Claimed On Campus

The rain in Seattle never seemed to stop. It hammered down on the ancient stone buildings of Ravenwood University like it wanted to wash away every secret the campus held. Stacey Kane stood dripping wet in her small dorm room on the third floor of Hawthorne Hall, her heart pounding violently. She wasn’t supposed to be here. Three hours ago, the entire campus had been told she was dead. The taxi accident on the rainy highway just outside Ravenwood had been brutal. The car flipped twice before bursting into flames. Group chats had exploded with condolences: “RIP Stacey Kane, freshman Journalism. Too sweet for this cutthroat school.” Even the Dean’s office sent out a preliminary notice. Yet here she was — alive, unmarked, breathing hard — with something strange and electric now burning through her veins. Stacey dropped her soaked bag on the floor and stared at the small wooden box her grandmother had given her the day before she left for college. The old woman’s words still echoed: “Never open this until your blood calls. If you do, you’ll belong to someone you can never escape.” Her fingers trembled as she lifted the lid. Inside lay a sleek black bracelet made of obsidian and gold. The second her skin touched it, a jolt shot up her arm. The lights in her room flickered violently. A loud knock rattled her door. “Stacey? Open up! It’s Sophia!” Her best friend’s voice was frantic. Stacey cracked the door. Sophia Harper burst inside and pulled her into a crushing hug. “Oh my God, you’re alive! The whole campus is mourning you. I was crying in the theater building when the news broke. Even Caleb Voss was asking about you in the cafeteria earlier. His crew was whispering something about ‘the pact activating.’ What pact, Stacey? Talk to me!” Before Stacey could respond, her phone — which had died in the crash — suddenly lit up. One video call from an unknown number. She answered by mistake. The screen showed Caleb Voss and his best friend, Vida Brooks. Caleb — the untouchable senior Business major, basketball captain, and heir to one of Seattle’s most powerful old-money families — stared with dark, possessive eyes. Vida smirked beside him. “Step outside, Sophia,” Caleb ordered, voice deep and commanding. Sophia’s eyes widened. “How the hell do you—” Vida chuckled. “We see everything on this campus. The bracelet activated. Time’s up.” Stacey gently pushed Sophia toward the door. “I’ll explain later. Please.” The moment Sophia left, heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. Caleb Voss pushed the door open without knocking and stepped inside like he owned Ravenwood itself. Vida leaned against the doorframe, blocking any escape. Caleb filled the small room. Tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features and intense dark eyes that locked onto Stacey with raw ownership. His white shirt was damp from the rain, clinging to his muscular chest, silver chain resting against his collarbone. “You survived,” he said, voice low and rough with satisfaction. He closed the distance in two strides, backing her against her desk. One large hand gripped her chin firmly, tilting her face up. “I had Vida’s guys pull you out of that wreck before the fire took you. You’re mine, Stacey. You’ve been mine since before you even stepped foot on Ravenwood.” Stacey’s breath caught. “This is crazy. We barely spoke that one time at freshman orientation—” Caleb’s grip tightened. “One time was enough. I claimed you that night. Every guy on this campus knows you’re off-limits. Your grandmother and my family made a pact generations ago — a blood oath between the Kane and Voss lines. That bracelet marks you as mine. You wear it now. You belong to me now.” Vida smirked. “Boss doesn’t play about what’s his. Last girl who tried to run transferred out by morning.” Stacey tried to pull away, but Caleb held her steady. Heat flooded her body despite the fear. The bracelet on her wrist grew hot, pulsing with golden light. “I’m not your property,” she whispered. Caleb leaned in, lips brushing her ear. “You are. Tomorrow morning you move into my private apartment in the elite housing complex. My driver will pick you up at 8 AM. You sit with me at every meal. You wear what I choose. And if anyone looks at you too long, you tell me so I can handle it. I don’t share. I don’t beg. I protect what’s mine — even if I have to burn Ravenwood down.” His other hand slid possessively around her waist, pulling her flush against him. A sharp knock interrupted. Sophia’s panicked voice came through the door. “Stacey! The Dean is coming with campus security. Someone’s saying the crash wasn’t an accident!” Vida straightened. “Boss, we’ve got movement. Jaden Reed’s crew might be testing us already.” Caleb pressed a hard, claiming kiss to Stacey’s forehead. “Pack your things tonight. Try to run from me, and I’ll drag you back in front of the whole school.” He released her and turned toward the door, but paused with one last possessive look. “Welcome back to Ravenwood, baby. If that bracelet is truly awake… the real danger is only beginning.” The door slammed shut. Stacey sank onto her bed, the glowing bracelet burning like a brand. Sophia rushed back in, eyes wide. “Girl, what the hell just happened? Caleb Voss looks like he wants to lock you away forever. And who would want you dead on your first semester?” Stacey’s phone buzzed with another unknown message: Unknown: The pact is sealed. But if Caleb thinks he can keep the Kane blood for himself… he’s wrong. We’re coming for both of you.