pte

NE POINT

into mine across the cafeteria. Something electric shoots through my chest. It starts

for so long, barely more than a whisper. Now she's howlin

echoes in my mi

he table so hard my knuckles turn white. Thi

ad connecting us. Pulling us together.

s to his plate with a sound that seems to echo fore

f them says. "

ed on mine. I see the exact moment he realizes what's ha

s outward until every nerve ending in my body is on fire. I've never f

wants to run to him. To cl

ws this is impossible. Wrong. A cos

es against the platform. The sound is like nails on a ch

ut in the dead silen

ent. It wants us to go to each other. To touc

e so badly I almost fall. Lu

he breathes. "W

nd is too strong. Too overwhelming

and worried. But he's not listening. He's staring at me li

His voice carries across the sile

f them stand up to get a better look. The s

Everyone knows what's happening. The future Al

htmare com

nother. Each step brings him closer to me. The bo

disgust. With horror. Like approaching

er. But my voice is

r approaching wounded prey. His friends follow behi

t the bond holds me in place. Makes

an smell his scent. Pine and rain and something wild tha

ting. His jaw is clenched tight. A muscle ticks in hi

oice is low. Dangerou

o anything,

lap. "You did something. Used

yes. "I don't know wha

. "You forced it some

e crowd like wildfire. Now they all know for sure.

y desperately. "

ches my face. The bond screams with joy at his ne

ains to hear. "I don't know what game you're playing. What lies

The bond writhes in agony. My wo

athe. "You feel it

Pain, maybe. Or regret. But then

g," he lies. "

through it. The confusion. The denial. The way his

lying,"

re Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack. I was born to lead

blows. Each one designed t

an hear, "are nothing. Less than nothing. A weak little

Some students laugh. Others look

trash like you?" he asks. "You think I would ev

screaming now. Begging me to make this s

s who he really is. Who I really am. The di

ryone hears. "I, Ronan Nightbane, reject the false bond

The bond convulses. Twists. Be

bonds forged by the Moon Goddess are s

he bond is still there. Still pulsing

it working?

ts like a living thing. It's wound

I whisper. "Whether

he wants to hurt me. To make me pay fo

it clear anoth

e cafeteria. His voice carrie

nothing to me. She is nothing to me. An Omega with delusions

in agreement. Others look un

" he continues, "you're wrong. Dead wrong. I would n

iliate me in front of everyone. To make sur

. "She's not my anything. She's just a sad

of students stare at me with pity. With disgus

t to disappear completely. The shame

e. His gray eyes are

nds. Stay away from anything that belongs to me. If you don't

like loyal dogs. The crowd slowly returns to their conversation

in my chest like a dying animal. My wolf c

nd on my shoulde

hoke out. "P

w. Can't handle anything. The hu

ly laugh at my misery. Others record everything o

ega who thought she could claim an Alp

food sits untouched on my tra

go," I whis

he

ow. Anywher

t. Every step feels like walking throu

this somehow. But there's nothing to fix. Ronan m

allway. My chest feels like it's caving in. Lik

but alive. A constant reminder of what I almos

nally let the tears fall. They come in wa

el the pull of our connection. My wolf whines and p

mate anymore. H

othing

nothin