Ava tightened her grip on the suitcase handle, her heart thumping as she stepped through the doorway of her new home.The last place she wanted to be was starting over at seventeen, especially with a new stepfather and a stepbrother whose reputation at school had already reached her ears.She heard voices in the kitchen: her mother’s soft laugh, and then deeper, rougher-a male laugh that sent an unexpected shiver up her spine. She peeked in.Her stepfather towered over her mom, but beside the fridge stood the golden-haired boy she’d seen in the school corridors, always surrounded by a crowd. His eyes caught hers, flickered with recognition, then darkened in a way she couldn’t decipher.That night, as she unpacked, Ava promised herself she’d keep her distance. Drama wasn’t her thing. But at school, it became impossible. Lucas Knight was everywhere: in the hallways, the cafeteria, the gym. Every time their eyes met, he looked at her like she was the only person in the room.It all came to a head that Friday. She was by her locker, not seeing him approach until his hand pressed against the metal, blocking her escape. He leaned in, voice low, gaze burning her skin.“You can pretend all you want,” he murmured, so only she could hear, “but you’re mine. Mate.”Her heart thudded so loud she was sure everyone nearby could hear it. But in Lucas’s eyes, she saw a storm—including the promise of trouble…and something deeper, wilder, that scared and fascinated her both.