By morning, the academy no longer felt like a school.
It felt like a war zone.
Whispers followed bonded girls down the corridors—soft voices filled with longing, resentment, and hunger. Unclaimed male students watched from archways and balconies, their gazes lingering not with innocence, but with intent. Romance Academy had always been dangerous, but now the tension had teeth.
Lyra felt it the moment she stepped into the dining hall.
The room went quiet.
Not completely—but enough for her wolf to stiffen. Eyes turned. Some girls smiled at her with sympathy. Others looked afraid. Across the hall, several unclaimed males sat together, their voices low, their expressions sharp. They weren't laughing. They were planning.
Kael noticed instantly. He moved closer to Lyra, his presence protective, his hand brushing the small of her back in a silent promise: I'm here.
But he couldn't be everywhere.
Neither could the other bonded males.
At a corner table, Selene sat rigid, her usual fiery confidence dimmed. Riven stood beside her, jaw clenched, eyes blazing as an unclaimed wolf named Marek leaned too close, his voice low and persuasive.
"You don't look happy," Marek said softly. "Are you sure your bond chose right? Because I see doubt in your eyes."
Selene's hands trembled. "Leave me alone."
"I could give you peace," Marek pressed. "No fighting. No blood moons. Just you and me. You deserve someone who doesn't drag you into danger."
Riven stepped forward, fury crackling in his aura. "Back away from her."
Marek only smiled. "You can't guard her every second," he said calmly. "And the rules allow challenges. If her heart wavers… she's not yours anymore."
The words hit harder than any blow.
Across the room, Ivy sat with her head bowed, tears slipping silently down her cheeks as another unclaimed boy whispered promises in her ear—soft words about safety, devotion, and escape from fear. Darian, her bonded mate, stood frozen nearby, fear written plainly across his face.
Not fear of losing a fight.
Fear of losing her.
Lyra's chest tightened painfully.
"This is wrong," she whispered to Kael. "They're breaking them… slowly."
Kael's expression darkened. "That's the point."
That afternoon, the Headmistress announced what everyone feared.
"The Claiming Trials will begin in three days," Selvara declared, her voice echoing through the hall. "Unclaimed students may formally challenge bonds—through strength, endurance, and emotional resolve. If a bonded heart falters… the bond may weaken."
A murmur of panic spread.
Lyra felt sick.
That night, Kael found her on the balcony outside her dorm, moonlight washing her skin silver. She stood there silently, tears clinging to her lashes.
"They're not trying to steal love," she said quietly. "They're trying to replace it. To make us doubt what we feel."
Kael stepped in front of her, his hands gentle but firm as he held her face. His usual control cracked, just slightly.
"Lyra," he said hoarsely, "if they take you from me… I don't know who I'll be without you."
Her breath caught.
She hadn't realized how deeply he feared it too.
She pressed her forehead to his chest, feeling his heartbeat—steady, real, hers. "They won't," she whispered. "I choose you. Every time. Even if it hurts."
His arms wrapped around her, tight, protective, desperate. "Then I'll fight harder than I ever have," he vowed. "For you. For us."
Around the academy, other lovers made the same promises—some trembling, some fierce, some already breaking under the pressure.
And in the shadows, the unclaimed watched with hungry eyes.
Because the Claiming Trials were coming.
And not every love would survive.