Mia didn't move for a long moment. She stayed on the cold bathroom floor, hugging her knees, trying to calm the tremors shaking through her. Her throat burned where his hand had pinned her, her body still humming with something she couldn't name.
It wasn't just fear.
It was heat. It was… connection.
And that terrified her even more.
"Stay invisible," she whispered to herself, clutching her chest as if her mother's words could save her now. But she hadn't been invisible. She had been seen—more than seen. Leon's eyes had stripped her bare, and the memory of his lips grazing her neck made her body shiver all over again.
She scrambled to her feet, forcing her legs to move, splashing cold water on her face before darting out of the bathroom. The halls were quieter now, most students still in the cafeteria. She slipped back into the lower wing, heart pounding, praying no one noticed her absence.
But whispers traveled faster than footsteps.
By the time classes ended that afternoon, Mia already heard the laughter.
"She spilled ketchup on Rachel."
"She ran into the restricted wing."
"She'll be expelled for sure."
Their voices swirled around her as she kept her eyes on the ground. She didn't speak, didn't defend herself. The more she tried to shrink into silence, the more their words cut at her skin.
When the final bell rang, she walked fast, clutching her bag tight. She just needed to get home, to see her mother's face, to breathe. But the moment she stepped outside the gates of Eclipse Prowess, a shadow blocked her path.
Rachel.
Her blouse was clean now, but the anger in her eyes burned brighter than any stain. Eliose stood at her side, grinning like a wolf ready for blood.
"You think you can humiliate me?" Rachel's voice was sharp, every word dripping venom. "In front of everyone?"
Mia shook her head quickly. "I didn't—"
"Shut up." Rachel's hand shot out, grabbing Mia's arm so hard she winced. "Do you know who I am?"
Yes, Mia knew. Everyone knew. Rachel was the girlfriend of the Lycan Prince. The future Luna in the eyes of many. Her word carried weight that could crush a girl like Mia into dust.
"I'll make sure you regret stepping foot in this school," Rachel hissed. "Scholarship or not, you don't belong here."
Mia bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry, not to beg. Invisible. Stay invisible.
But then Rachel's voice lowered, poisonous and smug. "And if you think running into the higher wing will protect you… you're wrong. That territory belongs to him."
Her stomach dropped. She didn't need Rachel to say his name. The image of Leon's eyes burned too vividly in her mind.
Rachel smirked as if she'd read Mia's thoughts. "Stay away from him. If he even notices you…" Her grip tightened. "You won't survive."
Eliose giggled, tugging at Rachel's arm. "Let her go. She's not worth it."
Rachel finally shoved Mia aside, her heels clicking as she walked off. But her warning lingered like smoke, choking the air around Mia.
By the time Mia reached their small apartment, Laura was waiting at the window. She opened the door quickly, worry already written across her face.
"Mia? What happened?"
Mia forced a smile, though her voice shook. "Nothing, Mom. Just a long day."
But Laura wasn't fooled. She cupped Mia's face, studying the faint redness around her neck. "Who hurt you?"
Tears burned Mia's eyes, but she shook her head. "It's fine. I can handle it."
Laura sighed, pulling her into a hug. "You don't need to handle it alone. You're all I have, Mia. Please promise me you'll be careful."
Mia nodded against her mother's shoulder, swallowing down the words she couldn't say. How could she explain what happened in that bathroom? How could she explain the way her heart still raced when she thought of Leon's voice, his touch, his eyes?
No. She couldn't. She wouldn't.
That night, sleep refused to come. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt his breath on her skin, heard his low growl asking what she was. And worse—she felt the way her body had answered him, the traitorous heat that made her moan when she should have screamed.
She pressed her pillow to her face, whispering again, "Stay invisible."
But she had a sinking feeling it was already too late.
The next day, she kept her head down, sliding into her first class, praying for a quiet morning. But quiet was a luxury at Eclipse Prowess.
Halfway through the lesson, the classroom door opened.
Murmurs rippled instantly. Students straightened, eyes widening.
Leon.
The Lycan Prince himself stepped inside, his presence filling the room like a storm. His dark hair caught the light, his uniform sharp, but it was his eyes that commanded silence—cold, piercing, burning with a power that silenced every whisper.
The teacher bowed slightly. "Your Highness. What brings you—"
"I'm here to observe." His voice was clipped, but it carried authority that made the room tighten with unease.
Mia froze in her seat, her breath locking in her chest. She hadn't expected to see him again so soon, not here, not in her class.
But when his gaze swept the room, it stopped. On her.
Her blood ran cold.
For a moment, his expression didn't change. But something flickered in his eyes—something she recognized from that bathroom. Confusion. Hunger. Rage.
She dropped her gaze to her desk, her heart thundering so loud she was sure the whole room could hear.
"Continue," Leon ordered, leaning against the back wall. But Mia could feel his eyes on her, heavy and unrelenting.
Minutes crawled like hours. Every time she dared to lift her head, his gaze was there, sharp as claws. She couldn't breathe under it.
When the bell finally rang, she bolted, clutching her books, weaving through the crowd. But even in the hallway, she could feel him. Following.
"Mia."
Her name froze her in place.
She turned slowly. He stood a few feet away, tall and unshaken, his presence drawing stares from every student around them.
"You," he said, voice low but firm. "Come with me."
Her heart slammed. She wanted to refuse, to run, but his eyes held her, pulling her in like gravity itself. Against every instinct, her feet moved.
He led her down the hall, past classrooms, past curious whispers, until they reached a secluded corner of the courtyard.
Only then did he turn, his eyes burning.
"What are you?" His words were sharp, demanding.
Mia's lips parted, but no sound came. She shook her head. "I—I don't know what you mean."
His jaw tightened. "Don't lie to me. I smelled it. In that bathroom. You're not just human."
Her stomach twisted. She wanted to scream that he was wrong, that she was nothing, that she didn't belong here. But the way he said it—like a truth already known—left her trembling.
"I'm just me," she whispered.
For a moment, silence stretched. Then Leon stepped closer, too close, his shadow swallowing hers. His gaze dropped to her neck, to the spot where his lips had nearly marked her.
Her breath caught.
But then his hand slammed against the wall beside her head, his eyes narrowing with fury. "Stay away from me."
The words cut sharper than any blade.
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her pressed against the wall, trembling, her heart breaking without understanding why.