Chapter 4 The Awakening

• The world has been quieter since that night.
• Or maybe it’s me who’s louder.
• I can hear everything now — the flutter of pages from across the classroom, the nervous heartbeat of the student sitting two rows behind me, the soft hum of energy in the air that didn’t exist before. Everything feels amplified… dangerous.
• And worst of all, I can feel him.
• Lucien.
• Even when he’s not in the same room, my chest tightens with emotions that aren’t mine. Restlessness. Anger. Guilt. Sometimes even longing, sharp and quick like a flash of heat beneath my skin. It’s confusing. Terrifying. Addicting.
• I glance up from my notebook. Across the room, Liam is staring at me — the golden, perfect one. His smile is easy, reassuring, the kind of smile that could make anyone believe the world isn’t as cruel as it is.
• Everyone adores him.
• Everyone except the one person I want to notice me differently.
• Lucien sits in the back corner, silent and unreadable as always. His hoodie hides most of his expression, but I can feel his gaze burning against my skin — heavy and magnetic.
• He hasn’t spoken to me since the night in the forest.
• He avoids me now, like being near me hurts him.
• And somehow, I can feel that pain too.
• Mrs. Hayworth’s voice slices through my thoughts. “Scarlet, your turn to demonstrate the stance.”
• Crap. Combat training day.
• I stand, my palms clammy. My body doesn’t feel like mine anymore — too aware, too sensitive, like something inside me is waiting to be unleashed.
• “Pair her with Vanessa,” the teacher says.
• Of course.
• Vanessa smirks, flipping her perfect blonde hair as she steps onto the mat. The whole class leans forward. Everyone knows she hates me — ever since she decided Liam was hers and I somehow became her favorite target.
• She whispers as we take position, “Still pretending to belong here, little stray?”
• I grit my teeth. “Let’s just get this over with.”
• The whistle blows.
• She lunges first — faster than I expect. I dodge, barely, but she sweeps my legs and I hit the mat hard. Laughter ripples through the room.
• I get up slowly, my body trembling. Not from fear… from something else.
• A growl rises low in my throat. It’s not human.
• Vanessa notices. “What was that?”
• I don’t answer. I just move.
• This time I’m the one who attacks — faster, stronger, almost too strong. I grab her wrist, twist, and she goes flying backward, landing flat on her back. Gasps fill the air.
• Mrs. Hayworth shouts my name, but her voice feels distant, muffled by the roar in my ears. My vision flickers — the world tinted gold for a second — and when I blink, I swear I see my reflection in the window. My eyes… glowing.
• No. Not now.
• “Scarlet!”
• Lucien’s voice. Firm. Commanding. It cuts through the haze.
• I freeze. My pulse crashes back to human rhythm, and the room spins.
• He’s beside me before anyone else can react, his hand gripping my shoulder. The touch steadies me, but also burns — that strange, familiar electricity.
• “Outside,” he says through clenched teeth.
• Vanessa sits up, clutching her wrist. “She—she isn’t normal!”
• The class murmurs in agreement. Some look scared. Others curious.
• Lucien glares at them. “Training’s over.”
• He drags me out into the hallway, his grip gentle but unrelenting. The moment the door shuts behind us, I finally breathe.
• “What was that?” I whisper.
• He doesn’t answer. He just studies me, eyes stormy, conflicted. “You shouldn’t have lost control like that.”
• “I didn’t mean to—”
• “You almost shifted in front of everyone, Scarlet!” His voice breaks, more fear than anger. “Do you know what that means?”
• Tears sting my eyes. “Then tell me what’s happening to me! You keep saying I’m changing, that something inside me is waking, but you never explain why!”
• He takes a step closer, and suddenly the space between us feels too small. “Because once you know, you can’t go back.”
• I swallow. “Lucien, please.”
• His jaw tightens. “Your wolf is bound to mine. The bond wasn’t supposed to trigger yet. But the night in the forest… it awakened something in both of us.”
• My breath catches. “Bound? You mean—”
• “Yes,” he whispers. “I’m your mate, Scarlet.”
• The words crash through me, shattering every thought in my head.
• For a heartbeat, the world stands still.
• Then—
• “What?”
• “It’s the truth,” he says quietly. “Liam isn’t the one your soul called. It was me. It’s always been me.”
• I shake my head, stepping back. “No… no, you’re lying. You’ve avoided me, pushed me away—”
• “Because it’s dangerous!” he snaps. “You don’t understand what it means to be mated to me. My wolf… it’s different. Darker.”
• His voice trembles, and for the first time, I see it — the fear not for himself, but for me.
• Before I can answer, a sharp, mocking voice echoes down the hall.
• “Well, isn’t this adorable?”
• Vanessa. She stands at the doorway, holding up her phone, a red recording light blinking.
• Every drop of blood drains from my face.
• Lucien’s eyes flash silver. “Turn that off.”
• She smirks. “Why would I? The whole academy deserves to know that our little Scarlet is a freak — and apparently mated to a monster.”
• “Vanessa—”
• But she’s already gone, sprinting down the hall.
• Lucien curses under his breath. “She’s going to tell them. All of them.”
• The air around me shifts — wild, electric, unstable. I can feel my heartbeat syncing with his. My skin burns. My bones ache.
• “She can’t,” I whisper, clutching my chest. “They’ll—”
• And then it hits me — the power. The same pulse from the forest. It floods through me before I can stop it.
• “Scarlet—” Lucien grabs me, but light explodes from my hands, slamming the hallway doors shut with a thunderous crack. The walls tremble. Windows shatter.
• When the light fades, I’m kneeling on the floor, gasping, trembling.
• Lucien kneels beside me, his face pale. “It’s starting. The Awakening.”
• I lift my gaze to his, eyes glowing faint gold now. “What’s happening to me?”
• He hesitates, voice breaking. “You’re becoming what you were always meant to be.”
• A silence falls — heavy, charged.
• Then the alarm bell rings across the academy, and a voice echoes through the intercom:
• > “All students to the Great Hall immediately. There’s been… an incident.”
• Lucien helps me to my feet. Outside the window, I can see the others gathering, whispering, staring toward the dorms — toward me.
• And standing among them, Liam looks up. His expression isn’t confusion anymore.
• It’s suspicion.Chapter 4: The Awakening
• (Scarlet’s POV)
• The world has been quieter since that night.
• Or maybe it’s me who’s louder.
• I can hear everything now — the flutter of pages from across the classroom, the nervous heartbeat of the student sitting two rows behind me, the soft hum of energy in the air that didn’t exist before. Everything feels amplified… dangerous.
• And worst of all, I can feel him.
• Lucien.
• Even when he’s not in the same room, my chest tightens with emotions that aren’t mine. Restlessness. Anger. Guilt. Sometimes even longing, sharp and quick like a flash of heat beneath my skin. It’s confusing. Terrifying. Addicting.
• I glance up from my notebook. Across the room, Liam is staring at me — the golden, perfect one. His smile is easy, reassuring, the kind of smile that could make anyone believe the world isn’t as cruel as it is.
• Everyone adores him.
• Everyone except the one person I want to notice me differently.
• Lucien sits in the back corner, silent and unreadable as always. His hoodie hides most of his expression, but I can feel his gaze burning against my skin — heavy and magnetic.
• He hasn’t spoken to me since the night in the forest.
• He avoids me now, like being near me hurts him.
• And somehow, I can feel that pain too.
• Mrs. Hayworth’s voice slices through my thoughts. “Scarlet, your turn to demonstrate the stance.”
• Crap. Combat training day.
• I stand, my palms clammy. My body doesn’t feel like mine anymore — too aware, too sensitive, like something inside me is waiting to be unleashed.
• “Pair her with Vanessa,” the teacher says.
• Of course.
• Vanessa smirks, flipping her perfect blonde hair as she steps onto the mat. The whole class leans forward. Everyone knows she hates me — ever since she decided Liam was hers and I somehow became her favorite target.
• She whispers as we take position, “Still pretending to belong here, little stray?”
• I grit my teeth. “Let’s just get this over with.”
• The whistle blows.
• She lunges first — faster than I expect. I dodge, barely, but she sweeps my legs and I hit the mat hard. Laughter ripples through the room.
• I get up slowly, my body trembling. Not from fear… from something else.
• A growl rises low in my throat. It’s not human.
• Vanessa notices. “What was that?”
• I don’t answer. I just move.
• This time I’m the one who attacks — faster, stronger, almost too strong. I grab her wrist, twist, and she goes flying backward, landing flat on her back. Gasps fill the air.
• Mrs. Hayworth shouts my name, but her voice feels distant, muffled by the roar in my ears. My vision flickers — the world tinted gold for a second — and when I blink, I swear I see my reflection in the window. My eyes… glowing.
• No. Not now.
• “Scarlet!”
• Lucien’s voice. Firm. Commanding. It cuts through the haze.
• I freeze. My pulse crashes back to human rhythm, and the room spins.
• He’s beside me before anyone else can react, his hand gripping my shoulder. The touch steadies me, but also burns — that strange, familiar electricity.
• “Outside,” he says through clenched teeth.
• Vanessa sits up, clutching her wrist. “She—she isn’t normal!”
• The class murmurs in agreement. Some look scared. Others curious.
• Lucien glares at them. “Training’s over.”
• He drags me out into the hallway, his grip gentle but unrelenting. The moment the door shuts behind us, I finally breathe.
• “What was that?” I whisper.
• He doesn’t answer. He just studies me, eyes stormy, conflicted. “You shouldn’t have lost control like that.”
• “I didn’t mean to—”
• “You almost shifted in front of everyone, Scarlet!” His voice breaks, more fear than anger. “Do you know what that means?”
• Tears sting my eyes. “Then tell me what’s happening to me! You keep saying I’m changing, that something inside me is waking, but you never explain why!”
• He takes a step closer, and suddenly the space between us feels too small. “Because once you know, you can’t go back.”
• I swallow. “Lucien, please.”
• His jaw tightens. “Your wolf is bound to mine. The bond wasn’t supposed to trigger yet. But the night in the forest… it awakened something in both of us.”
• My breath catches. “Bound? You mean—”
• “Yes,” he whispers. “I’m your mate, Scarlet.”
• The words crash through me, shattering every thought in my head.
• For a heartbeat, the world stands still.
• Then—
• “What?”
• “It’s the truth,” he says quietly. “Liam isn’t the one your soul called. It was me. It’s always been me.”
• I shake my head, stepping back. “No… no, you’re lying. You’ve avoided me, pushed me away—”
• “Because it’s dangerous!” he snaps. “You don’t understand what it means to be mated to me. My wolf… it’s different. Darker.”
• His voice trembles, and for the first time, I see it — the fear not for himself, but for me.
• Before I can answer, a sharp, mocking voice echoes down the hall.
• “Well, isn’t this adorable?”
• Vanessa. She stands at the doorway, holding up her phone, a red recording light blinking.
• Every drop of blood drains from my face.
• Lucien’s eyes flash silver. “Turn that off.”
• She smirks. “Why would I? The whole academy deserves to know that our little Scarlet is a freak — and apparently mated to a monster.”
• “Vanessa—”
• But she’s already gone, sprinting down the hall.
• Lucien curses under his breath. “She’s going to tell them. All of them.”
• The air around me shifts — wild, electric, unstable. I can feel my heartbeat syncing with his. My skin burns. My bones ache.
• “She can’t,” I whisper, clutching my chest. “They’ll—”
• And then it hits me — the power. The same pulse from the forest. It floods through me before I can stop it.
• “Scarlet—” Lucien grabs me, but light explodes from my hands, slamming the hallway doors shut with a thunderous crack. The walls tremble. Windows shatter.
• When the light fades, I’m kneeling on the floor, gasping, trembling.
• Lucien kneels beside me, his face pale. “It’s starting. The Awakening.”
• I lift my gaze to his, eyes glowing faint gold now. “What’s happening to me?”
• He hesitates, voice breaking. “You’re becoming what you were always meant to be.”
• A silence falls — heavy, charged.
• Then the alarm bell rings across the academy, and a voice echoes through the intercom:
• “All students to the Great Hall immediately. There’s been… an incident.”
• Lucien helps me to my feet. Outside the window, I can see the others gathering, whispering, staring toward the dorms — toward me.
• And standing among them, Liam looks up. His expression isn’t confusion anymore.
• It’s suspicion.