Violet
“Don’t just stand here. Let’s go!” Trinity grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor, where most of the students were. I tugged at the hem of my dress, nearly falling over. “Are you sure I look okay?” I spoke over the loud music. Trinity grabbed two drinks from a passing tray, handing me one. “Of course you do. You look hot,” she shouted. I let out a sigh, disagreeing as my eyes scanned the crowd. I didn’t feel hot—I felt stupid and out of place. All these girls looked good because they had the confidence to go with it. Trinity wrapped her arms around my neck and swayed from side to side, forcing me to move with her. “There you go!” she said, and I gave her a small smirk in return. A loud, exaggerated laugh pierced through the music. I looked to the side to see where it was coming from, and it was no one other than our roommate who was more so like a ghost—Chrystal. She was standing with Kylan, Nate and Amy. A weird feeling went through my body as my gaze fell on the Lycan prince. Chrystal said something, placing her hand on Kylan’s leather jacket—but he had no reaction. His face was just as stony as it had been in the restroom. When I first met him, his shoulder-length hair had been loose, but tonight it was pulled back into a bun. Cold, yet undeniably handsome. That would be a good way to describe him. Chrystal looked gorgeous. She wore a pink mini dress that hugged her body, and her red hair fell beautifully over her shoulders. They matched perfectly, and were both attractive. One could easily understand why they used to date. Why was I even observing these people? I tried to look away, but failed miserably. My eyes remained glued to them. “If you’re not interested, stop staring at him,” Trinity sang, nudging me playfully. I dragged my eyes away, annoyed at myself for exposing myself. I truly wasn’t interested, and I truly didn’t care. “I wasn’t staring.” Trinity shot me a sarcastic look. “Don’t try to understand. I’ve heard this is what they do. They break up and get back together like every other week.” “Good for them,” I said with a shrug. “But I barely know the guy, and he’s not exactly the nicest—so I really do not care.” Trinity raised her eyebrows, unconvinced. “You know what? I can name ten guys hotter than him,” she spoke as she glanced around the crowd. “Take him for example!” her finger pointed to a guy walking past. I followed her gaze and nearly choked when I saw who she was pointing at—my brother, Dylan. I gagged to myself, trying to shake the image from my head. “You didn’t even see his face,” I argued. “You only saw the back.” “Yes, and?” Trinity blinked. “He has broad shoulders, dark hair, a good fashion sense, and that’s all I need to know.” I laughed at her conclusion, and focused on the music. After several more drinks, I finally let loose and was able to let go of everything. My worries, insecurities, the pressure of trying to fit in. For the first time in years, I actually felt like I was having fun. All was good, until the music suddenly cut off. It was replaced by a loud uncomfortable sound, followed by several taps coming from a microphone. The crowd turned their attention to the source, and it was Nate, standing on a small platform. “Test, test—can everyone hear me?” People cheered in response. “It’s going to happen!” Trinity squealed. “Great! Welcome everyone to the annual Starlight Festival!” Nate pumped up the crowd, getting the same energy in return. After the cheer died down, he continued speaking. “I could give you all a long, boring welcome speech…” he grinned, “but we all know what you really came for.” The students let out a gasp as Nate pulled out something which appeared to be a small potion bottle from his pocket. He raised it high in the air, showing off the silver glow swirling inside the bottle. “Violet—that’s the Moon Goddess’ breath,” Trinity whispered. I frowned. “The Moon Goddess’ what?” “As you all know, once I open this potion, it might just be that you find your mate at this very moment.” The students reacted, everyone was pushing each other to get closer—but I was in no hurry. By chance, I caught Chrystal wrapping her arm around Kylan, leaning into him with a big smile. He rolled his eyes, and pushed her away. “Whatever happens next,” Nate continued, and I turned my head again. “Please take it to the dorms, remember nobody wants to see your business—there are condoms in every building. Let’s not make any fur babies tonight!” The crowd laughed while my stomach twisted with unease. This whole thing was becoming too much. Mates, magic potions, fur babies… Could we not just skip this part and focus on the academy? “Five—“ Nate started counting down, the crowd joining in. “Four, three, two, one!” He opened the bottle, and seconds later a large cloud of smoke traveled to the dance floor. The music kicked back in, but the fog grew thicker, even reaching my glasses. I could barely see anything, and my attempt to wipe them clean only made it worse. “Trinity!” No answer. “Trinity!” I called out again, but she was gone. Due to the heavy fog, I had lost her in the crowd. To make matters worse, my body suddenly felt like it was on fire. Heat spread from my cheeks, to my core, even down to my limbs. Lumia growled inside my head, her voice louder than usual. Something was happening. Was it my glasses? I needed to get out of here. I panicked as I pushed through the crowd, still unable to see anything. “Sorry!” I muttered as I bumped into people, only I couldn’t see who I was apologizing to. Once I finally made it off the dance floor, I grabbed a napkin and wiped my glasses, careful not to take them off. The glasses weren’t the issue. They couldn’t be. My heart was still raising, body fuming, and the tip of my fingers tingling. ‘Follow!’ Lumia growled, growing urgent. She had never been like this. “Follow what?” I whispered, confused. I spotted a guy disappearing into the woods, moving away from the festival, and without thinking, I followed. My body moved on its own. I had no idea what was happening to me, but honestly, I wasn’t even sure if it was really me anymore. I was losing control, and that was the one thing I feared most. As I stumbled deeper into the woods, the music faded behind me. The guy in front of me moved faster. He knew I was following him, I wanted to stop—but I couldn’t. Lumia wouldn’t let me. I began to realize what was happening to me. The potion, the smoke—Lumia. That guy must be my… After a while, the guy finally stopped. His back was still turned to me. I froze, catching my breath before a loud ringing sound filled my ears. At that moment, all I could see was him, standing there in the dark woods. Slowly, the figure turned. My breath hitched. It was Kylan. His cold eyes stared right at me. His gaze was dark, dangerous—and my stomach twisted. He took a step forward me, his eyes never leaving mine. He didn’t get too close. He kept just enough distance between us as if he was repulsed by the sight of me. “Why are you following me?” he growled in fury. I didn’t move a muscle. My heart slammed against my ribs as I took in his anger. He knew why. He must have felt it too, that strange feeling that had dragged me into the woods. “I—I don’t know,” I whispered. Not getting the answer he suspected, Kylan roared in frustration. Before I could ever think clearly, he moved at an incredible speed and shoved me hard against a tree. I released a soft yelp, my back slightly burning, but all I could focus on were those dark eyes. They were angry, confused…hungry. His face was inches away, so close I could feel his breath against my skin. And there it was again. That burning sensation spreading through every part of my body, and this time it was ten times more intense. I tried to fight it, I really did—but before I could stop myself, the horrible words I had hoped not to speak for at least a few more years, slipped past my lips. “Mate.” The moment the word left my mouth, Kylan’s released a sharp breath. His eyes were still full of anger, but his hand moved to my face. He traced two fingers from my cheek to my lips, and when I parted them, he moved them to my chin. It was almost like a warning. I lead, you follow. How could someone I hated so much stir something so powerful inside me? To my surprise, Kylan leaned closer until his lip where inches from mine. His gaze turned a bit softer, more confused, and for a moment—I really thought he’d kiss me. The thought was supposed to terrify me. I was supposed to pull away—but I didn’t. I couldn’t, and neither could he. I could only hear the sound of our heavy breaths filling the woods. Time stood still…and then his lips crashed into mine. The kiss was rough, almost desperate, like he was trying to prove that this would be the first and the last time. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and I melted into him. I gasped into his mouth as his hands began to roam my body, and his tongue found its way between my lips. The kiss deepened, and without thinking, I grabbed the collar of his leather jacket. I grabbed it tightly, holding on as if I never intended to let go—and strangely enough, I didn’t want to. Kylan released a low growl, pushing me harder against the tree. The way his lips felt on mine made everything else disappear. I lost myself in him. Lumia was calm again. But then, Kylan pulled away. He kept his eyes close, his forehead resting against mine as we both gasped for air. That was my first kiss… What the hell just happened? As if snapped back into reality, his cold eyes opened again. He gripped my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. I wanted to speak, to ask what this meant, what his intentions were—but before I could say anything, Kylan’s lips twitched in anger. “You…” he spat out in disgust, “…are a pathetic, low-rank puppy.” My heart shattered into pieces. The fire I had felt during our kiss had been fully extinguished. My mind cleared again. Our first meeting, when he had knocked me over, had already set the tone for our relationship—and nothing could change that. He hated me, and I hated him. “You are no mate of mine,” Kylan tightened his grip on my chin, making me wince. “Never.” Then he walked away…Kylan“Ky,” Chrystal moaned into my ears as she reached her peak. Her body trembled beneath me, nails dug into my back, hard enough to leave marks.I waited for a while before I rolled off her with a disappointed sigh. It didn’t feel satisfying, not in the way it should have—and it was all because of…her.Chrystal had the audacity to place her hand on my chest and started tracing circles with her fingers. “That was amazing,” she whispered.For you.She leaned closer to kiss my cheek, but I could avoid it just in time. I rolled my eyes, pushing her away as I got out of bed. Our business was done here, and so was any desire to stay here with her."Why can’t you just stay with me for once?" Chrystal asked, her voice a little frustrated. “Like you used to.”I ignored her, scanning my messy room. Only, it wasn’t my mess—it was Chrystal’s. Her clothes, her makeup were all scattered around the room and it made me think that perhaps I had made her too comfortable. We weren’t together anymore.
Violet“Somebody please kill me!” I groaned, burying my head in my pillow. Classes hadn’t even officially started yet—and I was already exhausted.How was I even supposed to focus after everything that happened last week?Many had said finding your mate would be magical, like something out of a fairytale. Your mate was supposed to be your soulmate—but mine? Mine was a mate from the lowest pit of hell.He was disgusting, scum—cold-hearted.First, he kissed me, then told me to stay away, and then he followed me back to my dorm. None of it made any sense.Each time I closed my eyes, all I could see were flashes of Kylan’s lip on mine and I hated it.As if things couldn’t get any worse, all the girls could talk about was how he had been sleeping with Chrystal, and that the two would be getting back together.I didn’t mind. Couldn’t give two shits actually—but Lumia was heartbroken.I hated him with every bone in my body, and when I saw him in the hall, I could see it in his eyes. He felt
Violet“Amazing,” Esther said, making me look up to meet her eyes. “This is a junior-level skill. We don’t expect freshmen to heal more than ten.”Unsure of how to answer, I managed to give her an appreciative smile. From the corner of my eye, I caught Chrystal’s eyes shooting daggers in my direction.If it wasn’t for Esther urging everyone to take a seat again, I had no idea what she might’ve done to me.“Violet,” the woman spoke as everyone sat back down. “Please come visit me after class. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”The rest of the class was mostly theory, and after an hour the bell rang. Students began to gather their things, but I waited, just as Esther had told me to.Chrystal who had been glaring at me for well over an hour, now stood at my table with her minions. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop whatever she had planned for me, I looked up to meet her gaze.“Yes?” I asked.Chrystal chuckled, rolling her eyes. “I wasn’t even talking to her,” she said to t
Violet“I wasn’t ignoring you, I was just…” I stopped explaining myself to Nate as he raised a brow. He wasn’t stupid. Of course he knew I was ignoring him.“Why are you hiding over here?” he asked, eating a piece of vegetable from his plate.I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not hiding.”“When you sit at a table by yourself in a corner, behind a giant plant,” he said, pointing to the ridiculously large pot, “you’re definitely hiding.”I laughed, staring into his curious, brown eyes. There was something about Nate that made him easy to talk to. He wasn’t scary, overconfident or judgmental like the other Lycans.He was just…normal.“So, how is your first day of school going?” Nate asked, popping another vegetable into his mouth. “Already thinking about running for the gates?”“If only they would open them,” I cracked a smile.Nate grinned. “Well, from what I’m hearing, you’re not doing too bad. First day, and you’re already scheduled for a trial day with the Elite Team?”I looked at hi
Violet“What do you want?” his voice was full of irritation.I found myself struggling to maintain my focus. It was hard to do so when with his bare chest and the hard lines of his abs right in front of me, on display.“I-ı need to talk to you,” I said, forcing myself to stand my ground. Deep down, I was freaking out. This guy had humiliated me a few times too many. Who said he wasn’t going to do it again?Kylan stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. He led me past, then kicked the door close with his legs.Don’t look at his abs, don’t look at his abs. “About?”“About…”I gave myself a tour of his room, anything to distract me from this mess. The room was dark, with red accents. Against the wall was a king sized bed. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve said he was a vampire.“I don’t have all night, four-eyes,” Kylan clicked his tongue, impatiently.My lips trembled as I tried to focus on his face—but it was too difficult. I hated myself for the thought, but all I wanted
KylanIf there was one thing I refused to lose, it had to be control—and at the moment I had none.Fuck.It was all because of her.My head throbbed from the lack of sleep I managed to get last night. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was her. Four-eyes.Her bold behavior, her piercing blue eyes, that stupid look on her face when she thought she could walk into my room and reject me. Me?I panicked and did what I had to do—so I kissed her. Again.It was all to show her I had the upper hand, and she did not.Not even close.But that small kiss turned into something unforgettable, and now I wanted more. Those soft lips had only strengthened my pull toward her, and I felt disgusted. I knew what that kiss in the woods had done to me, and still…I wasn’t supposed to want her, and it wasn’t really me that wanted her—it was the beast.I knew it was the beast because I couldn’t care for anything or anyone other than my people. Growing up, the king always told me a mate was supposed
VioletI paced bank and forth in front of the classroom, my heart pounding uncontrollably. Today was my first trial day on the Elite Team.It was supposed to be a fun experience, but all I could think about was Kylan.My sweaty hands clutched my bag as I took another peak through the window. Students were already sitting inside. They looked like a combination of sophomores, juniors, and seniors—around seven in total.My eyes landed on my brother, Dylan, who was sitting with his friends, strangely enough with a smile plastered on his lips. So he did have another expression other than that cold, distant gaze. It was just not reserved for me.It was still crazy that he had yet to acknowledge me even once.Kylan wasn’t there yet, neither was Nate who was attached to his hip.I still had no idea how I would survived my first day after everything that had happened between us.Through the window, I caught a man heading to my direction, carrying a book in his hand. He was handsome, with thick
VioletI sat back, doing absolutely nothing while the others discussed their plan to get the box to the other side. At this point I couldn’t give two fucks. and would see what the deal was tonight.Kylan said it himself.‘You’re here because of your brother,’He had made it clear he didn’t want me on his team, and since my fate was in his hands, I knew he wasn’t going to accept me into the Elite Team. So, I decided there was no point in breaking a sweat.I had wondered why Dylan vouched for me, and now as we sat around the table, I knew exactly why.There was one leader, Kylan, a combat specialist, Nate, a strategic specialist, Dylan—and me? I was the only healer left. They had no choice but to take me.Apparently if I were to magically make the team, this would be our team for the entire year. Dylan knew what he wanted, and had probably convinced Kylan to take advantage of every role, even if that meant putting up with me.“Violet—focus.” I blinked, startled by Dylan’s voice. It was
VioletChild of my blood?The words sent a shiver through me. I blinked, unsure of what to do—but curiosity got the best of me. I stepped away from Kylan, slowly making my way to the Soothsayer and sank into the chair across from him.Still smirking, the soothsayer leaned forward, and tilted his head, studying me.“Eyes of snow, strength of fire,” he said. Then he began mumbling in a strange tongue, words I didn’t understand. It sounded like an old, ancient language. One I hadn’t heard before, and I was quite familiar with a few.My breath hitched, and my palms got sweaty as I stared at the old man, on the verge of asking him what he was saying—but something held me back. Fear.How old must this soothsayer have been?A hundred years, or maybe even older?Perhaps even a thousand years old?For a split second, I looked behind me, just to check whether Kylan had bailed on me, and luckily, he hadn’t. I stared ahead again, my heart pounding in anticipation as the soothsayer spoke a few mor
VioletHe didn’t want me to get lost?To be honest, it was understandable. He was the one who had taken me outside the gates, so at the moment—he was the one responsible for me.I swallowed hard, my face growing hotter.Wake up, Violet—this was not some romantic outing. The guy isn’t even into you like that, doesn’t even want you as his mate.“Right,” I mumbled softly, automatically squeezing his hand. We started walking again, and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling like an idiot, imagining what it could’ve been like if he didn’t resent the Moon Goddess’ wishes.As we walked further into the market, my eyes darted from one stall to the next. There was so much I wanted to do, that my mind was spinning. When I saw something I couldn’t ignore, I stopped in my steps, pulling Kylan with me.“What?” he mumbled softly.My finger pointed to the small jewelry stand, leading to a shop inside. There was a big sign that read ‘handmade jewelry,’ and I just felt it calling me
VioletThe ride was silent.Kylan’s eyes stayed on the road ahead, not even glancing at my direction while I shifted in my seat, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt as I tried to think of something to say.“So, I’m wondering…” I began. This time Kylan glanced at me briefly, lifting a brow.“How is my little friend doing?” I asked, testing the waters as I often did with him.Was he going to react like the usual Kylan, or the softer version?He chuckled, his lips curling into a small smile. “The squirrel?”I nodded, returning his smile.“She’s made herself pretty comfortable in my room,” he chuckled, the sound of it warming my heart. I guess he was being kind again.“Even more comfortable than me?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, and my cheeks immediately flushed. Why had I said that?Kylan didn’t answer right away, but a smile appeared on his lips. He looked amused by my embarrassment.“So you’ve never gone out before?” he asked, changing the subject.I shook my head. “N
VioletI leaned my chin into my hand, staring at Kylan from a distance. He was standing with some of the guys of the Elite Team, including Dylan as they were laughing about something.Drool nearly escaped from my mouth as Kylan’s lip curled into his signature smirk that always made my stomach flip.My eyes moved to his biceps as I tried to focus on Trinity’s voice, but it was impossible with him standing right there, looking so…him.Fuck, I was sinking deep.It was around afternoon, and we were sitting at one of the tables outside. For a change, the weather actually wasn’t that bad, and the sun even casted a golden glow over the campus.I had finished Elite training in the early morning, but it wasn’t Rochwall’s training that drained my energy.It was him.I hadn’t spoken to Kylan yesterday, and not today either. It killed me. After our night in the woods and our little moment with the squirrel—who I never heard anything about ever again, by the way—I thought he would’ve at least had
VioletMy stomach turned, and I suddenly regretted ever bringing it up. I wasn’t sure what to feel, let alone what to ask—and the words left my mouth before I could think about it.“I-I guess I just wanted to know if…if perhaps I didn’t make you feel good enough last night, or something,” I stammered, cringing at my own awkwardness as the words left my mouth.Kylan’s expression softened, and he let out a laugh, glancing down. I was desperate to look away, but before I could, he stepped closer—closing the distance between us. My heart fluttered as his hand moved to my chin, tilting my face up to meet his gaze.His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt my knees weaken. Every part of me silently pleaded for him to lean in and kiss me, touch me.Do it, please…But just as I thought he would, he pulled back and turned away.“She did come to my room,” he admitted, his tone casual. “But I sent her away.”Wait, what?Relieved washed over me, but only for a second. He might’ve turned her away this
VioletEach time I heard footsteps, my eyes were automatically fixed on the door, hoping it was him.I had been waiting to see Kylan all day. At first, it was out of excitement, but after Trinity’s words at lunch, I wanted to see how he would react. The idea of him with Chrystal, right after I left his room, made me fear that he regretted everything that happened between us—and I was hoping to be wrong.After keeping me in anticipation, the door cracked open again, and this time it was actually him—Kylan. Nate and Dylan were right beside him. My heart stopped for a moment as Kylan’s eyes found mine, like he’d known I’d be waiting.I wanted to get up, walk straight over to him—but I held myself back. Instead, I gave him a small smile, hoping to test the waters. Was he going to pull away again? Would he just brush me off? To my surprise, Kylan smiled back. A warm, genuine smile.He really had some nerve, smiling at me like that after everything I had heard. It bothered me, yet somehow,
~ That Morning ~KylanAs I got ready for class, I noticed a hair tie on the edge of my bed. I picked it up, chuckling. Puppy had left in such a hurry an hour ago—and it was probably for the best because the last thing I wanted was for someone to see her leaving.If word got around, the next thing you knew, people would assume she was my mate, and once that happened—I’d never hear the end of it. I wasn’t just looking out for myself, but for her as well.My thoughts drifted back to last night, every moment replaying in my mind. I couldn’t shake off how good she felt, the way she had clung to me, the way she tasted, and the soft moans that had escaped her lips as she collapsed in my arms.Yesterday was not like it was with anyone else before—and even though I enjoyed it, it terrified me.My smile faded as I remembered that one horrific thing I had almost done. I had called her beautiful, let myself say things I had never meant to say out loud—and when I felt her neck under my mouth, the
VioletNervously, I bit my lips as Esther stared at me with narrowed eyes. I felt my pulse quicken. Even though I was technically on time, I knew she wasn’t stupid. Getting caught out past curfew was no small thing, and an automatic strike—a permanent one.Doing this while being part of the team that was supposedly the pride of the school was not done, and leaving the male dorm was just simply humiliating. Barely anyone got caught, but of course—it had to be me.Although I tried to keep my face neutral, guilt was written all over it.“Seeing as curfew has barely ended, I’m just going to assume that you’re not coming back from a walk,” Esther said, her gaze sharp and intense.Slowly, her eyes traveled to my neck, and I immediately hid it with my hand. I hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but after everything Kylan and I had done last night, I had a great feeling of what it would look like.Esther’s sharp eyes softened as she let out a small, disappointed sigh. “I can give you a strike,” sh
VioletI woke up with two strong arms wrapped around me and knew exactly whose arms I was in. Last night was a memory I couldn’t and wouldn’t erase from my mind.My lips curled into a soft smile, and then my cheeks began to heat up as memories from last night returned. The way he touched me, cared for me—and was gentle enough to make me feel comfortable.‘You’re okay, I got you—relax.’ ‘Look at me.’ ‘You’re beautiful.’ All of those were words I had never expected to leave Kylan’s mouth, but somehow he did—and then he kissed my head and held me in his arms for the entire night. It was probably nothing, just some aftercare—but it felt nice.Even after almost marking me, he didn’t pull back, hadn’t kicked me out of his room, or brought it up. It was a good thing he didn’t, because I just wanted it to be normal, but then again—maybe if he did, I wouldn’t have had this crush on him.Yes, crush. After losing my virginity, I did the one thing he told me not to do—catch feelings.