Chapter 4: The Meeting

Lucy's POV

When I walked into the lecture hall, I noticed a girl sitting alone. She looked nervous, almost fragile despite her stunning appearance. Something in me urged me to sit beside her.

“Hi, I’m Lucy Foster,” I whispered. The lecture was about to start, and Dr. Hamilton was not someone you kept waiting. He had a reputation for scolding latecomers using their full government names.

“Nice to meet you, Lucy. I’m Patricia Bratton,” she replied.

I froze.

Patricia.

Not again.

Same name… different surname.

Surely this wasn’t fate mocking me.

A flicker of panic rose, but I forced myself to breathe. This Patricia was nothing like the venomous woman from my past life. She looked soft-spoken, elegant, polished. Kind even.

Maybe this was just coincidence.

Rebirth similarities.

That’s what I told myself.

I decided not to overthink it.

Of course… that was the biggest mistake of my life.

“Are you new?” I asked. “I haven’t seen you around.”

“I transferred from Northern University. I’m from The Valley,” she answered politely.

I nodded, though I wasn’t familiar with much of the North or West beyond knowing they were monarchies. Kenneth came from the Western Kingdom, but he rarely spoke about it. I was too intoxicated with our new love to question deeper.

After class, Patricia asked if she could hang out with me, and I agreed. She seemed harmless.

We walked to the student mall cafeteria so she could grab a snack. We had barely sat down when Nelly strolled over, eyes wide in dramatic betrayal.

“OMG! Girl, I see how it is—replacing me already?” she teased, hands on her hips.

“Pfft! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re irreplaceable,” I said, laughing as we fist-bumped.

“Patricia, this is Nelly—my BFF and roommate,” I introduced.

“Nice to meet you,” Patricia said, reaching out for a handshake.

“I’m her roommate and best friend,” Nelly clarified with a playful smirk.

The two shook hands politely.

And I smiled, blissfully unaware…

That the storm brewing behind Patricia’s pretty green eyes would one day destroy everything I held dear.

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Patricia”s POV

I acted all sweet and naïve on purpose. I wanted to experience what it felt like to have genuine friends—not sycophants or servants, but people who didn’t know I was royalty. Even though my appearance screamed wealth and status, I longed—just for a while—to shed the royal title and just be me.

My parents had rented out a penthouse for me in the city. I had maids, guards, and even personal bodyguards who had been enrolled in the same university under aliases. But I warned them: don’t hover, don’t expose me, and definitely don’t call me “princess.” They agreed to keep their distance, but they were always close enough to respond if needed.

As a werelioness, I could scent people clearly. I knew who was like me and who wasn’t. I arrived early for the math lecture and sat alone, discreetly scanning the room. Most of the students were human. Their scents were pungent—unbearable at times. I shuddered at the thought of breathing the same air for too long.

Then she walked in.

A girl. Human. She looked decent—stylish even. Her eyes swept the room until they landed on me. I quickly looked away and stared down at my books, pretending to be shy. I prayed she wouldn’t sit next to me. There was a vacant seat beside mine, and I internally cursed fate.

But she did.

She walked right over and sat next to me.

I braced myself for the unpleasant scent—but to my surprise, she carried a faint trace of lion. Odd. Could she be connected to my kind? Maybe she associated with werelions? That could be useful.

She introduced herself politely. Her name was Lucy. I introduced myself as Patricia and forced a warm smile. After the lecture, she asked if I wanted to hang out. I agreed immediately. She might just be the key to finding my prince.

We headed to the student mall. I bought some food, and just as I was settling down, a loud, annoying voice pierced my ears.

“Oh my God! Girl, you're ditching me already?” came the squeaky shout from another human girl.

She strutted over and plopped herself beside Lucy like she owned her. The stench hit me before her words did. Ugh. I hated everything about her—the voice, the arrogance, the way she looked at me, like I was invading her territory.

Lucy quickly introduced us. “Nelly, this is Patricia—she’s new, from the Valley. Pat, this is Nelly, my BFF and roommate.”

I shook her hand and nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Internally, I groaned. Great. One more human in my equation. Hopefully, this won’t come back to bite me.

I glanced sideways, checking how far my bodyguards had stationed themselves. They were close, watching. Their eyes locked on mine, disapproving. I opened my mind-link and spoke silently.

“Tim, Troy—relax. These humans are harmless. I’m playing a role. I think this one—Lucy— could lead me to others like us. Maybe even... him.”

“Be careful, Princess,” Tim replied. “Don’t let your guard down. If the King finds out we allowed you to mingle like this—”

“I know, I know. He’ll have your heads,” I cut him off, rolling my eyes internally. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

After introductions, we chatted for a while and attended another lecture together. Lucy and I happened to share the same class schedule. Lucky me.

The next day, after our only two lectures, Lucy invited me to hang out in her dorm. I agreed. The moment I stepped into her building, I gagged. The whole place reeked of human scent. But I played it cool. The things we do for love...

And then—it happened.

Just as if the goddess heard my prayers, two werelions entered the dorm.

My senses perked up. But neither of their scents matched the one I had faintly detected from Lucy. Still, the fact that she interacted with them meant I was one step closer to the truth.

They stopped and exchanged glances with me. I stared them down. They dropped their eyes immediately—recognizing my dominant aura. Good. At least they know how to respect royalty.

One of them—Thomas, I think—turned to Lucy.

“Your man’s waiting for you in his office.”

My ears twitched. Her man?

Before I could ask, Lucy spoke again.

“Oh, wait, guys—this is Patricia Bratton. She transferred from Northern University. She’s from the Valley. Pat, these are Thomas and Malcom—my boyfriend’s best friends.”

My blood ran cold.

Their eyes widened ever so slightly. I could tell they recognized me—my aura, my name, my roots. Though they remained composed, they gave respectful nods rather than handshakes. I returned the gesture.

“Nice to meet you both,” I said smoothly.

They left soon after.

Lucy turned to me, smiling. “I’ve got to run. Ken is waiting for me.”

Ken.

KEN.

That name alone made my lioness stir. What if… what if it's him?

My stomach dropped. My heart pounded. Could the prince I had traveled all this way for… be her boyfriend?