Theodore strode through the corridor, the weight of his presence commanding silence. Behind him trailed Rowan, Oliver, Leo, Louis, Dorian, Cassian, Nina, and Amelia, their footsteps in perfect rhythm with his, like an unspoken guard.
As he rounded the corner, it happened.
He collided with her.
The girl staggered back, her books spilling across the polished floor, scattering in every direction. The sound echoed sharp and accusing in the still hallway.
Theodore's breath caught—not at the fall, but at her.
Pitch-black eyes lifted to his, eyes so dark they seemed to swallow the light. But in that instant, something shifted. His chest constricted, his heartbeat thundered. His golden eyes flared, igniting brighter than ever, as though flames had licked across his irises. A surge of recognition hit him like a strike of lightning.
Mate.
Isabella's Point of View
Her books… all scattered. And he just stood there. Silent. Cold.
Isabella bit her lip, heat rising in her cheeks as she bent to gather her things. Her pitch-black eyes flickered nervously upward. His stare cut into her, golden, too golden—burning. She looked away quickly.
"Bella, don't worry, I'll help."
It was Sefarina, her loyal friend, kneeling beside her to scoop up the fallen pages. Isabella exhaled softly, relieved, but her hands trembled as she stacked the books together. She prayed he hadn't noticed—that dangerous flicker beneath her darkness. That hidden violet.
Because her father's warning echoed endlessly:
Never let them see. Never show them your true eyes.
Only Seraphina knew the truth. Only Seraphina understood what Isabella could not.
The Classroom
They walked in together, Isabella clutching her books tightly to her chest, Sefarina whispering reassurances.
But the silence that met them was different. Heavy. Suffocating.
Theodore sat at his desk, his golden eyes brighter than any flame. Around him, Rowan, Oliver, Leo, Louis, Dorian, Cassian, Nina, and Amelia sprawled in easy confidence—but their stares followed Isabella, sharp as knives.
Isabella's steps faltered. A chill shot down her spine. Her body quivered, almost imperceptibly, as though the air itself had teeth.
No one noticed—except him.
Theodore's gaze never wavered, molten gold burning hotter with every second, his wolf howling in the back of his mind.
Mine.