I won my second match and lost my third, putting me somewhere in the middle of the rankings when they were finally posted at sunset. Not impressive, but not suspicious either. Exactly where I needed to be.
Kade had won all three of his matches, landing him in the top ten. Of course.
We walked back to the dorm in silence, both exhausted and covered in bruises. I could feel the mate bond humming between us, stronger now after a day of violence and adrenaline.
"You did good today," Kade said as we reached our room.
"So did you."
He unlocked the door, and we filed inside. The space felt smaller than before, the two beds too close together, the air thick with tension I couldn't name.
Or could name. Just didn't want to acknowledge.
"I'm going to shower," I said, grabbing my towel and heading for the bathroom before he could offer to join me like he had yesterday.
I locked the door behind me and leaned against it, my heart racing.
The suppressants were wearing off. I could feel it in the way my skin felt too tight, too hot. In the way my wolf was restless, pacing, whining.
I had maybe an hour before the full effects kicked in. Before my scent changed enough that even the blockers couldn't hide it.
I needed to take another dose. Now.
I rifled through my bag, searching for the small vial of suppressants—
It wasn't there.
Panic seized me. I dumped the entire bag out, searching frantically, but it was gone. The vial was gone.
Had I dropped it? Left it somewhere?
Or had someone taken it?
A knock on the bathroom door made me jump.
"Ash? You okay in there?" Kade's voice, concerned.
"Fine," I called back, my voice strained. "Just… give me a minute."
I had to think. Had to figure this out.
The heat wouldn't fully hit for another few hours, but the early signs were already starting. My temperature rising. My scent shifting. The desperate, clawing need building in my core.
I could go to the infirmary, claim I was sick, get a private room—
No. That would raise questions. And Professor Hale had warned me to be careful, to not draw attention.
I could leave. Run. But where would I go? And how would I explain my absence?
Another knock, more insistent. "Ash, seriously. You're freaking me out."
I splashed cold water on my face, trying to cool down, trying to think through the haze that was starting to cloud my mind.
"I'm coming out," I said.
I opened the door to find Kade standing there, his expression worried. And the moment I stepped into the room, his eyes widened.
He could smell it. The shift in my scent.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Nothing. I'm fine." I backed away, putting distance between us. "Just tired from the fights."
He followed me, his wolf surging to the surface. "You don't smell fine. You smell—" He cut himself off, confusion flickering across his face. "Sweet. You smell sweet."
Oh god. The heat was progressing faster than I'd thought.
"I need to go," I said, grabbing my jacket. "I forgot I have to—"
His hand caught my wrist, and the contact sent fire racing through my veins.
I gasped, my knees nearly buckling, and I saw his pupils dilate in response.
"Ash," he said, his voice rough. "What are you?"
"I have to go," I repeated, trying to pull away.
But his grip tightened, not painfully, but firm enough to keep me in place. "You're not leaving until you tell me what's going on."
The heat was building, making it hard to think, hard to do anything except feel the mate bond screaming at me to get closer, to touch him, to give in to what my wolf desperately wanted.
"Kade, please—"
He pulled me closer, his free hand coming up to cup my face, and when his thumb brushed over my cheek, I actually whimpered.
His eyes darkened. "There's something about you that drives my wolf insane. From the moment I met you, I've felt this… pull. This need. And I can't figure out why."
"You're imagining things," I whispered, even as I leaned into his touch.
"Am I?" He leaned down, his nose nearly touching mine, breathing me in. "Because right now, every instinct I have is screaming at me to—"
A sharp knock on the door interrupted him.
We both froze.
"Thorne! Winters! Mandatory house meeting in five minutes!" someone shouted from the hallway.
Kade cursed, stepping back, and the loss of contact made me want to cry.
"We're not done talking about this," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Then he left, giving me space to pull myself together.
I sank onto my bed, shaking.
This was bad. This was so, so bad.
I had no suppressants. My heat was coming. And my fated mate was getting suspicious.
I had maybe twelve hours before everything fell apart.
Twelve hours to figure out how to survive this.
Or twelve hours to run.
The smart choice was obvious.
But as I looked at the door Kade had just walked through, at the room we shared, at the life I'd built here in just one day—
I realized I didn't want to run anymore.
Even if staying meant risking everything.
Even if it meant my secret would finally be revealed.
Because for the first time in my life, I wanted to fight for something.
Not just survival.
But a chance at something more.