"Where do you think you're going, Iloen?"

The voice echoed off the concrete walls of the third-floor stairwell. I didn't stop walking.

"I asked you a question, freak," Chloe Jenkins snapped.

I gripped the cold metal railing and took another step down. "I'm going home, Chloe. Leave me alone."

Three girls blocked the landing below me. Chloe stood in the center, flanked by two of her loyal followers. They had me boxed in.

"You don't get to walk away from me," Chloe said. She marched up two steps, invading my space. "You looked at my boyfriend in the cafeteria today."

"I was looking at the clock behind him," I said.

"Liar." Chloe shoved my shoulder. "You're just a dirty little Omega looking for a handout."

"I said, move."

"You think anyone would care if you disappeared?" Chloe asked, a cruel smile stretching across her face.

"My mom would," I said.

"Your mom is just as pathetic as you are." Chloe signaled the girls behind her. "You're going down. Literally."

"I want to hear something snap," the girl on the left whispered.

Two hands slammed hard into my spine.

My fingers slipped off the railing. Gravity took over instantly.

The concrete stairs rushed up to meet me. I squeezed my eyes shut. I braced for the shatter of my bones, the tearing of skin, the inevitable agony of the fall.

A blur of motion intercepted my drop.

Strong arms wrapped tight around my waist. The sheer force of my fall slammed me forward against a solid, muscular chest.

My chin jerked up.

My lips crashed directly against someone else's.

A violent, electric shock ripped through my veins. It felt like a steel chain snapping locked around my ribcage, binding my pulse to the boy holding me.

Fated mate.

The realization exploded in my mind at the exact second I opened my eyes.

Cold, furious gray eyes stared back at me.

Kyle Mercer. The top Alpha of the academy.

His pupils dilated, swallowing the gray. The mate bond surged between us, undeniable and terrifying. I felt the tug in my gut, the absolute certainty that the universe had just tethered me to him.

He felt it too. I saw the recognition flash in his expression.

Then, utter revulsion washed over his face.

Kyle ripped his arms away. He shoved my shoulders with brutal force.

I flew backward, crashing hard onto the landing. My elbows scraped against the rough tiles, tearing the skin.

"Don't touch me!" Kyle yelled.

He stumbled back, wiping the back of his hand furiously across his mouth. His skin turned red from the friction.

"Kyle?" I whispered. My voice trembled from the impact and the bizarre, magical tether still humming in the air.

"Keep your filthy mouth shut," he spat. He shuddered visibly, his chest heaving. "You make me sick."

"I didn't ask you to catch me," I shot back, pushing myself up onto my knees.

"You threw yourself down the stairs just to get near me." He glared down at me, his jaw tight. "I know exactly what kind of Omega you are, Iloen. The whole school knows."

"You think I staged a fall to break my neck?"

"I think you're desperate," he sneered. "And disgusting. Do you have any idea what kind of bacteria you carry? I need to burn these clothes. I need a gallon of bleach to wash your stench off me."

Everyone knew Kyle Mercer was a notorious germaphobe. He refused to shake hands, refused to share space, and absolutely refused to associate with anyone below his status. Especially someone with my reputation.

But the mate bond was real. It hummed under my skin, begging me to step closer to him. I dug my fingernails into my palms to fight the urge.

*Click.*

A camera flash blinded me for a second.

I turned my head. A group of students stood on the stairs above us, phones out.

"Did you get that?" a guy asked.

"Yeah. She totally kissed him."

"Gross. She actually ambushed Kyle Mercer."

The whispers multiplied, echoing off the concrete walls.

"Did you see her lips? She practically sucked his face off."

"She's so desperate for an Alpha."

"I heard she tried the same thing with Beta Davis last week."

I scrambled to my feet. "That's a lie! Chloe pushed me!"

I pointed up the stairs, but the landing above was empty. Chloe and her friends had vanished, leaving me to face the firing squad alone.

"Save it, Iloen," Kyle said, his voice dropping into a lethal, icy register. "Your little stunt worked. You got your picture. Now stay the hell away from me."

"I don't want you!" I yelled, the injustice burning my throat. "I'd rather jump off the roof than be tied to an arrogant jerk like you!"

Kyle stepped forward, invading my space. The Alpha pheromones rolled off him, heavy and suffocating. "Tied to me? Don't even joke about that. You are nothing to me. You will never be anything to me."

"Then why did you catch me?"

"Reflex," he snapped. "A mistake I won't make twice."

He turned his back on me, adjusting his pristine uniform jacket.

Before I could walk away, the crowd parted violently.

"Kyle!"

Vivian Thorne stomped down the steps. Her eyes darted from Kyle's red mouth to my scraped elbows.

"What is going on here?" Vivian demanded.

"Nothing," Kyle said, his tone softening a fraction. "Just taking out the trash."

Vivian ignored him and marched straight up to me. Her face contorted with pure hatred.

"You touched him," she hissed.

"It was an accident," I said.

"You've been obsessing over him since freshman year," Vivian said.

"I don't even know his middle name," I replied.

"Shut up!" Vivian shrieked. "You don't get to speak to me. You think because you're an Omega, you can just flash your eyes and Alpha Kyle will fall for it?"

"I didn't do anything."

"You kissed him! We all saw the picture!" Vivian raised her hand. "You're a disease, Iloen. And I'm going to cure you."

"Try it, Vivian." I stood my ground, lifting my chin.

She didn't slap me. Instead, she grabbed my phone from my uniform pocket, threw it onto the concrete, and crushed it under her shoe.

"That's just a warning," she said, stepping closer until our noses almost touched. "Next time, it's your face."

"Are you done throwing a tantrum?" I asked.

Vivian scoffed, turning back to the crowd. "Listen up! Anyone who talks to this stray gets dealt with by me. Make sure the whole school knows. Iloen is dead meat."

The students murmured in agreement, their phones still recording my humiliation.

Kyle didn't look back. He just walked down the hallway, leaving me trapped in a circle of glaring eyes.

The fated mate bond pulsed in my chest, a cruel joke played by the universe. He was my mate. And he had just handed me over to the wolves.

"You're going to pay for this," Vivian whispered, her voice meant only for me.

"I already am," I muttered.

As I watched Kyle disappear around the corner, a sharp, searing pain erupted in my chest, dropping me straight back to my knees.

The bond was rejecting me. And it felt like my heart was tearing in two.

The school forum exploded before first period even started.

I walked through the double doors of the main hall, and a wall of glowing screens greeted me. Every student held a phone. Every screen played the exact same three-second loop.

Me, falling down the stairs. Kyle catching me. Our lips crashing together.

"There she is," a junior muttered, pointing a manicured finger at my chest.

"Shameless," another girl whispered loudly. "Did you read the new thread? Someone dug up her middle school records. They say she faked a heat cycle just to get close to an Alpha in eighth grade."

"That is a complete lie!" I yelled at the group.

They just laughed and turned their backs.

"Hey, homewrecker," a heavy-set Beta sneered, stepping directly into my path. "I read your file online. Kicked out of two packs already?"

"Move," I told him, keeping my chin high.

"Or what? You will throw yourself at me too?" He barked a laugh, looking over his shoulder at his friends. "Sorry, Iloen. I prefer my Omegas without a criminal record."

"I prefer my Betas with a working brain," I replied. "Now get out of my way."

He scowled and shoved his shoulder into mine as I passed. I stumbled against the lockers, my books rattling in my bag.

A sharp voice echoed from the far end of the hallway, silencing the whispers.

"I want the video deleted from the servers immediately."

Kyle Mercer stood by the trophy display. A crowd of eager students and self-appointed school reporters surrounded him. He scrubbed his hands vigorously with a sanitizing wipe, his face twisted in absolute disgust.

"Alpha Kyle, is it true you and Iloen have a secret arrangement?" a sophomore with a notepad asked.

"Do I look insane?" Kyle snapped. He tossed the used wipe into a nearby trash can and pulled out a fresh one. "I have no arrangement with that stray. I refuse to even breathe the same air as her."

"But you caught her," the sophomore pressed.

"It was a reflex." Kyle’s voice turned to ice. "A body falls, you put your arms out. It means nothing. The second I realized who it was, I dropped her."

"What about the kiss?"

"An assault," Kyle corrected instantly. "She ambushed me. It was repulsive. I already scheduled a full infectious disease screening for this afternoon."

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

I stood frozen by the lockers, my nails digging into my palms.

Kyle played the victim perfectly. He painted me as the desperate, dirty Omega clinging to his status. He told them exactly what they wanted to hear.

But his body language told a completely different story.

He was looking right at me.

Despite his cruel words, his gray eyes were locked onto my face. He tried to look away. He turned his head toward the reporter, but a second later, his gaze snapped right back to me.

His jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek. He gripped the edge of the trophy case, his knuckles turning stark white against the glass.

The fated mate bond was punishing him.

He wanted to hate me. He wanted to banish me from his sight. But the magic tethering us together demanded his attention. It forced his eyes to track my every movement.

He was drowning in it, and no one else noticed.

"She is a stalker," Kyle told the crowd, his voice straining slightly. "A desperate, scheming Omega trying to trap an Alpha. I want a restraining order filed by third period."

"Will you press charges?" a girl asked.

"If she comes within fifty feet of me, report her to the headmaster," Kyle answered, ignoring the question.

He finally managed to rip his gaze away from me. He marched down the opposite corridor, his posture rigid, his fists balled tightly at his sides.

The crowd dispersed, leaving me alone against the cold metal lockers.

"Rough morning, Iloen?"

Vivian Thorne stepped into my line of sight. She wore a pristine white sweater and a halo of fake sympathy. Two of her loyal followers flanked her, phones already recording.

"What do you want, Vivian?" I asked.

"I want to help," she said softly.

She stepped closer, projecting her voice so the lingering students could hear every word.

"We all know you made a terrible mistake today," Vivian continued. "Throwing yourself at Kyle was desperate. It shows a severe lack of morals. But I believe in second chances."

"Is that right?" I crossed my arms.

"Yes." Vivian held out a glossy red flyer. "The Christmas musical needs a stagehand. It involves sweeping the stage, moving heavy props, and painting backgrounds in the dark. It is hard, dirty work. But if you do it, it will show the school you have some humility."

"You want me to sweep floors for your play."

"I want to clean up your reputation, sweetie," Vivian smiled, her eyes flashing with malice. "Take the job. Prove you aren't just a scheming, attention-starved Omega."

A small crowd gathered again, watching the exchange. Vivian played the gentle, forgiving princess to perfection. Everyone looked at me, waiting for me to bow my head and accept her charity.

I stared at the flyer. Then, I let out a loud, sharp laugh.

Vivian’s smile dropped instantly. "What is so funny?"

"You," I said. I stepped right into her personal space, ignoring the cameras. "You actually think handing me a broom makes you a saint."

"I am trying to save you from yourself!"

"You are trying to secure a photo op," I shot back. "You cornered me in the locker room last week and poured bleach on my gym clothes. You told Chloe to push me down those stairs. Now you want me to paint props for you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Vivian gasped, pressing a hand to her chest.

"Drop the act. We both know exactly who you are." I slapped the flyer out of her hand. The glossy paper fluttered to the linoleum floor. "Keep your fake charity. I refuse to be your prop."

Vivian’s eyes narrowed into terrifying slits. The sweet facade vanished entirely.

"You are going to regret that," she hissed, leaning in close so only I could hear. "By tomorrow, you will be begging to scrub my floors."

"I doubt it."

I shoved past her followers and marched down the hallway. My heart hammered against my ribs. The adrenaline pushed me forward, but the fated mate bond pulled me backward.

It dragged my attention toward the west wing. Toward Kyle.

I turned the corner, desperate to escape the crowded halls.

A hand shot out from the shadows of an empty alcove.

Fingers wrapped around my wrist like a steel vise. The electric shock of the mate bond flared instantly, burning up my arm and seizing my chest.

I slammed back against the brick wall.

Kyle Mercer loomed over me.

His breathing was ragged. His gray eyes were completely blown out, the pupils swallowing the irises. He looked furious, feral, and completely out of control.

"I told you to stay away from me," he growled.

"You grabbed me!" I yelled, trying to yank my arm free.

His grip only tightened. He leaned down, his face inches from my neck. He inhaled sharply, his chest expanding against mine.

"Meet me behind the old library at midnight," Kyle whispered, his voice vibrating with a dangerous edge. "Or I will make sure you are expelled by morning."

Before I could answer, he released me and vanished down the corridor, leaving me gasping for air.

Midnight.

What was he planning to do to me in the dark?

Tears spilled down Vivian’s cheeks before the glossy flyer even settled on the linoleum.

"I just wanted to help her," Vivian sobbed, burying her face into Chloe’s shoulder.

"You are a monster, Iloen," a senior hissed, stepping forward to shield Vivian.

"She is totally ungrateful," another student chimed in.

"What is going on here?" Mr. Gable’s booming voice cut through the hallway chatter.

The crowd parted instantly for the head disciplinarian. He took one look at Vivian’s tears and fixed a hard glare on me.

"Iloen is bullying Vivian again," Chloe said quickly. "Vivian offered her a spot on the winter musical crew, and Iloen attacked her."

"I slapped a piece of paper out of her hand," I corrected.

"Silence," Mr. Gable barked. He crossed his arms, his expression full of absolute disappointment. "You lack basic empathy, Iloen. Vivian offered you an olive branch, and you spit on it."

"She is setting me up," I said.

"More excuses," Gable countered. "You will join the theater production today. You will learn teamwork and humility."

"I refuse to work for her."

"Then I will personally process your expulsion for harassment," Gable stated coldly. "Report to the auditorium at three o'clock. Do not test me."

He turned and patted Vivian’s shoulder before walking away.

Three hours later, I stood on the freezing auditorium stage. The heating system in the old building had been broken for weeks.

"Here is your script," Vivian said, shoving a thick stack of damp papers against my chest.

"I thought I was painting props," I said.

"We had a cast change. You are the wicked stepsister now." Vivian smiled sharply. "Turn to page forty."

I flipped the pages. "She gets thrown into a frozen lake? That isn't in the original play."

"I rewrote it," Vivian announced to the crew. "The stepsister must suffer for her crimes. Get to the center mark. Props team, bring the buckets."

Two heavy-set Betas hauled massive plastic bins onto the stage. Chunks of ice bobbed in the water.

"Action," Vivian ordered from the front row.

A splash of freezing water hit my back.

The icy shock punched the air right out of my lungs. My muscles seized instantly.

"Terrible reaction," Vivian called out, waving her hand. "Do it again."

Another bucket crashed against my shoulders. My teeth knocked together violently.

"She looks bored," Chloe yelled from the lighting booth.

"Reset," Vivian commanded.

They poured a third bucket directly over my head. The water soaked through my uniform, freezing against my skin. My vision dotted with black spots. A fierce, unnatural heat began radiating from my chest, fighting the cold.

Fever.

"I am done," I whispered, my voice cracking.

"Speak up, stray," Vivian mocked.

"I said, I am done." I turned toward the stage stairs.

The auditorium lights blurred into a blinding white streak. My legs gave out completely.

I waited for the hard wooden floor to shatter my knees.

Instead, a violent jolt of electricity ripped through my spine.

Strong hands gripped my waist. The scent of pine and sterile alcohol flooded my senses, cutting through the damp chill of the room.

Kyle.

"Get off me," Kyle snarled, his voice vibrating against my ear.

He shoved my shoulders. I slumped forward, completely dead weight.

His hands snapped right back to my sides, catching me before I hit the floor.

"I said get off," he repeated, his tone frantic now.

I couldn't move. The fever baked my skin, leaving me entirely paralyzed against his chest.

"Alpha Kyle, drop her!" Vivian shrieked, sprinting down the center aisle. "She is covered in dirty water!"

Kyle’s face contorted. He stared at his own hands gripping my soaked shirt, pure horror flashing in his gray eyes. He wanted to throw me onto the stage. Every muscle in his jaw strained with the effort to pull away.

But the fated mate bond refused to yield.

His fingers dug harder into my waist. A strange, panicked reluctance washed over his harsh features.

"Let her fall, Kyle," Chloe urged, stepping out of the booth.

"Shut up," Kyle barked.

He hoisted me up into his arms, pressing my soaking wet uniform directly against his pristine, custom-tailored jacket.

"What are you doing?" Vivian gasped, stopping at the edge of the stage. "She is a disease!"

"Get out of my way," Kyle ordered.

He marched down the steps, carrying me past the stunned crew members. The entire auditorium fell dead silent.

"You are ruining your clothes," I mumbled, barely conscious.

"Do not speak," he forced out through gritted teeth. "If you die, it severs the bond. I refuse to deal with the physical backlash of a dead mate."

He kicked the heavy auditorium doors open.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my head lolling against his shoulder.

"The hospital," he muttered, his chest heaving. "Before I change my mind and throw you in a dumpster."

My eyes slid shut as the cold hallway air hit my face.

But as the darkness finally pulled me under, I realized something terrifying.

Kyle just skipped classes to save me. And midnight was still hours away.