4

Ethan's POV

Every time I see Olivia Trevor, my heart races like it’s trying to break free from my ribcage.  

I’ve always known she was my soulmate, but I’ve never wanted to get close to her. There’s something about her—a simplicity, a lack of polish—that feels out of place in my world. I’ve always been drawn to highly attractive, confident girls. Olivia, with her oversized buggy uniform and quiet demeanor, never fit that mold.  

But Arden Krayon thinks otherwise. He sees her differently. I’ve caught him staring at her countless times—on the football field, in class, or even as she walks by with Lisa Maxwell. He’s never said it out loud, but I don’t need his words. The way his eyes light up when he sees her says everything.  

And it drives me insane.  

I’m her soulmate. Not him.  

But jealousy isn’t enough to explain the tension between us. Lisa often talks about how Olivia might have feelings for Arden, and hearing it just adds fuel to the fire burning inside me. I can’t let him have her.  

After hearing that Karl Martha had humiliated Olivia again, Arden was furious. He wanted to confront her, maybe even worse. I had to stop him.  

Her sobs echoed from the toilet, and Arden couldn’t focus on anything else. He kept glancing toward the bathroom door, his fists clenching and unclenching.  

“She’s crying,” he muttered, standing up to go to her.  

I grabbed his shoulder before he could take another step. “Today is the full moon,” I reminded him.  

Collins laughed from the corner. “Oh yeah,” he said, grinning. “The day we get tested—when our bodies ache for the shift, and our control gets pushed to the limit.”  

The others joined in his laughter, but Arden ignored them. His eyes were locked on the closed bathroom door.  

“Why do you care so much about her?” I asked, my voice low. “When even I—her soulmate—don’t?”  

He didn’t answer.  

“What if I give her the bite?” he said suddenly, his voice distant but deliberate. “It would make her stronger. Maybe more attractive too.”  

“Are you insane?” I snapped, stepping in front of him. “She’s not built for that. She wouldn’t survive. She’s… fragile, Arden. She wouldn’t even survive a slap, let alone a bite from a wolf.”  

Arden turned to look at me, his expression unreadable. “I don’t like the way Martha treats her. Maybe the bite would change things for Olivia. Make her stronger.”  

Before I could argue, he walked out of the room, heading toward the library.  

The thought of what he might do haunted me all day.  

---

That night, I followed him.  

The moon was full, its silvery light bathing the school grounds. The transformation had already begun for us—our bodies shifting into wolves, our senses sharpening. I knew Arden was watching Olivia as she slept in the library. I saw him staring at her from a distance, his wolf form hidden in the shadows.  

She looked peaceful, her face soft in the moonlight. For the first time, I saw what he saw. She was beautiful. Even I couldn’t deny it anymore.  

When she stirred awake, I stayed hidden, watching as she walked out of the library. She seemed oblivious to the danger surrounding her, but when she turned and spotted me, her eyes widened in terror.  

“Please don’t kill me,” she whispered, closing her eyes tightly. “Please don’t eat me…”  

I backed away, unable to bear the fear in her voice.  

The moment she opened her eyes and saw I was gone, she ran. She sprinted toward the main building, her breath coming in panicked gasps. But Arden was waiting for her.  

Before she could make it inside, he lunged, pinning her to the ground. Her scream pierced the night, raw and full of terror.  

“Arden, leave her alone!” I roared, rushing toward them.  

But he didn’t stop. He lowered his head, his claws brushing her hair back from her face. For a moment, I thought he was hesitating. But then I saw his fangs.  

“No!” I yelled, slamming into him just as he was about to bite her.  

We fought like animals—clawing, biting, snarling. This was the first time we’d ever truly fought, and it was because of Olivia.  

When we turned back to where she had been, she was gone.  

Her blood, however, left a trail.  

We followed it, the scent sharp and unmistakable, until we found her lying on the ground. I was the first to reach her.  

“Help me, Ethan,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.  

I froze, staring at her as she struggled to breathe. But before I could move, Arden shoved me aside and lifted her into his arms.  

He carried her to the school clinic, his face pale with panic. I followed, unease growing in the pit of my stomach.  

When he laid her on the bed, her body was still. Too still.  

“Olivia,” Arden whispered, shaking her gently. “Wake up.”  

Nothing.  

He pressed his ear to her chest, his face contorting in horror. “She’s not breathing. Ethan… she’s dead.”  

The words hit me like a blow.  

“I told you not to bite her!” I shouted, my anger boiling over. “She couldn’t survive it, Arden! She couldn’t even survive a slap—how could you think she’d survive a wolf bite?”  

Arden stepped back, his hands trembling. “I… I didn’t mean for this to happen. I thought… I thought she’d be okay. I was trying to help…”  

“Help?!” I growled, advancing toward him. “Or were you just doing this for yourself? Don’t think I haven’t noticed, Arden. You love her.”  

He flinched, guilt flashing across his face.  

Before he could respond, a scream tore through the room.  

Olivia’s body convulsed, and the ground beneath us shook violently. Her skin began to ripple, her form twisting and reshaping itself.  

But she wasn’t turning into a wolf.  

Her fur was red, her limbs slender. She looked like a fox.  

And then, just as suddenly, she began to change again.  

Her form became a strange mix of wolf and fox, her eyes glowing with an unnatural light.  

I stepped forward cautiously, but before I could reach her, she lashed out, grabbing me by the neck and hurling me across the room. I crashed into the shelves, pain exploding through my back.  

“Ethan!” Arden shouted, running to my side.  

We communicated silently through our bond, formulating a plan. But before we could act, she let out a low cry—a sound so haunting it made my blood run cold.  

“She’s tricking us,” Arden said, his voice firm.  

But I didn’t believe him.  

I approached her carefully, my movements slow. She was crouched on the ground, crying. Her face looked… human.  

“Olivia?” I whispered.  

She lifted her head, and her eyes met mine.  

A chill ran through me. Her expression was too calm, too calculated.  

The next thing I knew, her hand was on my neck again. But this time, everything around me shifted.  

When I opened my eyes, we were in her room.  

She had transformed back into a human, but she was unconscious, her breathing shallow.  

For the first time, I saw her clearly—not just as Olivia, but as something more.  

She was breathtaking.  

---

Back in my room, where I shared space with Collins, I found Arden sitting on my bed.  

“Ethan,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “I love Olivia. Is she okay?”  

“She’s fine,” I replied, though my stomach churned. “But love and soulmates are two different things, Arden.”  

“What are you saying?” he asked, his voice breaking.  

“I’m saying,” I growled, “that I don’t want you anywhere near her.”  

Arden’s fury ignited, and before I knew it, we were fighting again.  

This time, I wasn’t sure either of us would walk away unscathed.