CHAPTER 14

Fiona's POV

I ran.

My breath came in short, uneven gasps as I darted through the halls, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Adrian—

His touch, his words, his breath against my ear—

I shivered, my fingers curling into fists.

I wasn't supposed to feel like this.

No.

I couldn't feel like this.

I pressed a hand against my chest, trying to steady my racing heart.

"You mustn't fall for Adrian," I whispered to myself. "No matter what."

Taking a deep breath, I straightened and forced myself forward.

I had a role to play.

—

As I neared the sports center, someone called out.

"Josh!"

I turned.

A girl stood a few feet away, her bright eyes fixed on me. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place her name.

She pouted. "Don't tell me you forgot my name."

I blinked.

"Uh… sorry. I'll try to remember next time."

Her expression brightened. "It's Julie! Come on, let's go to the sports center together."

Before I could protest, she grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

I stiffened.

Holding hands? In public?

Panic flared inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

It's fine. It's just a friend holding hands.

Right?

—

The sports center was packed.

Good.

The match had already started, which meant fewer eyes on me.

I exhaled in relief—until someone blocked my path.

A large figure stepped in front of me, arms crossed.

I didn't even need to look up to know who it was.

The girl who had tried to fight me over a seat.

Tch.

I tried to ignore her, but she wasn't having it.

"Look who we have here," she sneered, voice dripping with mockery. "The feminine boy."

Nearby students turned, their gazes snapping toward us.

I clenched my jaw.

This girl was begging for a beating.

Keeping my face blank, I asked flatly, "What's your name?"

She flipped her hair dramatically. "Florida."

…

I nearly choked.

Florida?

I barely held in my laughter, forcing my face to stay calm.

"As in… the state?" I deadpanned. "Interesting. But I don't care."

Her face twisted in rage.

"Stay away from Adrian," she hissed.

I blinked. "…What?"

She stepped closer, her voice dropping into a menacing whisper.

"I said, stay away from Adrian. He's mine."

A slow smirk curled at my lips.

Oh, sweetheart.

If only you knew.

Would she still feel that way if she found out Adrian kissed me last night?

The thought sent an unexpected thrill down my spine.

Wait.

Why did I feel satisfied?

No.

I wasn't jealous.

Absolutely not.

Julie gave me a knowing smile. "You sure about that?"

I turned away.

No.

I wasn't jealous.

…Right

Adrian's POV

"Let's go. Our team is next."

Josh nodded, slipping his jersey over his head. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you."

As we made our way to the stadium, the atmosphere shifted. It was subtle at first, but then—like a ripple in the air—every omega, beta, delta, gamma, and sentinel unconsciously lowered their auras, submitting to my alpha dominance.

The cheers erupted as soon as we stepped onto the field. Our names were chanted like a battle cry, the sound reverberating through the stadium. We were used to it. The school's pride, its only hope of winning. Without us, the team was bound to fail.

I barely paid attention to the noise.

What caught my interest was the weight of a stare.

It wasn't unusual—girls stared at me all the time, omegas especially, desperate to be my Luna.

But this… this was different.

The moment I turned my head, my gaze collided with his.

Josh's new classmate.

He was seated in the stands, but his eyes were locked onto mine with an intensity that sent an inexplicable sensation down my spine.

A strange sense of familiarity crept in, making my jaw clench.

That look…

It reminded me of the woman from that night.

Impossible.

"Adrian, what the hell are you spacing out for? We're up," Josh's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I exhaled sharply, breaking eye contact.

"Mm."

Pushing the distraction aside, I strode onto the field. As the captain, I quickly assigned positions.

Josh—my beta—took his spot as the central midfielder.

James, the team's defensive midfielder, was positioned strategically—sentinels were meant to guard, after all.

Luke, our center-back, stood tall at the defensive line—his role as gamma reflected in his unyielding presence.

And me?

I was the striker.

The one who finished things.

The tension on the field crackled like static before a storm.

That's when he spoke.

"What's wrong? You guys wasting time 'cause you're scared of losing?"

Peter.

The captain of the Brokenwood pack.

Arrogant bastard.

Luke, predictably, reacted first. "And how the hell is that any of your business?" His temper was always quick to ignite.

Peter smirked, nudging the ball with his foot just enough to send it rolling into the net. A taunt.

"I just want to end this match quickly," he said. "And crush you in the process."

Luke's patience snapped.

"You little—" His sleeves were already halfway up his arms as he prepared to swing.

I didn't let him.

"Stop." My command cut through the tension like a blade.

Luke growled but hesitated. "But Alpha, he's asking for a fight—"

"I said, stop."

Luke clenched his fists but ultimately submitted, stepping back with clear reluctance.

Peter scoffed, unfazed. "Tch. Always the obedient lapdog."

I shot him a cold look. "Enough talking. Let's see if your skills can match your mouth."

Peter's smirk widened. "Oh, don't worry, Alpha. I'll make sure you remember this match."

I rolled my shoulders, cracking my neck.

This was going to be fun.