LOGINElisa’s POV: The morning sun drifted through the sheer curtains, casting long shadows across the pristine floors of my new room. After waking up, I first glanced at my phone. There were no new missed calls or texts from Ethan, except the ones he sent last night. But I didn't bother opening a single one. Perhaps he had given up after getting his pride hurt. However, what actually kept me on edge wasn't Ethan’s spiraling jealousy, which I had already seen coming. It was Maria. A snake like her had been far too silent after causing her little scene before the pack girls yesterday. And after knowing her real face inside and out, I was certain…A girl like Maria wouldn’t just back off easily… perhaps she was always cooking up her next move behind that frail, innocent facade. Ping. Then, a notification sound cut through my thoughts when I glanced at the blinking screen. Notice: Cheer squad gathering at 11:00 AM. Central Hall, Main Stadium. It was a gathering notice sent to the cheer
Ethan's POV: There was a noticeable pause on the line for a few seconds. "Maria... oh, that orphan girl..." Her tone sounded clearly displeased, but she softened it rather than cutting me off completely. "Fine, if you insist so, you can bring her. Anyways, take care, honey..." "Thanks, Mom. Love you," I muttered, lowering the phone as the line disconnected. But the moment she hung up, the air in the room grew stiff. "Why did you bother to ask about me?!" Maria shrieked, stomping her foot hard against the floor. "To your family... I am the unwanted one, aren't I?!" "That's not it, Maria—" "Well, that's because you're keeping the truth away from them that I AM YOUR FATED MATE!" This time her voice cracked, as she sounded genuinely heartbroken. "I am the one who always stays by your side... yet... why do you never bother to prioritize me over Elisa, Ethan? “Why are you keeping the truth away from your parents?! It has been over a year since we became mates! How long should I wait
Ethan’s POV:My heart slammed frantically against my ribs, with a vibration that reverberated in my ears.The screen of my phone blinked, but the hope in my eyes dimmed the moment I stared at it.It wasn't a text from Elisa. Rather…it was an incoming call from my mother, Lorita, the present Luna of our Ice Moon Pack.Ignoring Maria completely, my trembling thumb swiped the glass. I dragged the phone to my ear, turning my back on her and pacing the cold concrete floor restlessly."Ethan?" My mother’s sweet voice washed over me. "Finally, you picked up this time. I was starting to think you had completely forgotten about your mother!”“No…Mom, that’s not it…”“Well, you haven't called me in days, so I was worried about you. How are you doing, sweetheart? How is practice going?""Mom," my breath sounding a little shallow as I murmured.Leaning heavily against the cold steel lockers, I closed my eyes for a second, praying for any anchor to keep me sane from all the impulsive thoughts crow
Ethan's POV: Desmond grabbed my arm, pulling me back as we walked down toward the locker room. “What do you want?” Indeed, I missed everything he said because my mind was completely distracted, after all. “Get your head together, Ethan. The official tournament begins soon…and if you mess it up by any chance, you know that very well…your Dad will not let it slide. He’ll lose his mind.” Desmond gulped, sounding quite concerned in his tone.“Besides, did you forget that the Pack Council is watching your every move? This coach has been officially assigned by them after all.”“I know that already, Desmond,” I growled, my eyes still glued to my dark phone screen. “Just... shut up for now.”“She’s just a wolfless girl, Ethan!” All of a sudden, Desmond snapped under his breath, making me halt my steps. “I know you’re thinking of her, but…as your friend and your future beta, I am worried about you. Elisa isn’t worth screwing up your future completely!”A dark, crimson flare snapped in my
Ethan’s POV“Rawcrest! What the hell was that?!”Coach Maddy’s roar shattered through the freezing arena, loud enough to shake off the plexiglass.Indeed, my mind had drifted far away from ice. This was the third time I blew past the blue line and missed such a clean cross-ice pass, the kind of pass which I could usually catch blindfolded during the practice drill today. “You’re playing like a blind pup out there!” Flaring his nostrils, the coach slammed his clipboard against the glass while the rest of the boys exchanged nervous glances with each other. “You’re the damn captain, have you forgotten that, Rawcrest? Now that we are close to our first practice match in the tournament, are you planning to showcase your skills like this?” “Coach, that was—”“Shut up!” His loud, agitated grunt paused me as I noticed him anxiously rubbing his hand across his temple while he glared at me. “I have high hopes for you! We have worked blood and sweat for the tournament…and now do you want to b
Elisa’s POV: The second I reached the room Kael had gotten for me, the heavy door clicked shut as I instantly collapsed on the bed, letting out a jagged breath. For a few seconds, I stared blankly at the wooden ceiling, and unlike my small room in the wolf wing, this one was quite spacious. The size of the bed was massive, easily double the size of my cramped bed before in the werewolf wing. Even the mattress felt soft to lie down on. But it was quite hard to believe that just 15 minutes ago, someone else had occupied this room as their own. But under Kael’s single command, the belongings of that previous occupant had been thoroughly cleared out, without leaving one trace behind. He was truly…the future Lycan King after all… The air in the room smelled fresh, given that the giant bedside window was there. Overall, it seemed like I had made the right choice after all by moving out of that tiny, cramped room. ‘But now…I’m really here,’ I thought to myself, slowly sitting







