Chapter 1 1

TAMARA

“So this is it.”

A loud gasp escaped my lips as I stepped into the first luxurious penthouse I had ever seen in my life.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the living room, offering a breathtaking view of the glittering city below. Crystal chandeliers hung above plush velvet sofas, while polished marble floors reflected the warm golden lights. Everything screamed wealth, from the sleek furnishings to the enormous glass dining table positioned beside the private bar.

“This is your place?” I asked, staring around with wide eyes.

My friend, Simone, scratched the back of her neck sheepishly after dropping my bag on the floor.

“Yeah. My uncle gifted it to me for my eighteenth birthday.”

“Wow.”

I couldn't stop staring.

When I noticed Simone watching me from the corner of her eye, I suddenly felt embarrassed by my reaction.

My family was wealthy too, yet I had never been allowed to live in anything like this. I was only permitted to enter the main mansion during holidays and important family events.

The Gracìa family didn't have any space for a mistress's daughter like me.

I pushed the thought away when that familiar ache settled in my chest. This cheerleading scholarship was my chance at a fresh start. I couldn't afford to dwell on my family anymore.

If I studied hard enough, I could graduate with a good degree and eventually work for a pharmaceutical company. It wasn't an impossible dream, especially now that I'd finally earned a place at a prestigious university like Aurelius University.

I turned to Simone and lowered my eyes. “Look, I just want to say thank you for letting me stay here—”

“Tamara, stop.”

Her interruption made me stiffen.

“You've thanked me almost ten times today. I should be the one thanking you.”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

Simone fiddled nervously with her fingers.

“You see, my boyfriend and I have always talked about moving in together once I got into college.” Her voice dropped to a shy whisper. “But my parents don't know about it, so I'll need you to cover for me whenever they come over to visit.”

My eyebrows shot up.

“You want me to lie to your parents?”

“Cover up,” she corrected quickly. “They're currently overseas anyway, so all you have to do is be my alibi whenever I need you.”

“I see...”

I looked down at my callused hands, unsure whether I should accept the deal.

Most submissive wolves like me weren't exactly skilled at deception. I had spent most of my life obeying rules and keeping my head down.

But I had nowhere else to go right now. My senior sister, Anna, bought the last campus accommodation, which meant that this was the only option I had. 

“Fine,” I agreed, pushing down my reservation. “I'll help you.”

Simone's face instantly broke into a smile as she grabbed my hand. 

“Thank you so much, Tamara. You can stay here for as long as you want...”

Her voice trailed off when her gaze shifted over my shoulder. That's the moment I felt the back of my neck tingle for the first time in my life. 

“Jax, what are you doing here?”

I turned around and gasped. 

A tall, handsome man stood on top of the stairs with a towel wrapped around his waist. Water dripped from his short hair clinging to his forehead, with a few strands falling just past his eyebrow slit.

He looked...built.

His broad shoulders and thick, muscular arms made it obvious that he wasn't just another college student. His chest was wide and defined, tapering into a lean, powerful waist beneath the towel. 

I swallowed hard, thinking, Who the hell was this guy?

Our eyes met for a brief moment before I instantly dropped my gaze to the floor again. Every inch of my body went into fight-or-flight mode when my wolf whimpered in submission. 

He possessed the eyes of a future Alpha. 

Simone noticed the sudden tension and quickly moved forward, breaking our line of sight. She shot me an apologetic look while giving me an explanation. 

“I'm sorry, Tamara. This is my cousin, Jaxson Callahan, who I haven't seen in four months...so I don't know why he is here.”

Jaxson rolled his eyes when he heard her silent demand for an explanation in her voice. His lips curled into a faint smile, highlighting the silver lip piercing at the bottom. 

“Nice to see you too, Simone,” he rumbled, his voice deep and smooth. 

Oh dear moon goddess.

I had no explanation for the slow shiver that ran through my body. It was as though the entire world around me had disappeared, leaving my focus completely zeroed in on him.

I knew I shouldn't be feeling attracted to this stranger. I had a long distance boyfriend whom I was happily committed to, so I tried to flush out whatever this was from my system immediately. 

Then his eyes landed on me. “Who's this?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Simone spoke up first. “This is my friend, Tamara Gracìa. She'll be living in the penthouse for the semester.”

“Not possible.”

My stomach dropped when I heard his words. Simone simply folded her arms, a classic sign that meant she was getting ready for an argument. 

“Tamara doesn't have anywhere to go, Jax. Her accommodation space on campus was taken away by her older sister and she doesn't know anyone in the city.”

“Not my problem.”

Simone's brows furrowed slightly. “Jaxson.”

“Okay, can we talk about this at least?” he sighed. 

Simone nodded before joining him at the corner of the room. They started arguing amongst themselves in hushed voices, but I occasionally caught a few words and sentences from their conversation like ‘submissive’, ‘I'm your cousin’, ‘extra responsibility.’

My fingers slowly tightened around my bag as regret crept up my chest. Reaching out to Simone for help hadn't exactly been my best decision, but I had been so desperate to leave the Gracìa mansion. Now, I might actually be kicked out onto the streets at night. 

I turned around and started walking toward the door. It was better to leave now than wait for Jaxson to throw me out himself. 

I reached for the door handle, but another hand clamped over mine before I could turn it. I turned slightly to see him towering over me from behind. 

“Where are you going?” he asked with a small frown. “I never said you should leave.”

My eyes shifted from him to our hands holding onto the doorknob. His palm was rough against mine, calluses brushing over my skin. 

“So you're not kicking me out?” I asked, my voice a soft whisper. 

His lips curled slightly, like he knew exactly what was happening to me. “No, I'm not,” he clarified. “On one condition.”

My heart raced against my chest when I heard him. “What condition?”

“You stay in your room tonight, freshman. We're having a party tonight.”