Chapter 4 Roommate Rules

Daphne

I stared at the door and then at William, then back at the door again.

No.

There had to be some kind of mistake, a cruel joke.

A punishment from the universe for every bad decision I’d ever made. Don't get me wrong, William was still my crush but I couldn't risk revealing my identity.

My lungs forgot how to work. This was a disaster.

William slowly dragged a hand down his face before throwing his hockey bag onto the floor with enough force to make me jump.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” His deep voice filled the tiny dorm room, rough and irritated.

Meanwhile, I was screaming internally. My bras were still under the pillow, my makeup wipes were in the drawer and I had pads hidden in my suitcase.

I was going to pass out. I thought I could enjoy not having a roommate for a while before coming up with a plan on how to survive here as a boy.

William leaned against the wall, jaw tight. His dark hair was slightly messy like he’d been running his hands through it all day, and somehow he still looked unfairly attractive.

“Your name is Daphne, right?” He looked at the book on my desk that had my name clearly written on it.

I felt strange tingling sensations in my stomach. The way he looked at me made me feel butterflies, his eyes had this pulling Alpha energy,

I didn't know if it was his eyes or the mate bond, but I felt something pulling me closer to him.

I swallowed quickly and averted my eyes before he could notice I was drooling. “Huh?. oh, yes.”

His expression flattened.

Right. I had almost forgotten that I was a guy now and my name was Daphne.

Yikes. I had almost exposed myself in under thirty seconds.

Great start.

William kept staring at me in this weird, intense way that made my stomach twist nervously. His wolf could probably sense something was off.

“You smell weird,” he muttered suddenly.

My heart stopped. “What?”

His brows furrowed slightly like he was confused himself.

“Nothing.”

He pushed himself off the wall and glanced around the room with obvious annoyance.

“The school reassigned me here,” he said coldly. “I started staying on campus again.”

Again?

Before the mate bond, I heard William barely attended classes consistently. Half the time he disappeared because of his illness. But now, he looked healthier. Still pale, still exhausted around the eyes but better.

The realization made warmth spread through my chest before I could stop it. The mate bond really was helping him.

William suddenly looked back at me sharply, catching my expression. “What?”

“N-Nothing.”

Suspicion flashed across his face again. I needed to stop staring at him like a lovesick idiot.

Silence filled the room once again, then William sighed heavily.

“We need rules.” He crossed his arms on his chest.

“Nobody finds out about the bond.”

I nodded quickly.

“Nobody finds out about the kiss.”

My face instantly burned.

“Okay.”

“And nobody finds out about my condition.”

This time his voice sounded sharper, more serious.

I looked down slightly before nodding again. “I won’t tell anyone.”

His shoulders relaxed a little, but then he added coldly. “And absolutely nobody can think I like boys.”

Ouch.

The words landed harder than they should have, even though I knew he didn’t mean it like that, even though technically he thought I was a guy.

Still, it stung.

I forced out a small laugh anyway. “Trust me, you don’t have to worry about that.”

William studied me for a second, then he looked away and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Other rules,” he continued. “Don’t touch my stuff.”

“Fine.”

“Don’t talk to me at school unless necessary.”

Rude.

“And don’t sleep on my side of the room.”

I blinked slowly.

There were literally two beds separated by a desk. Why would I even……Actually never mind.

Considering the way my pulse reacted every time he stood too close, maybe that rule was fair. Why would I sleep on his side when I was already trying not to faint every time he breathes close to me?

William finally grabbed a clean shirt from his bag.

To my absolute horror, he pulled off his shirt right there. In front of me.

My soul left my body. I turned around so fast I almost gave myself whiplash.

“Oh my God.”

A low chuckle came from behind me.

“You’re blushing, Softie.”

That nickname needed to die immediately.

“I’m…. I'm not blushing.” I stuttered.

“You definitely are.”

I hated how amused he sounded and I especially hated the fact that my brain kept replaying the sight of his abs.

The tattoo wrapping around one side of his chest and shoulder definitely did not help. Neither did the fact that I’d had a crush on him for years.

I heard fabric rustling behind me.

Then William’s voice came again, softer this time.

“You’re weird.”

“How so?” I asked when I turned around to look at him, but he was only putting on his briefs.

I didn't let my eyes wander long on his body. My roommate was going to be the death of me.

William shook his head slowly and made his way to the bathroom, ignoring my question. Wait, he was going to the bathroom?!!

Shit. My bra was on the toilet sink. My legs moved before I could think, I ran towards the bathroom to retrieve my bra.

I folded the bra and hid it at the back of my shirt, then William kicked the door open and stared at me suspiciously.

“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes fixed on my hand that was behind my shirt. “What are you hiding, Softie”

“Hiding?” I laughed nervously. “No…. nothing. How could I hide anything from you, impossible!”.

Oh God, I was blabbing. I always did that whenever I was nervous.

“Whatever. Move out of my way, Softie”

I moved, not turning my back towards him so he doesn't see what I was hiding. I took deep breaths when I escaped William’s curious gaze.

That was a close one. Thank God he didn't insist on knowing what I was hiding.

I moved to my bed, different thoughts swirling through my mind. What would I have done if William had found out that I wasn't a boy, would he have reported me or let me keep pretending because he needed me for something.

I was so lost in my thoughts. I didn't hear when the shower stopped running or when William came to stand in front of me.

“Is that a bra in your hand?”

Busted.