The ExtraOrdinary Luna

[Now or never, Seth. Edith is your mate.] “Oh, sod off! I’m bloody working on it!” With a surge of reckless confidence, Seth pushed himself forward. That invisible pull—feral, relentless—had been gnawing at him for weeks. His chest hammered as if chained to her heartbeat, bound by something ancient. Something primal. It had started a month ago, right before his ascension as the next Alpha of the Red Crescent Moon pack. Since then, nothing in his life felt remotely normal. And now, locking onto those emerald eyes across the corridor—Christ, the world bloody stopped. The pull slammed into him, harder than gravity. His pulse kicked, hunger clawing at him. He wanted her. No—he needed her. Her shoulder-length blonde hair bounced with each step, oblivious to the predator stalking behind. Eyes glued to her phone, she was fixated on the live polling results of the student council elections at Abberforth High. Ordinary. Mundane. Everything Seth wasn’t. He cleared his throat. “Hi, Edith.” She jolted as though the sound of his voice had struck her like a slap. She hated that voice. It unhinged her, cracked her walls—yet stirred something buried deep inside. “What do you want?” she snapped, brows knitted tight. “Still pretending I don’t exist?” His lips twitched with amusement. That voice again. It dragged her back to that night a year ago. Her chest tightened, body betraying her even as her mind screamed to run. She spun on her heel—only to be stopped by the firm grip on her wrist. “Edith,” Seth murmured, leaning close, his tone maddeningly sure, “the more you run, the more I’ll chase. Because I know you don’t feel the way you claim.” Her eyes clashed with his—deep brown, burning, suffocating. Panic flared. Her lungs stalled. Move, dammit. Run. But her heart… traitorous, bloody heart—hesitated. “Get out of my way!” she barked, shoving him off. “I want nothing to do with you. Nothing. So piss off!” Seth released her wrist slowly, grin spreading across his face. “You will, Edith. Sooner or later, you won’t be able to fight it. I was imprinted on you.” “Arsehole!” she spat. “I hate you!” Her fury echoed down the hall as she stormed off. Seth only chuckled, turning towards his classroom with a smug curve of his mouth. Lessons started in ten minutes, but his head was elsewhere. Always elsewhere. Edith had no idea—she’d already caught his soul nearly a year ago. By lunch, Edith was starving. She ordered two plates of medium-rare steak, hunger gnawing sharper than usual. Her appetite had been ridiculous lately, meat-tipped cravings she couldn’t explain. She’d never stomached pink, bleeding meat before—yet now it was divine, satisfying her in ways nothing else could. “I don’t get it… why’s everyone eating like this?” she muttered, scanning the cafeteria. The place buzzed with chatter and the sound of teeth tearing into rare meat. Plates piled high, barely a vegetable in sight. She used to find it disturbing, but now… now it felt almost natural. Just as she sank her fork into the steak, Seth dropped onto the bench beside her, tray stacked with four bloody servings. Her appetite died instantly. “You’ve ruined my lunch,” she hissed, slamming cutlery down. She started to stand, but his hand shot out, clasping her wrist again. “Edith, please.” His tone was softer this time, startlingly sincere. “Just stay. Eat. I swear I’ll keep my gob shut.” For once, he didn’t sound like a prat. Against her better judgement, she sat back down. She stabbed at her steak, chewing furiously, trying to pretend he wasn’t there. Usually, Seth and his mates treated the cafeteria like their personal stage—tripping kids, knocking trays, watching food splatter as entertainment. Cruel games nobody ever dared resist. But Edith wasn’t like the rest. That was why she was running for student council chair—to stop crap like this. She was leading by a mile in the polls, and by midnight the results would be final. She had to win. By the time she’d cleaned her plate, Seth had finished his too, his eyes never once leaving her. His strange, quiet behaviour unsettled her. She grabbed a tissue, dabbed her mouth, then sipped her strawberry juice. But the moment she stood, nausea slammed into her. Her stomach lurched violently. Without a word, she bolted from the cafeteria, crashing into the girls’ toilets. She barely made it into a stall before vomiting up everything she’d eaten. “Edith? Are you alright?” She froze at the sound of his voice. Bloody Seth. “Go away!” she rasped, hoarse. “I don’t need you pretending you give a toss!” Her whole body trembled, sweat slick on her skin. She flushed, staggered to the sink, and splashed cold water on her pale face. Her reflection stared back—drained, shaken. When she finally stepped out, Seth was waiting by the wall. His gaze pinned her. “Feeling better?” His voice was rough, urgent. “For f**k’s sake, Edith, just answer me.” Her eyes narrowed. Edith thought this his another trick. She ignored him, brushing past. The corridor spun. Her vision blurred. Then—the floor rushed up to meet her. Totally darkness. When she stirred again, soft sheets cradled her. The air smelled faintly sterile. The infirmary. Seth sat in the chair beside her bed, hunched over his phone. His head snapped up the second she moved. Relief swept over his features, loosening his shoulders. “I brought you here,” he said quietly. “You were out cold. I stayed. I was worried.” Her glare sharpened. “Why? I don’t want you here. Just leave and pretend none of this happened!” His jaw clenched. He dragged a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. “I can’t. I won’t. I don’t want anything bad happening… to either of you.” Edith’s pulse skipped. “Either of… us?” The chill that ran through her veins made her blood feel like ice.