Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Virion University was never exactly the place Liam had pictured for himself.
Not that he’d had many options.
Because he was an Omega, the university only allowed him to enroll in the pre-med program. His classification dictated his choices, regardless of what he actually wanted to study.
Medicina was the option on the table.
At least he’d managed to land a scholarship. The program was sponsored by the Nocthar pack, and that opportunity was the only reason he’d made it into one of the most prestigious universities across the packs.
Still, Liam couldn't shake the feeling that other people had mapped out his future long before he ever got a chance to think about it for himself.
"You making that face because of class, or did you finally realize you actually need to study?"
Liam lifted his gaze to find Ronan standing right beside him, a teasing grin playing on his lips.
"I’m trying to decide if it’s even worth keeping up with these books, or if I should just accept that my destiny is to deeply disappoint all my professors."
"Judging by your grades, I think your professors already made peace with that."
"Damn, thanks for the backup. That’s why you’re my favorite."
Ronan let out a laugh, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulders and steering him down the hall.
As the son of Darius—Virion’s Beta—and the heir apparent, Ronan had grown up accustomed to the weight of his position. He was also the captain of the Virion hockey team, and Liam had fought hard to earn a spot on the roster under his command.
An achievement that still sparked gossip in the hallways.
"We’ve got practice coming up in a bit," Ronan warned.
"I know."
"Just hope you're actually ready."
"Always am."
"Last time, you almost laid out two guys during the drills."
"They were dead in my line of fire."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Sofie and Mia are already waiting for us at the Lumen."
"Swear to God, I’ve never seen two she-wolves so obsessed with caffeine. They practically live there."
"I’ve already told Sofie she has a legit addiction. She totally goes into denial," Ronan muttered as he climbed into the car.
"Well, to be fair, putting up with you probably burns through a ton of energy."
Liam slid into the passenger seat and clicked his door shut.
"Man, keep it down. It sucks trying to sleep with you guys crashing at the house."
Ronan shot him an amused side-eye.
"What do you want me to do? I found my mate."
"Go back to using her dorm as a hotel."
"Can't. She caught a warning. I am strictly banned from stepping foot in there now. My bad."
Ronan laughed and turned the ignition.
"Tragic," Liam said, shaking his head. "My deepest condolences."
"Mind your own damn business, Liam."
"I'm trying. But you two make it real hard."
The Lumen Café was right on campus and always packed with students. It had a warm, cozy vibe, tables crammed near the windows, and the constant, rich smell of freshly brewed espresso.
When Liam and Ronan walked in, they spotted Sofie and Mia sitting at a corner table.
"Look who finally decided to show up!" Mia called out. "Thought you guys totally ditched us."
"Blame him," Liam said, pointing a thumb at Ronan as he pulled out a chair. "Took him forever to get his act together."
"You were staring at your phone for like ten solid minutes," Ronan shot back.
"I was handling crucial business."
"Picking out what you wanted to gorge on?"
"Exactly. Finally, someone who gets my priorities straight."
Mia snorted with laughter while Sofie smiled.
Ronan dropped into the seat next to Sofie, leaning over to steal a quick kiss before saying hi to both girls.
Liam watched the display with an amused smirk.
"You guys mind dialing down the PDA just a notch? There are single people trying to survive in this establishment."
"You could always order something to eat instead of running your mouth," Ronan fired back.
"See that? That right there is how he treats his ride-or-dies."
"Speaking of bickering, the Oakhaven game is coming up fast," Mia said, resting her forearms on the table.
Ronan nodded.
"And this one ain't gonna be a friendly scrimmage."
"Good," Liam chimed in. "I was getting sick of playing against squads that don't even put up a fight."
"You say that like you didn't spend half the last game jawing at the refs and the other team," Ronan pointed out.
"They started it."
Sofie chuckled.
"Honestly, half the time it looks like you guys treat the ice rink like a cage match. Puck drops, and all hell breaks loose."
"It’s called passion, babe," Liam shrugged.
"I love this toxic little testosterone circus of yours," Mia grinned.
"Especially when it’s the Silver Fang squad?" Sofie asked with a raised brow.
"Especially them."
Ronan shook his head, though he couldn't quite hide his grin.
"Just try not to get yourself suspended before the tournament even starts."
"Relax, boss man," Liam replied sarcastically.
The chatter went on for a few more minutes, right up until the front door swung open.
A young woman with dark hair stepped inside. Her sharp gray eyes scanned the room with laser focus until they landed straight on their table.
Liam wouldn't have given her a second glance if it weren't for the sudden jolt that ripped through him. His wolf surged awake, recognizing someone before his conscious mind could catch up. The café seemed to fade around him as their eyes locked.
And just like that, he knew.
Mate.
The certainty settled over him, leaving no room for doubt. After hearing so many stories about the bond, he had finally found his own. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Her reaction, however, was entirely different.
For a brief second, her eyes held his, and Liam felt the invisible tether tighten. She knew, too.
She was his.
Kaelen felt the same jolt. Her inner wolf stirred with immediate satisfaction, urging her to cross the room and claim the one the Goddess had tied to her soul.
For a fleeting second, Kaelen almost gave in.
Then reality caught up with her. Her mate was an Omega. She hardened her expression and forced herself to look away, refusing to let the bond derail her family's plans.
Instead of walking over to Liam, she marched straight up to Ronan.
"Ronan Virion?" she asked, stopping right beside the table.
Ronan looked up, caught slightly off guard.
"Yeah. Can I help you?"
She didn't answer right away. Her eyes swept over Sofie and Mia before snapping back to him.
"I’m Kaelen Vance. I figured you’d probably heard my name by now."
Ronan furrowed his brow.
"Can't say that I have."
She held his gaze for a beat and then smiled, as if she were about to drop the most casual piece of weather news.
"I’m your fiancée."
The announcement silenced the table. Ronan stared at her, while Sofie froze mid-sip and Mia raised her eyebrows. Liam couldn't move.
His fiancée?
The woman his wolf had just recognized as his mate was announcing that she was going to marry his best friend.
"My... what?" Ronan finally managed.
"Your fiancée," Kaelen repeated, completely unfazed.
"I think you’ve got the wrong guy."
"I don't."
Ronan flicked a quick, panicked look at Sofie, who looked just as blindsided as he was.
"I've never heard a single word about an engagement."
Kaelen’s smile didn't fade, though her tone dropped into something a bit more rigid.
"Maybe certain conversations happened before you were looped in."
Mia let out a dry, disbelieving scoff.
"Wait. Are you telling me you were promised to Ronan without him even knowing?"
Kaelen shifted her cool gaze to Mia.
"The families already discussed the terms."
"That still doesn't answer the question," Sofie pointed out sharply.
Kaelen didn't look bothered in the slightest.
"I didn't come here to debate the fine print. I came to meet my future husband."
Ronan dragged a hand down his face.
"Right. Okay. Someone needs to explain to me what the hell is going on right now."
"We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later," Kaelen replied smoothly.
That was when her eyes finally drifted back to Liam.
The bond pulsed hard between them.
She knew.
Liam could read it plain as day in the way her gaze locked onto him. Yet, Kaelen didn't show an ounce of surprise or happiness. If anything, she looked fully aware of the grenade she’d just tossed into the room.
"And you must be Liam," she said casually.
His jaw tightened.
"Yeah."
"I’ve heard quite a bit about you."
"Only good things, I hope."
Kaelen tilted her head slightly.
"We’ll see about that."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's reassuring. I'll try not to lose sleep over it."
She turned her attention back to Ronan.
"It was nice meeting you all. I'm sure we'll run into each other plenty."
"Hold on," Ronan cut in, standing up halfway. "You can't just drop a bomb like that and walk away without explaining a damn thing."
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
Kaelen shot one final, lingering look at Liam before turning on her heel.
"See you around."
She walked toward the exit without a backward glance.
The second the door swung shut behind her, Mia exhaled a massive breath she’d been holding.
"Okay, someone better explain what the actual fuck just happened."
---
Kaelen power-walked down the concrete path leading toward the academic buildings.
She’d only arrived at Virion University the day before. The transfer from Oakhaven was still fresh, and she barely knew her way around campus. She'd been trying to adjust to a new routine and the expectations of a school she never wanted to attend in the first place.
But right now, classes were the last thing on her mind.
She'd spotted Liam the second she walked into the café. The hockey player was hard to miss, especially given the attention he drew as an Omega on Virion’s roster. What she hadn't expected was the bond.
Mate.
Her wolf had recognized him instantly.
Even so, Kaelen had zero intention of submitting to what that bond meant.
The thought of being shackled to an Omega was entirely out of the question. Not after everything she’d been taught about status, pack hierarchy, and where people belonged.
She had come to Virion for a specific reason. Her engagement to Ronan was part of a pact locked down long ago by the elders, and her transfer wasn't simply about getting a degree. She wouldn't throw that future away for an inconvenient mating bond.
What she hadn't banked on was Liam sprinting out of the café right behind her.
"Hey! Wait up!"
Kaelen squeezed her eyes shut for a microsecond.
Classic.
She kept walking for a few more strides, but the footsteps closed the gap fast.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
She finally spun around and stopped dead.
Liam slowed down to a jog, pulling up just a few feet away. He was breathing a little heavy, and the bright, hopeful expression he’d worn inside was completely gone, replaced by a dark scowl.
"What the hell was that back there?" he demanded.
Kaelen arched an eyebrow.
"What was what?"
"Don't play dumb. You walked right up to my table and announced you were marrying my best friend."
"And that’s an issue for you why?"
Liam let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"An issue? You just announced you're marrying my best friend!"
"I don't see why that should concern you."
He stared at her, baffled.
"Are you out of your damn mind?"
"Completely."
Liam dragged a hand through his hair, trying to anchor his thoughts before he exploded.
The bond was still humming under his skin, thick and impossible to block out. His wolf was restless, scratching at his ribs, insisting that the girl standing in front of him was supposed to be his.
But Liam couldn't wrap his head around her cold, calculated hostility.
"You knew what happened when you walked into that café, didn't you?"
Kaelen held his stare without blinking.
"I did."
His chest tightened.
"So you felt it too."
"I felt it."
Liam's jaw flexed. "Then you know exactly what this is."
"I don't need you to explain it to me."
"Good. Then explain why you're planning to marry Ronan."
Kaelen let out an annoyed breath through her nose.
"Because that alliance was settled a long time ago."
"By who?"
"Our families."
"And you just went along with it?"
"I don't see why I need to justify my life choices to you."
Liam let out a dry, humorless chuckle.
"You just found out I'm your mate, and you're standing there telling me you're gonna marry another guy like it's no big deal."
"Don't turn this into something it isn't."
"Then what the hell is it?"
Kaelen looked him over, her jaw tight, as if debating whether it was worth even dropping the mask.
"Fine. Let's not dance around it."
Liam stayed dead silent, waiting.
"The bond doesn't change the agreement between our families. My future was decided long before I ever met you."
"And apparently, you don't have a problem letting other people decide your future for you."
Her expression sharpened.
"You know nothing about my circumstances."
"Then what's the problem?"
She regarded him with open condescension.
"Because I am not about to settle for a mate who is beneath me."
Liam stared at her, waiting for some sign that she'd regret saying it. But Kaelen only held his gaze.
A few minutes earlier, he'd been happy. He'd imagined learning where she came from, what she liked. He'd even been ready to ask her out for coffee. Now, the thought made him feel foolish.
He'd spent most of his life dealing with people who assumed an Omega was less capable before he even opened his mouth. He just hadn't expected that judgment from the one person who was supposed to recognize him as her equal.
"Beneath you?" he repeated, a sharp, humorless laugh snapping out of him. "Is that really your opener with someone who just found out they're your mate?"
"You heard me."
Kaelen crossed her arms over her chest.
"I’m not going to pretend I'm thrilled about this hand I've been dealt."
"And you think I am? Because up until five minutes ago, I was actually glad I found my mate. Now I'm starting to think the universe made a mistake."
Her expression hardened instantly.
"Watch your tone when you talk to me."
Liam let out another harsh laugh.
"Oh, that's rich. You get to call me inferior to my face, but I need to watch my manners?"
"You don't understand the situation."
"Then help me understand. Or is being an Omega all the explanation you think I deserve?"
Kaelen didn't answer right away.
And her silence was louder than anything she could have said.
Liam looked away for a moment, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth. When he faced her again, his voice was steadier.
"You know what? I don't need you to like me. I sure as hell don't need you to be happy about this bond, and I definitely don't need you to fake anything. But I am not going to sit here and let you treat me like I'm worth less because of my classification."
"I don't owe you compliance."
"And I don't owe you a damn thing either."
His pushback clearly caught her off guard. For a split second, Kaelen blinked in surprise, but she quickly locked her features back into a frozen mask.
"Fine. Glad we're on the same page."
She spun on her heel and started storming off in the opposite direction.
Liam stood his ground, watching her back recede down the path.
The bond tugged at him, urging him to follow. He ignored it. He wasn't going to beg someone to see his worth.
Kaelen disappeared between two brick buildings, leaving him with the one thing he hadn't expected to feel after finding his mate: rejection.
He wasn't going to chase her.
Not after that.
