VIRION

VIRION UNIVERSITY

SERIES · 3 BOOKS

Book 1 — Between the Ice and the Bond

Sofie & Ronan

CHAPTER 1

Sofie hated the first fifteen minutes of any social event.

After that, she usually felt comfortable enough to enjoy herself.

She finished putting on lip gloss while Mia hunted for something inside the closet.

"You're making that pre-socialization existential crisis face," her friend commented.

"Because I hate showing up at a packed place without knowing where I'm going to fit in."

"It's a hockey game, Sofie. You just need to sit down and watch."

"You say that like I don't have to find a spot, deal with a crowd, and pretend I know what I'm doing."

Mia laughed.

"In twenty minutes, you'll be screaming for the team."

"I'm not promising anything."

"Ready?" Mia asked, finally finding what she was looking for.

Sofie grabbed her jacket.

"As long as you don't force me to take part in any cringey celebrations."

"Can't promise that."

"Of course not."

The Virion University sports complex was already bustling when they arrived.

The friendly match against Oakhaven had drawn students from different packs, and the stands were almost full. Virion's black and gold flags shared space with the visitors' blue and silver ones.

Oakhaven was a smaller university tied to the Silver Fang pack. Its rivalry with Virion made even a friendly match feel more competitive than it should have been.

"Looks like half the university decided to show up," Sofie commented, following Mia to their seats.

"It's the season opener. And against Oakhaven."

"So we get two hours of wolves pretending they aren't taking this personally."

"You'll understand once it starts."

Sofie raised an eyebrow.

"I understand perfectly. I just don't think it's necessary to practically rip someone's head off over a puck."

Mia laughed as they settled into their seats.

The players started heading out onto the rink. Sofie recognized a few members of the Virion team, but her eyes soon landed on someone she knew by reputation alone.

The captain.

Ronan Virion.

Son of Darius, the Virion Beta, and one of the best-known athletes on campus.

Tall, with broad shoulders under the black and gold uniform, he chatted briefly with his teammates before taking his position. There was something about the way he carried himself. He didn't need to demand attention to lead. The other players simply seemed to know when to listen.

"That's Ronan," Mia commented, noticing where she was looking. "The captain."

"Figured."

"Do you know him?"

"No. I just know who he is."

The whistle announced the start of the match before Mia could respond.

The game started off intense.

Oakhaven's players didn't waste time showing why they had a reputation for being physically imposing. They fought for every inch, pressing their opponents and trying to prevent Virion from setting up their plays.

Ronan, though, seemed to see the game differently.

Instead of chasing the puck at all costs, he coordinated his team's movements, anticipated plays, and found spaces that looked invisible to everyone else.

Sofie watched a quick passing exchange until the captain intercepted the puck and cleared the way for a teammate to score.

The stands erupted.

She clapped along with the crowd.

"He's good," she commented.

"Pretty much."

Ronan returned to his position after exchanging high-fives with his teammates.

And that's when it happened.

Sofie couldn't explain what made her look directly at him. Maybe it was a movement on the rink. Maybe just a random impulse.

But when their eyes met, something inside her shifted.

The noise around her seemed to fade.

Ronan stopped, too. His expression changed, his eyes remaining locked on hers.

Then came the feeling.

A deep, instinctive certainty surged through her before she could form a coherent thought.

Her mate.

Sofie froze.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Her wolf stirred inside her, suddenly alert.

It's him.

The recognition was immediate, almost painful. Her wolf wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them.

My mate.

Sofie felt her heart race.

No. We don't know a thing about him.

Her wolf completely ignored the argument.

"Sofie?" Mia called beside her.

She didn't answer.

Across the rink, Ronan was still watching her.

What scared her most was realizing he'd felt it, too. His expression carried the same unmistakable recognition, as if something had just fallen into place.

One of his teammates eventually grabbed his attention, and Ronan dragged his eyes back to the game. But not before Sofie noticed the tension settling into his shoulders.

The whistle interrupted the play.

Ronan started moving again, directing his teammates and following the match, though his eyes kept returning to the stands whenever he had the chance.

Sofie tried to concentrate on the game.

Her wolf had other plans. It tracked the captain's every move, growing restless whenever he looked her way.

It wanted her to stand up and go to him.

As if that were remotely simple.

"You good?" Mia asked.

"No."

Her friend turned toward her.

"What happened?"

Sofie swallowed.

"I think I found my mate."

Mia fell silent for a few seconds before looking toward the rink.

"Ronan?"

Sofie nodded.

"Shit," Mia muttered.

That was exactly what she was thinking.

The rest of the match dragged on.

Ronan kept playing, directing his teammates and fighting for possession, but his eyes returned to Sofie whenever he could.

The first time, she looked away.

The second time, she pretended to be watching the game.

By the third, she couldn't convince herself it was a coincidence.

"He's still looking," Mia commented.

"I noticed."

"And you keep looking back."

"Mia..."

"I'm just observing."

Sofie let out a breath and forced her attention back to the rink.

Ronan got the puck and pushed forward, but a moment of distraction allowed an opponent to close in and force him to change his play. One of his teammates said something as he skated past, earning an impatient flick of the captain's head.

Even he was having trouble concentrating.

Oakhaven soon regained possession and took advantage of a gap in Virion's defense. The shot came fast, and the goalie couldn't stop the puck from crossing the goal line.

The visiting crowd cheered, while Virion students groaned in frustration.

"I don't like this," Mia grumbled.

"You looked pretty confident earlier."

"I still am. I'm just showing my dissatisfaction."

Sofie laughed, returning her attention to the game.

With the tie, the match grew even more intense. Oakhaven pressed hard, while Ronan reorganized his team and searched for an opening.

At one point, he lifted his head and found Sofie again.

This time, she held his gaze.

His grip tightened around his stick before he looked away and took a deep breath.

Time was running out.

And then the puck came to him.

Ronan skated down the side of the rink, dodged an opponent, and made a quick pass to a teammate. The play didn't work, but Virion regained possession shortly afterward.

The final attack started almost before Sofie realized it.

The players moved quickly, trading passes until Ronan got the puck in a good position.

He didn't hesitate.

The shot cut through the defense and hit the net.

The whistle blew right after.

Virion had won.

The stands exploded in cheers.

Ronan threw his arms up and turned toward the crowd. His eyes found Sofie's, and this time, he didn't look away.

There was a smile on his face, but his attention seemed entirely focused on her.

Sofie's wolf practically threw itself against the barrier she kept inside herself.

He won.

The bond pulsed through her chest, sending a warm wave through her body.

For a second, she had the absurd impression that his smile was meant for her.

And maybe it was.

Then his teammates piled onto him, celebrating loudly. One threw an arm around his shoulders, while another gave him a shove that nearly made the captain lose his balance.

That was enough.

Sofie stood up.

"Let's go."

Mia looked at her.

"Now?"

"Now."

Sofie squeezed past the people in her row and headed for the exit.

"Sofie! Wait!"

Mia hurried after her in the hallway.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving."

"I figured that part out."

Sofie kept walking until they reached a quieter area of the sports complex.

"You can't just run away after that."

"Apparently, I can."

"Sofie."

She stopped and rubbed her hands over her face.

Even without seeing him, she could still feel Ronan's presence. Her wolf hated the distance and kept urging her to turn around.

Go back.

"No," she muttered.

Mia frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Sofie took a deep breath.

"I can't do this, Mia."

"Do what?"

"Pretend everything's fine. He's Ronan Virion. Son of the Virion Beta. And I'm a Nocthar."

"That doesn't change the fact that you're mates."

"I know."

The answer came out faster than she intended.

"That's exactly the problem. My family is in Nocthar. My future is there. I have plans, Mia. I didn't spend all these years building my life just to leave it behind."

"Nobody's asking you to do that right now."

"Not yet."

She looked at her friend.

"What if he expects me to move to Virion? What if his family expects that? I don't want to have to choose between my mate and everything I've built."

Mia softened.

"You haven't even talked to him yet."

"I know."

"Maybe he's scared, too."

Sofie let out a short, humorless laugh.

"He looked pretty interested in locking eyes with me during the match."

"And you didn't look exactly indifferent."

She didn't answer.

Because Mia had a point.

Sofie wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know who the man was that her wolf had recognized so instantly. But she also wanted to keep control of her own life.

"Mia, I'm not ready to talk about this."

Her friend sighed but didn't push it.

At least not right then.

The Blackwood fraternity house was packed when they got there.

Music echoed off the walls, mixing with loud conversations and the laughter of students who had decided to keep the party going after the game.

Sofie stared at the house through the car window.

"I thought you were taking me home."

"And I thought you'd thank me for not letting you spend the rest of the night locked in your room."

"You're a terrible friend."

"An excellent friend. Now let's go."

Mia got out of the car.

Sofie followed reluctantly. A little distraction wouldn't hurt. She knew she'd panic if she started overthinking bond paperwork tonight.

Inside, the memory of the game still lingered, but Mia soon pulled her into the crowd.

She got drinks for both of them, and when a familiar song came on, she dragged Sofie toward the group of students dancing in the living room.

Sofie eventually relaxed. She talked to a few people, laughed at a story Mia told, and even managed to forget about the match for a little while.

Maybe this was what she needed.

A normal night.

No thinking about packs, bonds, or the consequences of running into the Virion Beta's son.

"See?" Mia commented, handing her another cup. "You're having fun."

"Don't spread it around. I've got a reputation to maintain."

"Too late."

Sofie laughed and took a sip of Lázuli, the only drink that actually worked on wolves.

The sweet, slightly bitter taste slid down her throat. Little by little, the warmth spread through her body, making her thoughts less organized.

At some point, she glanced toward the entrance.

She doubted Ronan would show up. He probably had better things to do after the game, and with his popularity, he certainly had no shortage of company.

He had no reason to want a mate if he could have anyone he wanted.

Her wolf stirred, annoyed.

He's not just anyone.

Sofie brushed the thought aside.

The idea should have brought her peace.

Instead, it made her jealous.

"I think I'll go get something else to drink," she said.

Mia pointed toward the kitchen.

"Go ahead. I'll stay here."

Sofie crossed the room, dodging a few students dancing. She was choosing between the available drinks when she felt it.

That presence.

A familiar scent reached her before she could fully identify it. Something cold, clean, and woodsy, with a note that seemed to belong exclusively to him.

Sofie looked toward the other side of the room.

Ronan.

He wasn't wearing his team uniform anymore. He had on a black T-shirt, and his dark hair was even messier than it had been during the game.

His scent reached her even through the distance, and her wolf immediately became alert.

He was surrounded by his teammates, but he wasn't talking. His eyes were searching the room, and Sofie had no trouble figuring out what he was looking for.

Her stomach tightened.

"No," she murmured.

"What is it?" Mia asked, walking up beside her.

Sofie subtly nodded in his direction.

Mia followed her gaze.

"Ah."

"Don't start."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you thought it."

The corner of Mia's mouth quirked up.

Ronan said a quick goodbye to the people he was with and started crossing the room.

His eyes stayed on Sofie the entire way, only shifting when someone crossed his path.

Sofie's wolf practically purred.

Sofie tightened her grip on her cup.

Don't help, she thought.

I'm not helping. I'm recognizing our mate.

This time, she couldn't pretend she hadn't seen him.

Nor could she run away without making the whole thing even more awkward.

So she stayed put.

Ronan stopped in front of her.

Up close, he was even taller than he looked on the rink. His eyes searched her face for a few seconds, as if making sure he hadn't imagined what happened during the game.

His scent was stronger now, and Sofie had to fight the instinctive urge to close the distance between them.

"You left before I could talk to you," he said.

Sofie raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know I had to wait for the captain to finish the match."

A subtle smile appeared on his face.

"Fair."

There was a pause.

"Ronan," he introduced himself, even though she already knew.

"Sofie."

He repeated her name under his breath.

"I know."

She tilted her head.

"Is that supposed to comfort me?"

"Probably not."

Sofie almost smiled.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

She found herself paying attention to details she wouldn't normally notice in someone she'd just met: his low voice, the way he held her gaze, and the slight tension in his jaw.

Ronan seemed equally focused on her, completely uninterested in the chaos surrounding them.

He glanced briefly at Mia before returning his attention to Sofie.

"Can we talk?"

Sofie squeezed her cup between her fingers.

Part of her wanted to say no. Another part wanted to find out if he was feeling the same ridiculous need to stay close.

Her wolf wasn't helping.

He's right here.

I noticed.

Stay with him.

Sofie almost rolled her eyes. Her wolf was clearly determined not to offer any rational input tonight.

"About what happened in the game?" she asked.

His smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression.

"About us."

The word hung in the air between them.

Sofie looked away for a second.

She had no idea what this would mean for her life, what would happen when their families found out, or how two different packs would react to the bond.

She also didn't know whether Ronan expected her to accept everything as easily as her wolf had.

But she knew one thing.

That night just got a whole lot more complicated.