I thought getting into Apex Vanguard Academy was my ticket out. A chance to finally prove my family wrong, to escape the brothers who despised me. Maybe I wouldn’t feel so worthless anymore. No one believed I’d make it—especially not my fated mate, Alpha Weston Blake. The night I planned to celebrate… I found him tangled in the sheets with my best friend. Rejected and humiliated, I ran, leaving my old life in ashes to start over at Apex alone.
But this academy isn’t the sanctuary I imagined. Beneath its pristine halls, a twisted game is played for points, where status is everything and sexual conquests are currency. When my deepest secret is exposed—that I’m a virgin—I’m no longer a student. I’m the ultimate prize, and the school’s four ruling Alphas are ready to play.
There’s the mate who shattered my world, now vowing he’ll have me back. The calculating strategist who sees me as his perfect queen. The hedonistic playboy who promises to teach me everything I’ve never known. And then there’s him—Zion Hansen. The Alpha of the North. Aloof, powerful, a man who seems to hate the very system he commands, yet he’s the one who keeps pulling me from the fire.
But a dark rot festers at the heart of this academy, one that goes far beyond schoolyard games. In a place where secrets are weapons and trust is a liability, falling for the one man offering protection might be the deadliest move of all. Welcome to Apex Vanguard Academy—where innocence is a commodity, and mine is worth the most.

The events from the bus stop the previous day haunted my thoughts like shadows that refused to fade. I couldn't shake the memory of how quickly our conversation had soured, how Zion's expression had shifted from playful to cold in mere seconds. What troubled me most wasn't the awkwardness of admitting my inexperience, but rather his harsh reaction to my confession.


I found myself obsessing over every word I'd spoken, dissecting each moment for clues about what had triggered his sudden withdrawal. The revelation that I was untouched should have been embarrassing, yet somehow his response stung far worse than my own vulnerability.


What made the situation even more bewildering was Zion's complete about-face in behavior. Instead of the teasing or judgment I'd expected, he seemed determined to pretend I didn't exist at all. The invisible wall he'd erected between us felt more cutting than any cruel words could have been.


Chapter 37 - Chapter 37 Shadows in the Water