MasukElaine squinted against the harsh light, blinking several times until her vision slowly cleared.The first thing she saw was Elena lying unconscious in the bed beside hers.Relief washed over her, only to disappear as she tried to sit up. A sharp pain tore through her body, forcing her back onto the mattress with a gasp.She turned her head instead.Three figures stood near the table, their faces blurred until her eyes adjusted."You're awake."The calm, soothing voice drew her attention.Elaine opened her mouth to answer but dissolved into a coughing fit."Easy." Another familiar voice spoke. "Here, have some water."A cup was gently placed in her hand. She pushed herself up just enough to take a few careful sips before lying back against the pillow with a quiet sigh.As her vision sharpened, she finally recognized the person standing beside her."What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice cold."I was on my way to see you," Kael replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "
Elaine moved just as Elena’s hand sliced through the space where her throat had been.Her back slammed into the wall, breath catching in her chest as Elena’s fingers curled into empty air.The smile on her sister’s face never wavered. It only widened, slow and wrong, as if she found Elaine’s panic amusing.That wasn’t Elena.The thought hit hard and sharp, but what followed it was worse.She knew this.Not Elena. Not the room. Not even the silver flickering in her sister’s eyes.No, it was the feeling crawling beneath her skin that felt familiar. The heavy pressure in the air.The instinct screaming at her to run before it was too late.Somewhere deep inside her, something old stirred awake, whispering that if she stayed in this room any longer, she would regret it.“Elena…” Elaine’s voice came out quieter than she wanted. “Is that you?”Elena tilted her head.“You still haven’t figured it out?” she asked softly.The voice was Elena’s, but it carried something else beneath it, somethi
Kael stared at the papers spread across the table, but not a single word truly registered. His eyes moved over them out of habit while his mind remained somewhere else entirely, trapped in the garden with Elaine’s face still fresh in his memory. The disappointment in her eyes had stayed with him in a way he couldn’t ignore, quiet and heavy, settling somewhere deep in his chest.His wolf did not stir this time. It didn’t growl or protest or pace at the edge of his thoughts the way it usually did whenever Elaine was involved. But Kael still felt something tightening inside him, an ache he couldn’t name no matter how many times he turned it over in his mind.He hadn’t meant to hurt her.That much he knew.But the more he thought about it, the less certain he became about everything else. He had followed Seraphine because she had something important to say. He had stayed because he needed answers. Yet even now, sitting alone in his study hours later, he still couldn’t explain why h
Elaine ran until she was alone and her legs finally gave out beneath her.She sank to the ground among the flowers, staring blankly at them as though they might offer her something to hold on to.Her head felt empty, yet somehow too full at the same time, and her hands had curled into fists without her even noticing.The rims of her eyes burned red, but she refused to let the tears fall.She had gone looking for her mate because she needed somewhere to put all the thoughts choking her.She had wanted to speak to Kael, to tell him what had been happening and hear him tell her she wasn’t losing her mind.Instead, she had found him standing with Seraphine, keeping another girl’s secret while refusing to trust her with the truth.The thought made her chest tighten until it hurt.Elaine tipped her head back and stared at the sky.For a few seconds, all she could hear was the rustling of leaves overhead and the pounding of her own heartbeat.Then Phoebe’s voice crept back into her mind.Giv
Elaine wandered through the academy gardens without any real destination in mind. For what felt like the first time in her life, the world continued moving around her without waiting. Classes resumed, students laughed amongst themselves, and life carried on as though nothing had changed.Yet everything had changed.Phoebe's words refused to leave her mind.You're starting to lose your shine.You'll only shine again once you give it back.The more she turned those words over in her head, the less sense they made. She had never stolen anything from Elena. She had shared everything she had with her since they were children. Clothes, books, food... even the little bits of affection their mother rarely showed.At least...That was how she remembered it.A sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed her temples. Ever since meeting Phoebe, she had begun questioning memories she had never thought twice about. It was an unsettling feeling, as though someone had quietly replaced pieces of her past witho
“Rowan, I just heard the craziest thing.”Kael stepped into the room, only to stop midway.Rowan was sitting on the edge of his bed, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line.Kael had seen that expression before.It was the look Rowan wore whenever he had stumbled onto something he wasn't supposed to know.“What is it?” Kael asked.Rowan looked up almost immediately.“Nothing.” He answered a little too quickly. “What did you hear?”Kael raised a brow.“Oh? You have that strange look.”“It's nothing, really. Forget it.” Rowan waved him off. “You were saying something?”Kael studied him for another second before deciding not to push it.“You know that pill you were asking about?”Rowan gave a small nod.“Hm.”“Where did you get it from?”Rowan frowned.“Why do you want to know?”“It could land you in serious trouble.”For a brief moment, Rowan considered lying. Then he shrugged.“I found it in the trash. Two juniors were acting suspicious, so I got curious.”“Their names?
Elaine could feel it more and more with every passing hour. The pull between Kael and Seraphina was no longer something she could pretend not to notice. She had seen it in the corridor, in the way his attention shifted toward her without meaning to, in the way his wolf reacted before he even spoke.
“The princess versus Elaine?”“I want to see how strong she really is.”Murmurs spread across the yard in restless waves, growing louder as more students gathered closer to the center. Heads turned, conversations overlapped, and anticipation built quickly, drawn to the pairing that had already set
“Your Highness... my hand.”Elaine’s soft reminder broke through the sudden stillness between them. Kael glanced down and realized he was still holding her hand far longer than courtesy allowed. “Ah, sorry,” he said, releasing it at once, though his calm came a second too late. Beneath the surface,
The moment Elaine stepped into the building, she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be. The high stone ceilings, polished floors, and watchful eyes of strangers felt welcoming rather than intimidating. Places like this were built for people who carried themselves with certainty. Elaine had







