey team, and the biggest playboy on campus.

And, unfortunately for my sanity, the most ridiculously handsome man I had ever seen.

Girls practically followed him around campus.

Beautiful, slim girls who looked like they belonged beside him.

Not girls like me.

I was plus-sized.

It was the polite word people used when they didn't want to say fat.

Being plus-sized has taught me to be painfully conscious of myself.

My body was big and soft. My hips were wide, my breasts were full, and my backside was more pronounced than most of the girls around me.

I hated it.

I hated how my body seemed to command attention while I felt invisible inside it.

And most of all, I hated comparing myself to the girls Kade dated.

They were slim, confident, and effortlessly beautiful.

I couldn't even remember the last time I had looked into a mirror without finding something I wanted to change.

Yet somehow, despite all my insecurities, there was one thing I couldn't change.

I wanted Kade Voss..

I wanted him so badly that sometimes my own imagination embarrassed me.

I had never kissed anyone.

Never been in a serious relationship.

Never allowed myself to get close enough to anyone to risk being rejected.

Maybe Ethan leaving wasn't the disaster I had thought it was.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

I had already created my senior-year bucket list, and there was no reason I couldn't finally start checking things off.

And, at the very bottom of the list, was the one thing I had been too embarrassed to say aloud.

Give my virginity to the man I wanted most.

Kade Voss.

I swallowed and forced myself to stop thinking about him.

Unfortunately, my imagination had other plans.

Because if I was going to spend six months with Kade Voss watching over me, perhaps I could finally find out whether the fantasy I had carried for years could become reality.

There was only one problem.

Kade still thought of me as Ethan's little sister.

And before this year was over, I intended to make him see me as something else.