Classes went by without much incident.

My eyes were back to normal, and according to Jenny and Regina, I was no longer throwing off ’fuck me’ energy, but I still commanded attention when I walked into the class.

For one, Professor Halven had stopped mid-sentence and stared at me for all of two minutes. Then he went red-faced, having forgotten what he was supposed to be teaching.

It was so bad, he didn’t even reprimand me for coming in late.

Some guy I didn’t recognize tripped over himself to pull out a seat for me.

Cole bore a hole through the back of my head throughout the entirety of the classes we shared together. He wasn’t paying any attention to Lana, and his stare felt like a scalding burn to my cheek every time a guy slipped a note into my locker.

Though, I find that I am strangely unaffected by him. From time to time, I feel a tingle of awareness in my chest recognizing him, but it is almost... insignificant.

By lunch time, I was the most talked about topic, the second being that some jerk had broken the female’s bathroom and it was now out of commission until further notice, which meant everyone had to use the male’s bathroom.

Every time someone cussed out ’the asshole’ who broke the bathroom, I tried not to cringe.

"May, are you listening?" Jenny glanced at the book in front of me. "What are you reading?"

I slammed the book shut, heart slamming into my ribcage as I hid the book behind my back. "Nothing."

We were in the busy cafeteria, and Nick was getting us lunch. I wasn’t exactly hungry, my mind filled with chaos and the same stupid curiosity that had made me bring the dummy handbook along with me to school in the first place.

Regina narrowed her eyes. Then she sprang on me and we went into a girlish pull and tug fight where she snatched the book right out of my hands. "Aha!" She squinted at the title. "What the hell is this?" I tried snatching it from her, but the bookmark fell open.

Right onto the page I had been stuck on for the last thirty minutes. And the detailed diagrams with subheadings and bulleted suggestions.

Regina gasped. "Knotting?!"

I slapped my hand over her big mouth, too late, because Jenny whispered, "Uh... guys... The Lycans are looking over here."

I didn’t need to look. I could feel their gazes scraping down my back like glass. I knew for a fact that they heard Regina and now, they knew I was researching what it meant to be knotted.

Again, I wanted to crawl into the nearest hole I could find and hide.

Ignoring my state of panic, Regina and Jenny huddled over the page, staring wide-eyed at the diagram of the... well... the penis.

"What do you mean it expands? Like—during, or—" Regina turned her terrified, yet fascinated gaze to me. "Do they really have knots..." her voice dropped into a whisper. "... down there?"

"How would she know? It’s not like they walk around naked, measuring dick sizes," Jenny retorts.

My face turned red as I remembered Quinlan in his study. I didn’t know what a normal penis looked like, so I didn’t know if Quinlan’s was shaped weirdly—

Oh god, what sort of train of thought is that?

My best friends were staring at me strangely. I was certain I was now the color of red apples.

Regina, who knew me too well, gasped. Then she screamed. "It’s only been three days, Maisie Adeline Adams!" Then she leaned into me, inspecting my face like she could find the answers she was looking for. "Was it Soren? I bet it was Soren. He took your virginity, didn’t he? Tell me he was at least gentle the first time."

"Nothing happened—"

"It was Mercer," Jenny cut in. "You saw the way he looked at her in Combat. He wanted to put a baby in her." Her eyes were earnest. "Did it expand? How can you still walk? That thing is terrifying."

"The last thing Mercer wants is to put a baby in me—"

Regina sat up straight. "It was Quinlan. It’s always the quiet ones. And he’s from France. You know what they say about French-men. Treat you like a princess, fuck you like a horse—"

"Oh god, please stop—"

"It has to be Jericho," Jenny snapped her fingers. "He’s all brooding and scary. I bet he fucks like a caveman. He probably bent her over the—"

"Shut up!" I screamed at them.

The Cafeteria fell silent.

They blinked up at me innocently. I snatched up my book from them and ran out of the Cafeteria red-faced.

When I moved past the Lycan’s tables, I heard Soren’s chuckle, because naturally, they heard everything.

Could today really get any shittier?

***

You know, there had never been a time in my life when I asked that question that the universe didn’t respond generously.

***

There was a limousine in the mansion’s driveway when I returned from school, later than normal, considering I spent the latter part of the day hiding from everyone.

I recognized Alpha Dante’s chauffeur and my heart sped up. I picked up my steps, walking into the house, and the sound of soft conversation flitted over, just as I turned the corner into the living room.

And I stopped.

Alpha Dante Hayes was in the Lycans’ living area, conversing with Soren. His face was tight. Soren’s was expressionless. Mercer’s arms were folded. Jericho’s lips into a thin line. And Quinn looked pleasant as always.

There was a letter at the centre of the table with Alpha Dante’s seal on it, and the moment I turned the corner, he glanced up.

And he smiled at me.

Alpha Dante smiled at me. Warmly, if I might add. "Ah. Adams." He stood to his full height, and I shuffled backward when he approached me. "As always, it is a pleasure to see you. You look well."

It was nearly instinctive to lower my eyes and head in deference. But he was not my Alpha any longer, and I stared at him dead in the eye. "Were you hoping I wouldn’t be?"

He paused at the tone, clearly not liking it, but for some reason, he took it in stride, brushing the question aside. "I was just informing the Prince of the current... situation."

I frowned. "What situation?"

"Following your ejection from the pack, an investigation was carried out," he said softly. "I came personally to apologize for the unfairness of situation. You were merely a victim of a plot and I should have seen that sooner."

Something tickled my subconscious. There was a bad feeling.

A bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t know what it was but something about the glee in Alpha Dante’s eyes made me feel uneasy.

"Lana Braxton will be punished for her crime, but I am well aware this will not make up for what was done to you." He smiled. "So I have decided to correct my error, from its very root." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He took a step forward. "I have come to bring you back with me. I am well aware of the pain Cole’s immature rejection has caused you. And I am glad to inform you that the Council has pulled its weight in your favour."

I didn’t like where this was going.

Then it came. Like a blow. "The engagement between Lana and Cole has been called off. You are his true mate, and as such, your place is by his side. As his Luna."

I stumbled. "H-his Luna?"

Alpha Dante’s eyes crinkled in a half smile. "Arrangements are being made. You will be expected to complete the marking and mating rite in two weeks."