I couldn't shake the memory of Sean's haunted eyes, but Ryan's shove looped in my head like a bad remix—smug and unearned. It was time for some unnecessary chaos to balance the scales. I fired off a text: Saw you bully Sean. Jerk alert. Apologize or else? Quad fountain, now. -Scarlet
His ping-back was instant: You're right, I was a jerk. I'd love a chance to make it up to you properly. I'm on my way—and I have a spot in mind if you're up for a late walk?
Marie smirked as I pocketed my phone. "Chaos queen strikes again?"
"Ryan deserves the stir," I said. "It keeps things interesting."
ÑHe sauntered up under the quad's glowing lamps, his grin dialed to a roguish charm, solo for once. "Fine, Scarlet. Sorry for riling the wolf-boy. Am I forgiven?"
I crossed my arms, hiding a smirk. "Barely. You owe me a debt of chaos."
His eyes gleamed as he leaned closer. "Perfect. Sneak to the woods with me? The moon is gold tonight—it's a prime stargazing spot. No myths, scout's honor."
The Autumn charge in the air tugged at me—reckless and electric. "Deal. But one wrong move and you're myth fodder."
We ghosted past the dorms, our boots crunching gravel into the silence as the pines loomed ahead. The woods gripped us fast, their branches clawing the moonlight into silver scars. In a clearing, we claimed a mossy log, our shoulders brushing.
Ryan traced the sky with a finger. "Orion's stalking up there. Fitting for tonight."
Stars pierced the black like secrets. His arm draped over my shoulders, a steady warmth cutting through the seasonal chill. "Solid apology," I breathed.
His gaze dropped to mine. "Good."
He closed the gap, and for a heartbeat, the world went still. His lips brushed mine with the soft, bruised weight of velvet petals before the kiss deepened, blooming into something dark and electric.The air around us seemed to thicken with the scent of damp earth and crushed blooms, the heat of his body the only fire in a world turning to shadow.
Then, a howl shattered the quiet.We jerked apart, pulses hammering.
"Dogs," Ryan huffed, forcing a laugh as his grip on me tightened.
I scanned the shadows, my skin prickling with the distinct, cold sensation of being watched. The Autumn air had turned jagged, the sweetness of the kiss replaced by the metallic tang of fear.
Ryan led me back toward the edge of the trees where his bike sat—a sleek, obsidian silhouette leaning against a rusted fence. He handed me a helmet, his roguish charm returning in flickers, though his eyes kept darting toward the tree line. The engine kicked to life with a low, guttural snarl that tore through the silence of the sleeping campus.
As we tore down the winding backroads toward my dorm, I clung to him, the wind whipping past like invisible ribbons. But the feeling never faded.
He dropped me off at the curb of my building. "See you tomorrow, Chaos Queen," he said, waiting until I reached the heavy oak doors before he kicked the bike back into gear and vanished into the night.
Deep in the blackened stretch of woods bordering the estate, the air began to shimmer with a violent heat. A figure doubled over, fingers clawing into the damp earth as the human skin stretched to a breaking point.
The mockery from earlier—Ryan's easy smirk, his dismissive laugh, the way he treated the ancient lore like a campfire joke—burned hotter than the fever in the werewolf's blood. A low, guttural snarl that vibrated in the chest of the beast–turned its snout toward the scent of exhaust and retreating rubber....