Chapter 2
SELENE'S POINT OF VIEW
I blinked a couple of times, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was I that girl? No way. I wasn't someone who would’ve ever been an ex of a Lycan Crown Heir. Honestly, I’d rather drown myself in a pool of my own vomit than get tangled up with someone like that.
“Stop bothering her, Livia,” a voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to see another girl with braids, Noelle. She smiled warmly, her eyes a complete contrast to Livia’s sharp, judging stare.
"Chrystal has red hair, remember?" Noelle continued, her voice calm and reassuring.
I ran my fingers through my blonde hair, almost embarrassed as I saw Livia's gaze soften just a little. I quickly closed the door behind me, a small sigh of relief escaping my lips.
“I’m Selene, by the way. Nice to meet you.”
Noelle stepped forward, offering to help with my suitcases. “Hey, nice to meet you too, Selene! Chrystal is a Lycan of noble blood. Her dad’s the Beta to the Lycan King of Lupyria, and she’s our roommate. "I’m in here, Chrystal’s in there, Livia’s across the hall—and this is your room,” she explained as she pointed to the room, placing my stuff on the bed.
Great. A Lycan royal for a roommate. Awesome. Just what I needed to feel even more out of place.
The room was pretty standard. A double bed, a small window, and a walk-in closet. Nothing fancy, but it would work.
“We share a bathroom with the others on the first floor,” Noelle added, her voice casually explaining the house rules.
"Ugh, that sounds disgusting," Livia interrupted, leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed. "I’m not trying to catch an athlete’s foot."
Noelle laughed lightly. “Oh, you mean tinea pedis? Fungal infection?”
I jumped in, trying to contribute. “Yeah, it’s a fun thing to deal with if you’re not careful,” I added, making sure to sound somewhat smart.
Livia and Noelle shared a confused glance. Neither of them seemed to know what I was talking about.
“Never mind,” I muttered, quickly trying to change the subject. “So, uh, nice to meet you both, and I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”
My brother, Marcel, always told me I had a tendency to make people not like me with how much I showed off. But if I didn’t stop myself, I’d probably be unbearable. I figured it was best to just keep things simple and not try too hard.
“Quick question," Noelle beamed, "Are you going to the Starlight Festival tonight?”
I froze. No. I didn’t want to go anywhere near that festival. The Starlight Festival was a massive event that happened every full moon, just outside the academy gates. It was famous for being a place where a lot of unmated werewolves met their fated mates. Honestly, the idea of being tied to someone forever terrified me. Losing my parents was enough heartbreak for a lifetime. I didn’t need more.
“No,” I muttered, turning to unpack my things, hoping they'd drop the subject.
But Noelle was persistent. “Everyone’s going. "It’s like the thing to do,” she said, her tone playful. “I heard it’s the best place to meet your mate.”
My stomach twisted. The thought of meeting someone only to eventually lose them again? I couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to do it.
“I don’t have a dress,” I quickly replied, trying to end the conversation.
“Oh, that’s no problem,” Noelle said enthusiastically. “I’ve got you covered." I’ll let you borrow one.”
I froze. She was very nice. I couldn’t keep saying no without coming off as rude. Besides, it was just one night, right? What harm could it do? I would just go, get it over with, and move on.
“Thanks, that’s really kind of you,” I said, forcing a smile. “I appreciate it.”
Livia rolled her eyes but smirked. “Problem solved.”
I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Noelle spoke again. “So, what do your parents do?”
I froze. That question always tripped me up. I was used to answering that with the truth—saying they were both dead—but for some reason, I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t tell them just yet. Not here, not now. It was just too soon.
Noelle filled the silence. “My dad’s an Alpha. Livia’s dad is a Beta—”
“Mine’s an Alpha, too,” I blurted out before she could finish her sentence. I hated the awkward pause.
Livia groaned. “Yeah, yeah, we got it. Everyone here’s from some prestigious pack. Not exactly news.”
I sighed inwardly, trying to shake off the unease. "So, where's Chrystal?"
From the moment I met her, Livia had been obsessed with Chrystal. It was all she talked about, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated by it. It seemed like Chrystal was the one Livia had been waiting to meet, not me.
“I’m sure we’ll see her soon. "She’s probably with Soren and Elias right now,” Noelle said casually.
I perked up. Elias? The guy I’d seen earlier in the hallway, the one who looked so... charming? Noelle must’ve caught my look. She gave me a teasing smile.
“Yeah, that’s Elias. He’s Chrystal’s twin brother, and Soren’s going to be his future Beta.”
I nodded, processing the new information. “So Elias is a Lycan, too?”
“Of course. He’s the future Crown Heir to the Lycan Kingdom of Lupyria. And Soren? "Well, he’s the Lycan Crown Heir, obviously.” Noelle rolled her eyes.
“So, you think Soren could be my mate?” Livia interrupted, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Noelle and I both stared at her, and I felt my stomach churn. It wasn’t even a question. I wasn’t interested in any of them. Especially not Soren.
But then I realized it. The guy who had bumped into me earlier—the one who had called me four-eyes—was the Lycan Crown Heir. He was the guy they were gushing about, and I was now terrified of him. The guy who had been rude to me already was the one they all wanted.
I had no desire to meet him again, not after what happened earlier. He was too powerful, too... dangerous.
“Are we going or what?” Noelle asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. “The RD’s expecting us in ten minutes.”
“What for?” I asked, still distracted.
“She’s giving us a tour,” Livia replied, sounding bored.
“Oh, great,” I muttered under my breath. “Let’s get this over with.”
The walk to the main hall was long, and I could feel the energy around my building as we approached a group of first-year students who were already gathering in the large hall. Esther, the Resident Director, was standing on a platform, a smile on her face as she surveyed the room.
As soon as I entered, her eyes landed on mine. Her gaze was intense, almost like she was searching for something. I quickly turned away, hoping she would just move on, but she kept staring at me.
“Look, that’s Chrystal!” Livia nudged me as she pointed toward a girl surrounded by a group of other girls. She had long, straight red hair and wore a pink tennis skirt that looked way too expensive for my taste.
She didn’t even seem to notice us as we walked in. Chrystal was clearly on another level. She wasn’t even going to bother with her roommates, I realized. She had her own crowd, and I wasn’t about to join it.
“I’m going to go say hi,” Livia said, her voice already getting lighter with excitement. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
Noelle laughed softly as she watched Livia make her way toward Chrystal. “And then there were two,” she said, a smirk tugging at her lips.
“Don’t you want to meet her?” I asked, genuinely curious.
Noelle shook her head, a disgusted look on her face. “Nah. She’s a noble Lycan, but that doesn’t give her the right to treat us like trash. "If she wanted to meet us, she would’ve at least shown up at the dorm.”
I smiled a little. “Yeah, you’re right. "It’s nice to meet someone who sees things the same way.”
“Attention!” Esther called out, and the room instantly quieted down.
“Welcome to Silverpine Academy,” she continued. “I’m Esther, your Resident Director, and one of the Grand Masters in healing. It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to what I hope will be the best four years of your life.”
Everyone clapped, and I joined in awkwardly, unsure of what else to do.
“Silverpine Academy is a place for learning, growing, and building lifelong friendships,” Esther went on. “I know many of you are nervous, but please know that my office is always open, no matter what.”
Noelle whispered in my ear, “They always say that, but it’s never true.”
I giggled softly, agreeing with her. I’d seen it all before. The promises were only as good as the people who made them. And once the fees got too high, that “open door” would be slammed shut real quick.
“Now, if you’ll all follow me,” Esther instructed, and we made our way out of the hall.
I tried to join in with the conversation, but the other girls were too caught up in their discussion about Elias again. They seemed obsessed with him, and I couldn’t understand why. He was nice, but not worth all this fuss.
“Did you see him? He literally walked right past us! Apparently, he’s a sophomore in Combat Strategy and Leadership,” one of the girls was saying excitedly.
I blinked, completely lost. “CS-what?” I asked.
“Combat Strategy and Leadership,” Noelle explained, rolling her eyes. “They’re talking about Soren again.”
Oh. Great. Soren.
I zoned out for a moment, barely listening to their chatter. All I could think about was how much I didn’t want to cross paths with the Crown Heir again. The way he looked at me, the way he seemed to read me so easily—it freaked me out.
I had to get away from this conversation, so I excused myself.
“Does anyone know where the restroom is?” I asked.
Noelle pointed down the hall. “It’s over there. Want me to walk with you?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks,” I replied, grateful for the quiet.
I wandered through the halls, searching for the bathroom. When I finally found it, I stepped in and took a deep breath.
I was just about to head for a stall when I heard a noise from around the corner.
My heart skipped a beat. How had I missed part of the restroom? With a nervous glance, I peeked around the corner and saw the urinals. And to my horror, there was a guy standing there, his back turned as he zipped up his jeans.
I panicked. This was the wrong bathroom. I had to get out of here without being noticed. But as I backed up, I accidentally kicked a trash can, making a loud clatter.
The guy turned around so fast it made my stomach drop.
It was him. Soren. The Crown Heir.
He looked at me, and his face instantly twisted into a scowl.
I froze, too embarrassed to move. My heart hammered in my chest. What was I supposed to do now?