3.

Elena

I walk into my room and shut the door behind me a little too hard. Then I lean my back against it and breathe in deeply like I just ran a marathon instead of walking across campus.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale again.

My wolf finally stops pacing in my chest.

For now.

Lila notices me through the mirror. She is sitting at her desk, curling her honey blonde hair, concentrating.

“Why are you breathing like you just escaped prison?” she asks.

I slide down until I am sitting on the floor with my head against the door. “Because I did something fucking stupid.”

She narrows her eyes at my reflection. “Define stupid.”

“I said yes.”

She freezes. The curling iron stops moving.

“Yes to what?”

“I said yes to going to the party tonight with Rowan.”

She screams.

Not a little gasp. Not a shocked noise. A full dramatic, horror movie scream.

“Holy smokes. Are you serious right now?”

I wince. “Lower your voice. The walls are thin and Mrs. Clara already thinks we're emotionally unstable.”

She jumps up from her chair and rushes over. “You mean it. You actually said yes.”

I nod slowly. “Unfortunately.”

Her face lights up for exactly two seconds.

Then it falls hard.

“Wait. Why did he ask you?”

I sigh. “Because Lydia will be there. And he wants to make her jealous.”

Lila stares at me like I just admitted to eating raw soap.

“You have officially lost your damn mind.”

“It was an accident,” I defended myself. “He asked so casually. He looked sad. His eyes were doing that thing. The puppy eyes thing. I panicked.”

“So you agreed to be emotional bait,” she snaps. “Elena, are you fucking hearing yourself?”

“I know,” I groan. “I do not even know why I said yes. I wanted to say no. I planned to say no. I rehearsed no in my head. But then he looked hurt and my mouth betrayed me.”

She folds her arms. “You cannot keep doing this.”

“Doing what exactly. Being dumb. Because that is my brand.”

“No,” she says sharply. “Letting Rowan play with your heart like it is a stress ball.”

My stomach twists.

“He is not playing with my heart.”

She snorts. “Please. Do not insult my intelligence.”

“I do not like him like that,” I insist weakly.

She walks closer. “Cut the crap, Elena.”

My wolf perks up like she agrees.

“You cannot keep pretending this does not hurt you,” Lila continues. “Every time he runs after Lydia. Every time he ignores you for her. Every time he treats you like his backup plan. You come back here looking like someone stole your fucking soul.”

“That is dramatic.”

“It is accurate.”

I open my mouth to argue.

Nothing comes out.

She points at me. “You like him. You have liked him since high school. And you are still here acting like you are just his friendly neighborhood omega.”

“That’s not,” I mutter.

“It is…” she corrects.

I sigh and rub my face. “Okay maybe I like him a little. Tiny bit. Like a microscopic amount.”

She rolls her eyes. “You are in love with him.”

“Do not say it like that,” I protest. “It sounds illegal.”

She ignores me. “This is your chance.”

“My chance to be humiliated publicly.”

“No,” she says firmly. “Your chance to tell him how you feel.”

I stare at her. “You have lost your fucking mind.”

“I mean it,” she says. “I am tired of watching you pretend you are fine while he walks all over you. You deserve better. Either he steps up or he gets out of your heart.”

My chest feels tight.

She continues, louder now. “Stop letting him decide everything. Stop shrinking yourself. Stop acting like your feelings do not matter. They do.”

I look away.

My wolf goes quiet.

That is never a good sign.

She softens a little. “Elena, you are strong. You are smart. You got into Mooncrest on your own. You survived high school surrounded by arrogant alphas. You can survive one honest conversation.”

I stand and sit on my bed, staring at my hands.

What if he laughs?

What if he says he never saw me that way?

What if I lose him?”

What if I never try…and lose him anyway.

My thoughts start spinning.

Finally, I whisper, “How do I even tell him?”

Lila’s face softens into a small smile.

“There she is,” she says.

She sits beside me and nudges my shoulder. “Do not worry. I will help you.”

“You promise you will not let me embarrass myself?”

She grins. “No promises. But I will make sure you look hot while doing it.”

I snort despite myself.

….

By the time my phone reads 8:00 p.m., I am standing in front of the mirror having a full identity crisis.

Because the girl staring back at me does not look like me. The fuck?

She looks like someone important. Like someone who belongs at fancy parties instead of hiding in hoodies.

My soft silver lilac hair falls down my back in gentle waves, freshly straightened and shining under the dorm lights. My moon gold eyes glow softly, reflecting the light the same way my wolf’s fur does when she gets excited. Glittering and impossible to miss.

My wolf is pacing inside me like she is waiting for bad news.

‘Do not get attached,’ she warns.

‘You never like him anyway.’

I sigh internally. Yes, yes, I know. My wolf has never liked Rowan. Not since high school. She always gets restless around him, uneasy, like something about him feels wrong to her. I never understand why, because he is my best friend. He has always been there for me. Still, she does not trust him.

Meanwhile, I am busy admiring myself.

The gown Lila forced me into is deep midnight blue, fitted at the waist and flowing down like something out of a fantasy movie. I barely recognize my own body in it. I usually dress like I am preparing for emotional hibernation.

Lila stands behind me, fixing the last strand of my hair.

“Do not move,” she orders. “If you mess this up after all my hard work, I will fucking disown you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply obediently.

She steps back and nods. “You look insanely hot.”

I stare at my reflection. “I do not know how to respond to that.”

“Say thank you.”

“Thank you,” I laugh. “It is all thanks to you. If it were up to me, I would be wearing sweatpants.”

“And embarrassing me by association.”

She grabs her bag. “So when is your date arriving?”

I hesitate. “About that.”

She freezes. “What do you mean about that?”

“Rowan is not picking me up. He said we should meet at the party.”

Her jaw drops. “What kind of fake boyfriend behavior is that?”

“He is not my boyfriend,” I mutter.

“Yet. Still rude.”

“It is fine,” I say quickly. “We will just walk.”

She sighs. “I cannot believe I styled you for a guy who cannot even escort you.”

I grab my clutch. “Let us go before you lock me in here.”

Lila pauses at the door and then turns to me. “Wait… did you wear sexy panties?”

“What…” I blurt out, surprised.

She rolls her eyes. “Don't act like that. If all goes well, then you'll both probably fuck… you know… and that involves you getting naked.”

“Lila, stop it,” I say, feeling my cheeks heat up.

“Alright, alright…” She raises her hand toward the door before suddenly turning back to me. “But at least you wore a thong, right?”

“Lila!”

“Okay, okay, fine,” she says, opening the door.

I can’t believe this. She’s talking about… that and panties and all. As if.

‘Acting like you don’t fantasize about him pounding you,’ my wolf says.

What the fuck?

Okay, fine… maybe I do have thoughts like that from time to time… but come on.

I shake it off, following Lila and shutting the door behind me.