Chapter 31
Ellie POV
I just wanted one peaceful meal. One.
But by lunch, I honestly thought things couldn’t get worse.
That was my first mistake.
The cafeteria felt like a coliseum, and I was the sacrifice of the week. My friends and I barely step into line before the whispers start circling like vultures.
“I heard Ellie set Vivian up-”
“She deserves it after stealing her sister’s mate-”
“Oh my god, imagine the Mate course. The tension is going to be insane.”
I freeze mid-step, fork in hand, because excuse me?
Before I can decide whether to throw the fork or swallow it whole, Sarah beats me to the punch.
“Hey!” she snaps, slamming her tray onto the table with enough force to silence a ten-foot radius. “Watch your mouths. Ellie didn’t set anyone up. She has every right to choose her own path and you all know nothing.”
I blink at her.
Damn.
Okay Sarah. Go off.
The gossipers shrink back instantly. One girl mutters something about “overreacting,” but Sarah’s glare shuts her up faster than an Alpha command.
She was sweet, but even I knew she wasn’t one to be poked. Sarah reminded me more of a bear than a wolf at times.
We settle at our usual table, but the tension hangs overhead like soggy clouds.
“Seriously,” Sarah huffs as she opens her juice. “People act like you personally planned the apocalypse.”
“I mean,” Mimi, a girl from our second period, says grinning, “if Ellie had set Vivian up, I’d respect it.”
I snort. “Please. I don’t have the energy to set myself up, let alone her.”
“Oh! Speaking of energy,” Sarah says, popping a grape into her mouth, “you should probably just partner with Lucas for the Mate course. He clearly has your back.”
My entire table erupts with laughter, although Mia seems serious.
I roll my eyes so hard I swear I see the back of my skull. “Hilarious. Truly. But no. I’m not partnering with Lucas or Dominic. I’m not partnering with anyone.’
Mimi waves her fork. “You say that like The Moon Goddess isn’t already rehearsing your matching outfits.”
“I’d rather fight a mountain lion barehanded.”
Sarah laughs, but there’s a knowing edge to it. “Still… Lucas would be better than most.”
13
+25 Bonus
I open my mouth to brush it off-but I can’t.
Because a thought hits me so hard I freeze, fries halfway to my lips.
To enroll in the Healer Academy… I need a recommendation letter from an Alpha family.
And I just dramatically withdrew from the Management Academy, so my options are:
Option A: Ask Dominic. (Absolutely not. I’d move to another continent first.)
Option B: Lucas.
Slowly, I reach for my phone.
Sarah notices. “Are you seriously texting him right now?”
I pretend not to hear her as I type.
Hey… are you free? I need a favor.
Before I can overthink it, I hit send.
Because maybe my life is a cosmic disaster right now, but he seemed like the best option.
Lucas spies me before I can even figure out where to sit to meet for the rest of lunch. One second I’m scanning the courtyard for a quiet bench, and the next he’s waving me over like he’s trying to flag down a taxi.
“Ellie!” he calls, grinning like the sun personally blessed him. “There you are! Over here.”
I walk over, ignoring the rising wave of whispers behind me. The moment we sit down together-side by side, barely a foot of space between us-the entire quad goes silent.
Then the whispering starts.
“Oh my god-”
“Is she serious?”
“But isn’t she fated with Dominic now-?”
“Is Lucas trying to die?”
Lucas hears it too, and I start thinking of an apology when he leans back, casually draping an arm along the bench behind me. Not touching me but very aware of how it looks.
He smirks. “They probably think you’re cheating on your fated mate.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Not my problem. I tried to reject it.”
He actually freezes, his eyebrows climb nearly to his hairline. “You what?”
“I tried to reject it,” I repeat, picking at the food I’m not really eating. “He didn’t.”
Lucas lets out a long, low whistle. “Wow. That was fast.”
“Yeah, well,” I mutter, “I’m efficient.”
He laughs under his breath. Not mocking. Just… amused. And warm.
23
+25 Bonus
