Rick's POV
The lecture dragged on, but I couldn't focus. Not with him sitting just rows away.
Every nerve in my body hummed with the pull. The bond was alive, pulsing in my chest like a second heartbeat. I wanted to look at him, to study the curve of his jaw, to memorize the way his blue eyes had locked onto mine. But I couldn't risk being too obvious. Instead, I kept stealing glances, each one making the ache worse.
So this was what the Clan elders meant. Irresistible. Consuming. I felt tethered to him, and every breath I drew seemed bound to his.
The bell exploded through the room.
The sound tore through my skull, loud enough to make me flinch. My senses sharpened too much, and for a moment I had to grit my teeth just to stay still. By the time the ringing eased, desks screeched and students rushed for the door.
And then, he was gone.
Panic surged. I shoved my books into my bag and hurried into the hall, scanning faces as I pushed through the crowd. I couldn't lose him. Not now. Not after that look, that undeniable spark.
Then I spotted him. Blond hair, leaning casually against a locker. Relief flooded me, and I rushed forward.
"Hi," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
The wolf scent hit me immediately. Faint but sharp. My stomach dropped. A wolf. My soulmate was a wolf.
But before I could even process the devastation of that truth, he frowned. "Who the hell are you?"
The words sliced through me. Confusion, irritation, suspicion—all flashing in his expression. Did he recognize me? Could he somehow tell what I was? The potion should still be masking my scent.
"You lost or something?" he pressed, giving me a once-over.
I froze, scrambling for words. Then his eyes lit with recognition. "Oh, wait. You're that guy Mrs. Gia introduced earlier."
"Who's Mrs. Gia?" I blurted before I could even think.
"The Vice Principal." He laughed, shaking his head. "Man, you've got memory problems."
Right. The woman who led me here this morning. I forced a nod. "No, I remember her."
"Good." He smirked. "So, what's up? You here to join the soccer team? I'm captain." His grin was smug, like that was the crown jewel of the school.
"No, I just…" I hesitated. "Thought you were someone else."
"Ah. Makes sense. You probably mistook me for one of my triplets."
Triplets. My chest twisted. That explained everything—the resemblance, the wrongness of the pull. This wasn't him. This wasn't my mate.
"Yeah," I said lightly. "That must be it."
"Anyway, name's Kaylan. But everyone calls me Kay."
"Rick," I replied, forcing a smile.
"Well, Rick, nice to meet you."
"Same here."
He seemed friendly enough—too friendly for a wolf—but none of it mattered. He wasn't the one. The bond inside me was silent around him.
"I gotta go, see ya."
I excused myself quickly, my thoughts tumbling. I should have asked about his brothers. About the one who mattered. But the words stuck in my throat. I wasn't ready—not when I was still reeling from the truth. My soulmate was a wolf.
I turned a corner and collided with someone hard.
Books exploded onto the floor, scattering across the hallway.
"You okay?" a voice asked.
The bond roared to life.
The pull slammed into me, fierce and undeniable, stronger than ever. My breath caught, and the wolf-scent clung to my senses. This was him. My mate.
Warm hands tilted my chin up, blue eyes locking onto mine with concern. My chest stuttered. He didn't know I couldn't be hurt, not really, but I let him worry. I liked it, his care wrapping around me like a blanket.
He looked like Kaylan, but softer. Freckles dusted his cheeks, and when he smiled, they bloomed like stars.
"I'm fine," I whispered, my voice betraying me.
Students stared, whispering, but he ignored them. And for the first time, I didn't care either.
I bent to gather his books, guilt twisting in me. "Here, let me help."
He caught my hand gently. "No, it's okay. You don't have to."
"I want to," I said firmly. "It's my fault anyway."
He hesitated, then let me, watching as I stacked the books neatly and handed them back.
"Thanks," he said softly.
"You're welcome."
And then he smiled.
It lit his whole face, freckles deepening, eyes glowing like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
My chest tightened. I wanted to touch him. Hold him. Claim him.
But he was a wolf.
And fate had already sealed our bond.