Evaline:
Monday mornings should be outlawed.
That was the first thought I had as the sun forced its way through the curtains and my alarm rang like a vengeful banshee. I groaned while planting my face into my pillow.
Rowan was gone already like always. The only evidence he had even been here was the faint scent of pine and ash that was still lingering in the room.
Dragging myself out of bed, I headed to the common girl showers before getting dressed in my bedroom. Once I was done, I joined Mallory and Ria before all three of us headed to the dining hall where the others were waiting for us.
"So," Noah said as he popped a slice of fruit into his mouth, "who else nearly fell asleep during Professor Elwin’s monologue on magical contracts last Friday?"
"I did," Ria confessed immediately. "I swear his voice is cursed. He could read a battle plan and still make it sound like bedtime poetry."
"I think he’s just old," Mallory said with a smirk. "But that doesn’t explain why half the class actually likes him."
"Because he gives easy marks," Selene added with a shrug.
I was half listening to them while half glancing around the dining hall that was buzzing with students. Our table was tucked into the corner beneath a large glass window, and it had become our little pocket of piece from the very first day.
I was enjoying the view until my eyes halted on a familiar figure at the far end of the room.
Oscar.
He was standing near the staff table, dressed in simple black training clothes. His attention was somewhere else. His hair was damp, probably from a morning run or some physical drill. He looked relaxed, but I knew better. There was tension in his stance. The same tension I had seen in that library when our bodies collided, and the mate bond hit us like a tidal wave.
I hadn’t told my friends. Not a single word about that stupid Rogue Alpha had held me, breathed me in like I was a secret he had been dying to discover... and then pushed away as if I had burned him.
And now he was just there, chatting with another instructor like he hadn’t turned my world upside down and left it like that.
I looked away quickly, stabbing a slice of fruit with unnecessary force.
"Something wrong?" Mallory asked as she noticed the way my smile dropped.
"No," I replied too quickly. "Just... remembered something annoying."
Selene handed me a napkin. "Was it that Amara girl? She was glaring at you during Professor Lysandor’s lecture last week."
"It’s not Amara," I muttered. "Though her constant eye-rolling is getting old."
Ever since the results of the entrance assessment were announced, things had... shifted. At first, I thought it was admiration. Now, I realized some students weren’t thrilled that a rogue had not only topped the written exam but also received the privilege award.
"She and her gang is just jealous," Mallory said bluntly. "You didn’t just pass, you wiped the floor with them. And you did it without an ounce of noble blood or a famous family name."
"Don’t forget the rumor mill," Noah added with mock seriousness. "They are saying you bribed someone. Or cheated. Or seduced an instructor."
I choked on my drink.
"What?"
Noah grinned. "Welcome to elite werewolf education. Where talent must be explained away by scandal."
Ria leaned in. "For what it’s worth, I think it’s hilarious how pressed they all are."
Noah raised his juice. "To Eva. Queen of the Rogues."
I clinked my cup with theirs, half-laughing, half-wishing I could crawl into a hole.
* * *
After breakfast, we headed to our Magical History class, followed by a long and slightly tedious Herbology lecture. I tried to focus, but part of me kept drifting.
Professor Kieran’s classes were scheduled to begin next week, and even though I had already spoken to him privately on Friday about my choice for the privilege reward, I hadn’t seen him since. And he hadn’t tried to approach me either.
This made me wonder about our deal as he hadn’t spoken about it again so far.
After lunch, we had a physical exercises class - running drills, strength-building routines, and group stretches in the training field. No combat training was allowed until the second term, but apparently, they wanted to make sure we were in "acceptable condition" before we started.
And I couldn’t be more grateful about it. My pregnancy wouldn’t allow me to take parts in the combat classes, but I couldn’t ignore them either. Hence, not needing to worry about them for these couple of months was a blessing.
At the same time, the physical training classes were good for me as I could get back in shape.
"You are fast," Noah said between breaths while jogging beside me and Kyros. "Where did you train?"
"Nowhere fancy," I said with a smirk. "Just... surviving life, I guess."
We shared a laugh before Mallory stumbled into us, nearly taking us all down in a pile.
"I’m dying," she wheezed.
"You are dramatic," Noah returned as he pulled her up by the arm.
By the time the drills ended and we returned to our dorms, I was exhausted. My legs were sore and arms were aching, but my heart was lighter. My friends, annoying as they were, made things bearable.
And for now, that was enough.
Even if the shadows still followed me, even if the bond I felt with Oscar sat like a weight on my chest... at least I could still smile.
At least I had people who didn’t look at me like I was something to be silenced.
I headed to showers and changed into casual clothes. It was when I returned to the dorm and was standing in front of the full-length mirror, did I notice the silver in my hair that had finally started making its appearance.
"You look good in the original color."
The familiar voice that suddenly filled the room had me turning to face... him.