Chapter 1: My First Kiss with A Stranger
Maeve's POV
Today I had my first kiss. It wasn't planned. It wasn't with someone I loved. It was with a complete stranger, in a hallway, because I was furious beyond words.
I've always dreamed about my first kiss since I understood what true love meant. I imagined electricity coursing between us, that magical moment when everything clicks into place.
I wondered what my wolf would feel when she recognized our mate - that instant connection my mother described feeling with my father.
When I entered Morpheus Crescent Academy, I hoped to find someone who would make my heart race. But that feeling never came.
I've been dating Louie for months, but something felt off. No sparks, no butterflies, nothing like what my parents share.
I kept telling myself that maybe when I turn eighteen and finally get my wolf, she would recognize him as our mate.
But the Moon Goddess had other plans.
As I walked through the academy halls after Art History class, I heard... sounds from the dance studio. The kind that make your face burn.
I should have walked away. I really should have. But my feet refused to move.
When I pushed the door open just enough to peek inside, the dim light revealed two figures against the ballet barre.
The girl's legs were wrapped around the guy's waist as they moved together in a rhythm that definitely wasn't part of any dance curriculum.
"You're so good. Please harder," the girl moaned, her voice breathy and desperate.
"So wet," he answered roughly. "I love it. Get ready to take me."
When they shifted, light illuminated their faces - Louie and Juniper. My boyfriend and the stuck-up princess who'd been giving me death glares since orientation.
A strange numbness washed over me, followed by burning humiliation. The tears that sprang to my eyes weren't from heartbreak, but from feeling utterly foolish.
I backed away, desperate to escape, but collided with someone. Inside, Louie's head snapped toward the door. When he saw me, his face drained of color.
"Maeve!" he yelped, pushing Juniper away. "This isn't what it looks like!"
I ran with Louie following. He caught my wrist with enough force to bruise. "Maeve, please, let me explain. It was just an accident..."
An accident? Like he tripped and fell into her? I yanked my arm away. "We're DONE, Louie," I hissed, my voice trembling with rage. "And remember - I'm the one dumping YOU."
That's when I saw him - an incredibly hot guy walking down the hallway. Tall and muscular with broad shoulders, brown wavy hair, and a perfectly chiseled face.
When our eyes met, something strange stirred inside me. His gaze was intense, and I noticed a crease form between his brows as he noticed the tears on my cheeks.
I quickly wiped them away with the back of my hand, embarrassed that a stranger had witnessed my moment of weakness.
As Louie approached, I made a split-second decision. I stepped toward the handsome stranger, placed my hands on his shoulders, and pulled him toward me.
Then, our lips touched.
His lips were soft and sweet like peaches, but unmoving. His hands stayed at his sides while mine found their way around his neck. My heart hammered wildly as I closed my eyes, though I had no idea who he was.
When I finally pulled away, I looked up breathlessly into his blue eyes, which had darkened considerably as he stared down at me. My hands still rested behind his neck, and I suddenly realized how closely I was pressed against him.
"I need to get to class," he said, his voice deep and slightly husky. The first words he'd ever spoken to me.
Heat rushed to my face as I stepped back, my fingers unconsciously touching my tingling lips.
That was my first kiss ever.
What. Had. I. Done?
I was too stunned by my own actions to even ask his name. I just nodded, brushing my golden hair away from my face with trembling fingers.
Louie and Juniper had already disappeared. I turned away without saying anything and headed straight for the main office. All I could think about was getting out of any class I shared with Louie.
I couldn't face him again after that.
Even as I walked away, I could feel the stranger's eyes following me, burning into the back of my head.
...
"Unfortunately, there's only one class available. All other seats are filled," Mrs. Green at the registration office said, glancing at her computer.
"And what class would that be?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady.
"Professor Cyrus's Combat Training Class," she answered, looking up at me over her reading glasses. "This is usually for upperclassmen, but considering your family background," she gave me a meaningful look, "I'm sure an exception can be made."
Combat Training? I hadn't even gained my wolf yet. This seemed like a terrible idea. But any option that kept me away from Louie was good.
"I'll take it," I said firmly.
Mrs. Green nodded, quickly typing something into her computer before printing out my new schedule.
"The arenas are on the east side of campus. Class has already started, so you'd better hurry."
As I crossed the academy grounds, my pace quickened. Despite everything, I couldn't help feeling a flutter of excitement about the combat class.
My uncle had trained me in fighting techniques since I was young, so I wasn't completely unprepared. Even without my wolf, I could at least prove I wasn't helpless.
Like my mother, I was a Callisto wolf - or would be once I shifted. Callisto wolves are more powerful than ordinary ones, possessing unique abilities that manifest after the first shift. My birthday was only days away, yet it felt like an eternity.
As I approached the arenas, the sounds of growls and fighting grew louder. Something in my blood seemed to respond.
I pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside.
The arena was impressive - a massive circular space with a sand-covered fighting pit surrounded by training zones. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and wild energy.
Students in wolf form engaged in combat training, their movements fierce yet graceful.
A deep growl caught everyone's attention. From an elevated platform, a massive dark wolf surveyed the arena, its fur almost blue under the crystal lighting.
All students immediately lined up in perfect formation. A shiver ran down my spine, along with a strange pull I couldn't explain.
The wolf's eyes landed directly on me, triggering a powerful sense of familiarity.
It leaped down, shifting as it landed. In seconds, a tall man stood there, wearing only training pants, his muscular upper body bare.
When I saw his face clearly, my heart nearly stopped.
So he was Professor Cyrus?
And the stranger I had just kissed in the hallway...