Chapter 2 Shadows and Choices
Wynter: POV
I stumbled into the old astronomy tower, my breath coming in ragged gasps, and pressed my back against the cold stone wall. My legs gave out, and I slid down until I sat with my knees drawn up—the anonymous letter clutched in trembling fingers, my cheek still throbbing where Anne had struck me.
The tower loomed above me, its spiral staircase disappearing into darkness, abandoned for years but still the only place on campus where I could breathe.
I have proof of what Silvermoon did to your father.
The words blurred as fresh tears welled up. Two years ago, my father's body had been found on the northern border of Silvermoon Territory, his throat torn out. Lord Aldric Sterling had personally overseen the investigation—then quietly closed the case within a month.
And now his son was my fated mate.
My wolf stirred, a low whine of confusion and longing. She didn't understand why we'd run, didn't comprehend the poisonous history that made this bond an abomination. All she knew was Chase Sterling's intoxicating scent and the overwhelming rightness of his presence.
I crumpled the letter in my fist. Why would someone send me this to lure me to that party?
Footsteps on the tower stairs made me tense, but it wasn't winter pine—it was cedar and vanilla. Rosalie appeared in the doorway, slightly breathless, her eyes scanning until she found me.
"There you are." She dropped to her knees beside me, fingers tracing the air above my bruised cheek. Her expression shifted from concern to fury. "I'm going to kill her."
"No, you're not," I said, catching her hand. "You're going to let me handle this my own way."
She made a frustrated noise but settled beside me, our shoulders pressed together. "I can't believe Connor just stood there. Forget him. He's not worth it."
But you loved him, I wanted to say, and you threw that away for me.
I thought back to that first week, when even my assigned roommate requested an immediate transfer. I'd spent three days alone until I heard crying from Rosalie's room—she was failing Shifting Control. I'd stayed up with her until dawn, walking her through breathing exercises my father had taught me. By week's end, she'd passed her exam.
Two days later, she moved into my room, claiming her old roommate snored too loudly.
"I don't deserve you," I said quietly.
"Don't you dare," she said fiercely. "You saved my life that first week. You're my best friend. I'll be damned if I'm going to abandon you now."
We sat there for maybe half an hour, the party music gradually fading in the distance. Eventually, she glanced at her phone. "We should head back before curfew."
I nodded, pushing myself up—and that's when I felt it. Footsteps approaching the tower base. My wolf perked up, suddenly alert, and I turned to see two figures emerge from the tree line below.
Chase Sterling, his posture rigid, and Anne Kaine running to catch up, her hand reaching possessively for his arm.
Chase's head snapped up, his eyes finding mine through the broken window with unerring accuracy. For a heartbeat, we just stared at each other. The bond flared between us, painful and insistent, and my wolf surged forward with desperate hope.
Anne followed his gaze, her expression twisting when she saw me. Her grip on his arm tightened. Something in his expression shifted. Closed off. He let her pull him away, but not before one last look—a look that held so much conflict it made my chest physically ache.
My wolf howled as they disappeared, a sound of pure anguish that echoed through my bones.
"Wyn?" Rosalie's voice was gentle. "You okay?"
"No," I said honestly. "But I will be."
I had to be. Because the alternative—accepting this bond, letting myself fall for the son of my father's murderer—was unthinkable.
Even if my wolf was screaming that I'd just made the biggest mistake of my life.
The next morning arrived too soon. Rosalie had already left for early training, whispering she'd cover for me. By the time I finally dragged myself to class, early training was nearly over.
The hallways were still mostly empty when I heard the clicking of expensive heels. Anne Kaine appeared around the corner with Natalie Pierce and Vivian Kaine flanking her—their uniforms pristine, not a hair out of place.
"Well, well," Anne said, her voice carrying down the corridor. "If it isn't Silvermoon's newest scandal. Tell me, Wynter—how does it feel to be the future Alpha's dirty little secret?"
I kept my expression blank, kept walking even as they moved to block my path. "Excuse me."
"Where are your manners?" Natalie said with false sweetness, grabbing my arm hard enough to bruise. "Anne asked you a question."
"Let go of me."
Anne stepped closer. "You need to understand something. Chase Sterling is mine. He has been since we were children. I don't care what the Moon Goddess thinks—you will never be his Luna."
"I don't want—"
"I don't care what you want," she cut me off, nodding to Natalie, who shoved me hard into the wall. Vivian pinned my other arm while Anne stepped close. "This is a warning. Stay away from Chase, stay away from anything that belongs to Silvermoon, or next time you'll end up in a body bag—just like your father."
The words hit like a physical blow. Just like your father. My vision blurred with sudden rage, my wolf howling for blood, and before I could think, I was moving.
"Don't you dare—" I snarled, wrenching free and shoving Anne back. "Don't you dare talk about my father—"
But Natalie was faster, her hand fisting in my hair and yanking hard enough to make my eyes water. Pain exploded across my scalp as she dragged me backward.
"You little bitch—" Natalie hissed, but I twisted in her hold, my claws starting to emerge as Vivian grabbed my other arm again, both restraining me while Anne watched with cold satisfaction.
"Let me go!" I thrashed against them, but they were stronger, better trained. Within seconds they had me pressed against the wall, Natalie's grip keeping my head forced back at a painful angle.
Anne stepped close again, her smile sharp and triumphant. "There it is. The real you. Savage. Uncontrolled. Exactly the kind of creature who doesn't belong anywhere near an Alpha like Chase." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Remember this moment. Remember how easily we can hurt you. Because next time you even look at him, it won't just be your hair we're pulling."
Natalie released me with a final, vicious yank that sent me stumbling. I caught myself against the wall, my scalp throbbing and my hands shaking with suppressed rage.
Anne smoothed down her uniform as if nothing had happened. "Knowing your place is more important than anything else," she said, her voice carrying to the few students who'd stopped to watch. "I suggest you learn that quickly."
