Chapter 3 Roommates

William's POV

I stumbled backwards from him.

My heart was slowly steadying. My trembling hands swung through the air as I paced around the field.

He is my mate?

A boy?

I stopped and looked at him, my jaw clenched in anger. I knew it wasn’t his fault, but I was mated to a freaking boy!

And that kiss…

I couldn’t help it. The moment he stood closer, his scent hit me like a drug I couldn’t escape.

Wait…

I pressed my hand against my chest. I could breathe fine.

Four years ago, I suddenly fell ill. At first it wasn’t serious, I would just feel tired and unable to breathe properly. All I needed was rest and I’d be back on the ice.

But months later, I fainted during practice and was rushed to the hospital. The doctor confirmed I had a genetic heart disease that would kill me if I overworked myself.

He recommended I quit hockey.

But hockey was my entire life. I couldn’t just give it up. The doctor warned me of dire consequences, but I didn’t listen, until my heart started to fail. It had begun affecting my lungs too.

I would struggle to breathe. My heart would race. My vision would blur. It was hell.

Only my parents, my coach, and the doctor knew. Months ago, it was finally announced that I would quit after high school.

It was the worst day of my life.

I didn’t have a choice.

But a few moments ago… when I smelled him, I felt the bond. As if he was mine to claim. I couldn’t stop myself from kissing him.

And it healed me.

“We are mates?” he asked, a flash of excitement and shock in his eyes.

“I’m not gay!” I quickly said.

“I didn’t say you were,” he replied, trying to contain his excitement.

“Do you think this is funny?!” I barked. His smile fell. “Mating bonds last a lifetime! You’re mated to a boy! Do you understand that?”

He pressed his lips together, his cheeks turning red.

I hated how my eyes kept drifting to his lips.

I had always been straight. I had always liked girls. This was just the stupid bond… and that tiny body of his.

“You better keep this quiet,” I said, stepping closer. I stopped myself before I could kiss him again and quickly took a step back, adjusting my shirt.

He nodded, his brown hair bouncing with the movement. “I’ll keep it quiet. I promise,” he said in that frail voice.

Almost like a girl’s.

“If you tell anybody…” I panted.

“I won’t,” he cut in.

I scanned him with my eyes. I didn’t trust him, but there was nothing I could do. “Go back to your dorm,” I said and turned around, silently praying no one would find out I was mated to a boy.

“But what happened to you just now? Why couldn’t you breathe?” he asked, curiosity clear in his voice.

“Stay out of my business!” I shouted. “My mate or not, you have no right to meddle. Do you understand?”

He blinked.

“Do you understand?!” I shouted again.

He nodded.

I turned and walked off into the distance. When I reached a private area, I pulled out my phone and dialed my doctor.

“Mr. Hollander?” the doctor answered quickly. “Are you okay? Is anyone around?”

“No, it’s not an emergency,” I explained.

“Oh… why did you call then?”

I rubbed my chin, struggling to find the words. “I… I had an attack a few moments ago, but it suddenly went away.”

The doctor fell silent. “What do you mean ‘suddenly’?”

I ran my fingers through my brown hair. “It just stopped. I can breathe fine and my chest doesn’t hurt. Is this normal?”

“Mr. Hollander, I’ve never heard of a situation like this before. Your condition is mostly untreatable…”

“Mostly?” I cut in. “So there’s a chance?” My eyes lit up.

“Well, when a werewolf finds his mate, being in close proximity can allow both of you to absorb each other’s pain. It’s like it was never there.”

I squeezed my shirt tightly. “So I can keep playing hockey?”

“As long as you’re around this woman most of the time, just being near her should heal you slowly. If she likes you back, being intimate works even faster.”

“Intimate?” I whispered.

“Yes. When two werewolves bond, it’s not just spiritual, it’s physical too. It pulls you to each other…”

“But… there are no girls at this school. How did you manage to find a mate?”

I fidgeted with my fingers. I didn’t want anyone to know I was mated to a guy. “Long story,” I said calmly.

“Well, if you have a mate, use it to your advantage. In a year, you could be completely healed.”

“And after that?”

“If you don’t like her after a year, you can break the mating bond.”

“There’s a way? How?”

“The bond is designed so you can’t break it until a full year has passed. It forces you to stay together even when you resist.”

“What if it’s with someone I know I shouldn’t be with?”

The doctor sighed. “I wish you good luck then. Let me know about your progress.” He hung up.

I flung my head back and sighed loudly.

Did I like boys and just never knew until now?

I walked back to my dorm with my head bowed, my mind spiraling.

I had a mix of emotions. There was a chance I could keep playing hockey, even in college. That was everything I had ever wanted.

But being mated to a boy…

One I was already starting to dislike. He didn’t seem nearly as stressed about this as I was. That smile on his lips made me so mad I wanted to punch him.

I brought out my room card and stared at it. Room 3-3-3.

I hadn’t been assigned a roommate this semester because I had been commuting from home. My parents were worried and wouldn’t let me stay.

The halls were quiet. I stood before the door, swiped the card, and walked in.

My legs froze.

There, standing by the window, was him, the boy from the hockey rink.

His eyes widened in panic. “What are you doing here?” He quickly adjusted his shirt, which looked oddly feminine for a guy.

My eyes scanned his body, soft hands, soft legs. I noticed his toes curling into the floor as he stared at me wide-eyed.

“W-what are you doing here?” he asked.

My fingers clenched tightly on the door.

“Isn’t it obvious?” I said through clenched teeth “We’re roommates.”