The Stanford University campus vibrated with chaotic energy. The first day of orientation was a whirlwind of emotions—nervous laughter, overlapping voices, rolling suitcases down the hallways, and the incessant echo of hurried footsteps on the pavement. But for Lucian, it was all distant noise, insignificant. He walked through the crowd with a dangerous calm, like a predator stalking among prey unaware of his presence. His regal posture and intense golden eyes made him stand out, but he wasn't seeking attention. He didn't need it.
At his side, Jaxon, his Beta, kept pace, alert to any sign. They had been summoned by the Dean for Lucian to give the opening speech for the year. His reputation preceded him. He was the bridge between the human world and the world of Lycans. The council had granted him that authority—the same council that continued to demand he choose a mate. And then he felt it.
A scent. A whisper of wild vanilla that cut through the air and struck him like a bolt to the chest. Lucian stopped abruptly, eyes narrowing, his entire body tensing as if an invisible force had frozen him. That scent…
It was unmistakable.
Nineteen years. Nineteen long, miserable years since he had first sensed it. He had searched ever since, a mix of longing and fury, and now it was here—unexpected and brutal—like a dagger piercing the very core of his being.
Within him, Luca, his wolf, roared with a fervor that nearly made him stagger.
"Mate!" Luca howled, a heart-wrenching intensity resonating through every fiber of his soul.
Lucian closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to contain the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume him. But it was useless. The scent called to him, claimed him, and he could not resist. His feet began to move, guided by an instinct older than time itself.
"It can't be…" he murmured to himself, parting the crowd with firm, decisive steps.
Each step brought him closer to the origin of that intoxicating scent, and with every step, his mind filled with questions he did not want to answer. Why now? Why here? Why her? But above all, a certainty burned inside him: he had to see her. He had to confirm it.
And then he saw her.
She was sitting under the shade of a tree, surrounded by other students laughing carelessly. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, glinting in the sunlight like liquid gold. Her tanned skin radiated a warmth that seemed to invite touch. And her laugh… that light, carefree laugh enraged him beyond reason.
A human.
A mere human.
Lucian felt the rage boiling within him, mingling with something far darker: a primitive, uncontrollable need to claim her as his own.
"It can't be her," he growled through gritted teeth, trying to convince himself as his eyes remained fixed on her like a predator stalking its prey.
"She is our mate," Luca insisted, a low, possessive growl echoing in his mind like thunder.
"Shut up!" Lucian snapped mentally, struggling to maintain control.
How could the Moon Goddess be so cruel? How could she have assigned such a fragile, insignificant creature as his mate? He was an Alpha, a leader destined to govern and protect his own. He needed a strong mate, someone worthy to stand by his side, not… this.
Yet, despite his thoughts filled with disdain, he could not look away. Every detail of her face seemed to etch itself into his memory against his will: the soft curve of her lips, the innocent sparkle in her eyes… eyes that, at that moment, lifted and met his.
It was as if the entire world stopped.
Their gazes locked, and Lucian felt all the air leave his lungs. Her eyes were as blue as the deepest ocean, and for an eternal instant, he felt as if he were drowning in them. There was something in that look that completely disarmed him: curiosity… innocence… and something else he couldn't identify but that pierced him like a red-hot dagger.
His heart pounded uncontrollably, betraying him with every deafening beat against his chest. He wanted to hate her for the power she held over him without even knowing it. He wanted to reject her for being everything he had not imagined for himself. But more than anything… he wanted to possess her. He wanted to claim her as his and erase any trace of doubt about who belonged to him.
"She is beautiful," Luca whispered reverently within his mind.
"She is weak!" Lucian roared in response, spinning sharply on his heels to move away from her before losing control entirely.
Jaxon followed quickly, noting the tension in every muscle of his Alpha's body.
"Everything okay?" he asked cautiously, though he knew perfectly well that something was terribly wrong.
Lucian didn't answer. His steps were firm and decisive as he headed toward the auditorium to give his speech. But inside, he was chaos: a storm of conflicting emotions threatening to destroy him from within.
"She will not be my mate," he promised himself with fierce determination.
Lucian turned and strode toward the auditorium amid the bustle of students. He didn't understand—this human girl appeared no older than eighteen, barely a pup. She was far too young; he had expected a strong she-wolf of at least forty years.
But the Moon Goddess was playing a cruel trick on him—it couldn't be true that a mere human was his mate.