Ava didn't go to class the next day. She sat in her room, curled up in her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her chest ached, but it wasn't just emotional; it was physical, sharp, like something inside her had cracked.
She had read about mate bonds in books; how they were sacred, how your heart recognizes someone before your head does, and how powerful Alphas never rejected their mates unless something was very wrong. And now she knew firsthand... it felt like dying slowly from the inside.
She pressed her hand against her heart. It still beat, but differently, as if it had been broken and was trying to rebuild itself.
A knock came at the door. She ignored it. Another knock. Then a voice.
"Room 312? Ava Craine?"
She opened it a crack. A short girl with red braids and bright green eyes smiled at her, holding a paper in one hand.
"You missed orientation. I'm Talia, your dorm assistant and also your neighbor. Welcome to Stone Ridge," she said, pushing the paper into Ava's hand without waiting. Then she looked Ava up and down, her smile fading.
"You look like hell," she said plainly.
"Thanks," Ava replied dryly.
Talia leaned on the doorframe. "Let me guess. You met Aiden Blackthorn?" Ava's eyes widened. Talia nodded knowingly.
"Girl, you're not the first. But the way he looked at you yesterday? That wasn't nothing."
"He rejected me," Ava whispered. Talia blinked, then exhaled slowly.
"Okay. So you're the one."
"What do you mean?" Talia glanced down the hallway before stepping into Ava's room and shutting the door.
"Look, I shouldn't even say this, but word spreads fast here. Alphas don't reject their mates unless it's a power play. But you... you're a ghost. No one knows your pack. No history. That alone makes people nervous, especially people like Aiden." Ava felt her stomach twist.
"I just want to survive here," she said.
"Then keep your head down... but keep your eyes open."
••••
Later that day, Ava forced herself to go to class. Whispers followed her down the halls. People turned and stared. Some smirked. Others looked sorry for her. It made her skin crawl.
At lunch, she sat alone under a tree at the edge of campus, poking at a sandwich she didn't want.
Then she felt it. A presence, heavy and wild. She looked up, and there he was again.
Aiden Blackthorn.
Alone this time.
She wanted to look away, but her eyes wouldn't listen. He stared at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle, his jaw tight. His blue eyes were colder than before, but there was something beneath them, something conflicted.
Ava stood up quickly and turned to leave.
"Wait," he said. She froze.
He walked up, slow and controlled. "You shouldn't be here."
"This is my school too."
"You don't belong here."
"And you do?" she snapped, surprising even herself. His eyes flared. She stepped back instinctively, but she didn't run. He leaned in, so close she could feel his breath on her skin.
"You're dangerous."
"Why? Because I exist?" she said, her voice trembling.
"Because I feel things I shouldn't feel when I look at you," he growled lowly, almost to himself. Ava's heart skipped.
He turned sharply and walked away again, fists clenched at his sides.
••••
That night, Ava couldn't sleep. The rejection bond still burned, but now there was something else. Something warm and confusing.
She walked to the window and stared out at Shadowmoon Forest. The moon hung full and low, glowing like silver fire. She didn't know what made her do it. But her legs moved before her mind caught up.
She grabbed her hoodie and slipped out. The campus was quiet. Cold air hit her cheeks, and her footsteps crunched against fallen leaves.
She stepped into the forest. It was darker than she expected. The air smelled like damp soil and pine. Every tree looked the same. She should've been scared. But something pulled her deeper.
A feeling, a calling. The wind shifted. And then, she heard it. A soft growl.
Ava froze.
Golden eyes flashed in the trees.
It was a big and powerful wolf. She backed away slowly, but then another one appeared behind her. Then another.
Three wolves, circling her.
Rogues.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"No..." The first one lunged. She screamed and stumbled back, tripping over a root. The wolf's jaws snapped an inch from her face.
Just then, a blur of black crashed into the rogue, knocking it into the air like a ragdoll.
It was Aiden.
He shifted.
His midnight-black wolf stood between her and the others, massive and snarling. The other two rogues hesitated, then turned and fled into the trees.
Aiden turned back to her. His fierce, protective, and wild eyes met hers. And for a moment, she felt the bond again. Not broken. Just... buried.
His wolf lowered its head, stepping closer. Then, without a sound, he turned and disappeared into the forest.
Ava sat in the dirt, trembling. He saved her even after rejecting her.
Why?