Kieran:
I realized too late that I might have let slip more than I intended.
The silence that followed was long, but then her voice finally cut through the stillness like a ripple across glass.
"I want to help."
I turned my head, blinking at her in surprise. I was sure I had misheard. "What?"
"I want to help," she repeated, firmer this time. "I want to do this."
She met my gaze with unwavering eyes. The same amber eyes that once held caution and unease were now burning with resolve. I had barely processed her words when she added,
"I’m planning to graduate from Silver Moon in four years. And for that to happen... this Academy needs to survive whatever is creeping through its shadows. I don’t want to walk these halls wondering who’ll be next."
Damn her.
Damn her bravery. Her heart. Her stubborn, unrelenting courage.
I didn’t want her involved. I couldn’t afford for her to be involved. But as she sat beside me, spine straight, chin lifted, and the moonlight catching the soft strands of her gorgeous silver hair, I couldn’t bring myself to shut her down.
So I watched her.
Watched her closely.
She had gone through every stage of emotion tonight - confusion, shock, frustration, anger - but never fear. Not once. She had every reason to be terrified. Any normal student would have broken down or run away after hearing about soul deaths, secret groups, and cover-ups. But not her.
Anxiety? Yes. She was fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. Her voice wavered once or twice. But fear? No. That wasn’t in her eyes.
She was brave.
Braver than I had ever expected.
The girl I met months ago back at the mansion... she was cautious, wide-eyed, and so damn innocent. Back then, I had pegged her as fragile, someone I would have to protect if she ever walked through the gates of Silver Moon.
But now...
Now she was sharper. Her kindness hadn’t faded, but it had been tempered with wisdom. Her sweetness was still there, yes - but there was something steel-like beneath it. Her growth had been subtle, almost unnoticeable if I hadn’t been paying attention.
But I had.
Actually, I had been paying too much attention... more than a professor should be.
She was still cute - Moon Goddess help me - but she was also strong. Smarter. More composed. She didn’t crumble when she learned about the truth. She asked questions. She pushed me for answers. She challenged me.
And I admired her for it, more than I should have.
Maybe it was the alcohol whispering bad decisions into my head. Maybe it was the quiet of the garden or the way the moonlight wrapped her in silver. Whatever the reason, my hand moved before I could stop it.
I reached out and gently, slowly, brushed a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear.
She froze.
I saw her inhale sharply and her lips parted just slightly in surprise. Her shoulders tensed. She wasn’t expecting the touch, and honestly, neither was I.
"Professor..." she whispered in a barely audible voice, but one that was filled with questions.
That should have been enough. That one word should have grounded me, reminded me who I was, who she was. But my sane mind had long stopped functioning, drowned beneath the warmth in my chest and the ache I didn’t want to name.
Before I knew it, I leaned in. But not for a kiss.
I pressed my forehead to hers, letting our breaths mingle, letting my senses fill with her presence. Her scent - sweet, delicate, with the barest hint of something wild beneath it - hit me hard.
And my wolf responded instantly.
It purred. It pressed forward, tail wagging like a pup, eager and content. And that was what terrified me.
Because he had never responded like this to anyone.
I felt her breath hitch. I felt the shiver roll through her body. She was trembling. Whether it was from shock or something else, I didn’t know.
But I knew one thing - I was at the edge of a cliff.
One more second, one more breath, and I would lose whatever control I had left. My wolf would take over. I would pull her into my arms, taste her lips, and claim something that didn’t belong to me.
And that’s when it hit me... she wasn’t mine.
My true mate was still out there, somewhere, waiting for me. And if I took Eva now, if I let myself fall for her... it would be the worst kind of betrayal.
Not just to my future mate, but to Eva herself.
She deserved better than a man who was losing control because of alcohol and loneliness. She deserved someone who would choose her without hesitation or conflict.
Which meant I had to let her go.
I pulled back, forcing air into my lungs even as my hands clenched at my sides.
"You need to leave," I said in my rough and low voice.
She blinked.
"Now, Eva." I stood up, dragging a hand through my hair and turning away before I could look at her again. "Before it’s too late.".
"There’s a hidden path just behind the garden wall," I muttered. "It’ll lead you past the greenhouse and back to the main building. Use it. Stay quiet. And don’t stop for anyone."
She stood slowly and walked away without a single. Her scent lingered around me even after she was no longer close.
Then silence. And I was alone.
The air was suddenly colder without her warmth beside me. I looked up at the moon again, the silver light blinding, cruel. It reminded me of her hair. It reminded me of everything I had no right wanting.
I dropped back onto the bench, rubbing my face with my hands.
I knew what was wrong with me.
I was falling for her.
Falling for a girl who wasn’t my mate. Who didn’t even know how deep she had crawled under my skin. And every instinct I had - Alpha, professor, protector - screamed that it was wrong.
But the worst part?
The part that gnawed at me like rot?
It didn’t want to stop.