FAZER LOGIN"She does?" Cassidy stared at me, completely thrown, and suddenly every eye in the room landed on me, including Tomi's.I scrambled for an explanation. Really, I was scrambling for a lie.Then Cassidy spoke up first. "Lucia got first place in an assignment he gave, whoever won got to be class representative, plus some perks. So she's basically my department's rep now, and I guess that's why she's always in his office. Didn't even know that myself, actually." She shrugged. "Kind of boring, honestly. I was hoping for something way juicier." The person who asked responded. "And since you had no idea," someone pressed, "does that mean her boyfriend Tomi doesn't either?"My heart dropped. This was spiraling."Actually, I do," Tomi said, easy and unbothered. "I picked her up from the lecture building once. I know where she's been."Just like that, whatever momentum the question had built collapsed. I didn't say anything, I didn't trust my voice not to shake but I felt Tomi's hand smoothin
I didn't want Tomi to notice how worried I was, so I kept quiet through the drive, fiddling silently with my hands, hoping. Praying. If anyone from Blackwood found out I was dating Tomi, they would announce it to the whole pack within hours. I couldn't let him get dragged into trouble because of me.As his car neared the campus gate, my anxiety spiked. He parked, and I saw Cassidy waiting, alone.*Where was the person she'd mentioned?*Tomi rolled down the window and waved her over. I got out of the car, unable to sit still, needing to be sure no one else was with her, while also trying not to let him notice how worried I was."Where's the person you said was with you?" I asked, before she'd even reached us, scanning the area."Oh, she left already. Said something came up. You can meet her another time." Cassidy shrugged. "You seem really excited to meet someone from your pack, though. Must be nice, running into people you actually know."*Abigail.* If Abigail had seen me, if she was
I left Dr. Kylian's office feeling only mildly better. Even if I tried telling myself I was fine, he knew I wasn't. I could not even pretend around him, he was too good at reading me. But I had to go. I had promised Tomi a fun night.Would it even be fun, though? Not after what I had just learned about myself.Dr. Kylian had told me to keep it private, not secret, though I understood the distinction was just a kinder way of telling me not to tell Tomi. I had barely started this relationship, and already I was hiding something enormous from him.He didn't deserve that. He deserved better.Back at the hostel, my roommates told me Audrey had already left to meet Tristan. I tried to feel the flicker of excitement I should have felt for her.I didn't feel it at all.I was happy for Audrey. I was just devastated for myself, and I hoped Tomi wouldn't notice.I got dressed, and as I pulled on the clothes he'd bought me, something else clicked into place, Dr. Kylian's endless kindness, the ex
The questions filling my mind went unanswered. I shivered where I sat on the ground, unable to breathe. Was this what a seizure felt like?I had spent so long trying to forget everything from Blackwood, the trauma, the memories, the rejection. Even when the images still lived in my head, I'd worked so hard to forget how they made me feel. But the man in the fedora had come and dredged up every part of my past, telling me I couldn't be happy, telling me I couldn't outrun where I came from.I wanted to crawl into bed, pull a blanket over my head, disappear. I had finally started being happy, and someone had walked up and simply taken it from me. "Luciana."I turned. Dr. Kylian was coming toward me, not from his office, but from another direction entirely his steps quickening as he got closer."Lucia, what happened to you?” I shivered, unable to speak. I didn't even notice the tears until they were already falling. I tried to talk, but my mouth wouldn't cooperate, and then his arms w
Seeing Dr. Kylian there left me in shock. He was my professor, and he belonged in my department, but I hadn't expected to run into him right now, not while I and my roommates were on a covert mission to help Audrey and her mate finally meet."Good morning.""Good morning, Kylian.""Morning, Tristan."They addressed each other so informally that it almost felt like they were friends. Did Dr. Kylian have friends? That felt surprising, given how arrogant and cold he usually let himself appear."Lucia," Elodie whispered, "who is the hot man in glasses? I don't think I've ever seen a man that hot in glasses.""That's my professor. He's also the director of the school.""He's the director? I swear, I skipped the first-day auditorium meeting, and now I regret it, I missed the chance to see someone this hot"Both men's attention landed on us at exactly that moment, and all three of us went silent."Don't you have class to get to, Lucia?" Dr. Kylian asked."We, yes. I have class with Mr. Trist
"Oh my goodness, girl, that is so sad." Lenny pulled Audrey into a hug.Audrey sniffled, delicately, in a way only she could manage to make look elegant. "I know. I can't believe I finally found my mate, and I can't be with him, because of school rules." She wiped at the corner of her eyes.Dr. Kylian. I thought of him being Audrey's mate, then quickly pushed the thought away. If he was, I'd be happy for her—wouldn't I? Besides, I had my own boyfriend now. I didn't know what it felt like to have your mate love you, but I knew exactly what it felt like not to."It's all right, Audrey," I said. "Even if you can't be in a relationship on campus, you can still meet off-campus. Him being a professor and you being a student doesn't have to control what the Moon Goddess already planned.” "Smart words, Lucia," Elodie said."I know. I just wish I could be like you and Tomi, move on campus be free about it. I don't want it to be weird." Audrey looked up. "By the way, do you know his name? If







