78. Little flower.

The moment the Beauxbatons carriage touched the ground, Fleur's heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear anything else. The elegant arrival of her school, the graceful descent of the Abraxan-drawn carriage—none of it mattered. Not the grandeur, not the crowd of curious Hogwarts students, not even Madame Maxime's commanding presence as she led them forward.

Her entire world had narrowed to a single point.

Ryan.

Her eyes locked onto him the instant she stepped onto the ground. The months of waiting, of longing, of carefully gathering every detail she could about him—it was finally over. He was right there, standing among the students, completely unaware of the storm that was about to crash into his life.

Her pulse raced, Veela instincts roaring in her blood, urging her forward. She didn't care about the whispers around her, about the fact that her schoolmates were meant to present themselves properly. No, this was far more important.

Fleur moved with purpose, the world around her fading into nothing. All that existed was him.

Ryan, oblivious to the intensity of Fleur's approach, was casually watching the grand entrance of the Beauxbatons students. He had expected something dramatic—the books had described their arrival as elegant and awe-inspiring—but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of Fleur Delacour storming toward him with singular determination.

Her silvery-blonde hair caught the evening light, her blue eyes burning with an intensity that made even the surrounding students pause. Some gawked at her beauty, others whispered, but Fleur ignored them all.

Ryan blinked. "Uh—"

Before he could even react, Fleur closed the distance between them, stopping mere inches away. She tilted her head up, looking at him as if confirming that he was real. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but instead, she simply reached out and—

"Mine."

The single word was a whisper, barely audible, but Ryan heard it. And so did Yue, who was watching from the side, absolutely delighted.

The possessiveness in Fleur's voice sent a ripple of silence through the surrounding students. Even Ryan, who had been prepared for something, wasn't quite ready for this.

"...Fleur?" he asked hesitantly.

She blinked, as if realizing what she had just done. A hint of red colored her cheeks, but she didn't back down. Instead, she straightened her posture, her confidence returning as she placed a hand over her chest.

"Ryan," she said, her accent thick, her voice filled with emotions months in the making. "I have waited long enough. We have waited long enough."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "We?"

From behind Fleur, a group of Beauxbatons girls—her close friends—were watching with amusement, some whispering excitedly, others sighing as if this were a long-anticipated event. Clearly, they had known exactly how this would play out.

Yue, standing next to Ryan, smirked. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun."

Ryan barely had time to process Fleur's words before she surged forward, her hands gripping the front of his robes as she crashed her lips against his.

The world around them ceased to exist. Gasps and whispers erupted from the watching students, but Fleur didn't care. For months, she had been waiting, yearning, obsessing over this moment. And now that she had him in front of her, she wasn't going to let anything stop her.

A heat ignited in her core, something primal, something ancient. Her Veela blood roared in triumph, recognizing what her heart had already known—this was her mate. Her magic flared, wrapping around Ryan in an invisible embrace, branding him in a way that no one else would understand.

Ryan, caught off guard by the intensity, hesitated for only a moment before instinct took over. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Fleur's body trembled against his, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions surging through her.

This wasn't just attraction. This was claiming.

She had wondered about it at first, back when she had barely known him. But now? There was no doubt. No hesitation. He was hers.

The kiss deepened, raw and consuming, a silent declaration to everyone watching. Fleur didn't care if they stared. Let them see. Let them know.

When she finally pulled back, breathless, her pupils were blown wide, her Veela magic still humming in the air. She pressed her forehead against Ryan's chest breathing in his scent, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips.

"Mine," she whispered again, her voice husky, filled with absolute certainty.

Ryan exhaled slowly, eyes locking onto hers. "...Well, that was one hell of a greeting."

Yue burst into laughter, absolutely delighted. "Oh, Ryan," she purred, eyes shining with mischief. "You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into."

Ryan had no idea what Yue meant—until he saw Fleur's eyes.

There was something different about them now. A deep, unwavering certainty. Possessiveness. It sent a shiver down his spine.

She wasn't just happy to see him. This was something more.

His mind flashed back to the books. Veela were magical beings, yes, but there had never been much written about their mating habits. Yet, as Fleur gazed at him with that look, a part of him knew.

Veela mated for life.

And she had just claimed him.

The realization crashed into him like a tidal wave. Fleur hadn't just kissed him—she had bound herself to him in a way that went beyond words. Beyond magic.

Ryan opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Fleur's hands cupped his face. Her thumbs brushed over his cheeks, her expression fierce and adoring all at once.

"Je t'aime," she whispered, the words slipping from her lips before she could stop them.

She had spent months longing for this moment, dreaming of it, planning for it. And now, finally, finally, she was with him.

Ryan swallowed hard. He wasn't sure what to say, but he knew one thing—there was no going back from this.

Fleur wasn't just interested in him. She belonged to him now, just as much as she had decided he belonged to her.

And from the way Yue was grinning like a cat who had gotten into the cream, she had definitely known this was going to happen.

"Oh, mon amour," Fleur murmured, her fingers tangling in his hair. "You don't understand yet, do you?"

Ryan raised a brow. "Understand what?"

Fleur's smirk deepened. "You are mine now. Forever."

The words sent a strange thrill through him. Possessive. Absolute. Unbreakable.

The students around them were still staring, whispering furiously. Some gaped in disbelief, others looked scandalized. But none of that mattered. Not to Fleur.

She had waited long enough.

And now that she had him?

She wasn't letting go.

"Oh you are going to fit right in." Yue said happily. Pretty much every girl in Ryan's group had a deep obsession and love for him.

As for Ryan's response? "Yeah, alright. Someone has some explaining to do however." He glared at Yue.

Yue's grin only widened, utterly unrepentant. "Explaining? Moi? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Ryan crossed his arms. "Don't play innocent. You knew this was coming."

Fleur, still pressed against him, ran a hand down his chest. "Of course she knew," she purred. "She has been helping me prepare for this moment for months."

Ryan groaned, shooting Yue another glare. "And you didn't think to mention that Fleur was going to—" He gestured vaguely between them.

Yue tilted her head, pretending to think about it. "Nope."

Rachel, who had been watching with quiet amusement, finally spoke up. "Come on, Ryan. You should've seen this coming. You attract obsessive women like a magnet."

Ryan let out a long sigh. "I really do, don't I?"

"Oui," Fleur confirmed, nuzzling against his shoulder with a pleased hum. "And now you are mine."

He could feel the sincerity behind those words. Fleur wasn't joking or exaggerating. She had claimed him in the way only a Veela could, and there was no undoing it.

Yue leaned in, whispering just loud enough for him to hear, "Surprise!"

Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is why I can't have normal relationships." not that any of his other relationships were normal.

Fleur tightened her hold on him. "Normal is overrated."

Yue nodded sagely. "She's right, you know."

Rachel smirked. "Welcome to your new reality, Ryan."

Ryan exhaled. "Yeah, yeah… I give up." He glanced down at Fleur, who was still clinging to him like she might vanish if she let go. Her blue eyes were alight with pure, unrestrained happiness.

He supposed there were worse fates than being adored by a stunning, devoted Veela.

"…Alright, Fleur," he finally said. "Let's see how this goes."

Fleur's smile was radiant. "Oh, mon amour, I already know how this goes."

And with that, she pulled him into another fiery kiss, sealing her claim once and for all.