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Chapter 11 - A mistake

Mia's eyes flutter open to a soft hush, a steady rhythm of beeps echoing faintly from the corner of the room. The smell of antiseptic fills the air. For a moment, she doesn't move. Her mind drifts back to some hours ago, when Rachel and Eliose interrupted their intimate moment with Leon. The same Rachel that made Leon end in the infirmary was the one who came to look after him. But she was glad, she left completely heartbroken, because Leon protected her once again from her usual attacks.

And the kiss.

Her cheeks flush just remembering it. His locious lips and his warmth. The way everything around her vanished when he looked at her.

She shifts slightly, eyes adjusting to the soft light. The infirmary walls are pale, clean, almost too quiet. A blanket covers her, heavy but comforting. The door creaks softly, and her heart skips.

Leon stands there. He stepped out immediately after Rachel without saying anything. She waited but eventually fell asleep as she was sleep deprived for last night, and exhausted from the fight with the rogues.

He looks tired—his shirt is unbuttoned at the top, his chest bandaged and his golden eyes dimmer than usual. But even like this, he's striking and Powerful. The air hums faintly around him, as if his presence bends it.

For a moment, neither of them speaks.

Then Mia sits up slowly. "Leon…"

He looks at her, jaw tight. His gaze flickers to the floor, then back to her face. There's something strange in his eyes—a storm behind his calm.

"You should rest," he says quietly.

Mia frowns. "What about you? You were—"

"I'm fine." His tone cuts gently but firm.

The silence that follows is heavy. Mia watches him, her chest tightening. Something is wrong. The warmth from the night before is gone, replaced by distance—cold, like a wall built overnight.

She swallows. "About what happened—"

Leon's jaw clenches. "It was a mistake." He cut her sharply.

The words hit her like a strike.

For a second, she doesn't breathe. "A… mistake?"

He doesn't meet her eyes. "You were scared and I was injured. It—it shouldn't have happened."

Her heart twists. The same lips that whispered mine now say mistake.

She forces a shaky laugh. "Right. Yeah. Of course."

Leon takes a step closer but stops halfway. His hands curl at his sides. "Mia, you have to understand. This bond—it's dangerous. You're human. I—" He stops himself, voice breaking. "You can't survive in my world."

Mia blinks hard, fighting the sting behind her eyes. "You're right," she whispers. "I don't."

She pushes the blanket aside and swings her legs off the bed. Her knees feel weak, but she keeps walking. Past him and past his scent that still lingers, warm and familiar.

He reaches out, his fingers brushing her wrist. "Mia—"

She freezes, her back to him. "Don't." Her voice trembles, but she doesn't turn around. "You said it yourself. It was a mistake."

And then she walks away.

Leon stays where he is, staring at the spot she stood. Xavier growls low inside him, restless and pained. But he couldn't follow. He can't.

Mia walks the quiet path back home, the night air cool against her flushed skin. Her heart still pounds, not from fear—but from something deeper, more like rejection.

Why does it hurt so much?

He's the Lycan Prince. He's untouchable. Out of reach.

And yet, when he looked at her, when he kissed her—

She presses her hand against her lips, her steps slowing. "Why do I even care?" she mutters, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter. He's not mine. He never was."

But even as she says it, her chest aches.

Maybe it's the bond. Maybe it's something else. Something she can't name yet.

By the time she reaches home, the lamps from their small porch cast a dim glow. Laura is there, standing by the door, worry etched across her face.

"Mia!" Her mother rushes forward, pulling her into a hug. "Where have you been? I was—"

Mia stiffens in her arms. "I'm fine, Mom. I just… I needed to clear my head."

Laura pulls back, searching her daughter's face. "You look pale. Did something happen?"

Mia shakes her head, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. Just… school things."

Laura's eyes linger on her a moment longer, but she doesn't push. "Go get some rest, darling. You've had a long day."

Mia nods and slips inside. But Laura stays by the door, her hand pressed to her chest, her gaze distant.

She saw it again. That faint shimmer beneath Mia's collar—the crescent mark glowing like a sleeping star.

A quiet fear coils in her heart. Not yet. Please, not yet.

If the mark has awakened… the world will come for her daughter.

Laura closes her eyes. If they discover who she is… she'll never be safe again.

In her lavish dorm draped in silk and silver, Rachel paces the length of her room, fury twisting her features.

"How could this happen, Eliose? He kissed her!" she snaps, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.

Eliose sits nervously on the edge of the bed, wringing her hands. "Rachel, I told you she's not normal. You saw it—those lights, that mark. Maybe she's not even—"

"Don't!" Rachel whirls on her. "Don't make excuses for her! That… that girl is playing some kind of trick." Her eyes flash with spite. "She's using witchcraft. That's the only reason Leon would ever look at her."

Eliose hesitates. "Rachel, that's a serious accusation. If you're wrong—"

"I'm not wrong!" Rachel's voice breaks. "You saw her, Eliose! You saw what she did! She can only seduce Leon by witchcraft. Leon can not be lured. No human can have that kind of power. If the school finds out, she'll be expelled and that will be it."

She stops pacing, breath coming fast, eyes gleaming. "And Leon will finally be free."

Eliose frowns, shaking her head. "You're letting jealousy make you reckless. The Headmistress won't just believe us."

"Then I'll make her believe."

Rachel strides to her vanity, grabs a comb, and tosses it down again, unable to focus. Her reflection stares back, eyes burning. "She doesn't belong here. And I'll make sure she never steps foot in this school again."

Eliose bites her lip. "Rachel, please. Maybe we should think—"

"Enough!" Rachel's tone hardens. "You can stay here if you're scared. I'm going to the Headmistress now."

Eliose sighs, but rises anyway. "Fine. I'm coming. Someone has to stop you from doing something stupid."

Rachel shoots her a glare, but says nothing.

The corridors are quiet as they walk. The Headmistress's office looms at the end, doors carved with the crest of the Eclipse Institute—a crescent moon flanked by two wolves.

Rachel pushes the door open without knocking.

The Headmistress looks up from a stack of scrolls, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Miss Rachel. Miss Eliose. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Rachel bows slightly, her tone dripping urgency. "I apologize, Headmistress Orla, but this cannot wait. It's a matter of safety."

Orla sets down her quill, unimpressed. "Go on."

Rachel straightens, her voice trembling with false concern. "It's about Mia. The scholarship girl. She's dangerous."

Eliose winces behind her, whispering, "Rachel…"

But Rachel doesn't stop. "She's been hiding something from us. I saw her—she used witchfire during the rogue attack. She's not a wolf. She's not even one of us. She's a witch."

The word hangs heavy in the air.

Orla's eyes sharpen. "A witch? Do you understand the weight of that accusation?"

Rachel nods firmly. "Yes, ma'am. I saw it with my own eyes. Silver fire from her hands. It's forbidden magic. You taught us yourself—witchcraft is a crime punishable by expulsion."

Eliose steps forward timidly. "Headmistress, maybe it wasn't—"

"Silence." Orla's gaze snaps to her, cold and cutting. She turns back to Rachel. "You're certain of what you saw?"

Rachel clasps her hands together, feigning innocence. "I wouldn't come here if I wasn't. I only want to keep the school safe."

The Headmistress leans back in her chair, eyes narrowing, fingers tapping slowly against the desk. The silence stretches. Then she stands, her robes flowing like shadow.

"If what you say is true," she says finally, voice sharp as a blade, "then she cannot stay."

Rachel's lips curve, a flicker of triumph glinting in her eyes.

Headmistress Orla lifts her chin, her decision cold and final.

"That girl will be expelled."

The words echo through the room, sealing Mia's fate.

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